Spidey #8 Review and *SPOILERS* - Marvel Mondays

Bug-Zapping! 

Written By: Robbie Thompson

Art By: Nate Stockman

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 6, 2016

Publisher: Marvel Comics

*Non-Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

You readers have no idea how excited I've been to get my hands on this one. Really I'm always excited for a Spidey release; ITS JUST THAT GOOD! It's not a multi-issue dark epic that you get in nearly every series on the shelves. It's a comic that will make you laugh, have an adventure, and will only need you to pick up one. Each issue is a one-off adventure that has Spidey going against old-school versions of his foes while living his regular high school life with bullies, classes, and Gwen Stacy. While I do like the recent Spider-Man stories, it feels good to go back to basics with quips and web thwips. So what adventures do we have in store this time? Let's dive in and find out... 

We open with Peter Parker facing his most dangerous challenge yet… Taking a girl out to the movies. In the background of the series, Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy were partnered up to be each other's tutors for different subjects. They began to succeed, so Gwen suggests a night out to the movies. But don't worry it's not a date... or that's what Parker keeps claiming to keep his cool. But if you ever read a comic with Peter Parker, you know that 'Peter Parker is great with girls' is a contradiction in every sense of the saying. His interactions with Gwen have made some of the more comedic bits of this book, but the faces Peter makes reacting to Gwen had me holding my sides.

Before the movie can start, though, the power goes out and the spider-sense goes off. Peter runs out to go check on what the heck is going on and finds that the entire city is blacked out. Not knowing what could have caused this(even though he has fought the villain who has done this before), he swings from building to building trying to find the source... only to find Electro standing behind him, in all his Starfish-masked glory. 

Obviously Spider-man isn't too worried, as he fought him before, and has grounded his wires and suit. No electrocution for our favorite web-slinger right? WRONG! Turns out that the reason Electro absorbed all the energy from the city was to take on Spidey once and for all. Spider-man dodges each bolt of lightning tossed his way, only to have it strike a sign. Gwen saves an old woman from under it, and Spider-man stops to check on her. He tells her that Peter went to help the police and she should go to them...and that Peter has great hair...and is a great guy... Wanna make it any more obvious on that identity, Petey?

After getting people off the street, Electro blasts him again towards the Subway. This reminds Spidey of a conversation he had with Gwen before going into the movie theater. There are tunnels under all of New York that no one has gone down to in years. With no civilians and no electrical conduits to charge Electro, Spidey sends him on a wild goose chase through the tunnels to drain his energy. He finishes off the green-and-yellow spandex-ed baddie with a single punch and a very bad pun... like an average battle for an old school spider-fight

In the end, he hands over Electro to the police then goes off to find Gwen, who wants to try it again when the power comes on. Happily ever after right? Well, wrong again readers! The last page of the issue previews something big and bad coming to the series... I won't spoil it here... but it got me hopping in my seat with excitement.

Bits and Pieces:

This issue was ELECTRO-fying, to say the least...sorry. But seriously, though, I couldn't stop smiling as I read this. It was action packed, humorous, looked friggin awesome thanks to the art of Nate Stockman, and was fun as heck. I highly recommend picking this up if you want a book that will guarantee a smile.

9/10