Web, White, and Blue
Written By: Robbie ThompsonArt By: Nathan Stockman
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 7, 2016
*NonSpoilersand Score At The Bottom*
Oh, Spidey. I don't understand why more people don't pick you up. You are one of the best Spider-Man books that I have read in a long time. You aren't trying to be like the Punisher by being edgy in Superior Spider-Man, or trying to be a tech millionaire like Tony Stark as you are in the current Amazing Spider-Man run. You're just... Spidey. You are just what Spider-Man is best known for. You're funny, Action-packed, and full of heart; What more do people want?!
We open up with Spider-Man explaining that it isn't easy being him. Not because of the criminals or high school interference, but with the Daily Bugle. To those who have never picked up a Spider-Man comic ever in their life, J Jonah Jameson runs the Daily Bugle, a newspaper where Peter Parker sells pictures, and consistently paints the web-slinger in a bad light. Now everyone has the right to an opinion, but because of these stories, practically everyone ends up turning on the wall crawler. Saving a cat out of a tree turns into 'cat theft' and civilians end up claiming that he is working with pickpockets.
This gets Spidey down in the dumps, and while on a rooftop pondering this, a passing hero asks if he's alright. The hero? The Star-Spangled Man with a Plan, Captain America! I don't mean HYDRA Steve Rogers, I mean real beacon of hope, good guy Steve Rogers. When Spidey is too star-struck to give a straight answer, Cap asks him if he wants to go on patrol to his neighborhood. Obviously, he says yes and the pair go off to do some good. Rather than get a montage of kick-ass action, we see the duo help out with the little things, such as fixing flat tires, carrying groceries, and even some first aid at the local playground. Soon after Cap asks why Spidey does the whole superhero thing, as he is just a kid. Spidey, internally telling himself not to mess up, gives the old "Great power" spiel and Captain America loves it. I love this whole sequence as well because it shows these two heroes might be the same in a lot of ways, but get different treatments due to what period they're from. Cap was a legendary hero who was the face of freedom that newspapers made him out to be, where Spider-Man is a masked man who has just appeared along with a slew of new masked villains. Which would you rather trust?
Before Cap and Spidey can bond any longer, the pair are ambushed on a roof by A.I.M., who are trying to take down Captain America down. After Spidey blocks the first few surprise shots, Cap decides to use this as a teaching moment for the younger hero. Along with some great action, we get the humor in the form of Spider-Man's internal struggle... To remain cool with Captain America by not quipping in the middle of the fight. Before the pair can finally get their bearings, the actual villain behind the attack reveals himself: MODOK. He blasts the heroes into a nearby warehouse, but Cap and Spidey get right back up and take down the attackers with a shield to the face and webs to the minions. It's an epic action scene that is made more amazing by Stockman's art. I love the classic look of Captain America, and for once am not giggling at the sight of Modok, he looks pretty friggin' cool.
Soon after SHIELD shows up to take the A.I.M. agents away, Cap offers some advice to Spider-Man: Don't worry about your reputation. Sometimes you'll be painted as a good guy, sometimes a bad one. All that matters is what you do next. Spidey takes that advice to heart and swings off, and it's revealed that Cap and Spidey crossing paths weren't by chance. Agent Coulson comes up to Cap and asks how did Spidey do? Apparently, Iron Man put in a recommendation report after their team-up in issue six, and Cap confirms that Spider-Man is getting better, and one day might be good enough to join the Avengers.
We end the issue not with Spidey, but with Steve Rogers jogging through the park in his neighborhood. He ends up passing by a newsstand, and see's the Daily Bugle's headline: Spider-Man Agent of A.I.M. Steve is not pleased, so in his Captain America Uniform storms into J Jonah Jameson's office and gives him the facts. I love this scene so much that I want in a film. Put this scene into Spider-Man: Homecoming, even though it would make absolute zero sense that Cap is there!
Bits and Pieces:
This is the best issue of Spidey we have gotten so far. It is full of the humor, action, and heart that Spider-Man is known for as well as the hope and boy scout charm that Captain America is loved for. The art of Nate Stockman once again impresses me in the design of the characters and city itself. This issue is perfect, and I can't recommend this, and the series, enough.
10/10
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