Marvel Knights: Spider-Man, Vol. 4: Wild Blue Yonder

Marvel Knights: Spider-Man (2004)

by Reginald Hudlin, Billy Tan (Artist), Steve McNiven (Artist)

Hollywood heavyweight Reginald Hudlin (House Party, Boomerang) has already brought you his searing vision for Black Panther. Now, he's teaming up with red-hot artist Billy Tan (X-23) to shake up everyone's favorite web-slinger by turning Peter Parker's life upside down. He's got an incredible new pad (you won't believe where), a new job, and - although he doesn't know it - a new nemesis who's everything that Peter isn't. But first, Spider-Man's got to deal with a more pressing problem - a shape-shifting super-villain who's developed a nasty habit... and will do anything to feed it. And wait - who's that hitting on Mary Jane ? Collects Marvel Knights Spider-Man #13-18.

Genres: Comics, Spider Man, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published November 23, 2005

Reviews

[Matthew Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars. I went into this one not expecting much and really not expecting this to be good, being the book that takes over after Millar leaves this title, but I was pleasantly proven wrong with this story. The two major stories in this volume focus on The Absorbing Man wanting drugs really bad which was fun and an okay story (actually makes for one WILD storyline that can only happen in comics, namely this Marvel Knights “mature” line) and the main story of a new character who is pretty much exactly Clark Kent/Superman and the writer gets to poke fun and play around with some of the various elements you can imagine would be most fun to pick at. There is a big turn in this volume and it accelerates just as quickly as it comes to an end, but I didn’t think the pacing was horrible. The ending is really, really cheesy in what I assume to be a mostly satirical manner, but is done so in a way that I think I actually dig! Also, Shrek is mentioned in this one, so bonus points awarded!

[47Time · Rating 1 out of 5]

This volume sets the bar high on the fail meter. Rarely has Spidey sucked so hard. At least the covers are pretty.

Creel the Absorbing Man has escaped prison. His addiction to drugs is the perfect way for Owl, his new employer, to keep him in line and direct him against the Owl's enemies. Peter surprises MJ and Logan in a talk that he thinks is Logan hitting on MJ. He overreacts like a dushe. He loses his teaching job, so it's back to the Bugle. I'm impressed just how much lack of creativity is needed to put Peter back in the job he's had since he was 15 back in the 60's. He does get some guy named Ethan Edwards as a partner. There's a rant about him in the spoiler. Then Spidey gets stabbed by Logan during a sparring match with the Avengers. Worse, he feints from blood loss, like a pussy. Not 'pass out'. Men pass out. Pussies feint.

Ethan has superpowers, of course. He kicks Creel around, while the woman Owl sent to keep and eye on Creel manages to steal Peter's wallet. So Spidey is suddenly useless in a fight and his secret identity is out again. Go, Spidey! And Ethan? He's a Clark Kent copy-paste. The creators managed to remind me why I'm not a fan of Superman. At least they made him a Skrull sent to conquer Earth.

Creel and his hot sidekick suck at their job, so Owl turns Creel into blow. How do his powers work, anyway? Drug users start losing limbs right and left, but they're still coming for more and earning the Owl a fortune. Bit by bit, Creel recomposes himself out of the users' sweat and starts kicking everything around him, Spidey and Owl included. Spidey tricks him into turning into two chemicals that blow up on contact.

Ethan returns home, only to find the FF talking to his father. The spaceship he came in as a baby downloads something in his brain and he starts rampaging. He fights several heroes, but it's some old lady that calms him down. He discovers his healing abilities and uses them for good. Or to create a cult, it's unclear.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was eager to read another volume of Spider-Man stories set during the highpoint of the New Avengers era. Sadly, this totally mischaracterizes it. Peter is hating on the other Avengers and the living conditions, which is 100% at odds with the very positive, comradely take found in New Avengers and TASM.

As for the main plotline: it's pretty bad. Hudlin satirizes Superman, but it's never funny and it goes more and more wildly over the top as time goes on. That pretty much undercuts the storyline by killing any believability. Meanwhile, we get almost no long-term drama over someone discovering Peter's secret identity (SHIELD, apparently a fascist organization in Hudlin's Marvel Universe will take care of it.) And a really bad take on The Absorbing Man's powers.

Overall, a pretty painful read, albeit a fast one.

[Kathryn Halbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave the third book in this series a three as well, but I'd call that one a strong three where this one is a weak three. It's not bad, but neither the writing or art is as good a the earlier three volumes. The cover makes this look like the plot is going to center around MJ getting with Wolverine for some reason, but really he flirts with her once, it causes some drama and isn't that important of a plot point. Most of the action revolves around Absorbing Man and a Superman knock-off.

[Rocky Sunico · Rating 3 out of 5]

And we finally reach the fourth and last volume of the Marvel Knights Spider-Man run and we encounter...a change in author. And throw in a longer story arc tied to a largely non-Spider-Man villain like Absorbing Man and the end result is a weird story with a strange Superman analog character thrown in to boot.

[Amanda Shepard (Between-the-Shelves) · Rating 2 out of 5]

A weird end to the Marvel Knights Spider-man series, especially since there's a different author. It almost felt like there was too much going on here--but maybe that was necessary to creat a bridge? Overall, not my favorite writing or art.

[Terry Collins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some clever beats with the Absorbing Man, otherwise reads like mediocre fan fiction. Some really poor artwork as well - especially on the heels of Terry Dodson and Frank Cho in the previous collections.

[Angel Verdeal · Rating 3 out of 5]

queria preguntar si sabeis alguna coleccion de marvel en españa que contenga esta historia tengo los primeros 12 tomos y me gustaria tener esta para completar la coleccion

[Edward Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun poke at Superman in this collection.

[Mateusz Nowowiejski · Rating 3 out of 5]

08.2025

[Douglas Cosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I see why this graphic novel has somewhat low reviews: parts of it are simply a mess while others are superb. I can't even go as far to say that the chapter that covers Issue #14 is great, while the #16 chapter is bad, because the goodness and badness are all interweaved. I think I enjoy it so much because Hudlin is brave and takes some big chances, several of which work wonderfully and offer the reader some cool moments that you never thought you would see in a Spider-man comic. Others not so much.

Simply put: it is a hot mess, but one that I really enjoyed and will remember.

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why exactly is Peter so grouchy in the beginning of this comic? He lives in the Avengers Tower and gets all surly and sarcastic when he comes home and finds his family talking to the Avengers? That whole part of it including Wolverine accidentally stabbing him all felt kind of slapped together.
The rest of it was pretty good.
What would you get if Superman had been raised by self-righteous hillbillies? And his dad was really a shape-shift alien who left hypnotic commands to enslave the human race on his spaceship? Find out here!

[Andy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The second volume and a new story arc before they merged them all with Spider-Man: Other. It's ok - a Marvel (piss)take on the Superman story but it has some nice moments. I quite like the Absorbing man as a villain.

[Harrison Delahunty · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uncomfortable undertones throughout, a bizarre take on Superman takes centre stage, overall dumb and gross. The art is extremely, extremely hit or miss, but at least Tan has an interesting take on Spider-Man.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine. It seemed like a decent first chapter for a Spider-Man story, but I'm not sure it ever continued.