Ben Reilly tries his luck in Vegas.
Ben Reilly lovers have been clamoring for the character's return for years. But now that the original Spider-clone is back and in his own series again, the question is whether those fans will be happy with what they're being given. Ben is a very different person from the one that existed in The Clone Saga. That fact proves to be Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider's greatest strength and most glaring flaw as the new series gets underway.
The new series picks up in the aftermath of The Clone Conspiracy, with Ben dealing with the collapse of his New U empire and trying to establish a new life in Las Vegas. The main thing separating this series from, say, the previous Scarlet Spider comic featuring Kaine is that Ben no longer qualifies as a hero. He isn't even particularly interested in finding redemption. Ben simply wants to reclaim his lost wealth and power, and maybe do something about his horrifically scarred face while he's at it.
Writer Peter David makes full use of the fact that modern Ben Reilly is a profoundly damaged person since being repeatedly resurrected and killed by Miles Warren. His psychosis is reflected in the form of hallucinations. Ben is constantly tormented by the angel on one shoulder (the old Scarlet Spider) and the devil on the other (Ben's Jackal disguise). The end result is a little like Daniel Way's depiction of Deadpool, though thankfully, David tends to rely on the ego/superego/id humor a little less heavily. As usual with his Spider-Man projects, David's sense of humor comes in very handy. There's a dark, sly wit to this book that goes a long way towards setting it apart from the rest of the Spider-Man family.
That said, the series does little to address any of the concerns surrounding the character post-Clone Conspiracy. This meaner, darker Ben may be entertaining, but he's not a sympathetic character in the way Kaine was in his Scarlet Spider days. After reading this issue I don't feel particularly invested in Ben's struggle. It's not even entirely clear what he's trying to accomplish as he rebuilds his life in Vegas. Ben's motivations are either murky or downright contradictory. Early in the issue he has no problem parading around the city in his brand new costume, yet later he refuses to foil a robbery out of fear that he might attract his brother Peter's attention. The book also finds little success here when it comes to establishing a new supporting cast, though Ben's effort to find his own Aunt May is one of the more amusing elements of this issue.
Scarlet Spider is one of a growing number of Marvel books banking on the rising tide of '90s nostalgia. The advantage it has over something like Venom or X-Men Gold is that it has one of the definitive '90s Spider-Man artists in Mark Bagley. Bagley has taken some flak (not undeservedly) for the lackluster new Scarlet Spider costume design, but as a general storyteller he remains as skilled as ever. Bagley ensures that Ben is an expressive character both in and out of costume, relying on body language and purposeful framing as much as facial expressions. Bagley and colorist Jason Keith also make the most of the glitzy Vegas setting, making Ben's new home a place that can feel both wide open or tense and claustrophobic depending what the story calls for.
Other than overhauling Ben's new costume (which apparently is in the cards), the main area this series needs to improve visually is the depiction of Ben's hallucinations. Bagley tends to draw the imaginary Scarlet Spider and Jackal as real, normally proportioned characters who blend in with their surrounding environment. This results in a lot of unnecessary story confusion, particularly in one spot where the story abruptly transitions from a real person wearing the Jackal outfit to Ben's Jackal hallucination. Something needs to be done to make these hallucinations more stylized and easier to distinguish from the book's human cast.
The Verdict
Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #1 is a fairly enjoyable debut. Peter David's sense of humor shines through, as always, and it's always great seeing Mark Bagley playing in this corner of the Marvel U. That said, this issue does little to establish Ben as a sympathetic or even understandable protagonist. The character's new mean streak is both a blessing and a curse as this series tries to establish itself.
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