An Old Enemy Strikes in Spider-Verse #3
And so Miles’ slightly chaotic journey to save the Web of Life continues in Spider-Verse #3. This time around, Miles is meeting up with another ally of his. Ones that fans of the movies will certainly recognize – and probably squeal over.
Miles has been thrown from universe to universe, all in an attempt to save and balance a disturbance that puts the entirety of the Web of Life at risk. It’s been giving him a good chance to meet all the spider-variants. Some of them are new even to the fans.
Speaking of the fans, Spider-Verse has been doing something new and delightful. The end of each issue includes a bunch of fan-made spider characters. And they have been adorable (or cool, depending). It’s just so much fun seeing the fans get recognized like that.
Writing
Spider-Verse #3 brings Miles Morales to Earth-14512. That just so happens to be the home planet/universe of Peni Parker. And yes, she is still fighting crime in the best ways possible. This issue allowed us to see more of her world, including the allies and enemies revolving around her character.
Jed MacKay did an excellent job writing a compelling single-issue plot in Spider-Verse #3. The villain was interesting and a solid throwback to his original design. (Remember, we’re talking about many alternate universes here). What was perhaps more interesting were the subtle changes made to his character.
And then there are the allies of Peni Parker. They were likewise interesting. So much so that I would have loved to see a bit more about them (one in particular), but that’s how these one-shots go, right?
The plot for Spider-Verse #3 was fairly strong and fascinating. It allowed Miles to work with somebody new, like the rest of the series. But this issue had a shockingly forceful vibe to it. And it took the issue so much further because of it.
Art
Spider-Verse #3 is an issue full of dramatic fights and poses (lots of poses), as well as some truly vibrant artwork. Every character was given a chance to shine throughout this issue. Even the villain.
Dike Ruan did an excellent job portraying danger, injuries, and movement all in such a short span of time. The fight scenes felt alive and real and strongly contrasted with the scenes where communication and planning became key.
And then there are the colors. Ian Herring combined exceptionally bright colors with deep tones to bring an issue full of eye-catching and memorable panels. These panels were vivacious and animated in a way I’d love to see in more comic series.
Finally, let’s talk about the lettering. VC’s Joe Sabino stepped up to provide the lettering for this issue. And they used various techniques to make the lettering as compelling as the artwork surrounding it.
Conclusion
Spider-Verse #3 was just one of those issues that will shock you with what it has to show. And it’s the details where it really gets you. It’s the sort of issue that’s making me really happy to see Miles diving back into the Spider-Verse.
This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.
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