A Spider-Man Podcast

Spider-Man 2099 #3 – REVIEW

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Spider-Man 2099 is only two issues old, but Peter David and Will Sliney have already showed that they can provide a fun, fast-paced romp or a rich, persona-building character study.  But I’m feeling like the series is still in first gear.   That’s why I got excited when I first saw the cover to issue #3.  It’s Spider-Man 2099 about to square off with an army of Spider-Slayers!  It’s time to get down to costumed action and adventure…right?  Well, kinda sorta.  Actually, the most successful parts of this issue once again deal with Miguel O’Hara and his supporting cast, in particular, the relationship with the most important person from his timeline, his grandfather, Tiberius Stone.

miguellizMiguel may have incredible abilities, a first-hand knowledge of the future and a holographic wrist-watch assistant, but he’s actually powerless against the forces of his superiors.  We see that right off the bat in this issue, as Liz Allan continues playing seductive mind games.  She’s not flirting with him, she’s keeping him under her control, and the message to Miggy is this: Know Your Role.  Liz doesn’t care about Miguel’s opinions on Alchemax business, or why he wears sunglasses 24/7.  She just wants him to do his job.  Sliney draws one panel that sums up this relationship perfectly.  In a wonderful mix of seduction and power play, Liz comes close and straightens his tie (which surprised me, because I thought his wardrobe was some kind of unstable molecular hologram).  The body language alone says more than any dialogue.

The most significant part about issue #3 is the first big interaction we see between Miguel and Tiberius.  This is the focal point of the entire series.  Miguel is on a self-appointed mission to change Alchemax from the inside and prevent his grandfather from turning the company into the evil corporation of 2099.  But again, Miguel is powerless to do anything in 2014.  Tiberius doesn’t give a shock about what his assistant has to say about the ethics of selling Spider-Slayers overseas.  He’s getting liquored up before one of the biggest business meetings in his corporation’s history.  And look at the size of his private jet.  It’s way too big.  Don’t forget that there’s Osborn money propping up Alchemax.  If Norman finds out that Ty is chartering a Boeing 747 instead of a Cessna Longitude, there will be hell to pay.

bigjetTiberius does make a strong case for robots in warfare, and it mirrors society’s real-life debate over the use of drones.  He argues that his Spider-Slayers would actually save lives by forcing fewer soldiers to put themselves into harm’s way.  If robots fight wars, then soldiers won’t need to die!  However, what really matters is who controls the robots, and on which side are they fighting but Miguel can’t make a convincing counter-argument.

It seems the creators are ready to show us what kind of Spider-Man Miguel will be.  Will he prevent the sale of the Spider-Slayers, despite being unable to convince Liz or Tiberius so far?  He probably can’t just destroy the robots without answering to Liz and jeopardizing his cover.  He may be able reprogram the slayers and have them attack The Scorpion (I’m assuming it’s not the Mac Gargan Scorpion), but the battle could still destroy the city of Jaffan.  He could give the Spider-Slayers to the oppressed rebels, but will that actually bring an end to violence?  How this dilemma resolves itself could reveal a lot about Miguel’s take on power and responsibility.

Lyla makes a quick one-panel appearance to serve as Miguel’s GPS, which is something I could do from my phone in 2010.  It’s still not clear what her role will be in this series.  Nor is it clear what her scope of knowledge and ability is in 2014.2099

Will Sliney’s art continues to be solid.  I’ve talked about his faces before, and they are again one of his strengths in this issue.  I especially appreciate the detail that he puts into Miguel’s face when he’s in the mask.  You can still see the contours of the jaw, eye sockets and brow underneath.  He excels at New York City skylines, so I was a little disappointed that he wasn’t given an opportunity to draw Miggy gliding through a third-world setting.

Spider-Man 2099 #3 had all the elements of a successful superhero book: warlords, rebels, super villains, robots and gunfights.  But the action alone isn’t what makes the issue compelling.  It’s how the action is used to define the characters, their motivations and their relationships.  The idea of Miguel fighting The Scorpion doesn’t fill me with anxiety.  The idea of a powerless man trying to change an evil corporation from within does.  Especially since his super-abilities may not be the most useful tools to accomplish his mission.  Miguel isn’t trying to fight every costumed villain who’s big on anthropomorphism or onomatopoeia.  He’s trying to change minds.

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