Comic of the Week: “Marvel/DC: Spider-Man/Superman” #1

Marvel Comics and DC are teaming up again, with Spidey and Supes joining forces. While we missed the timing to include March’s “Superman/Spider-Man” team-up, this comic continues the crossovers, just with the order reversed on the title. So of course a cross-company team-up like this has to be our Comic of the Week.

“Spider-Man/Superman” is an anthology of team-up stories, so it’s written, illustrated, and colored by multiple creators. Among the credits are familiar names like Geoff Johns, Jason Aaron, Dan Slott, and Stephanie Phillips, to name a few writers, as well as artists like Humberto Ramos, Todd Nuack, and Sara Pichelli. Credit must also be given to the colorists, including Muntsa Vicente, Brad Anderson, Federico Blee, and Louise Simonson. There’s only one name consistent between each and every story, and that’s Joe Caramagna as the letterer.

So, with all those talented creators on the team, how is the comic?

Each story in “Spider-Man/Superman” presents different scenarios where the characters meet, and gives them all chances to shine and showcase their personalities. The largest story has Brad Meltzer, Pepe Larraz, and Matthew Wilson on a team-up tale called “Our Kryptonite,” but others feature team-ups with Spider-Man Noir and the early version of Superman, Gwen Stacy and Lana Lang, Miles Morales and Superman, and even Jane Foster as Thor teaming up with Wonder Woman.

The details for each story differ from writer to writer, featuring different types of team-ups. We have Spider-Man and Superman trapped by villains and talking each other through it, Ghost Spider and Supergirl forming a rivalry, The Thing being inspired by Superman to do more than clobber, Steel and Thor meeting up, and more. Each one gives their respective characters an opportunity to show off their personalities and bounce off each other in ways we’d never get to see outside of this crossover, like Superman giving Miles Morales a pep talk, while highlighting each of their strengths.

The entries vary in length, with the longest being over 20 pages, and the shortest coming in at two. The writers and artists make full use of however much or little space they have, telling a satisfying story or snippet in each one.

The key to this lies in the characters above all else, as the comic highlights what makes each of them timeless. Superman inspires. Spider-Man perseveres. Wonder Woman sees the good in everyone. The stories that capture these core elements hit the key emotional beats they need to showcase the characters and the love that the writers and artists hold for them. Some do it better than others, but overall the writers nail it more often than not.

By focusing on these central character traits, “Spider-Man/Superman” manages to tell multiple character-driven stories that carry emotion along with the action. Sure, seeing Superman breaking free of the Venom symbiote is cool, but it’s the conversation before that, where Superman and Spider-Man share what motivates them, that makes the story land. The balance of character dynamics and team-up action make the stories land, while focusing on the timeless elements of the heroes.

Each story also features a different artist, showcasing an array of styles. Pepe Larraz, Gary Frank, Todd Nauck, and Sara Pichelli are some particular stand-out artists, but credit must be given to all of them. The art styles tend to match the stories nicely, with artists that can bring out both the action and the emotional moments.

For instance, Marcos Martin and colorist Muntsa Vicente bring Dan Slott’s Spider-Man Noir/Superman story to live with a distinct style, utilizing bold designs that go light on the detail to make characters pop more while looking similar to older art styles that suit the time frame of the comic. Martin occasionally shapes the comic panels into letters to emphasize the sound effects, blending the diegetic sound with the framing of the comic to add a nice emphasis to the moment.

While opinions will vary about which story is best, and some work better than others, there’s a little something for everyone. Obviously, Spider-Man and Superman fans will get the most out of the comic, but it also takes the time to highlight other iconic characters. (Personally, my favorite story is “Our Kryptonite,” while my least favorite is the Ghost-Spider/Supergirl team-up “Remarkable,” but even my last pick still has plenty to appreciate.)

Overall, “Spider-Man/Superman” is a rare and welcome crossover. It features works of passion by creators that love the characters, and takes the time to focus on the elements that have made the characters timeless. If you’re a fan of either Superman or Spider-Man, or just want to get a Marvel/DC crossover for your collection, you’ll want to pick up this comic.