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Spider-Man By Michelinie & Bagley Omnibus Vol. 2 Mark Bagley Hulk Cover
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 7, 2026
This Omnibus is a hodgepodge collection of some good stuff and some okay stuff, but luckily very little truly BAD stuff. It captures a very specific era of 90s Spidey that is high-stakes and high-drama.
The book kicks off with typical Spidey adventures, but soon we get Venom: Lethal Protector. I've read this a few times now, but it still holds up. If you're a fan of Eddie Brock, you'll enjoy his transition into an anti-hero here as he heads to San Francisco to deal with the Life Foundation. We honestly need that breather because the biggest portion of this book is the 14-issue event, Maximum Carnage.
Maximum Carnage has some really great moments. I loved the moral dilemma of Peter trying to figure out if killing Cletus Kasady is the only way to save thousands of lives. Watching Venom begrudgingly team up with Spidey is always a highlight, and seeing the street-level "Avengers" (Captain America, Iron Fist, Black Cat, and even Deathlok) join the fray makes it feel like a massive New York event. It does stretch on a bit too long by the end, but it's pure, fun 90s mayhem.
Then we get the return of Peter's parents. This arc bounces between multiple books so you lose a bit of the momentum, and honestly, the plot point is meh. While Michelinie writes Peter’s internal thoughts beautifully, this storyline probably shouldn't have been created in the first place. That said, the finale in Amazing Spider-Man #388, involving a rejuvenated, life-draining Vulture and the reveal that the parents were actually Chameleon’s life-model decoys, is actually very well-crafted and heartbreaking.
The lead-out of the Omnibus is really solid. It gives us Peter at some of his darkest, revenge-filled, no joke style hunting. I also liked the build-up to the Clone Saga, even though this is my first time heading into that era, the sense of dread and Peter being at a total loss is handled well.
This isn't a perfect collection, but it's pretty intense at points and really fun at others. If you can get past some weird 90s choices (like the robot parents! Who the fuck asked for that?), the rest is good old-fashioned Spidey fun, made even better by Mark Bagley’s iconic art. He's just the king of Spidy art for me.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (Bumping it to a 4 for goodreads)
The book kicks off with typical Spidey adventures, but soon we get Venom: Lethal Protector. I've read this a few times now, but it still holds up. If you're a fan of Eddie Brock, you'll enjoy his transition into an anti-hero here as he heads to San Francisco to deal with the Life Foundation. We honestly need that breather because the biggest portion of this book is the 14-issue event, Maximum Carnage.
Maximum Carnage has some really great moments. I loved the moral dilemma of Peter trying to figure out if killing Cletus Kasady is the only way to save thousands of lives. Watching Venom begrudgingly team up with Spidey is always a highlight, and seeing the street-level "Avengers" (Captain America, Iron Fist, Black Cat, and even Deathlok) join the fray makes it feel like a massive New York event. It does stretch on a bit too long by the end, but it's pure, fun 90s mayhem.
Then we get the return of Peter's parents. This arc bounces between multiple books so you lose a bit of the momentum, and honestly, the plot point is meh. While Michelinie writes Peter’s internal thoughts beautifully, this storyline probably shouldn't have been created in the first place. That said, the finale in Amazing Spider-Man #388, involving a rejuvenated, life-draining Vulture and the reveal that the parents were actually Chameleon’s life-model decoys, is actually very well-crafted and heartbreaking.
The lead-out of the Omnibus is really solid. It gives us Peter at some of his darkest, revenge-filled, no joke style hunting. I also liked the build-up to the Clone Saga, even though this is my first time heading into that era, the sense of dread and Peter being at a total loss is handled well.
This isn't a perfect collection, but it's pretty intense at points and really fun at others. If you can get past some weird 90s choices (like the robot parents! Who the fuck asked for that?), the rest is good old-fashioned Spidey fun, made even better by Mark Bagley’s iconic art. He's just the king of Spidy art for me.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (Bumping it to a 4 for goodreads)
September 28, 2025
This volume was absolutely incredible — a perfect mix of action, emotion, and classic Spider-Man storytelling.
Some of the highlights here are unforgettable: Maximum Carnage is one of the most iconic Spidey sagas ever, packed with intensity, chaos, and heart. Lethal Protector adds a whole new dimension to Venom, giving him depth while still keeping him terrifying. These arcs alone make the omnibus worth it.
But what really elevated this volume for me was the closing storyline with Peter’s parents. The way it unfolded — the lies, the revelations, and the crushing weight of the truth — hit hard. Watching Peter go through that emotional storm was powerful. It’s not just about Spider-Man swinging through battles anymore; it’s about the man beneath the mask slowly breaking down under the weight of his life. By the end, it felt like Peter was fading, and all that was left was Spider-Man. That duality, that loss of balance, was heartbreaking and brilliant.
Michelinie’s writing and Bagley’s art are in top form throughout. Bagley’s expressive, dynamic style brings both the big battles and the quiet, emotional moments to life in equal measure. Together, they crafted some of the most memorable Spidey comics of the 90s.
This omnibus reminded me why Spider-Man is such a timeless character — not because of the villains he fights, but because of the very human struggles he carries inside.
A must-read for every Spider-Man fan.
Some of the highlights here are unforgettable: Maximum Carnage is one of the most iconic Spidey sagas ever, packed with intensity, chaos, and heart. Lethal Protector adds a whole new dimension to Venom, giving him depth while still keeping him terrifying. These arcs alone make the omnibus worth it.
But what really elevated this volume for me was the closing storyline with Peter’s parents. The way it unfolded — the lies, the revelations, and the crushing weight of the truth — hit hard. Watching Peter go through that emotional storm was powerful. It’s not just about Spider-Man swinging through battles anymore; it’s about the man beneath the mask slowly breaking down under the weight of his life. By the end, it felt like Peter was fading, and all that was left was Spider-Man. That duality, that loss of balance, was heartbreaking and brilliant.
Michelinie’s writing and Bagley’s art are in top form throughout. Bagley’s expressive, dynamic style brings both the big battles and the quiet, emotional moments to life in equal measure. Together, they crafted some of the most memorable Spidey comics of the 90s.
This omnibus reminded me why Spider-Man is such a timeless character — not because of the villains he fights, but because of the very human struggles he carries inside.
A must-read for every Spider-Man fan.
September 28, 2025
This volume contains two well-known story arcs, namely Venom Lethal Protector and Maximum Carnage. However, I did find the two stories kinda cheesy and products of the 90s - the latter, obviously to sell the popular video game.
I did enjoy the stories following that - namely Pursuit (with Chameleon) and Shrieking - and to see how it affected Peter's relationship with MJ etc. Also, the stories regarding Peter's parents were pretty good.
Mark's art here is obviously stellar, and I also liked the bits of Sal Buscema and Steven Butler peppered across the omnibus as well.
Conclusion: Still a good read for 90s Spidey featuring good stories and one of the best Spidey artists.
I did enjoy the stories following that - namely Pursuit (with Chameleon) and Shrieking - and to see how it affected Peter's relationship with MJ etc. Also, the stories regarding Peter's parents were pretty good.
Mark's art here is obviously stellar, and I also liked the bits of Sal Buscema and Steven Butler peppered across the omnibus as well.
Conclusion: Still a good read for 90s Spidey featuring good stories and one of the best Spidey artists.
February 22, 2026
This was one of the quickest reads of Bronze age Spidey that I have ever read!
The Mark Bagley artwork and designs once again brings me back memories to the 90´s Animated series.
Half of this Omnibus is basically the same amterial that is collected in the Spider-man VS Venom Omnibus (glad I sold that one). maximum carnage taking up almost half it.
Big plus to this omnibus for including issues from the other Spider-man titles that were around at the time in order to give a complete story arc whenever a crossover occoured.
I read this simultaneously as I read the JM Dematteis Spectacular Spider-man Omnibus and they both worked really well as compendiums to eachother.
The Mark Bagley artwork and designs once again brings me back memories to the 90´s Animated series.
Half of this Omnibus is basically the same amterial that is collected in the Spider-man VS Venom Omnibus (glad I sold that one). maximum carnage taking up almost half it.
Big plus to this omnibus for including issues from the other Spider-man titles that were around at the time in order to give a complete story arc whenever a crossover occoured.
I read this simultaneously as I read the JM Dematteis Spectacular Spider-man Omnibus and they both worked really well as compendiums to eachother.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews