Marvel Action Spider-Man #4 – IDW Publishing/Marvel Comics
Written by Erik Burnham
Art by Christopher Jones
Colors by Zac Atkinson
Letters by Shawn Lee
Do you have fun when you read comics? We all have those super serious books in our pull that, while we love them, can take a lot out of you. Sometimes it’s nice to just sit back and have fun with one of your favorite characters for about 30 pages. That’s how I feel when I read Marvel Action Spider-Man. So, let’s talk about Issue 4.
Peter, Miles and Gwen are a team now but they’re still figuring things out. They’re still very good friends, which you can see even in the early pages of this issue, but being a team is a bit different. One thing that I thought was interesting about this issue is that, we see a bit of insecurity revealed about Peter. It doesn’t seem like a major issue, but it’s a self realization moment for him. We do get to see a classic Spider-Man character come into play in this issue that isn’t the web slinger’s biggest fan. We get to see a whole new reason why though, which is hilarious. We also get to see a new villain get introduced into the mix. Technically we get two, but one you will very much recognize. It’s how and why he comes into play that will make what happens next so interesting. Peter is getting over his insecurity just in time, because he’s about to need all of the help he can get.
There’s a lot to like about this version of Spider-Man. Maybe it’s the puns, maybe it’s the closer proximity in age, but it’s just a blast. You’ll laugh, you’ll get plenty of the Spidey action that you love and it just feels like it did when I read Spider-Man as a kid. The nostalgic feel to the art also plays a big role here. I’m a big Fico Ossio, so I was bummed that he wasn’t on the book anymore, but there is a lot to love about what Christopher Jones is doing here. The styles are a bit different, but equally great. I especially like what he did with the villain that gets revealed at the end. I just find myself constantly wanting to pick this book up, and I feel like that is one of the best compliments that I can give. I love reading the regular runs of Spider-Man, but I love that this book scratches an itch that couldn’t be reached before this came out. I can’t wait to keep reading.
RATING: PULL / BUY