Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man, Vol. 1: Into the Twilight

Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017)

by Chip Zdarsky (Writer), Adam Kubert (Artist), Michael Walsh (Artist)

The wall-crawling wonder returns to New York City, going back to basics for big heroics in the Big Apple while taking on threats old and new! A crime ring is tightening around Spidey, and Ironheart could help him zero in on the source — if only she'd stop beating him up. When Spider-Man's old pal, the Human Torch, joins in on the trail of terrifying tech, the web-head and flame-brain will be led to ... Wilson Fisk! And they'll find out that the former Kingpin of Crime is still a force to be reckoned with! Plus: What is jolly J. Jonah Jameson up to these days? And Spider-Man's newest ally, the Mason, falls prey to the Vulture!

Collecting Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017) #1-6 and material from Free Comic Book Day 2017 (Secret Empire) #1.

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

144 pages, Paperback

First published December 26, 2017

About the author

Chip Zdarsky is a Canadian comic book artist and journalist. He was born Steve Murray but is known by his fan base as Chip Zdarsky, and occasionally Todd Diamond. He writes and illustrates an advice column called Extremely Bad Advice for the Canadian national newspaper National Post's The Ampersand, their pop culture section's online edition. He is also the creator of Prison Funnies and Monster Cops.

Source: Wikipedia.

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dear Spidey,

Sorry, but in Chip Zdarsky’s take on your character, I just wish you would shut the #$%@ up. I like quippy, but it seems you’ve been bitten by a long-winded, annoying, mildly amusing, radioactive spider. I’d somehow paraphrase the “vaccinated with a phonograph needle” line from the Marx Brothers, but that joke is only relevant if you voted for FDR (Kids, that’s Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He was a president when everything on the internet was still in black and white).



Maybe you can change your moniker to “Your run-at-the-mouth, pain-in-the-ass, way-too-friendly, neighborhood, Spider-Man”.



Yep, the origin story. Again.

It’s not difficult to see (based on this volume) that this version of your character pales in comparison to the one in Nick Spencer’s companion book: The Amazing Spider-Man. Dan Slott was running out of gas with his excellent run on the character, but this book doesn’t even compare well with that.



And what the hell were you thinking with changing the fulcrum of your relationship with long-time Spider-Man hater, J. Jonah Jameson.



As webbed ideas, this isn’t a horrible one (I mean, it doesn’t involve clones. Yet.). It just that Zdarsky wrote it in such a wince-inducing inorganic eye-rolling way.



You’re not alone, J. Jonah. *gags*

Just don’t go into an apoplectic rage like you did that time in the mind-wiped reveal from Civil War. Uh, Civil War, the First.

It was better when you were a burr, way up J. Jonah’s ass. Just sayin’.

Spencer, in his Spider-book makes better use of the dynamic between the two, but kudos for the “My Dinner with Andre” joke.

I still love you, Tiger, but in all likely-hood, I’ll shy away from this run.

Yer true blue pal (usually, um, conditionally),

Jeff

Bottom Line : I’m still giving this an “okay” three stars, because Zdarsky can be amusing at times (and let’s face it, life can be painfully short on laughs sometimes), but this version of the Web Head just seems off-center.

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this is quintessential old school down-to-Earth Spidey caught up in some undercover ops by Grey Blade, it is a bit empty; on the other hand, the downfallen, stay-at-home conspiracy theorist blogger with very little following J Jonah Jameson is a broken man, all he has is his ever present obsession with Spider-Man, and there's an issue in this volume that focuses on this Spider-Man trope, in a very well plotted issue, wonderfully drawn, almost with a nod to Steve Dikto by resident artist Michael Walsh. The rest of the volume was superbly rendered by the very safe hands Adam Kubert. 7 out of 12, because the main story had much less pf of a grip on my attention that J Jonah's.

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man is supposed to be a back to basics approach to Spider-Man. Zdarsky mostly focuses on setting up the next joke, no matter how long that takes. Sometimes that takes a really long time. This book is SOOO wordy. Every Zdarsky comic I've ever read has been burdened with too many words on the page and the trend continues here. You'd think a comic book artist would know how to tell a story visually, but that's never been the case with Zdarsky. The plot meanders from subplot to subplot without ever furthering the story. By the end of this, we're left with a collection of dangling subplots but no real story. I do have to say the last issue was really good. It almost makes up for the rest of the fluff in the other issues. Zdarsky gets real. Spider-Man and J. Jonah Jameson finally sit down to hammer out their issues for the first time ever. When you take away the jokes and all the verbose exposition, Zdarsky can actually be a pretty good writer.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spider-Man is back in his friendly neighborhood! -- back cover blurb

I think I've read at least a half-dozen various Spidey collections already this year, but Into the Twilight was the best because it was just fun and 'back to basics' (also promised on the back cover) for the eternally spry Peter Parker. Appearances by other Marvel heroes (Human Torch, Ant-Man, Black Widow and more), lots of quippy dialogue / references and humorous situations amidst the action, and then it wraps up with, of all things, a well-written Spider-Man / J. Jonah Jameson dinner conversation where the two long-time adversaries finally hash out some of their differences.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I skipped buying this monthly but then comiXology had it as part of their 69p trade sale so it was an immediate buy for that amount.

It's a fun book. It feels a little Team up at times (not in a bad way) with Iron Heart and Human Torch popping up. I'm glad someone is following up the Family Business GN as well because it quite liked that.

I thought Zdarsky might try and be too jokey, and the plot and action scenes would suffer because of it, but he manages to blend the humour and story well.

[Rory Wilding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having been around for fifty-five years through comics and other media, we ought to know the origin story of how Peter Parker got bitten by a radioactive spider, which gained him superpowers and how "with great power comes great responsibility". Even based on recent works like the cinematic Homecoming didn't need to explain this backstory whilst introducing us a new incarnation of everyone's favourite wall-crawler.

Opening the first issue of Chip Zdarsky's Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man, the eponymous hero explains his origin to Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, who has heard it for the millionth time and asks why he's telling it again. Peter responds by saying it's an integral part of who he is. This sequence may be playing for laughs, but throughout this volume, Zdarsky understands what makes Spider-Man tick, both in humour and heart.

Whilst Dan Slott's The Amazing Spider-Man primarily focuses on Peter Parker continuing to run Parker Industries, and becoming a successful businessman who is operating worldwide, Zdarsky's comic is telling a more "back-to-basics" Spidey story with our hero fighting crime in New York whilst constantly being criticised by J. Jonah Jameson who now runs a blog. Zdarsky is clearly looking back at the character's history and even acknowledging certain aspects that some readers wouldn't consider as canon.

As a loose continuation of the 2014 graphic novel Amazing Spider-Man: Family Business, we witness the return of Peter's fake sister Teresa, a former agent who becomes a fugitive when she's in possession of classified information about taking down super villains and super heroes. For something that is meant to be "back-to-basics", this is a story that involves espionage, journalism, multiple villains and the tinkering of gadgetry from both sides.

There is a lot going on as the central plot involving a crime ring that is connected with hacked phones feels more like a way of Spidey interacting with various characters, including hanging out with his fellow super-mates that feels more like an over-extended episode of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends. With this much going on, Adam Kubert tries his best in illustrating the spectacle of it all and despite some nice panel work and intricate character design (colourised by Jordie Bellaire), his art is rough around the edges, especially in the wide paneled action sequences.

As with Zdarsky's Howard the Duck, this is really a writer-oriented title as the storytelling relies more on Chip's quippy dialogue from Spidey's jokes much to the chagrin from his friends, particularly the Human Torch, to the writer's captions that break the fourth wall and have deep-cut references. With this recurring theme of looking back at the past, it culminates in the final issue featuring a confrontational interview with Spider-Man by his worst enemy J. Jonah Jameson. Drawn by Michael Walsh, who is a more ideal fit with Zdarsky's gag-heavy writing, this issue is a masterful read that balances argumentative humour, clever call-backs to Spidey's history (including the pages of co-creator Steve Ditko), and heart-breaking character drama that leads to a huge revelation that changes the status quo.

With a central storyline that balances a lot of elements and embracing the old and the new, it doesn't always come together, but Chip Zdarsky knows how to write Peter Parker, both in and out of the costume, and with this ongoing arc that has featured good twists along the way, it'll be interesting to see where the web-slinger will go next.

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I was close to saying this was pretty meh but then the last issue came along and yeah, I really loved that issue...a lot.

So anyway, what's it about? Peter is chasing down Vulture at the start so it begins as a run of the mil story but soon we get deeper into it. We meet a new hero who creates weapons and suits for heroes. The Thinker makes his grand return. Then we have Peter Parker's sister, yes his sister, and they begin to team up to survive the bad guys. The very last issue deals with J.J. and Spider-man finally settling their differences.

Good: Love, love, LOVE the final issue. It's one that really stands out and pushes Peter's relationship with J.J. further than it's ever had. I also really enjoy the fights here, fun and quick witted. Spider-man does have some really funny moments too.

Bad: The actual plot is kind of all over the place and lacks focus. The main enemy is lame. The sister sidekick thing is kind of meh. And I really think there's far to much talking for certain characters.

Overall it was a pretty mixed bag till the end. I was going with a 2.5 but then that last issue easily pushes it to a 3.5. So I'll settle on a 3 out of 5. Not bad.

[Artemy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chip Zdarsky writing Spider-Man should be better than this. Him poking fun at Spidey was the best part of his admittedly lukewarm Howard The Duck series, so I expected a full-on satirical take on crybaby Spider-Man. But nope, Chip does the same thing with Spectacular that he did with every other comic he wrote — pretty much nothing. The story is somewhere between “generic” and “nonexistent”. Peter’s fake sister from the Family Business OGN shows up, she’s in some trouble with the government for stealing some crap. Peter finds a Starkphone that has been hacked and is untraceable, and that becomes a story for a while so that Spidey can meet Ironheart. Then some authorities try to arrest Peter Parker for something. It’s really boring, is what I try to say, and Chip’s unusually wordy writing also makes this book a slog to get through. The humor is very tepid, but that is surprisingly always the case with Zdarsky-written books: for some reason, the guy can be hilarious on his social media and working on Sex Criminals, but when it comes to writing his own comics, it’s as if he doesn’t have any good jokes left. Weird.

So it comes as even more of a surprise that the final issue in this collection is actually really good. The issue puts Spider-Man and Jay Jonah Jameson together in a room. They have dinner and talk. Sounds simple, but Chip manages to make this confrontation insightful and moving, making it a fascinating character study for both of them. This one issue almost made the entire collection worth it, although it is pretty much standalone for the majority of the issue, only tying into the main story a bit in the beginning and the end, so you could read just that if you wanted to skip all the boring parts.

Adam Kubert’s artwork is fittingly unexciting. Plain, simpistic and scratchy, his art style isn’t godawful and it gets the job done, I guess, but it makes me yawn every time I see it. Superhero comics shouldn’t look like this, not unless you actually want your readers to fall asleep!

One good issue can’t save an otherwise painfully dull collection of comics. There are a lot of words I could use to describe this volume, but “Spectacular” wouldn’t be one of them.

[Tina➹ lives in Fandoms · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Silver Stars
with Golden Sparks

chronologically in order (above each of the series page), this is taking place after a lot of things; Amazing Spider man 1999-2013 & Superior Spider-man & Another Amazing Spider-man 2014 & 2015, 2018 & ... so no good place to start (but I already started it! yas! but not for you, if you haven't.)
& heck! second volume is sooooooooooo damn interesting (I mean, just look at that cover!) I just wanted to get there! I waited so long for something like this to happen!
so I couldn't resist.
(& good thing I knew what had happened in Superior Spider-man (& I also read a few pages into Amazing Spidey 2014) so I didn't get any spoiler about that shocking news)

the real plot was a little less action/thrilling, especially when it jumped on scenes other than Spidey (they talked a lot!) but the Fun was brilliant.
Peter is me! "who would call these days?" hahahaha!
& I was happy to see others in this one.
also liked Theresa very much!
Ooooof! the end!

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superior Spider-Man, Amazing Spider-Man, Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man: Marvel sorgt dafür, dass seine Leser nicht unterversorgt sind, und so gibt es auch von Spidey diverse Heft=Reihen, die oft auch parallel laufen.
Wer als Sammler nur Hardcover und Omnibus-Bände kauft, verliert leicht den Anschluss ans aktuelle MCU, so dass ich im Wege der Nacheile einige der Reihen nachlesen will, die es als TPBs gibt.
Chip Zdarsky hat mich mit seinem Marvel 2-In-One Vol. 1: Fate of the Four bereits überzeugen können, darum war ich vor allem auf seinen Spectacular Spider-Man=Run gespannt.
Das anfängliche "Ach, naja, nicht schlecht, aber irgendwie..."=Gefühl hielt zum Glück nur die ersten drei Hefte an. Peter Parker macht zunächst auf Comedian und die Grundstimmung ist mehr Sit-Com als Superhero=ing, aber dann fügen sich die einzelnen Teile zu einem größeren Bild und die Handlung nimmt Fahrt auf und wird auch endlich spannend. Und als das Buch zu Ende ist, will ich wissen, wie es weiter geht: das ist doch ein Qualitätsmerkmal!
Guter Start in einen neuen Spidey=Run, das nächste TPB wird zeigen, ob es sich lohnt, an der Reihe dran zu bleiben (wie eingangs erwähnt: es gibt ja genug Auswahl, insofern macht sich Marvel selbst Konkurrenz).

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Read as single issues]
I really like Chip Zdarsky. His humour really resonates with me, but when he tries to play it straight it doesn't always end well. This volume is an example of that.

He has a solid grasp of plotting, with lots of seemingly disconnected threads tying together in different ways as the series progresses, but none of them feel like they play to his strengths. There's a lot of exposition, and sometimes a lot of set-up for a joke that doesn't quite land. I like the re-introduction of Peter's 'sister' Teresa, as well as Uatu Jackson, but the villains aren't particularly compelling.

The best parts are Zdarsky's pairings of characters - Peter and Johnny Storm are always a gold mine, and the final issue with Peter and Jonah Jameson is easily the best issue of the series, but then other times we get characters like the new 'love interest' for Peter who feels like her suspension of disbelief is off the charts.

The art doesn't always play to Zdarsky's strengths either. Adam Kubert is not an artist I want on monthly books; trying to keep to schedules makes his art suffer, and particularly with this book he seems to be phoning it in. It also doesn't mesh well with Zdarsky's humour; there should be some element of physical comedy to go with Zdarsky's dialogue, and that doesn't happen. Like at all.

I'm not sure what Marvel are aiming for with this book, but it has a lot of potential that isn't landing yet.

[Subham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peter is going on with his life, teaming with Human torch when he fights Vulture and then meets the Mason, Super hero gear repair-er and then drama and everything, Pete meeting a girl and then finally his sister comes in and she has something that the villain group called “The Gray Blade” led by Corben Mintz want and to protect her, he has to find ways. But when Kingpin, Tinkerer and even Vulture (now outfitted with new tech) get involved, its upto him to save the day meanwhile People are closing in on Parker. And the big meeting with Jonah that will change their relation forever. This issue was a blast to read through and is pure funny at first but then by the end when stakes get high, the writer unleashes it all and it becomes so fun and I love it! Just some great stuff here and the art is good and knowing whats to come, its gonna get better. I also like how the writer writes the jokes so well and it lands most of the time and Rebecca is a fun character and some dynamics here with Teresa are cool too.

[Brendan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3

This is my first Spider-Man book and while I enjoyed some of the story, it just felt a little slow for my liking. One of my biggest hates is the self referencing in the panels, basically just means that they want you to read a previous book. Chip Zdarsky definitely has a style of writing that suits Spider-Man, but I just couldn't overcome the slow beginning.

Into the Twilight might be destined to grow into a longer arc, but this storyline wasn't that impressive for a first timer and I may need to find my Spider-Man fix somewhere else. I have volumes 2 and 3 sitting at the library and I'm really tossing up if I should get them.

Why the 3?

While I enjoyed the art and the character interactions, I just couldn't be invested in the overall storyline. I tend to find stories that have a long history are quite hard to jump onto mid way through the run. This wasn't my type of book and I do tend to find that Marvel books don't appeal that much for me. I have a few other books, but I'll see if I'm interesting in returing to this series.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing edgy humour. Zdarsky definitely embodies the neurotic Parker voice.

Good adventures, and situations he can’t control, and romantic misadventures, and situations Spidey can’t thwip his way out of.

All signs of a good Spidey book, and if that’s all that Zdarsky achieved in this book he’d still be doing fine, I’d continue to read this.

But it’s the culmination of everything Spidey and JJJ have been through - the Dinner with Jonah issue #6 - that elevates this book. Zdarsky digs deep into these men and their relationship, Mark Waid style, and finds the cornerstone moments that define them and their antagonism.

It’s not a Very Special Issue - it’s not even a “flashbacks episode”. Instead it’s an essay, a treatise, on what it means to be a hero, or a journalist, and what happens when flawed people don’t always succeed at living up to the ideal.

It’s more taut and harsh than I’d like - I probably would’ve liked a little more reconciliatory tone - but it’s absolutely in character with the tension between these guys for as long as they’ve been at each others’ egos. It’s suited to their particular relationship.

It’s a helluva companion piece to Bendis’ issue of Ultimate Spider-man when the tidal wave hits NYC, Jonah’s trapped watching Spidey save people, and Jonah can do nothing but reflect on the contrast.

[Blindzider · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really hoping this would be something new and different, but it mirrors the tone and style of Slott's Amazing Spider-Man which I don't care for and have grown very tired of. One plus I will give is the interview between JJJ and Spider-Man, which was satisfying, although I don't know if I completely agree with the climax of it.

Otherwise, something I don't like that Zdarsky does, and he's not the only Spidey writer to do this, is make Spider-Man a chatterbox. In this volume, Spider-Man never shuts up, constantly making jokes, and almost blabbering, saying whatever comes to his mind. He's not Deadpool, and he's not an idiot. I found myself actually wanting to tell my favorite superhero to "shut up" and that's not good, unless Marvel really does want to completely alienate their older fanbase.

I'm wavering between 2 and 3 stars, because it isn't terrible, it's just not the Spider book I was looking for.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, it's not Dan Slott. :( But it's not bad either. At least for the most part Zdarsky does fairly well. A few beats don't quite work but there are some pretty great moments too, especially earlier on in the book. Zdarsky handles the Spidey humor fairly well. Love that one of the Kubert boys is one the job! See so few Named Artists working on the current Marvel on-goings it's great to see a steady hand on art chores. I'll be back for more next time.

[Matěj Komiksumec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tohle se strašně povedlo. Spidey se vrací víc do sousedství a je to velmi zábavný. Chip Zdarsky nejen, že je internetový memelord ale jeho Spider-Man je strašně vtipně napsanej až mě místy štvalo jak moc užvaněnej je. Finální sešit s Jameosnem je neskutečnej masterpiece. Co mě naopak celou dobu vadilo byla Kubertova kresba která mi strašně nesedla.

[Marco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action, great humour, a rich cast of characters and a lot of interaction between them. This is EXACTLY what a Spider-Man series should be.
It seems that - after the awful and interminable Slott era - we are in for a great ride with Spidey thanks to Chip and Spencer.

[Rylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this, Zdarsky writes a really fun Spider-Man. I really liked seeing Peter and Johnny hang out, they prolly have one of my favorites friendships in the Marvel Universe. I also like the stuff with Peter’s sister she’s a cool character I hope they do more with her. The stand out issue was definitely the last one with J Jonah Jameson, it was surprisingly emotional and shows a lot of what I love about the character.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooo that ending!

[Adam Spanos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had grown a little tired of the Amazing Spider-Man in the past few years and wanted a new voice. Not that I don't like Dan Slott, but I just don't like Peter Parker as Tony Stark. Chip Zdarsky has rocketed up the ranks and seemed like a great fit for Spider-Man and this book shows that he is. I like how he writes Peter/Spidey and the tone of the book is a little more light, which is how I like my Spider-Man. Comics are an escape for me and they have become increasingly dark and depressing. I want fun and this title brings the fun back to Spider-Man.

[Yossi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s clear that Chip Zdarsky loves spider-man. He’s a real fanboy of the old school spider stories. This whole volume is one large reference to stories by Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and David Micheline. The problem is that while the pace is great and the artwork easy on the eyes, the storyline is pretty dumb. Hopefully, as the story progresses it will improve. I enjoyed the first volume enough, and am myself a spider fanboy, to continue reading on.

[Oneirosophos · Rating 5 out of 5]

! A M A Z I N G !

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I was going to quickly tire of the constant wisecracks in this one, but underneath the jokes, there's a real heart to the story and to Zdarsky's vision for Spider-man. Especially liked the issue where J. Jonah Jameson interviews Spidey one-on-one.

[Remy Blas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This first few issues are already better than anything Dan Slott wrote in Amazing Spider-Man in the last 10 years.
I love the fact that this barely acknowledges the existence of "Parker Industries" and just tries to tell a classic Spidey story: funny, simple, silly and full of action. And MAN! That last issue with J. Jonah Jameson was awesome!
And I also loved that part of the plot is sort of a sequel to "Family Business" which is a story I really enjoyed too.

[Ondra Král · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fajn Spidey, nic víc. Poslední sešit s Jamesonem se ale povedl.
---
Druhé čtení v češtině jsem si užil o něco víc. Skvělej hláškující Spidey, sympaťák Parker, jen ta epizodická akční linka je taková nijaká. 3,5*

[Bryan Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m shocked that this book only has 3.7 stars average. I really liked it! I enjoyed the multiple plot lines and how they all weaved in and out of each other. The writings really funny and plays off some Spidey tropes. They also take some big risks considering this is a secondary title to Amazing.
The art was pretty good, but one thing that I could not get out of my head was the way Kubert drew the webbing on the costume. It was just crisscrossed, not webbing. Seemed quite lazy to me. It’s a nitpick but I had to mention it.
P.S. it’s definitely worth reading Family Business before this as it comes into play quite a bit.

[Henry Blackwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is more my style. Chip is such a good writer and his knowledge of Spider-Man is absolutely unmatched, he’s referencing almost everything that’s happened in Spider-Man’s history, it’s really awesome - even the silly stuff that has been made canon he somehow makes it work. I think it works because even though he knows the history he doesn’t take it too seriously and only allows it to enhance the story he’s trying to tell.

I really enjoy him on this title, much much over Slott. This actually feels like there’s something of substance happening.

[RG · Rating 3 out of 5]

This barely gets a pass mark. If it wasnt for the solid #6 then it definitely would have got a 2*. Zdarsky loves his dialgoue, so much i feel like at times theres too much. Sometimes graphic novels need the art to tell the story. I also feel like he attempts to many jokes and at times feel like the build up of the joke feels forced. Wasnt overly impressed with this but will give Vol 2 a go.

[LBK · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half seemed really disjointed but the second half was interesting