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Now this is the kind of prize fight I’d pay to see again and again!
In Superior Spider-Man #4, with Doc Ock’s beloved Anna Maria taken by Supernova, Ock begins the issue trying to switch brains with Peter once again so he can take his body and save her.
During this back and forth between these iconic foes, we see flashes of comic history with Peter’s first ever fight recreated in the same ring he fought and beat Crusher Hogan back in Amazing Fantasy #15.
We also get a bit of reminiscing of how Oct was able to easily take Spidey down back in Amazing Spider-Man #3 all the way back in the 1960’s.
All the while, the duo show off different suits and looks and argue over who is the Superior Spider-Man.
Slott Does it Again
It’s pretty obvious I’m a Dan Scott fan when it comes to writing Spidey.
And in Superior #4, he really shows you why he’s a legendary Marvel writer.
Oct is the same villain you know, love and even understand a bit. That’s what makes him a great and iconic villain.
You even feel for him when he brings up the fact that all the beatings he took over the years at the hands of Spidey is what caused his body’s demise and eventually made him switch bodies with Parker before the events of the first Superior Spider-Man run.
Even Peter seems conflicted about what he did to Otto for decades.
And then there’s his love for Anna.
“I must become Superior Spider-Man once more,” he yells while fighting Peter. “It is the only way to save her!”
With Great Power …
Just as Peter is about to lose in the Mindscape and lose his body once again, a familiar and sentimental face steps in.
“No you don’t!” Uncle Ben says as he stops Ock from finishing Peter off. “Get your hands off my boy!”
And while Ben is giving Otto a run for his money, another unlikely hero steps in to help save the day.
Peter Parker, well not the one in the Spider-Man suit, but a variant of sorts, living inside Peter’s head. This Parker never got powers, but still ended up a scientist and hero.
This scene literally gave me chills. So much meaning in just a few frames. For longtime Spider-Man fans, this little extra wrinkle just takes your breath away. It’s truly beautiful.
After this incredible confrontation, we head back to the lab and the real world, where Otto has accepted his fate, yet Peter says there is still time to save his love.
His next line is classic Parker as he asks Otto to help him save Anna.
“The hero she needs is Doctor Otto Octavius,” he says, hand outstretched. “I can’t do this without you, doc.”
Final Thoughts – 10/10
This will be short, Superior Spider-Man #4 might be one of the best comics I’ve ever read. It’s easily one of the best Spidey stories and just hits home on why we love him so much.
The emotion, the flashbacks, the heart and of course, the art and the incredible dialogue.
This issue was one for the books! I don’t say this often, but run, don’t walk, to go and pick this issue up!
You’ll thank me later.
