A lot of Spider-Man 2099 readers probably thought the end of “Spider-Verse” would lead to the return of the series’ original premise: Miguel O’Hara as a hero trapped out of time, trying to change the future and his family’s legacy for the better.  Instead, it seems that Peter David and Will Sliney have doubled down on the concept, sending Miguel even further away from his home time stream and into an even darker dystopia.  Spider-Man 2099 #9 may not satisfy fans of the series’ first arc, but it sets up an interesting new story and features the shocking Maestro!

David gives us some great character moments by providing a lot of Miguel’s inner dialogue as he realizes that he did not make it back to his home.  Miggy thinks he’s about to enjoy a little R&R after the events of “Spider-Verse.”  Instead, his situation has gotten worse, and his mind is being pushed to the brink.  He says he’s willing to kill, and it seems like he actually might snap at any moment.  What’s worse, it sounds like Alchemax is the cause of this new post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Maestro may be even more terrifying than the Inheritors.  David gives the character life by showing just how cold-blooded and narcissistic he is.  And in just a few panels, he delivers Miguel the worst beating of the entire series.

There are a couple of continuity issues that may just be unanswered questions at this point.  What happened to change Miguel’s 2099 to this dystopia?  Why wouldn’t Miguel want to return to 2015 before going home?  He did go out of his way in previous issues to get a cure for his lady friend’s cancer after-all.  Are these loose ends that will be tied up before the series ends, or have the creators given up on them?

Will Sliney and Antonio Fabela deliver another excellent performance on art.  Maestro looks great with his Hulk Hogan hairline.  Sliney loves giving Miguel acrobatic poses in battle, but in some panels, the physics of the battle aren’t clear.  For instance, in one panel, Miguel is attacking Maestro from behind, but his head is posed as if he’s taking a dropkick to the face.  Fabela also adds to the hopeless vibe of this 2099 by giving the sky a dark green hue.

This is a great start to another arc, but time is running out on this series, and I hope we get to revisit the Alchemax of 2015 one more time before it’s over.