SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN : BRAND NEW DAY #1

Creative Team – Dan Slott, Marcus To, Alex Sinclair, Marcos Martin, Muntsa Vicente, VC’s Joe Caramagna, Phil Jimenez

Published by Marvel Comics

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The Story

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

Shawn – Dan Slott did a really good job of hooking me in with this story. I’ve not been much of a Spider-Man fan for a while, but I found the story fun, unique, and engaging. Slott providing a little bit of backstory with how we reached this moment in the universe was a nice touch. My favorite thing about this issue was Slott’s ability to remove the lore barrier. From the very first panel of this comic, it felt like it was distinctly Spider-Man for people who are familiar with the character, but it also felt like a really good jumping-off point for someone wanting to get into Spider-Man. Slott does a great job working some great familiar characters into the story in a meaningful way. The humor was well-suited to the character and created a fun read that didn’t sacrifice story.

Megan – Spectacular Spider-Man: Brand New Day #1 starts with Spidey getting his hands on what’s probably the most important thing he could have as a crime-fighting hero: the Lexicon. The Lexicon is a book that has every single one of Wilson Fisk’s criminal enterprises, which means Spider-Man basically has a directory of every bad guy in New York. Spider-Man uses this to his advantage and stops crime left and right with the help of his new connect on the police force.

While this is all well and good, this paints an even bigger target on his back. Everyone who’s anyone wants that Lexicon. Frank Castle would want it for himself for similar uses like Spider-Man, but with much more permanent solutions on how to handle the villains. Mr. Negative would love to use this to his advantage to know who his competitors are. Spidey may be in way over his head with not only using this Lexicon, but with the villains the Lexicon points him to.

The Art

Shawn – Marcus To and Alex Sinclair really set a high bar for themselves with this first issue. Everything about this issue feels perfect from an art perspective. Some of the opening panels with New York as the backdrop are a beautiful way to set this story in motion and distinct enough that anyone with even passing familiarity with the city will recognize it. The lines are crisp and detailed, whether it’s Spidey’s suit or even a massive tuna. Sinclair really does a great job with color.

One thing that really stood out in this issue with regard to Sinclair’s work was the lighting. Whether it’s a direct light from a room or even moonlight, every character feels perfectly lit in each panel, with the colors doing a great job. The moonlight framing certain characters’ faces was a beautiful bit of color work. Joe Caramagna does a great job keeping the story flowing while giving enough information to help newer readers get to know the characters they are encountering.

Megan – Marcus To, Alex Sinclair, Marcos Martin, Muntsa Vicente, and Joe Caramagna perform a lifetime with Spectacular Spider-Man: Brand New Day #1. The detailing work is dramatic and makes each panel its own work of art. The colors are beautifully handled, with vibrant focal points that play off the darker backgrounds very well. The lettering work is phenomenal, with Joe Caramagna able to bring the emotions of the characters to life through the dialogue.

The artwork keeps your eyes glued to the pages until the very end. At the end, you’re treated to a very interesting cliffhanger that’ll have you waiting very impatiently for the next issue to drop. There’s not one negative thing I can say about the artwork, which goes to show you how incredibly stacked the creative team is.

Final Thoughts

Shawn – 10/10. I don’t think this series could have gotten off to a better start. This feels like a fun and vibrant Spider-Man story. It’s got all the hallmarks of Spider-Man stories, like action and signature Spidey humor. I can’t wait to see where this series goes from here.

Megan – 10/10. There’s so much to love about Spectacular Spider-Man: Brand New Day #1! The creative team did a marvelous job with our favorite wall-climbing webster! I can’t wait for the next issue to drop!

Overall Grade – 10/10

Let us know in the comments what you thought of Spectacular Spider-Man: Brand New Day #1!