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The Superior Foes of Spider-Man
The Superior Foes of Spider-Man, Vol. 1: Getting the Band Back Together
It's a brand-new sleeper-hit series starring some of Spidey's deadliest baddies! Boomerang and his fellow villains prove that with terrible powers come terrible responsibilities...and Spider-Man will soon learn that with superior villains come superior problems! Out on bail and aiming to stay out of jail, Boomerang must get his cronies on target - but does Frank Castle, the one-man army known as the Punisher, have them targeted already?
Collecting: The Superior Foes of Spider-Man 1-6
Collecting: The Superior Foes of Spider-Man 1-6
136 pages, Paperback
First published February 18, 2014
22 people are currently reading
923 people want to read
About the author
Nick Spencer
998 books345 followersLibrarian Note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Nick Spencer is a comic book writer known for his creator-owned titles at Image Comics (Existence 2.0/3.0, Forgetless, Shuddertown, Morning Glories), his work at DC Comics (Action Comics, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents), and for his current work at Marvel Comics (Iron Man 2.0, Ultimate Comics: X-Men).
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Nick Spencer is a comic book writer known for his creator-owned titles at Image Comics (Existence 2.0/3.0, Forgetless, Shuddertown, Morning Glories), his work at DC Comics (Action Comics, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents), and for his current work at Marvel Comics (Iron Man 2.0, Ultimate Comics: X-Men).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
August 11, 2014
WHAT: Super Villains Anonymous
WHERE: Our Lady of Saint Anna Dutch Reformed Church, 7609 Bay Ridge Ave. Brooklyn
WHEN: Sundays, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Bob: Hi, my name is Bob. I’m a reformed super villain.
The group: Hi Bob!
Bob: I was once First Cobra Lieutenant of H.Y.D.R.A. Hail, Hyd… Sorry, old habits die hard. Heh. Yeah, well, my doctor said I had to give up the dream after my eighth concussion. Blurry vision, headaches, short term memory loss… (long pause) Hi, my name is Bob. I’m a reformed super villain. I figured getting kicked in the nuts for the tenth time by Black Widow because I was distracted by her cleavage or getting my jaw broken for the fifth time by Captain America – it didn’t matter which version of Cap – or getting zapped by a Thor lightning bolt…. - Don’t let anyone kid you, the hair never grows back. Anyone here ever get hit in the head by Cap’s shield. Show of hands. Lights out! Am I Right? Any way, working for H.Y.D.R.A, even though the vision plan is excellent and you do get a Life Model Decoy of Tigra after five years, it just got to be more than I bargained. First, we’re not all Nazis, second, those science geeks in A.I.M transport us to the Negative Zone for kicks, Third…. (pause) Hi, my name is Bob. Hail, Hyd… Oh! …. (heads for the coffee and donut table)
The group: Thanks for sharing, Bob.
The real (let’s be polite and call it a) review:
Big, sweaty, hippo man-boobs and much more as we take a look at the sad, pathetic life of one Fred Myers aka The Boomerang.
This is the SinisterSix Five Four without any of the usual heavyweight thinkers or sluggers, just a bunch of schlubs led by the aforementioned Boomerang. Sure the life of a super villain is hard, but, and I misquote John Wayne, it’s harder if you’re stupid.
This is laugh out loud funny and highly recommended.
Kids, stay in school and don’t do drugs.
WHERE: Our Lady of Saint Anna Dutch Reformed Church, 7609 Bay Ridge Ave. Brooklyn
WHEN: Sundays, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Bob: Hi, my name is Bob. I’m a reformed super villain.
The group: Hi Bob!
Bob: I was once First Cobra Lieutenant of H.Y.D.R.A. Hail, Hyd… Sorry, old habits die hard. Heh. Yeah, well, my doctor said I had to give up the dream after my eighth concussion. Blurry vision, headaches, short term memory loss… (long pause) Hi, my name is Bob. I’m a reformed super villain. I figured getting kicked in the nuts for the tenth time by Black Widow because I was distracted by her cleavage or getting my jaw broken for the fifth time by Captain America – it didn’t matter which version of Cap – or getting zapped by a Thor lightning bolt…. - Don’t let anyone kid you, the hair never grows back. Anyone here ever get hit in the head by Cap’s shield. Show of hands. Lights out! Am I Right? Any way, working for H.Y.D.R.A, even though the vision plan is excellent and you do get a Life Model Decoy of Tigra after five years, it just got to be more than I bargained. First, we’re not all Nazis, second, those science geeks in A.I.M transport us to the Negative Zone for kicks, Third…. (pause) Hi, my name is Bob. Hail, Hyd… Oh! …. (heads for the coffee and donut table)
The group: Thanks for sharing, Bob.
The real (let’s be polite and call it a) review:
Big, sweaty, hippo man-boobs and much more as we take a look at the sad, pathetic life of one Fred Myers aka The Boomerang.
This is the Sinister
This is laugh out loud funny and highly recommended.
Kids, stay in school and don’t do drugs.
August 10, 2016
The first volume of The Superior Foes of Spider-Man delivers what you would expect from a humorous second-banana-villain-team-up title: lots of banter, conflict, incompetence, pain, jail time, cowardice, back-stabbing, etc. The thing is, though, it's pretty funny! Spider-Man barely makes an appearance in this book, but fear not, true believer: Nick Spencer finds countless appropriately non-heroic angles that allow our baddies to "shine." I liked his writing much better here than in Morning Glories (looks like comedy is his thing), and it is matched beautifully by Steve Lieber's relaxed, inventive artwork at the boundary of conventional and ridiculous. Great stuff!
October 19, 2017
So I had to read this one, because every other word out of Jeff's mouth is Sweaty Hippo Manboobs, and I needed to find out what the hell he was talking about.
Me: How you been lately, Jeff?
Jeff: Sweaty Hippo Manboobs!
Me: Read anything good lately?
Jeff: Sweaty Hippo Manboobs!
Me: Mrs. Jeff doing ok?
Me: She's fine, thanks. Sweaty Hippo Manboobs!
And now I understand.
If you can't read the text, suck it up and find the comic.
It's worth it.
Alrighty, this one had been so hyped up to me that I actually had it for several days, before I got the courage to read it.
So, there I was, all scared to turn the pages...
And, at first?
I wasn't wetting my pants the way I thought I would. But after a while, I noticed that I was letting out these little chuckles. All the time.
Every page, a new giggle.
So, no, I wasn't folded over praying my bladder held up, but I was constantly grinning.
Fine.
There may have been several real snort-guffaws that came out of me, but those were tempered by the ladylike smile that was plastered on my face.
So...those don't count.
I thought this was going to be something so in-your-face funny, but it turned out to be (for me) something more subtle than I was expecting.
There's an actual story that goes along with all the puns!
And it was so good!
Fred Meyers is Boomerang.
Did you know that? Cause off the top of my head, I had no idea.
I didn't even know the guy's real name, much less want to read a title told from his perspective.
In case you were wondering, he's an ass.
Fred's the guy who blames all of his problems on someone else.
He's a whiner, a loser, a horrible friend, and an even worse partner.
But by the end of this, I just couldn't get enough of him!
And it wasn't just Boomerang that makes Superior Foes worth it.
The entire cast of D-list villains were so well written!
And when Luke Cage and Iron Fist show up? Hilarious!
The plot rests on a heist job with the Sinister Six.
Ok, there's only Five of them, but that lends them an air of mystery.
That sixth villain could be anyone!
That's their story, and they're sticking to it...
The heist itself was much more twisty-turny than I was originally anticipating, and the fact that it had several good GOTCHA! moments to it, was an unexpected bonus for me.
Highly Recommended!
Me: How you been lately, Jeff?
Jeff: Sweaty Hippo Manboobs!
Me: Read anything good lately?
Jeff: Sweaty Hippo Manboobs!
Me: Mrs. Jeff doing ok?
Me: She's fine, thanks. Sweaty Hippo Manboobs!
And now I understand.
If you can't read the text, suck it up and find the comic.
It's worth it.
Alrighty, this one had been so hyped up to me that I actually had it for several days, before I got the courage to read it.
So, there I was, all scared to turn the pages...
And, at first?
I wasn't wetting my pants the way I thought I would. But after a while, I noticed that I was letting out these little chuckles. All the time.
Every page, a new giggle.
So, no, I wasn't folded over praying my bladder held up, but I was constantly grinning.
Fine.
There may have been several real snort-guffaws that came out of me, but those were tempered by the ladylike smile that was plastered on my face.
So...those don't count.
I thought this was going to be something so in-your-face funny, but it turned out to be (for me) something more subtle than I was expecting.
There's an actual story that goes along with all the puns!
And it was so good!
Fred Meyers is Boomerang.
Did you know that? Cause off the top of my head, I had no idea.
I didn't even know the guy's real name, much less want to read a title told from his perspective.
In case you were wondering, he's an ass.
Fred's the guy who blames all of his problems on someone else.
He's a whiner, a loser, a horrible friend, and an even worse partner.
But by the end of this, I just couldn't get enough of him!
And it wasn't just Boomerang that makes Superior Foes worth it.
The entire cast of D-list villains were so well written!
And when Luke Cage and Iron Fist show up? Hilarious!
The plot rests on a heist job with the Sinister Six.
Ok, there's only Five of them, but that lends them an air of mystery.
That sixth villain could be anyone!
That's their story, and they're sticking to it...
The heist itself was much more twisty-turny than I was originally anticipating, and the fact that it had several good GOTCHA! moments to it, was an unexpected bonus for me.
Highly Recommended!
March 27, 2014
I blame cynical marketing for making cynics of us all (or at least me)!
Superior Spider-Man has been a huge bestseller for Marvel and spinoff titles were inevitable. So when I saw the multiple Superior titles appearing – Team-Up, Foes, and Carnage – I stayed away thinking they’d be derivative knock-offs. And it’s that attitude that kept me away from one of Marvel’s hidden gems from the last year: Nick Spencer and Steve Lieber’s Superior Foes of Spider-Man (a series which actually has nothing whatsoever to do with Superior Spider-Man).
Boomerang, Shocker, Speed Demon, Overdrive and Beetle are the new Sinister Six (and yes they’re aware they’re only 5!) who’re tired of being beaten by Spidey and winding up in jail. But of course they didn’t get to where they are today without failing to learn from their mistakes so they jump right into another criminal plot! During his latest stint in jail, Boomerang comes up with one big heist to put the new Sinister Six back on the map and in the money: steal the head of Silvio Silvermane (a cyborg gangster) from the Owl!
Foes follows in the footsteps of Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye and FF and Mark Waid’s Daredevil, in that it’s a strongly character-driven series with innovative art, jokes aplenty, and a minimum of traditional superhero shenanigans. Boomerang is a dude who throws boomerangs and wears a boomerang on his head but he becomes more than a gimmicky D-list villain in this book and turns into a real character that you actually care about.
Care about or at least laugh at. Foes looks at the life of a loser villain who: hangs out in crummy basements while planning heists with his equally loser villain colleagues; has a former friend as his parole officer, Abner Jenkins the original Beetle now Mach VII (a cheap War Machine knockoff); falls for a baseball-loving bartender; attends supervillains anonymous (Wreck It Ralph had a similar scene); and gets fleeced by his sleazy lawyer.
Spencer’s script is filled with great scenes and jokes that work. When Beetle tries to rob a comic book store, she leaves exasperated when faced with the nerdiness of it all: “which variant covers did you want? Bags and boards?” etc. At the supervillains anonymous meeting, Boomerang hugs a giant hippo character in a scene parodying the Ed Norton/Meat Loaf scene from Fight Club when Norton’s face gets smooshed into Meat Loaf’s moobs – Lieber even positions the characters in exactly the same pose!
Lieber’s art matches Spencer’s comedic script perfectly. Taking its cue from David Aja’s approach in Hawkeye, creative and different styles get thrown into the mix alongside solid artwork. Symbols replace banal dialogue so when girls flock to Mach VII for a photograph, you just see a symbol rather than the words “can we have a picture with you?”. There’s an awesome four panel dream sequence using near-stick figures when Boomerang’s with his lawyer, Partridge, and imagining decapitating him with a boomerang. Also, the layout of the Owl’s lair is simplistically portrayed in a child-like two-dimensional way to mirror Boomerang’s simplistic plan to storm the place head on.
Superior Foes Vol 1 has turned me into a Steve Lieber fan and made me do a 180 on my opinion of Nick Spencer’s writing. It’s a funny, inventive and really entertaining comic which I would never have thought could be done with characters like Boomerang and Overdrive – that Spencer’s pulled it off is a helluva feat! If you like comics like Hawkeye and Daredevil, check out Superior Foes of Spider-Man for an awesome read.
Superior Spider-Man has been a huge bestseller for Marvel and spinoff titles were inevitable. So when I saw the multiple Superior titles appearing – Team-Up, Foes, and Carnage – I stayed away thinking they’d be derivative knock-offs. And it’s that attitude that kept me away from one of Marvel’s hidden gems from the last year: Nick Spencer and Steve Lieber’s Superior Foes of Spider-Man (a series which actually has nothing whatsoever to do with Superior Spider-Man).
Boomerang, Shocker, Speed Demon, Overdrive and Beetle are the new Sinister Six (and yes they’re aware they’re only 5!) who’re tired of being beaten by Spidey and winding up in jail. But of course they didn’t get to where they are today without failing to learn from their mistakes so they jump right into another criminal plot! During his latest stint in jail, Boomerang comes up with one big heist to put the new Sinister Six back on the map and in the money: steal the head of Silvio Silvermane (a cyborg gangster) from the Owl!
Foes follows in the footsteps of Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye and FF and Mark Waid’s Daredevil, in that it’s a strongly character-driven series with innovative art, jokes aplenty, and a minimum of traditional superhero shenanigans. Boomerang is a dude who throws boomerangs and wears a boomerang on his head but he becomes more than a gimmicky D-list villain in this book and turns into a real character that you actually care about.
Care about or at least laugh at. Foes looks at the life of a loser villain who: hangs out in crummy basements while planning heists with his equally loser villain colleagues; has a former friend as his parole officer, Abner Jenkins the original Beetle now Mach VII (a cheap War Machine knockoff); falls for a baseball-loving bartender; attends supervillains anonymous (Wreck It Ralph had a similar scene); and gets fleeced by his sleazy lawyer.
Spencer’s script is filled with great scenes and jokes that work. When Beetle tries to rob a comic book store, she leaves exasperated when faced with the nerdiness of it all: “which variant covers did you want? Bags and boards?” etc. At the supervillains anonymous meeting, Boomerang hugs a giant hippo character in a scene parodying the Ed Norton/Meat Loaf scene from Fight Club when Norton’s face gets smooshed into Meat Loaf’s moobs – Lieber even positions the characters in exactly the same pose!
Lieber’s art matches Spencer’s comedic script perfectly. Taking its cue from David Aja’s approach in Hawkeye, creative and different styles get thrown into the mix alongside solid artwork. Symbols replace banal dialogue so when girls flock to Mach VII for a photograph, you just see a symbol rather than the words “can we have a picture with you?”. There’s an awesome four panel dream sequence using near-stick figures when Boomerang’s with his lawyer, Partridge, and imagining decapitating him with a boomerang. Also, the layout of the Owl’s lair is simplistically portrayed in a child-like two-dimensional way to mirror Boomerang’s simplistic plan to storm the place head on.
Superior Foes Vol 1 has turned me into a Steve Lieber fan and made me do a 180 on my opinion of Nick Spencer’s writing. It’s a funny, inventive and really entertaining comic which I would never have thought could be done with characters like Boomerang and Overdrive – that Spencer’s pulled it off is a helluva feat! If you like comics like Hawkeye and Daredevil, check out Superior Foes of Spider-Man for an awesome read.
August 19, 2015
A D-List character buddy read with my Shallow Comic Reading pals!
Getting the Band Back Together was pretty damn good when all was said and done. Somewhere between 3 and 4 stars for me. Comic book humor is a hard sell for this guy as I typically prefer my comedy classless and of the “blue” variety, but this PG-13 routine worked pretty well overall.
Long story short, a bunch of D-list villains (Boomerang, Shocker (Heh), Beetle, Overdrive, and Speed Demon) come together in a desperate attempt to get their hands on some quick cash, earn little respect, and repeatedly dick each other over along the way. It took a couple of issues before I really started to pick up what Nick Spenser was putting down. My reaction was a lot like Anne’s. Lots of little moments that had me chuckling throughout. Didn’t piss myself laughing, but was consistently amused. The interactions between the all characters (especially the main cast) were great and the ridiculousness was just enough without overdoing it. Not easy to do. Some comparisons to the current Hawkeye run are pretty accurate as far as style and presentation.
That said, I don’t think Nick could have pulled this off without Steve Lieber’s contributions. His artwork was equally responsible for my little fits of the giggles throughout and he pretty much nailed the style and tone needed to make this book work. Lieber spared Spenser from having to spell stuff out with creativity and certainly deserves an even share of the credit for the success of this book.
If you’re digging Fraction and Aja’s Hawkeye and aren’t opposed to a little levity mixed into your comic book fix, give this one a shot. I’m in for the next volume.
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May 7, 2014
I didn't really know what to expect out of Superior Foes. But I've been really enjoying Superior Spider-Man (almost, but not quite, over my surprise) so I thought it was worth a try. Was it ever! Reading it, I was reminded of Fraction's Hawkeye. Incredibly high praise, and deserved. Like Hawkeye, it has great action scenes, snappy dialog, and developed characters. And it can be hilarious. I don't want to fill this review with quotes, but I will say this: the Owl waxing poetic about his Prius made my day. Did I mention how great it looks? I can't help but think that somebody with a stronger background knowledge on the various Spidey villains will enjoy it even more than I did. And I loved it. Don't let the Superior Spider-Man connection hold you back. Spidey doesn't directly show up and doesn't have much of an impact on the book. Besides, you should be reading Superior Spider-Man anyways.
May 12, 2016
Spider-Man gets all the attention, but what about his foes. What about the people whose bad behavior makes Spidey a hero? Guys like Fred Myers The Boomerang. This man was a pro baseball player until he snorted his chances away.
His second career as a supervillain was just as questionable.
Now Fred's fresh out of jail and he needs his crew to pull off a job.
Fred needs better friends.
Comedy is in the eye of the beholder. What some people find incredibly hilarious, I often fall asleep during...I still don't know how Tosh.0 got on the air. So where many people including some of my best Goodreads buddies love The Superior Foes of Spider-Man, I found myself yawning and wondering when to get excited. I could have really used an applause light.
It's clear the author intended this to be funny, but outside of a smirk or two it completely missed the mark for me. I could go on, but I've spent far too much time on the Superior Foes of Spider-Man.
His second career as a supervillain was just as questionable.
Now Fred's fresh out of jail and he needs his crew to pull off a job.
Fred needs better friends.
Comedy is in the eye of the beholder. What some people find incredibly hilarious, I often fall asleep during...I still don't know how Tosh.0 got on the air. So where many people including some of my best Goodreads buddies love The Superior Foes of Spider-Man, I found myself yawning and wondering when to get excited. I could have really used an applause light.
It's clear the author intended this to be funny, but outside of a smirk or two it completely missed the mark for me. I could go on, but I've spent far too much time on the Superior Foes of Spider-Man.
June 24, 2014
I've heard a lot of good reviews for this - surprisingly good reviews for a writer that exceeded expectations, and an underappreciated artist who is exceeding people's awareness of him.
This reads like an episode of worst-luck-ever-for-the-sad-sacks. It's hilarious - Boomerang finds a way to get (five of) the Sinister Six back together for one big score and stumbles through the shambles of a life (not quite) beyond the law.
What I love most about this book is how down-to-earth *normal* their dialogue sounds, and how comfortably familiar (or edgy) they seem around each other. The lack of bombast is really refreshing - so tiring to see every villain go full Shakespeare on every second panel.
See, and I usually hate inner monologue - self-indulgent, whingy, sometimes painful, usually over-long. So why do I enjoy the Boomerang thought balloons so much? Because he's so awesomely weak, gray and unintentionally (for him) hilarious. It's like I'm reading from a peer, someone I can respect and feel sorry for at the same time.
Or maybe it's the humbling, unvarnished portrayal of a man with weaknesses who's trying desperately to escape them. The Hawkguy Treatment. Yeah, when a schlub like Boomerang can get so I actually feel sorry and sympathy for him, that's good comics.
Y'see, it seems to me that the creators really know these guys - their history, their motivations, how it works this far down the ladder of organized super-villain crime. And when you mine that far down and don't do it just for effect - but rather to add the extra dimension of checkered history to the mix - that's what keeps me engaged with these (almost) loveable screw-ups.
Some great lines here Mr. Spencer, and a nice little twist or two to really make me sit up and take notice. Bravo.
Lieber's art is brilliant here too. Ridiculous when the creators are making a point (irony and sarcasm are subtle but rampant here), and stylistically cartooney or fluid when it's called for. There are many moments throughout this story when Lieber pulls some little trick that steals a laugh from me, totally unexpected (like the Broudaire arrows, or the Viking ship) - and other times where he fully captures the absurdity of Boomerang's delusions.
This reads like an episode of worst-luck-ever-for-the-sad-sacks. It's hilarious - Boomerang finds a way to get (five of) the Sinister Six back together for one big score and stumbles through the shambles of a life (not quite) beyond the law.
What I love most about this book is how down-to-earth *normal* their dialogue sounds, and how comfortably familiar (or edgy) they seem around each other. The lack of bombast is really refreshing - so tiring to see every villain go full Shakespeare on every second panel.
See, and I usually hate inner monologue - self-indulgent, whingy, sometimes painful, usually over-long. So why do I enjoy the Boomerang thought balloons so much? Because he's so awesomely weak, gray and unintentionally (for him) hilarious. It's like I'm reading from a peer, someone I can respect and feel sorry for at the same time.
Or maybe it's the humbling, unvarnished portrayal of a man with weaknesses who's trying desperately to escape them. The Hawkguy Treatment. Yeah, when a schlub like Boomerang can get so I actually feel sorry and sympathy for him, that's good comics.
Y'see, it seems to me that the creators really know these guys - their history, their motivations, how it works this far down the ladder of organized super-villain crime. And when you mine that far down and don't do it just for effect - but rather to add the extra dimension of checkered history to the mix - that's what keeps me engaged with these (almost) loveable screw-ups.
Some great lines here Mr. Spencer, and a nice little twist or two to really make me sit up and take notice. Bravo.
Lieber's art is brilliant here too. Ridiculous when the creators are making a point (irony and sarcasm are subtle but rampant here), and stylistically cartooney or fluid when it's called for. There are many moments throughout this story when Lieber pulls some little trick that steals a laugh from me, totally unexpected (like the Broudaire arrows, or the Viking ship) - and other times where he fully captures the absurdity of Boomerang's delusions.
May 14, 2014
OK this book is funnier than I had expected. In fact, humour might be the thing that keeps this title afloat. With all the gritty reboots and some characters having 6+ series each (X-Men, Batman) it's a welcome change to see some serious D-listers.
(Poor Shocker, he used to be at least B-list)
This is in the vein of Matt Fraction's Hawkeye, and a little of Mark Waid's Daredevil. Books focused on real characters, and how funny super types can be.
Boomerang (so named because he was born in Australia) is a former MLB pitcher banned for cheating, and now he's out of prison and running the new Sinister Six...but there's only 5 of them, because it's mysterious and cool to wonder who the 6th member is! (Ya me either)
The winners on this team also include: Beetle, Shocker, Speed Demon, Overdrive. Yup, my sentiments exactly: "Who the f*@% are they?"
Shenanigans include: Robbing a Pet Store, a Comic Book Store, a fixation on the Dukes of Hazzard (which I love), and slightly less D-list Spidey world baddies arriving (The fancy Owl, Chameleon, and Tombstone) so...kinda a B-minus list?
Funny thing is, Spidey has NOTHING to do with this book at all.
Then Boomerang (Fred) gets a parole officer who's an old buddy from the badguy days: the original Beetle, and new Mach VII...ya...wow.
Fred attends super-villains anonymous..yes really, and then turns info over to his parole officer about his team running a heist without him, and they end up getting taken out by Luke Cage and Iron Fist.
Excerpts: Iron Fist: "Who are these guys supposed to be?"
Cage: The Sinister Six
Fist: one...two...I'm not seeing six
Then Overdrive wants to get Luke's autograph before Cage pounds his face with a chair.
Fist: Really?
Cage: Guy was creeping me out
Fist: He just wanted some acknowledgement...
Comedy Gold.
Boomerang then frees them from a Police Van en route, blowing the doors off and his internal voice: "Total Heisenberg Moment" Ya I'd agree, that's pretty Walter White right there.
Fred also goes out on a date with a surly bartender from Philly, they bond over their shared hatred of a pitcher. Then Mach VII comes to ask how someone looking like Boomerang broke everyone out of the Police Van...
Fred's reply? There must be another Boomerang, since I've got such an awesome reputation..."There's probably more than one even, one's a cyborg, one's a teenager, maybe a black guy..." Well I laughed out loud at that one.
He doesn't quite get away with screwing the team, as someone catches up with him, and the team actually gets an unexpected assist from someone's father, who happens to be a less minor villain...
All in all, it's silly, but fun rag-tag loser squad. At least it is marketed as such too, even using Spider-Man in the title, considering they're not superior foes of anyone.
Worth a laugh or 3.
(Poor Shocker, he used to be at least B-list)
This is in the vein of Matt Fraction's Hawkeye, and a little of Mark Waid's Daredevil. Books focused on real characters, and how funny super types can be.
Boomerang (so named because he was born in Australia) is a former MLB pitcher banned for cheating, and now he's out of prison and running the new Sinister Six...but there's only 5 of them, because it's mysterious and cool to wonder who the 6th member is! (Ya me either)
The winners on this team also include: Beetle, Shocker, Speed Demon, Overdrive. Yup, my sentiments exactly: "Who the f*@% are they?"
Shenanigans include: Robbing a Pet Store, a Comic Book Store, a fixation on the Dukes of Hazzard (which I love), and slightly less D-list Spidey world baddies arriving (The fancy Owl, Chameleon, and Tombstone) so...kinda a B-minus list?
Funny thing is, Spidey has NOTHING to do with this book at all.
Then Boomerang (Fred) gets a parole officer who's an old buddy from the badguy days: the original Beetle, and new Mach VII...ya...wow.
Fred attends super-villains anonymous..yes really, and then turns info over to his parole officer about his team running a heist without him, and they end up getting taken out by Luke Cage and Iron Fist.
Excerpts: Iron Fist: "Who are these guys supposed to be?"
Cage: The Sinister Six
Fist: one...two...I'm not seeing six
Then Overdrive wants to get Luke's autograph before Cage pounds his face with a chair.
Fist: Really?
Cage: Guy was creeping me out
Fist: He just wanted some acknowledgement...
Comedy Gold.
Boomerang then frees them from a Police Van en route, blowing the doors off and his internal voice: "Total Heisenberg Moment" Ya I'd agree, that's pretty Walter White right there.
Fred also goes out on a date with a surly bartender from Philly, they bond over their shared hatred of a pitcher. Then Mach VII comes to ask how someone looking like Boomerang broke everyone out of the Police Van...
Fred's reply? There must be another Boomerang, since I've got such an awesome reputation..."There's probably more than one even, one's a cyborg, one's a teenager, maybe a black guy..." Well I laughed out loud at that one.
He doesn't quite get away with screwing the team, as someone catches up with him, and the team actually gets an unexpected assist from someone's father, who happens to be a less minor villain...
All in all, it's silly, but fun rag-tag loser squad. At least it is marketed as such too, even using Spider-Man in the title, considering they're not superior foes of anyone.
Worth a laugh or 3.
November 26, 2014
I think we all secretly want our own Heisenburg moment. Which is why Boomerang is my new favorite superhero. Well, I guess he's not very super. And not really a hero either. But whatever he is, he's my favorite. I actually saw a Boomerang action figure the other day at Walmart. I couldn't help wonder if this comic is why it even exists. I mean, who else but a comic book dork would possibly be clamoring for a cheesy looking villain toy? I should have took a picture and included it in my "review". Maybe I'll go back to buy it...for my sons. Even they would look at me like, "WTF?" Ungrateful little buzz kills.
December 11, 2016
I had a stupid grin on my face the entire time I was reading this. Freaking hilarious!
I love graphic novels, but I don't own an awful lot of them. I would buy this. Seriously so funny.
The cover of this has a quote on it that I agree with completely:
"Frankly, this book is awesome. The art and writing complement each other incredibly well."
-ComicVine.com
I love graphic novels, but I don't own an awful lot of them. I would buy this. Seriously so funny.
The cover of this has a quote on it that I agree with completely:
"Frankly, this book is awesome. The art and writing complement each other incredibly well."
-ComicVine.com
July 19, 2017
Throw together a crew of five sad-sack C-List Spidey Villains to star in their own series and what do you get?
Hilarity!
Seriously, folks, this is without a doubt the funniest Marvel comic I think I've read...ever? Even Fraction's excellent Hawkeye books get weighed down by character-building moments where you feel bad for Clint, Kate, etc., but no such worries here, all five of the Sinister Six (yes, I'm aware of what I just wrote) are such conniving cretins that the reader feels no remorse in laughing at them throughout their many, many set-backs.
Worst of a bad lot is Fred "Boomerang" Myers, the self-proclaimed leader of the Six, whose trials and tribulations include ducking his parole officer/ex-partner in crime, dating a Philly girl on the cheap, lying to his team-mates and his backers, and generally watching every single one of his outlandish schemes come back to get him in the end just like a...well, you get the picture!
Instances of the book's wacky humour, which incorporates tons of visual cues from artist Steve Lieber, are too many to list here. But you will laugh. Quite possibly out loud.
Go, read this title and tell me I'm wrong!
Hilarity!
Seriously, folks, this is without a doubt the funniest Marvel comic I think I've read...ever? Even Fraction's excellent Hawkeye books get weighed down by character-building moments where you feel bad for Clint, Kate, etc., but no such worries here, all five of the Sinister Six (yes, I'm aware of what I just wrote) are such conniving cretins that the reader feels no remorse in laughing at them throughout their many, many set-backs.
Worst of a bad lot is Fred "Boomerang" Myers, the self-proclaimed leader of the Six, whose trials and tribulations include ducking his parole officer/ex-partner in crime, dating a Philly girl on the cheap, lying to his team-mates and his backers, and generally watching every single one of his outlandish schemes come back to get him in the end just like a...well, you get the picture!
Instances of the book's wacky humour, which incorporates tons of visual cues from artist Steve Lieber, are too many to list here. But you will laugh. Quite possibly out loud.
Go, read this title and tell me I'm wrong!
March 18, 2022
If you loved the Matt Fraction Hawkeye run you will love this story.
But at this point having incompetent lovable heroes and villains is getting old. The story could easily have been much shorter. I mean everyone, everyone in this comic is incompetent good guys and bad. Lets make sure you understand this is a story about bad guys that go around killing and robbing. So while there are funny bits it all hit me as kind of meh. There might have been hope if this had been about the Foes plotting the "Superior" Spider-Man take down it could have been better. But this "heist" is not really that interesting. Heck, just having them trying to "do good" for a change could have been fun.
But at this point having incompetent lovable heroes and villains is getting old. The story could easily have been much shorter. I mean everyone, everyone in this comic is incompetent good guys and bad. Lets make sure you understand this is a story about bad guys that go around killing and robbing. So while there are funny bits it all hit me as kind of meh. There might have been hope if this had been about the Foes plotting the "Superior" Spider-Man take down it could have been better. But this "heist" is not really that interesting. Heck, just having them trying to "do good" for a change could have been fun.
July 3, 2014
Loved this one. It focuses on a bunch of Spider-Man's lesser foes, such as Shocker and Boomerang, as they go about their everyday, humdrum lives, trying to put together the next big score. If that sounds dull, well the whole thing is written with a very sarcastic humor that makes it a lot of fun. I was reminded a lot of Donald E. Westlake's Dortmunder novels, about a hapless gang of criminals, while reading this. Who would have thought that Nick Spencer, writer of the impenetrable Morning Glories, had something like this up his sleeve? And the artwork by Lieber is perfect for this down-to-earth exploration of the non-heroic. There's nothing flashy here and it doesn't need to be--he gets these characters and their interactions just right. I really hope this series can sustain this nearly note-perfect level of humor and whimsy as it continues.
May 31, 2014
Who knew a book narrated entirely by Z lister Boomerang would be this entertaining.
June 14, 2016
I can't remember when I last laughed so much - yes, even out loud - while reading a book. A fresh, funny take on 'being a villain' in the Marvel U, this book is right up there with Fraction & Aja's Hawkeye in terms of fun & creativity. Definitely different, in a great way.
I hope the same level of energy & wit is maintained in the two subsequent volumes...
I hope the same level of energy & wit is maintained in the two subsequent volumes...
August 16, 2014
This is Nick Spencer at his best. It's a terrific caper book, a great look at the character of Spider-Man's less powerful foes, and overall a funny bit of meta-comic storytelling.
December 18, 2014
I can't believe I didn't hear about how great this series was until THE FINAL ISSUE CAME OUT. So many laughs.
May 28, 2020
A comical take on the lesse known criminals in Spideys world
March 15, 2014
Boomerang one of the greatest villains in MARVEL history...yep that's
right he is truly one of the greats alongside the likes of Green Goblin, Doctor Doom and Magneto; well that's at least what I think now after reading this book, its that damn good!
As the story goes we follow Frederick Myers a.k.a Boomerang. Tired of scraping by as a washed up d-list villain he wants to make the big-time and joins forces with fellow Spidey foes Beetle, Overdrive, Speed Demon and Shocker forming the new "Sinister Six". (even though there's only five members) The Dynamics or should I say personality clashes with the villains is one of the strongest aspects of this book and is an occurring theme throughout the comic...as it should really, since villains are generally narcissists in fancy-dress.
Despite his motives Freddy Myers is a loveable rogue of sorts which you gain a fondness for overtime. (even though he is a douchebag) He has charisma but arrogance, strength but cowardice, heart but brutality; not to mention his unyielding wit.
In summary Superior Foe's is a comic that I would recommend to just about anybody and everybody, with its witty dialogue, clever writing and artwork which totally fits the light-hearted tone of the book; this is something truly special and I'm afraid it has been overlooked in the current MARVEL NOW line-up. Its a book that not only made me care about some relatively unknown villains but make me think like one and relate to some aswell.
Just do yourself a favour and read it!
right he is truly one of the greats alongside the likes of Green Goblin, Doctor Doom and Magneto; well that's at least what I think now after reading this book, its that damn good!
As the story goes we follow Frederick Myers a.k.a Boomerang. Tired of scraping by as a washed up d-list villain he wants to make the big-time and joins forces with fellow Spidey foes Beetle, Overdrive, Speed Demon and Shocker forming the new "Sinister Six". (even though there's only five members) The Dynamics or should I say personality clashes with the villains is one of the strongest aspects of this book and is an occurring theme throughout the comic...as it should really, since villains are generally narcissists in fancy-dress.
Despite his motives Freddy Myers is a loveable rogue of sorts which you gain a fondness for overtime. (even though he is a douchebag) He has charisma but arrogance, strength but cowardice, heart but brutality; not to mention his unyielding wit.
In summary Superior Foe's is a comic that I would recommend to just about anybody and everybody, with its witty dialogue, clever writing and artwork which totally fits the light-hearted tone of the book; this is something truly special and I'm afraid it has been overlooked in the current MARVEL NOW line-up. Its a book that not only made me care about some relatively unknown villains but make me think like one and relate to some aswell.
Just do yourself a favour and read it!
April 10, 2014
The Sinister Six (yes, there are only five of them right now) are up to their usual hijinks. What that means is that they are looking for a job(criminal of course) and staying one step ahead of the law and their enemies.
This is a different take on telling stories from Spider-Man's world. It isn't very serious, in fact it is downright silly at times. It makes you wonder how these guys ever gave Spider-Man a run for his money. They spend almost as much time backstabbing each other as they do committing crimes.
Of course, this approach makes sense when you think about it. These aren't heroes or even misunderstood villains. They are bad guys(and girl). But they aren't top of the line either. That is why they work as a gang. If the stories weren't told in a humorous manner, then they would be fairly dark and even possibly depressing. Who wants to read about the bad guys winning all of the time?
Overall this ends up being a nice, but a little weird, change of pace from the normal highly serious superhero stories.
This is a different take on telling stories from Spider-Man's world. It isn't very serious, in fact it is downright silly at times. It makes you wonder how these guys ever gave Spider-Man a run for his money. They spend almost as much time backstabbing each other as they do committing crimes.
Of course, this approach makes sense when you think about it. These aren't heroes or even misunderstood villains. They are bad guys(and girl). But they aren't top of the line either. That is why they work as a gang. If the stories weren't told in a humorous manner, then they would be fairly dark and even possibly depressing. Who wants to read about the bad guys winning all of the time?
Overall this ends up being a nice, but a little weird, change of pace from the normal highly serious superhero stories.
March 10, 2014
Nick Spencer nails the heist book with a solid super powered spin in the first volume of Superior Foes of Spider-Man. This book is brilliantly hilarious, smartly plotted, and gorgeously illustrated by Steve Lieber. Characters come first in this story, taking d-list throw-aways like Boomerang and Speed Demon and turning them into real, fleshed out, and even occasionally likable people. The new Beetle also shines brightly here, with a story centered around her on the horizon. Every fan of crime comics needs to read this book for a breath of fresh air, and everyone else needs to read it just because it's awesome.
July 16, 2020
This is a book I can really get behind. Yeah, it's got a bit of pacing issues, but when there's just joke after joke like this, I mean, I can't really fault it.
This is just the funniest superhero comicbook I have ever read. Plotwise, it's like if Race(the Saif Ali Khan movie was self-aware. I actually fucking hard recommend this one to everyone.
It's about the five member Sinister Six and Boomerang leads us through his heist plan and yeah it's amazing. There is no Spider-Man but like fuck Spider-Man and his spider butt. This is all you need. It is amazing as hell. Please just take the time and read this.
So yeah more of a 4.5 but 5 cuz I just enjoyed this so much.
This is just the funniest superhero comicbook I have ever read. Plotwise, it's like if Race(the Saif Ali Khan movie was self-aware. I actually fucking hard recommend this one to everyone.
It's about the five member Sinister Six and Boomerang leads us through his heist plan and yeah it's amazing. There is no Spider-Man but like fuck Spider-Man and his spider butt. This is all you need. It is amazing as hell. Please just take the time and read this.
So yeah more of a 4.5 but 5 cuz I just enjoyed this so much.
September 21, 2014
I've read the first two volumes of this series after reading everywhere how good it is... And it still managed to surprise me. This comic is consistently smart and funny on every page and there's not a weak issue to be found. Most fun I've had reading a comic in a while. There's no barrier to entry, so just hop in and enjoy the adventures of a pack of losers in NYC. And don't let the title fool you, Spider-man has nothing to do with this book. The 'superior' foes just happen to be d-list villains teaming up... and failing at everything.
August 20, 2015
This book is utterly amazing. its easily in my top ten, maybe even top 5. its one of the best marvel books I've ever read. i don't even wanna leave a review just read this that's all I'm gonna say, you must read this entire series if you truly love comics it's phenomenal and terribly short.
May 1, 2014
This was EXCELLENT. Hilarious, with really startling turns and fantastic art. I like it a bazillion times better than Morning Glories, which I like a fair bit.
December 19, 2015
This was really funny.
April 6, 2019
THE SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN is something that I'm inclined to like automatically since it's a comedic superhero stories. As the author of THE SUPERVILLAINY SAGA, I'm going to say that makes it up my wheelhouse. The "star" of this book is the Boomerang, possibly the saddest member of Spider-Man's rogues gallery with the possible exception of the Looter.
The Boomerang isn't alone, though. He's joined by the Shocker, the new Beetle, and a couple of other supervillains to form a new Sinister Six! Definitely NOT a Sinister Syndicate (the poor cousins of the Sinister Six) despite not having six members. They're a fun and lovable bunch of murderers that are trying to make off with a number of scores including the head of former mafia ("Maggia") crime boss Silvermane, a portrait of Doctor Doom, and other oddball items.
The humor isn't always a hit but it's often enough that it's one of my favorite comic books I've read this year. Boomerang is a terrible-terrible person and I prefer both Shocker as well as Beetle but that's the point. It's zany and madcap with the next two volume being every bit as good. Do I have a complaint? Well, yes. It's the fact this takes place during THE SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN arc and there's no chance of seeing the actual Peter Parker deal with these yokels save in flashback.
Otherwise? Awesome.
9/10
The Boomerang isn't alone, though. He's joined by the Shocker, the new Beetle, and a couple of other supervillains to form a new Sinister Six! Definitely NOT a Sinister Syndicate (the poor cousins of the Sinister Six) despite not having six members. They're a fun and lovable bunch of murderers that are trying to make off with a number of scores including the head of former mafia ("Maggia") crime boss Silvermane, a portrait of Doctor Doom, and other oddball items.
The humor isn't always a hit but it's often enough that it's one of my favorite comic books I've read this year. Boomerang is a terrible-terrible person and I prefer both Shocker as well as Beetle but that's the point. It's zany and madcap with the next two volume being every bit as good. Do I have a complaint? Well, yes. It's the fact this takes place during THE SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN arc and there's no chance of seeing the actual Peter Parker deal with these yokels save in flashback.
Otherwise? Awesome.
9/10
April 3, 2022
You'd think after wading through all three trade paperbacks of Nick Spencer's The Fix, I would have learned my lesson by now. This is slick, silly and mostly weightless rubbish. When you double cross your teammates umpteen times, but still everyone survives every single shootout and random act of torture then none of it really means anything, does it. I wasn't invested in any of these third-rate villains before reading this and nothing I read makes any of them sympathetic. It's just fast-talking drivel from the school of Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (surely Nick Spencer's favourite film of ALL TIME) with less heart and costumes. Meh.
December 30, 2017
five stars just for the hell of it. i like seeing the B-Listers and benchwarmers get there due. a lot of these baddies have been in the Spidey canon for a while, but Nick Spencer gives them the Rogues (DC) treatment - bad guys who don’t have any aspirations for heady stuff like world domination. nah, these guys want to pull a heist and go grab some drinks. Boomerang try’s to hold this dopey group together and the hijinks ensue. thin on plot, but layered-up on the fun. give it a shot, whydontcha!
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