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Spider-Verse #5
Edge of Spider-Verse: Bleeding Edge
Over the edge! Journey across the Spider-Verse once again with a spectacular mix of fan-favorite and all-new spider-heroes! Spider-Rex is back to face the Venomsaurus! But who is the Spider-Killer?! Only the scariest spider-character ever created! The all-singing, all-swinging sensation Spinstress croons her way into the biggest fight of her life! And the dark future of the Empire of the Spider, last seen in MILES SPIDER-MAN, still needs a hero - and here comes Miles' little sister, Billie Morales, all-grown up as Spider-Smasher! The amazing origin of the breakout character introduced in the pages of SPIDER-MAN #7 - make way for Spider-Boy! The return of Dream-Spider from DEADLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN! And what if the radioactive spider we all know and love had bitten…J. Jonah Jameson?! Collecting EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE (2023) #1-4.
136 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 2023
7 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Dan Slott
1,984 books450 followersDan Slott is an American comic book writer, the current writer on Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man, and is best known for his work on books such as Arkham Asylum: Living Hell, She-Hulk, Silver Surfer, The Superior Spider-Man, and Ren & Stimpy.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 26, 2024
This later Spider-Verse anthology, is relatively weak compared to previous books in the series, but still has a lot to offer hard core fans. Most notably, the Spinstress, and Arana are back with fun stories each. There is also a Spider T-Rex story that is not particularly memorable or easy to follow and a few new but not particularly noteworthy spiders.
3.5 stars rounded to 3.
3.5 stars rounded to 3.
November 29, 2024
The original Edge of Spider-Verse from about ten years ago was probably the best part of that event, giving creators an outlet to explore new characters and art styles. Nowadays, though, we've had so many Spider-Verses on page and onscreen that its getting hard to find novelle ideas for alternate Spider-Men (and Women). To complicate things, all these characters are "returning back home" from the main event, which makes it unclear if their backstories have been explored elsewhere or not.
Spider-Rex has to be the bottom of the barrel; I was expecting this to maybe be a short, dialogue-less story, but instead we get almost a full issue of bad puns and nonsensical dinosaur transformations (seriously, why do they change dinosaur species when they get spider/symbiote powers?). The shorter Spider-Killer section has some artistry behind it, but is pretty confusing and also similar to Spider-Man Noir in tone and setting.
Similarly, the second issue gives the most page space for one of the sillier concepts, the Disney-inspired Spinstress (though this did make me want a Kraven musical). Again, the main feature is followed by a shorter, darker and more cryptic tale in a similarly fantastic setting. Issue 3 gives us a taste of how Spider-Boy will function in the main universe, and then we get Spider-Smasher, a confusing mash-up of Miles Morales and Riri Williams. Apparently this is a continuation of a Mile Morales story I had not read, so I had little clue what was going on. Issue 4's Dream Spider also seems to have some prior history, though at least this story has some artistic merit. I did like the idea of Headline, a J Jonah Jameson version of Spider-Man, but his story too was very rushed. Finally, we get an update on what is going on with Arana, a character whose name and costumes have changed so much I'm not really sure what her deal is other than she does multiverse stuff now.
I'm sure this volume makes more sense if you've religiously followed every iteration of Spider-Verse. But for someone like me who is basically just familiar with the original event, the films, and End of the Spider-Verse (which I found to be much more readable by comparison), this was pretty jarring. I had assumed that most of these characters had their debut in the latter story and this was simply showing the universes where they came from, but apparently the truth, as is often the case in comics, is much more complicated. Ultimately, this volume spends the most time on its weakest concepts, and its confusing mix of original stories and follow-ups only makes things worse.
Spider-Rex has to be the bottom of the barrel; I was expecting this to maybe be a short, dialogue-less story, but instead we get almost a full issue of bad puns and nonsensical dinosaur transformations (seriously, why do they change dinosaur species when they get spider/symbiote powers?). The shorter Spider-Killer section has some artistry behind it, but is pretty confusing and also similar to Spider-Man Noir in tone and setting.
Similarly, the second issue gives the most page space for one of the sillier concepts, the Disney-inspired Spinstress (though this did make me want a Kraven musical). Again, the main feature is followed by a shorter, darker and more cryptic tale in a similarly fantastic setting. Issue 3 gives us a taste of how Spider-Boy will function in the main universe, and then we get Spider-Smasher, a confusing mash-up of Miles Morales and Riri Williams. Apparently this is a continuation of a Mile Morales story I had not read, so I had little clue what was going on. Issue 4's Dream Spider also seems to have some prior history, though at least this story has some artistic merit. I did like the idea of Headline, a J Jonah Jameson version of Spider-Man, but his story too was very rushed. Finally, we get an update on what is going on with Arana, a character whose name and costumes have changed so much I'm not really sure what her deal is other than she does multiverse stuff now.
I'm sure this volume makes more sense if you've religiously followed every iteration of Spider-Verse. But for someone like me who is basically just familiar with the original event, the films, and End of the Spider-Verse (which I found to be much more readable by comparison), this was pretty jarring. I had assumed that most of these characters had their debut in the latter story and this was simply showing the universes where they came from, but apparently the truth, as is often the case in comics, is much more complicated. Ultimately, this volume spends the most time on its weakest concepts, and its confusing mix of original stories and follow-ups only makes things worse.
October 23, 2023
We already got a new Edge Of The Spider-Verse series last year in time for Dan Slott's End Of The Spider-Verse arc in his Spider-Man book, but we're getting another one because there's a movie coming out, and you'll like it, god damn it.
Most of these stories are okay, though nowhere near as special as some of the Spider-Verse tales we've seen before. Most of these are actually characters we've seen before, like Spider-Rex, Dream Spider (from Deadly Neighbourhood Spider-Man), Spider-Smasher (from Miles Morales: Spider-Man's Empire of the Spider arc), and my favourite, the singing Spinstress. It's nice to see them all again, but if this is what their appearances are going to be relegated to, I'll be more than a little disappointed (I'd read a Spinstress ongoing like a shot, god damn it).
The few new characters we do get aren't particularly memorable - there's Headline, a J. Jonah Jameson Spider-Man, as well as Spider-Killer and Sky Spider who I barely remember at all.
Okay, but the Spider-Verse magic wears thin if you pull it too tightly. Maybe we can go a whole year without another one of these?
Most of these stories are okay, though nowhere near as special as some of the Spider-Verse tales we've seen before. Most of these are actually characters we've seen before, like Spider-Rex, Dream Spider (from Deadly Neighbourhood Spider-Man), Spider-Smasher (from Miles Morales: Spider-Man's Empire of the Spider arc), and my favourite, the singing Spinstress. It's nice to see them all again, but if this is what their appearances are going to be relegated to, I'll be more than a little disappointed (I'd read a Spinstress ongoing like a shot, god damn it).
The few new characters we do get aren't particularly memorable - there's Headline, a J. Jonah Jameson Spider-Man, as well as Spider-Killer and Sky Spider who I barely remember at all.
Okay, but the Spider-Verse magic wears thin if you pull it too tightly. Maybe we can go a whole year without another one of these?
Read
September 18, 2025I really like Spinstress. I'm obsessed with her costume, it's so so pretty. She is also so pretty. Such a Disney princess (positive). Merry James Watson is fantastic what a name. I want more of this one it's so fun and intriguing
the rest I either already forgot, did not have particularly strong feelings about, or feel negatively about lol
i'm so confused by the chronology of this series. everyone's like "i'm back from whatever!" but I have not slightest idea where they're coming back from.
billie's haircut is trash
the rest I either already forgot, did not have particularly strong feelings about, or feel negatively about lol
i'm so confused by the chronology of this series. everyone's like "i'm back from whatever!" but I have not slightest idea where they're coming back from.
billie's haircut is trash
February 26, 2024
I had a lot of fun with this collection of adventures from not-so-well-known spider beings! There were a few stories that I felt lacked personality, and a few that I wish were longer. I also think the cover (and some of the variant covers collected in the book) is misleading regarding some of the characters involved in the stories. Overall, I really liked this and is definitely a re-readable one!
November 10, 2024
Started and finished date - 09.10.24 to 10.11.24.
My rating - Three Stars.
I did enjoyed this book but I didn't love. Both the atmosphere and the writing was okay. The paced of plot was bit rush and I love both illustrations and the cover of book was stunning also the characters was fine.
My rating - Three Stars.
I did enjoyed this book but I didn't love. Both the atmosphere and the writing was okay. The paced of plot was bit rush and I love both illustrations and the cover of book was stunning also the characters was fine.
January 5, 2024
Running out of Spider-People to write stories about. Spider-Rex? Really??
A couple of these stories were nice little pieces. Several were almost painful to get through.
A couple of these stories were nice little pieces. Several were almost painful to get through.
May 20, 2025
Multiverse stories that I struggle to connect with.
April 22, 2024
This is a weird mixture of Spider-Verse characters and Spider-Man spinoff characters. So you've got stupid stories like Spider-Rex (a T-Rex Spider-Man) mixed in the same anthology as Spider-Boy and Arana from the 616 universe. I'd say we don't really need any more of these but there's another one coming down the pipe for 2024.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews