Once one gets past the entirely goofy brain-swapping detail, Superior Spider-Man is a hoot.
Dan Slott’s success at it comes from his refusal to play too much into Doctor Octopus all of a sudden being a good guy. Otto isn’t out to beat the new Sinister Six because it’s the right thing to do, he’s doing it because they’re using his old bad guy club’s name. He doesn’t run away from a fight because he’s scared or hurt, but because he doesn’t actually care.
He does care about one detail in Peter’s life… Mary Jane. Physically at least.
It’s a ludicrous idea for a comic and Slott pulls it off with apparent ease. He keeps it all very dramatic, even though Otto’s clearly got to do the right thing.
Ryan Stegman effectively handles the art. He could be better; doesn’t matter.
Otto makes a darn fun Spider-Man.
CREDITS
Hero or Menace?; writer, Dan Slott; artist, Ryan Stegman; colorist, Edgar Delgado; letterer, Chris Eliopoulos; editors, Ellie Pyle and Stephen Wacker; publisher, Marvel Comics.
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