Spider-Man 2099 #1 Review

Last year at San Diego Comic Con, a guest asked writer Dan Slott if we would ever be getting another Spider-Man 2099 comic. This was before he was reintroduced in Superior Spider-Man, so I thought it was a rather silly question as it would never happen. And now we finally have the return of the titular hero. The most surprising thing is that creator Peter David is back writing the character an 18 year hiatus.

To fully understand what’s happening in this first issue, a lot of exposition is necessary. First, there is a completely different Spider-Man from the year 2099. Second, he has time-traveled to the present to save his grandfather (who gives birth to his arch-nemesis) due to the time-stream being fouled with. Third, this is now resolved, but he can’t return home. Fourth, he works for a budding company that eventually turns into one of the few (evil) mega-corporations of the future that his father/arch-nemesis runs. The issue finally lets us settle into the life of the man behind the mask as he establishes himself in current New York. But trouble from the future creeps into the present.

Peter David retains the classic Spider-Man of the future (Miguel O’Hara) through his coy nature and hapless need to do the right thing. Utilizing his future technology for his own personal gain is comedic, but also very fitting for the character. Part of the fun is how the writer predicts the future is going to be. Their “foul” language is goofy and the assumption of future technology is pretty much on par with current technology in the Marvel universe.

The freshly introduced antagonist tasked with eliminating Spider-Man to protect the time-stream can’t return him to his correct time because it is “illegal.” This seems to be a sloppy reason for an action piece, as the problem can be resolved in the easiest fashion as the hero just wants to return home. Both the villain and O’Hara’s grandfather act out of character to provide cringe-worthy moments of comic relief.

The art and color is more fitting for this type of Spider-Man comic. It’s a more serious hero so the colors are more muted while the characters and their actions are not as stylized. It matches the character’s darker sensibilities and lets the reader better differentiate from Peter Parker, making it clear that this is a very different hero.

The art is awkward at points with odd perspective which makes characters appear to be cardboard cutouts instead of fully developed people. The male characters have defined facial features while the female characters are smooth and flat. Rather than appearing feminine, it makes the art appear to be incomplete.

Nostalgia is a contributing factor to this story, as it is inherently cheesy. But that’s part of its charm. If you want a new take on Spidey or miss Spider-Man 2099 from almost two decades ago, give this a read.