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To say the latest Spider-Boy is an issue that is jam-packed would be the biggest understatement of 2024, so let’s cut the small talk and dig right in.
We last left off in issue #4 with Spider-Man, Miles and so many others thinking Bailey had gone rogue and given into the Spider Beast within him.
But as we learned it was the distardly deception of Madame Monstrosity (who created Spider-Boy), who had created a copy of the hero to terrorize the city and blame the young hero.
Bailey has been on the run ever since, doing whatever a homeless boy can to survive.
But Bailey is brought out of hiding when he gets one of his visions of his best friend Christina being taken by the Madame via one of her minions Hellifino – part rhino, part elephant, former friend of Bailey Briggs.
It’s this past friendship that causes Spider-Boy to lose the fight to Hellifino as he drops his guard trying to save his former friend. Hellifino takes full advantage and knocks out Bailey to take him back to the Madame’s secret lair.
The Madame’s Motivation
The backstory for the Madame gets intense quick as we find out a little more about her hatered for Spider-Boy, her own creation.
You see, her hero was none other than The High Evolutionary and in an extended flashback we find out she invited him to her lab to show him Spider-Boy, but with Bailey already gone, the iconic villain was less than impressed.
“Do not contact me again,” he says leaving her compound.
For this reason, the Madame hits Bailey where it hurts the most and the cliffhanger is something truly special, with the Madame turning her machine on Christina!
We don’t even know what animal is in the machine with her, maybe a mouse, maybe something more sinister?!?!
“Soon you’ll fit right in, with all the rest of my freaks,” she says!
Final Thoughts – 9/10
Dan Slott once again just creates a fun, yet revealing read here that is classic Marvel Comics.
I’m hooked for issue #6 and the series to see what happens between the Madame, Bailey, Christina, Peter and anyone else in the mix!
Someone who doesn’t get quite enough credit for her fun contributions is editor Ellie Pye.
Her little flashback comments and commentary only add to the Spider-Boy fun and signing her praises is a must as the writers and artists usually get all the credit!
