THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY #4

18

Creative Team – Dan Slott, Marcus To, Alex Sinclair, Jim Campbell, Joe Caramagna, Phil Jimenez

Published by Marvel Comics

Catch up with the third issue here!

The Story

This comic is reviewed by Nerd Initiative’s Shawn, and your truly, Megan!

Shawn – Dan Slott really made me laugh with this series. The Bag Man joke was so incredibly perfect. On the other hand, Yuri and Spidey’s conversation about his friends was a little heartbreaking to read. Slott served up a good reminder that while he often gets dragged along for multiversal adventures, Spider-Man is still a street-level hero at heart.

I loved the way that Slott managed to work all of the things that have made Spider-Man so beloved into a single issue. Spectacular Spider-Man: Brand New Day #4 manages to capture the humor, the close relationships, and even the PSA style Spider-Man moments perfectly. If this series doesn’t move beyond the initial five issues, this will still have been a spectacular series with each issue getting better than the last.

Megan – This issue felt like the classic Spider-Man I love. The Spidey quips, the overall tone, the team ups. This had everything I wanted in a Spider-Man comic. Dan Slott continues to impress with this run as he’s giving us lifelong Spider-Man fans exactly what we love. In this issue, Mr. Negative has the lexicon, Spider-Man is sporting his black Spidey suit, the Punisher is still under Mr. Negative’s influence, and Spider-Man needs a plan ASAP. Fortunately for Spider-Man, he’s quick on his feet. Forming a super team that has his back brings plenty of exciting cameos to the story, which made it even more of a fun read. If you’re a Spider-Man fan and you haven’t checked out this run yet, I implore you to have this on your pull list and the next issue pre ordered!

The Art

Shawn – I really enjoyed what we got from Marcus To, Alex Sinclair, and Joe Caramagna in this issue. To starts the issue out so strong with a beautiful backdrop of the city that is so well drawn. I loved the way To set the panels within the large page using a unique layout. The suit in this issue really requires a deft hand to be able to stand out, and To absolutely nails it.

Alex Sinclair continues to show why he’s at the top of his game right now. While To lays down some amazing line work, it’s the colors of Sinclair that really bring the panels to life and make them pop. The result of Sinclair’s color choices are several poster-worthy panels within the issue. Joe Caramagna does a wonderful job letting the colors and art shine through with the lettering. In addition, when other characters enter the scene, Caramagna does a great job allowing readers to distinguish who is saying what and allowing the story to flow

Megan – The artists brought so much to the pages of The Spectacular Spider-Man: Brand New Day #4 that perfectly matched the exciting storyline. Marcus to and Jim Campbell capture the quickness of Spider-Man and his heroic moves in their drawings, making the reader feel apart of the action themselves. Alex Sinclair brings boldness and vibrancy that contrasts with the darker tones that makes the characters feel as if they’re about to pop off the page. Joe Caramagna captures Spidey’s humor flawlessly while having it play against the seriousness of the other characters. Together, the artists made this a memorable issue that has me wildly excited for the next one.

Final Thoughts

Shawn – 9.5/10 This was an enjoyable issue from the creative team. This issue feels like home for those who have grown up with Spider-Man despite utilizing new stories and ideas.

Megan – 9.7/10. The Spectacular Spider-Man: Brand New Day #4 is everything you love about Spider-Man wrapped in one issue. The action, the humor, the classic spidey quips, all executed beautifully!

Overall Grade – 9.6/10

Let us know in the comments what you thought of this issue!