Superior Spider-Man #15 Review
Superior Spider-Man #15 is a fun read. The same can be said for the entire series so far. From the art to the writing, this is one of the top books that Marvel is putting out, and that says a lot.
The primary focus on this issue is on Phil Urich, the new Hobgoblin, and how he is dealing with life post Shadowland. Able to elude Suerior Spidey’s detection for some mysterious reason, Hobgoblin is able to go on a crime spree virtually undetected by Ock, er….Spidey. Grant you, this is a crime spree that Mr. Urich isn’t too enthusiastic about undertaking seeing as how the original Hobgoblin is threatening his life if he doesn’t pay the “lease” on holding the Hobgoblin mantle.
Speaking of Goblins, we figure out exactly why Hobgoblin is able to stay invisible to the small spider-bots. It turns out that it was all simply an unwanted side-effect of Green Goblin’s aptly named “Goblin Protocol”.
Again, the fallout of Peter Parker’s strange behavior continues to affect those around him, including those that he loves. His close friends know something is wrong with him and are desperate to pinpoint exactly what it is. We even get to see Anna Maria again, who continues to be a soft spot in Ock-Parker’s heart. She brings out the best in Peter as he rather comically flatters Doctor Lamaze in a scene whose tone we haven’t seen in quite some time. We all love Anna Maria, don’t we?
I can’t conclude without talking about the art. Humberto Ramos’s pencils, while sometimes divisive, is excellent in this issue. The settings and backgrounds are detailed and dynamic while certain poses of Spider-Man are computer wallpaper worthy. Meanwhile, Edgar Delgado’s colors are nothing short of amazing while Victor Olazaba’s inks are spot on.
It looks like we are going full steam ahead into the “Goblin Wars”. It will be interesting to see Ock-Spidey begin to take on some of Spider-Man’s classic foes.
Score: 8.5