Evolve or Die!
Spider-Man: The Other is a compiled graphic novel of various Spider-Man titles (Amazing Spider-Man #525-528, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1-4, and Marvel Knights Spider-Man #19-22) and written by Peter David, Reginald Hudlin, J. Michael Straczynski, Pat Lee, Mike Wieringo, and Mike Deodato.
After a battle with the new villain Tracer, Peter Parker receives some shocking news from his doctor. He is dying! Of course, all the best Marvel superhero doctors team up to try to help him. But Morlun is back too. And he’s just biding his time to feed off Spidey.
The story is suspenseful and exciting, but a bit choppy and incongruent over the span of the Spider-Man titles. In one scene, Mary Jane has a broken arm. In the next, she’s absolutely fine. But when you’re dealing with a span of multiple titles, it comes with the territory.
Some of the artwork was only mediocre at best. But thankfully, since there were multiple titles, we get to see more than one artist at work. And the story more than made up for it.
I definitely recommend this graphic novel to any fan of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Peter goes through a transformation that will change him forever!
I’m not a huge fan of spidey, but I have to ask, why do the creators and artists always feel the need to kill off action heroes. I mean they just reincarnate them anyways. It drives me a little loopy somedays.
Good post though, I’ll tell my brother about it. He;s a huge Spiderman Fan.
Well, his rebirth is the best part of the story…
Spidey has never been a favourite either, but it sounds a good book.
I am the biggest Spider man geek fan! My husband always makes fun of me because I always refuse to watch any movie a second time, but Spider Man 1 and 2 I can watch on replay all day long… clutching at the covers with excitement… even though I know the entire story by heart! I’m very excited that Spider Man 3 is coming out! I absolutely can’t wait! 🙂
As for Amy’s comment… I think Super Hero’s need to have the threat of death because they seem like they have no weaknesses… death or pulling on their biggest weakness makes them a little more loveable and real in our hearts. Or at least that’s how I feel when I know something might happen… I hold my breath. 🙂
From what I’ve heard, though I haven’t read it and don’t plan to, they just re-hashed a lot of plot elements that were already done and even done twice before?
Bartoneus – It seemed pretty original to me. But I haven’t exactly been reading comics a long time.
–Potential Spoilers–
He’s turned into a spider at least two times before, from what I’ve heard something very similar happens in this. The big complaints I’ve heard from friends is that it’s simply ridiculous throughout the entire thing. If you’re a big spiderman fan, there are most likely a hundred other trades out there that would interest you a lot more. 🙂
Guess there really isn’t anything new under the sun.
Ah.. well, the story did leave me wanting to read what happens next, but I only subscribe to FNS.. and it didn’t continue with the storyline.
For one like me, who hadn’t read his spider-half taking over in death, it was great. And then gaining new powers he didn’t know he had.. Internal conflict is a lot more interesting to me than cheesy villains.
Oh well, I might not have liked the older stuff, since I’m so picky about the artwork.
Yea it’s a delicate balance sometimes, between artwork and good writing, with comics.