A futuristic project from the 90s, 20 years after its creation, is given a second chance at success by sending its hero back in time to our present day, where he must prevent his future from ever happening.  This is not an “Age of Ultron” tie-in, it’s just my awkward way to describe the re-birth of Spider-Man 2099.  Luckily, it doesn’t take a shocking time machine or a degree in 90s continuity to dive into the first issue.  Peter David and Will Sliney kick off the series with a fast and fun story that leaves a reader wanting more, even if it doesn’t really reveal a lot about where we’re going.

The comic’s entire premise is that Miguel O’Hara of 2099 is trapped in 2014, stranded here following the events in Superior Spider-Man.  He’s on a mission to prevent Alchemax from becoming the evil, all-encompassing corporation of the next century.  But issue #1 only spends about 3 panels fleshing out that story.  We learn that Alchemax has sold the Spider-Slayers that destroyed Manhattan during “Goblin Nation” to a foreign dictator.  Miggy tries to persuade Tiberius Stone to change his mind, but instead, gets recruited to help close the deal.

The big question coming into this series is, “What kind of Spider-Man is Miguel going to be?”  It seems like Peter David isn’t giving him the same sense of responsibility that defines Peter Parker.  It’s already apparent that Miggy isn’t afraid to use his knowledge of the future to manipulate the present.  He uses it to get the money for a nice studio apartment in a Manhattan high rise.  Don’t let the blood stain fool you, he could not afford that rent on an executive assistant salary!  Even more importantly, Miguel seems to have no qualms about killing.  Some can argue that the death of the issue’s villain was accidental, but he certainly didn’t show any remorse afterwards.

Let’s address the issue’s antagonist, a hilariously cavalier time cop from the distant future.  This T.O.T.E.M. Adjustor is there to fix time-related mistakes of the past.  Miguel’s arrival in 2014 is apparently one of these mistakes.  However, this adjustor has to be one of the worst in T.O.T.E.M.’s organization.  He’s a Robocop-looking Terminator with a ridiculous and blatant disregard for the timeline he’s trying to repair.  This guy is a cold-blooded killer who wipes out anywhere from 3-7 cops and civilians!

Continuity buffs should take note of The Adjustor’s time of origin: the year 2211.  Is this foreshadowing the return of Dr Jamoff “Max” Borne, aka, Spider-Man 2211?  Just in time for Spider-Verse!

If the first issue is any indication, the women of Miguel’s supporting cast will play a big role in the series.  Three ladies are introduced here.  There’s Tempest, the pink-haired, too-cool-for-school, super of his building.  Will she become a love interest?  Miguel is certainly fascinated by her.  Lyla is Miggy’s hologram assistant from 2099.  The extent of her abilities in 2014 isn’t clear yet.  She’s able to ID a blood stain and provide a clothing hologram for Miguel, but when the battle begins, she’s no help and is even a little annoying.  The most interesting woman of the issue is Alchemax exec Liz Allan.  She figures out immediately that our new hero, “S-Man,” is one of her employees, and she’s going to take advantage of that.  It’s refreshing to see a supporting cast member a step ahead of the hero, and I hope this dynamic continues throughout the series.

Will Sliney’s art in this issue is solid.  The most successful moments were any scenes that included New York City backgrounds.  The angles and POV really make these pages stand out.  But some of the facial expressions that really helped the Amazing Spider-Man #1 preview pop off the page were missing here.  That preview seemed to have a slightly different inking or coloring technique that is missing from this issue.  The layouts are pretty standard for the majority of the pages and serve the tone of the issue: fast-paced and easy to read.

Congrats to David and Sliney who found a fun and simple way to set a lot of pieces on the board all while keeping the pedal to the floor.  If this action-packed tone continues, Spider-Man 2099 will be a welcome addition to many pull-lists.