Can Parker Industries survive this grudge match?
A superhero event comic isn't judged simply based on the quality of the mini-series itself, but how it impacts the many ongoing series that tie into it. That's one reason we'll likely look back fondly on Secret Empire. This crossover has been a boon to several ongoing Marvel books, with both Deadpool and Amazing Spider-Man making the most of the new status quo and delivering what may well be the best stories since the current volumes began. And thankfully, ASM sticks the landing with an enjoyable and very dramatic conclusion to the feud between Spidey and the Superior Octopus.
In this case, writer Dan Slott has managed to work the chaos and destruction of Secret Empire very naturally into his ongoing story. Given that the thrust of this series post-Clone Conspiracy has involved the rapid decline of Parker Industries, it's not hard to see how the two conflicts might intertwine. Now it all culminates in one final battle between Peter and Otto as the latter fights to reclaim what he sees as his rightful property.
As someone who considers Superior Spider-Man to be the high water mark of Slott's long, long Spider-Man saga, it's been great seeing this arc bring the Peter/Otto feud back in the spotlight. And while Otto has mostly fallen back into his arrogant, villainous old habits, he's not an entirely unsympathetic figure. It was Otto Octavious, not Peter Parker, who earned that doctorate and formed Parker Industries in the first place. Doesn't Otto hold some claim to Parker Industries' resources and technologies? As for Peter, this issue forces him to wrestle with one of the more difficult power/responsibility dilemmas of his career. Is defeating the villain worth placing his life's greatest achievement in jeopardy.
This showdown is one driven as much by intimate character drama as it is superhero spectacle, and it's fortunate that Slott has such great partners in Immonen and colorist Marte Gracia. Immonen and Gracia bring a terrific sense of scope to this battle, capturing all the chaos you'd expect from a battle between two super-powered combatants on the side of a skyscraper while being circled by half a dozen spider-mobiles. There's detail and energy to spare. But there's also plenty of emotion, whether Immonen focuses on the two rivals themselves or characters like Aunt May watching the battle from afar. And once again, Immonen's ability to convey emotion without relying on facial work is commendable. Otto spends nearly the entire issue in a full-body costume, yet his arrogance and rage and fear and shame always shine through thanks to his posture and body language.
I can see a lot of readers taking issue with the way this battle is resolved and Peter's arguably selfish, short-sighted actions. But this is a case where the follow-up is key. Slott leaves plenty of room to explore the complicated fallout of this conflict and the impact it'll have on Peter as both a superhero and a public figure. Judging from what little we know about the series; status quo in Marvel Legacy, it appears that Slott and Immonen are using this arc as a bridge to a new status quo where Peter is every bit the pariah Spider-Man was in the good old days. That sounds like an intriguing direction for the character, and a welcome change of pace from the Peter Parker: International Man of Mystery angle that's dominated the series for the last couple years.
The Verdict
Slott and Immonen really made the most of this tie-in arc, using the carnage of Secret Empire to further key story threads and accelerate the collapse of Parker Industries. This issue delivers more epic, emotionally charged visuals and sets the stage for what promises to be a fascinating new status quo for Peter Parker in Marvel Legacy.
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