MARCO SPEAKS SPIDEY: Spider-Punk (2022) #2 REVIEW

There is a unique kind of energy that emanates from comic books like Spider-Gwen and Spider-Punk. The feeling of youth, the vibrant colors, the in-your-face attitude of the cast involved make for a very entertaining and meaningful read. The undertones of angst and the political flavors also make a title like Spider-Punk worth adding to your comic book library. But even if you are not in the mood to think too much about parallelisms of Spider-Punk’s universe to ours, just simply the language and the artwork will be enough to keep you satisfied and hooked on every single panel. This book also has a lot of comedy and quips that would make the OG himself, Peter Parker, proud. If you are looking for a new, refreshing, alternative title to pick up this month, it would be a great idea to give this one a chance.

OFFICIAL MARVEL COMICS DESCRIPTION:

Published:

May 18, 2022

Writer:

Cody Ziglar

Penciler:

Justin Mason

Cover Artist:

Takashi Okazaki

KICK IT! TASKMASTER crashes the party to stomp out SPIDER-PUNK! What secrets lie under the community center that Spidey and his crew call home base? And how does it all tie back to NORMAN OSBORN?

PROS:

• The team responsible for the art of this comic book should be praised all the way to the high skies. They did a terrific job of capturing the spirit of punk in the pages of this issue. Whether it is Spider-Punk leading his band, taking them on their road-trip in their sweet new ride, or even in the fight scenes, there is just so much life in every single image and panel.
• While this is a Spider-Punk title primarily, it is always encouraging to see all his teammates, or band-mates, get the spotlight that they rightfully deserve, as well. I think the star of this show is Kamala, as she makes a big save and gets her own page just highlighting her awesome power.
• The themes and tones of the story and plot are heavy, serious and perhaps sometimes just too close to home. Spider-Punk thought he was finally able to take down Osborn and his empire of evil a long time ago, only to find out after his battle with Kraven and Taskmaster that the legacy of Osborn lives on, and that he has been able to keep an institution alive in order for people like him to keep on succeeding and profiting off the victims and marginalized of the world. Depending on where you live, this topic may seem more relevant than usual, and it is a question we should always ask ourselves… are we going to waste all our efforts to get rid of evil and make a better home for us all by just giving up? The battles are often won, with us forgetting that there is a long-term war to be waged. Spider-Punk, thanks to his friends, remembered that it is no easy task to take down evil from its throne, nor is it a quick one. But with a solid support-system, there is no excuse or room to give up on trying to create a better world for us all.

CONS:

• At first, Taskmaster was looking to be a credible threat to Spider-Punk and his friends. He was showing off his deadly abilities to copy their moves, but he was never able to properly implement his battleplan. I feel that Taskmaster and Kraven were somewhat nerfed in this issue, and I would have liked them to prove more of a threat to our team of heroes.

FINAL SCORE: B+

It is such a shame that we don’t get to listen to some sort of background music or original soundtrack provided by Marvel when we read Spider-Punk, but that won’t stop us from playing our own tunes on our own when we open and browse the pages. A little punk-rock playing in the background accompanies a title like this perfectly. The next issue will heavily feature Kingpin, so I am looking forward to that. Plus, we get to see the entire band go on a road-trip in their new, sweet ride, so that should make for some interesting misadventures. Spider-Punk has a good crew around him, and I am wishing this series the best moving forward. Rock on!