Scarlet Spider, Vol. 2: Lone Star

Scarlet Spider (2012) (Collected Editions)

by Christopher Yost (Writer), Khoi Pham (Artist), Paulo Siqueira (Artist)

Something terrible is happening in the Gulf of Mexico. When Houston-based mega-corporation ROXXON is attacked after making an astonishing discovery, Scarlet Spider finds himself right in the middle of it...defending ROXXON?!? And when the Southwest's greatest heroes, the Rangers, arrive to take down the Scarlet Spider, our webbed hero goes from Houston's newest hero to Houston's most wanted. But as the mystery deepens, both sides learn what the corporation's greed has brought down upon Houston. Mammon has been unleashed, and Scarlet Spider and the Rangers have no hope of stopping it! Plus: a door has been opened at NASA's Houston facility - and Scarlet Spider's life will never be the same. It's a bold new era of web-spinning excitement in the Mighty Marvel Manner!

Collecting: Scarlet Spider 7-9, 12.1, 12-15

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Spider Man, Superheroes, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics

136 pages, Paperback

First published March 26, 2013

Reviews

[Gianfranco Mancini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luckly the awful Minimum Carnage tie-in issues were skipped packing this second volume...

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I give my thoughts on the story, I have a HUGE concern about how this collection was put together. You should be able to collect the Scarlet Spider trade paperbacks and read all of the issues that came out under that title, but if you want to read issues 10, 11, and 12, you will have to buy a different collected set called Minimum Carnage. There is a one-page update as to what happened in that storyline, but I don't understand why they would leave these stories out of the Scarlet Spider collected editions. This is the reason that I give this volume a 4-star rating instead of a 5-star rating. While I may read the Minimum Carnage storyline some day, I'll get it from the library. I don't plan to buy it liked I bought the other Scarlet Spider books.

In the first volume, there were multiple references to the fact that Houston is finally getting a superhero of their own now that Scarlet Spider is in town. In this volume, however, we meet The Rangers, a team of superheroes that seemingly patrol the American Southwest. (SPOILERS) Kaine is a different type of hero, saving a girl who fell out of a building, and then accepting her advances to...ummm...be together. This girl's name is Chloe, and she ends up being kind of crazy. By the end of the volume, it seems that she is set up to be a future villain to Scarlet Spider. The bad news is, she too knows what he looks like under the mask. More could be said about The Rangers, but I don't think I'll see them too much more in the future, so I'll pass on further descriptions for now. For Aracely's sake, Scarlet Spider wages war on human trafficking, and during these fights he encounters The Hand ninjas, as well as a new (potentially powerful) character calling himself The Arranger (associated with Kingpin). The last issue of this volume was a little messed up. We know that Aracely is special in some way, and now there are two werewolves after her, attempting to kill her. Then when Kaine is about to die, he is contacted by something inside of him. I've heard of a Spider-Man storyline called "The Other," and it seems like this may tie into that. Kaine becomes a spider monster, but is eventually talked out of it by Aracely. He literally sheds his spider monster skin and is a human again underneath. A lot of weird things are set up in the final pages of this volume. Aracely is displaying super powers beyond just telepathy, and beyond what she is aware she is doing. There is something happening "Between Worlds" and "At the end of all things," and it has something to do with the ascension of the Other (the spider). Meanwhile, Madame Webb is in the hospital because of her crazy vision from the last volume. In Mexico, there are a bunch of bad guys preparing for war against Kaine and Aracely. And finally, Kaine is still dealing internally with the Other.

I read this volume right after reading volume 1, and it was a good experience to read the whole story (so far) straight through.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

The legacy of the new Scarlet Spider continues in this second volume. Having added a cast of friends, allies, and lovers, Kaine is begrudgingly agreeable to stay in Houston as its costumed crimefighter. A falling woman and a rocket explosion in downtown sends Kaine after an unearthed secret from corrupt corporation Roxxon - as well as a "team-up" with the perennial southwest hero team known as the Rangers. Once the dust clears, a pair of werewolf siblings come to town to eliminate Arecely, the mysterious girl Kaine rescued back in issue one. In order to stave off this threat, the Scarlet Spider might have to embrace the darkness within him. Another excellent volume, marred only by the Minimum Carnage gap. The Scarlet Spider and Venom issues were collected separately in their own volume, which gets a passing mention in this collection; nothing one can overly complain about, but it does remind the reader that they missed a few issues. Still, let Scarlet Spider paint the town red and I will continue to pick up this excellent series!

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing after the Ryan Stegman art of the first volume.

[c · Rating 4 out of 5]

kaine would rather literally die than let anything bad happen to aracely and i think that that's beautiful 🤧🤧🤧💖 i love my found family

(read in single issues)

[Krzysztof Grabowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tom drugi ma to szczęście, że pominięto w nim dwa zeszyty powiązane z wydarzeniem zwanym Minimum Carnage. Inaczej ocena była by niższa...

Tym razem nasz bohater, który ma w nosie bycie herosem, ładuje się w szwindel największego pracodawcy Houston, firmy Roxxon. Zaczyna się od uratowania dziewczyny z płonącego budynku. Tyle, że dzierlatka sama spowodowała wybuch, choć nasz heros zdążył się już z nią przespać...

Dziewczę znika, trop jest świeży. Pająk trafia do siedziby wspomnianej firmy i zyskuje parę odpowiedzi... I ładuje się w coraz to większe kłopoty, bo do akcji wkracza zespół bohaterów. Jest tam koleś stylizowany na kowboja, inny z kolei jest Indianinem... Ciekawa gromadka.

Finalnie czeka nas konfrontacja z całą tajemnica firmy, powiązaną z jedną platformą wiertniczą. Nieco dalej Kaine będzie musiał przejść rozmowę terapeutyczną z przyjacielem i skopać tyłki złym Mikołajom... Nie pytajcie co brał scenarzysta...

Ostatni wątek zatacza koło i prowadzona akcja powiązana jest z protegowaną Kaine'a, czyli Aracely. Za parą bohaterów rusza dwójka morderców... Wilkołaków? Tak. Nieco dalej klon Parkera będzie musiał przeżyć swoiste katharsis i odrodzenie. To akurat była najgłupsza cześć tomu, więc się nie będę nad tym rozwodził.

Graficznie wygląda to nieco gorzej od tomu pierwszego, a i dialogi są jakby gorsze. Nie wiem co się zadziało, ale kierunek jaki obrano przy drugim tomie niepokoi, zwłaszcza przy znakomitym poprzedniku. Zobaczymy jak rozwiną dalej ten wątek południowo amerykańskich wierzeń, bo jego skala powinna być odpowiednio duża.

[Villain E · Rating 4 out of 5]

The question is: Why superheroes? What's the appeal? The answer is: they are manifestations of our desire to help in situations we can't realistically do anything; like catch a falling airplane, or pursuing criminals the justice system can't or won't stop. Writer Chris Yost gets this. First, the Scarlet Spider tries to deal with Roxxon, Marvel's go-to evil corporation who will sacrifice human lives for profit. Then, the Scarlet Spider tries to stop a human traficking ring. These are murky problems with no easy solution, so the ending to these arcs aren't the hero fixes everything. But this is what a superhero should be doing in the modern world.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kaine's continuing exploits in Houston start to get weighed down by previous Spidery-yuckadoo. Yost's creation of Kaine's supporting cast in a city that Marvel hasn't really used before is a highlight but the second half of this collection gets away from that and is unfortunate. Some underachieving elements of Spider-Man's past show up here, I think, and its not great. The ending leaves a lot to be desired as well as the basic, "Why is this happening" question. The art, mostly by Koi Pham, fits the book well. Overall, a disappointment based on the first book.

[nidah05 (SleepDreamWrite) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good volume.

[Mars · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been so looking forward to reading this second volume after really enjoying "Life After Death". This compilation contains seven issues of Yost's "Scarlet Spider", but they are not all sequential issues. Rather, "Lone Star" compiles issues 7-9, 12.1, and 13-15. I gather that the in-between issues are a crossover story arc with Carnage and are not included in this edition. All that may sound confusing, but the book is not confusing to read, so fear not.

There are basically three different story arcs going on in "Lone Star", and I really enjoyed all of them. I got a kick out of the introduction of Houston's own band of superheroes called the Rangers in the first story arc. That was really fun, and it was interesting (not to mention amusing) to see how Scarlet Spider interacted with them. In issue 12.1 and 13-15, the comic takes a darker turn, with even the art seeming more somber and muted. I found this really interesting, and fitting with Kaine's development as a character. I was really interested by the outward embodiment of his inner battle with the opposing sides of himself--the man and the spider, the hero and the monster. I thought this was really well done and powerful.

Though the tone and the plots of the different story arcs vary, one thing that remains consistent is Kaine/Scarlet Spider's lively personality and sharp witticisms! This is one of the reasons I love reading Yost's Scarlet Spider. His sarcasm and general cynicism are not only hilarious, but in conjunction with the fact that he is flawed and still struggling to come to terms with his identity, make him a relatable and multi-dimensional character. This series is really making me a fan of Yost's comic book writing. I think the characters he has created here, especially Kaine/Scarlet Spider of course, are so awesome. Hats off to the artists as well on that point of course. Some really memorable characters here! I also appreciate Yost's unique choice of setting and how it is not just a random choice made for the sake of being different, but really becomes seamlessly interwoven with and integral to the story and the main character's development. Yost also prompts the reader to think about contemporary issues that are touched on throughout the series.

Overall, with "Lone Star" you can expect seven more great issues of this thoroughly enjoyable series. Personally, I am very excited to read more. Sadly, "Scarlet Spider" is to end after 25 issues, though that is still a very good run for a more minor character, if you will, such as Scarlet Spider. I'm looking forward to what is next and how it will all come together. I expect really good things!

[Matej Kondas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kaine Parker má pech. Nejdřív oproti svému přesvědčení zůstane v Houstonu, což znamená že se okamžitě zaplete s ropnou společností Roxxon, vyspí se se slečnou která vypadne z horního patra správní budovy, jen aby zjistil že nejenže tahle slečna odpálila raketu, která ho málem sestřelila v letu, ale mimojiné je to dcera CEO téhle v marvelu dost známé firmy,
která je prosnulá tím že nemá problém si zašpinit ruce. A tentokrát je má zašpiněné opravdu pořádně. A kdo si naivně myslel že Kaine je v Texasu široko daleko jediný superhrdina tak se spletl - máme tu dokonce super tým, který se jmenuje Rangers (jak jinak) a je v něm indián, blondýna, android, hispánka a chlap s kloboukem a knírem, jménem Texas Twister. To už není pech. To už je průser. První polovina booku popisuje trable s Roxxonem, v druhé se přiřítí Kletus Cassidy a s začne zabíjet lidi.

Kletus Cassidy je masový vrah a v umírněném standartním vesmíru marvelu asi nejšílenější osoba. Něco jako kdyby měli Hannibal Lecter a Charles Manson děti, které by měli krásného malého masového vražíka. Kletus je naprosto šílený a rád zabíjí lidi. Jeho spojení s mimozemským symbiontem znamenalo vznika padoucha jménem Carnage. Který zabíjí lidi. Po stovkách. V tomhle příběhu se podíváme do microverse, Carnage za sebou nechává krvavou stopu a aby to nestačilo na scéně se objevuje Flash Thompson, jako agent Venom. A
již ze spidermanovské minulosti víme, že když potká symbiont symbionta, nedopadne to nikdy dobře.

Yost uzavírá další book tak že se vrací na začátek, v tomhle případě zpět k dívce Aracely, které se Kaine ujal. Tahle slečna s kompletní amnézií
a telepatickými schopnostmi má taky problém. Který ji začíná dohánět. A zatímco Kaine se rozhodne pustit do gangů, které ovládají obchod s lidmi
a prostituci, Aracely je konfrontována se svojí minulostí. Z mexika přichází kartel Los Lobos.

Hint: Jsou to vlkodlaci. A navíc mluví španělsky.

Druhý book je napsaný stejně čtivě jako v případě booku prvního, nicméně první má prostě mnohem svižnější rozjezd. Crossover s Venomem,
trošku připomíná hickmanův kosmicko-filozofický bordel, plný proroctví a humanoidních hmyzáků. A to prostě nikdy nebude úplně moje káva.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh WOW, this title is so good! A combination of both the heroic side AND the violent side of Kaine show up in this Volume. The first half of Lone Star (pre- Minimum Carnage) deals in the heroic, having Scarlet Spider go after human trafficking rings and street gangs. This Spider is brutal in his fighting style, but thanks to the superb inner monologue, we see both his doubts and internal moral debates while he totally takes down the bad guys.
The second half (post- Minimum Carnage and the amazing events of that story) takes a very dark turn. After being brutally defeated to almost the point of death, Kaine goes through a twisted inner battle against his "spider" self. Human vs. spider plays out outstandingly, and I won't ruin it here, but I hope to see more of that Scarlet "Spider".

Marvel... with both this title and Superior Spider-Man, you have shown that you are capable of creating a darker and more brutal area of the Marvel Universe. Thinking of a "dark" hero I liked when I was younger, I make one request to you Marvel........ please take darkness and chaos and sheer brutality, and just a general overall feel of such when you release Ghost Rider back upon this "new" universe. Marvel's "Spirit of Vengeance" deserves to walk on the dark side of Marvel.

Scarlet Spider? Highly Recommend! Where's Volume 3?

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chris Yost continues to build the world of Scarlet Spider, taking the time to show how Texas' other heroes relate to him, plus delving into the background behind Kaine's resurrection, and Aracely's future too.

The opening story here isn't brilliant, but decent enough with some classic Kaine moments. I feel like if anything in this series will be forgotten (which is unlikely, since Yost does everything for a reason) then it'll be this.
The next story is superb however, and contains my favourite issue of the series thus far. This is where the ball on future stories really gets rolling, and there will definitely be immediate repercussions from this story.

What drags this volume down is the loss of Ryan Stegman on art, and the inconsistency of Khoi Pham. Quality wavers between panels, let alone pages, and he needs fill-in artists and multiple inkers when doing even 3 issues in a row, which is terrible. His art never gets soon bad that it ruins the story, but considering how good Stegman was before, it's very hard not to feel disappointed.

Despite the dodgy art, Chris Yost's story remains strong, and Scarlet Spider remains one of my favourite Marvel titles at the moment.

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of the stories are bound up in the idea that Kaine has to test his moral code and that he wants to be an unrepentant, self-interested killer. Unfortunately, that possibility is totally unbelievable. The authors had to cross a line to make Kaine unlikeable in order to sell the redemption stor(ies). But they refuse to do that. Instead, he's a kind of action movie antihero. He doesn't play by the rules, but he always tries to help the good guys at great personal cost.

The more standard stories are relatively interesting. It might be that the Texas/Mexico motif is over-essentialized and therefore insensitive. But it's a nice change of pace.

Overthinking it: Kaine notes from time to time that he does not have spider sense. Then he should be shot with many bullets over the course of a week. That's really the purpose of spider sense—to explain why there can be so much hand-to-hand combat. Here, much of the combat seems to take place off-panel. But, yeah, I think they had to offer a better workaround than just luck or pretty good speed.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Second Master (7-9). This comic continues to be fun almost entirely thanks to Kaine. His compulsion to be a hero combined with his not knowing how to do that is always enjoyable. The introduction of the Rangers, as more heroes in Texas, is also a nice element in this story [7/10].

The Mark (12.1). A lot of these .1 issues have been introductory to the point of being dull. Fortunately, this one doesn't suffer from that problem. It's an interesting look at Scarlet and a good setup for new threats [7/10].

In the Midst of Wolves (13-15). Good to get some more info on Aracely, and it's nice to see a return to some topics from JMS' Amazing run, which got so badly used by One More Day. However, this story was a little too plot- and fight-heavy to be a really *great* story [6.5/10]

Overall, this is another fun volume. Not particularly deep, but enjoyable to read.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I said I probably wouldn't find the time but it was right there ready to be read. What can you do.

The first story works nicely, building on Kaine's reluctance/credentials as a superhero. His summation of the Rangers is amusing and it's an interesting tale, if not a little vague in execution at times.

The second story with Los Lobos is weirder yet starts connecting some of the threads that Yost has set up. The Other - the Spider-Man gift that keeps giving. I have to say I needed to look up the Weaver again - The Other never really had much impact on my consciousness though it kind of works here.

Not much of the supporting cast though which is a shame as they made it that little more special. Still, the art is nice and I really like Stegman and Delgado's covers.

Yeah, not bad - if the next volume is sitting there in the library...

[sixthreezy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Scarlet Spider is such an action-packed and thrilling title and it's all because of the man behind the mask. Kaine, is a very compelling character as he is still seen struggling with his inner self in this volume. Trying to discover who he really is in this "new skin", Kaine is constantly battling the belief that he is a monster. There is finally some resolution to the inner turmoil between the man and the monster, so that was really nice to see for our hero. I plan on reading Minimum Carnage now to get caught up with the issues omitted in this volume. Scarlet Spider is a hardcore hero, and between the violent takedowns and curses, there is a soft heart that is the reason readers will keep coming back for more.

[Des Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story continues to impress, with a plot that is undeniably unique in it's south-western setting and influence. This is the perfect thing to be doing with a book that is Spider-Man but not Spider-Man. The big set-up strides right along, without killing the pace of the other stories in the book. It's a lot of fun, and something totally fresh. Only downsides are rotating artist, some better than others, and I still wish Yost would just let Kaine have a beard. I've gotten used to the costume, but not the fact that the lead looks like a douchey X-games Mountain Dew, work-out bro.

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed with the second half of this.

The first half places Kain with a group called The Rangers. It's a silly team up but makes for some very very funny moments. Also Kain is still a badass and the fights are always fun to watch. It's spider-man, but giving less of a fuck, so more brutal.

The second half is interesting, especially the whole "becoming a actual spider" but it didn't have the funness. And to be honest that's easily the best part of the first volume. It's funny as heck. Less funnies make this more generic.

So a 2.5 out of 5.

[Rigoberto · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was definitely a good read. I was a little confused for the first part of the book, but I eventually understand it after I finished it. The second half really got me interested, especially when Kaine is forced to be reborn. The artwork was excellent. I would recommend this book to fans of Spider-Man or his clones.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first storyline is pretty much a waste just to set up a small key in the plot and introduce some random heroes. The second half though, is good stuff.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than the first trade paperback.

[Lindsey.parks · Rating 4 out of 5]

That last issue, what a turn of events.

[Spot · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good

[Matthew Ledrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best Spider-title on the market. Hope it returns after the "Clone Conspiracy"

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy Kaine’s character but the title seems a bit of a mess that needs...something. More focus?

[Ian James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kaine is awesome.

I am sad that the comic ended

[Frans Kempe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple of stories. First one Roxxon is hiding a secret and Kaine teams up with another superhero group. The second story is about Santas involved in a robbery. the third is about someone marking their slaves in the same way as Kaine did. The final arc is about two werevolves trying to kill the girl Aracely and he has to make a dangerous decision