Review: Spider-Verse Team-Up #1

Previously in The Amazing Spider-Man #9

The Spider-Verse Team-Ups are snippets of how some interactions between Spider Totems from different dimensions have played out. In the first issue, we get two stories of recruitment. First, in The Power of Positive Thinking, Old Man Spider-Man (Ben Reilly) and Spider-Ham (a cartoon Spider-Man) head to Earth-94 to get Spider-Man (Ben Reilly) to join them.

They arrive just as he’s dealing with vulture henchman sent by Verna (an Inheritor). Once they’ve neutralized the threat (for a bit), Old Man Spidey and Ham explain the war with The Inheritors. This dimension’s Spider-Man is super optimistic. He always wins in the end, after all. One of the vultures breaks free and paralyzes the trio so they’ll be there when Verna arrives. Thanks to Spider-Man’s unwavering optimism, he’s able to use his webbing to save them all. He did it simply because he didn’t think that he couldn’t!

He’s hesitant to go with them, not wanting to leave his world unprotected. As that world’s Peter Parker is without powers, it turns out Ben Reilly staying would cause the world more harm than good - his power will attract Verna. He heads through the portal to join the fight.

In The Luck of the Parkers, Six-Arm Spider-Man and Spider-Man Noir are in 2014 New York City, but it’s a different reality than ours. They watch from the hospital room’s window as Peter Parker lies in a coma. He’s been bitten by a spider and remains unresponsive - he also has one spider arm which is just… ugh.

Because his aunt and uncle have spent all their time at his bedside, they were not home when their house was robbed, and that means Uncle Ben wasn’t shot and killed. Peter is clearly in no condition to join their cause, so Noir is ready to bounce. Six-Arm points out that he still has Spider powers - The Inheritors will come for him. Noir suggests putting him out of his misery, but Six-Arm has another idea. He leaves, instructing Noir to keep an eye on Peter. Note: Spider-Man Noir ’bout dat life!

Peter then begins to convulse and turn into a real spider. When Ben and May run from the room, Noir webs Peter up and transports him to the roof. Six-Arm arrives with a serum that turns Peter normal again, and takes away his spider powers to boot. Now, they can head home and know that at least one dimension is safe from The Inheritors.

Overall Thoughts:

• The endless iterations of Spider-Man continue to be the most compelling aspect of this story. And it’s good to know at least one world will have a Peter Parker who has a completely normal life.
• Pollyanna Spidey stole the show. His outlook on life is a lot like an old movie/TV show about heroes: Everything will work out in the end because the good guy always wins.
• Six-Arm mentions Karn and his crazy siblings. Was Karn the outcast brother on LoomWorld?