MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel
WRITER: Peter David
ARTIST: Will Sliney
COLORS: Antonio Fabela
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
COVER: Simone Bianchi
VARIANT COVERS: Rick Leonardi and Dan Green with Antonio Fabela; J. Scott Campbell with Nei Ruffino; J.G. Jones; and Skottie Young
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (September 2014)
Spider-Man 2099 is a Marvel Comics superhero created by writer Peter David and art Rick Leonardi that first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #365 (cover dated: August 1992). This character is, of course, based on the original Spider-Man created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. This alternate Spider-Man character was created for Marvel Comics' “Marvel 2099” line of comic books.
Spider-Man of 2099 is Miguel O'Hara (the first Latino Spider-Man), a brilliant geneticist living in New York in the year 2099 A.D. He was attempting to recreate the abilities of the original Spider-Man in other people, which led to the accident that caused half his DNA to be re-written with a spider's genetic code. Miguel gained amazing powers and became Spider-Man of the year 2099.
He received his own series, Spider-Man 2099, which was set in a future dystopian America that was governed by corrupt mega-corporations. Now, there is a new Spider-Man 2099 series, written by Peter David, drawn by Will Sliney; colored by Antonio Fabela, and lettered by Joe Caramagna.
Spider-Man 2099 #1 opens with some backstory, which tells readers that Miguel O'Hara. Employed by mega-corp, Alchemax, he is the young genetics genius whose experiments turned him into the Spider-Man of the year 2099. Miguel travels back to the present to save his father, Tyler Stone, the head of Alchemax in 2099, by saving the life of his grandfather, Tiberius Stone, in the present.
O'Hara finds himself stranded in 2014. To protect his identity in the future, while living in the present, Miguel uses the name Mike O'Mara. He sets about establishing his new life in the present, but something from the future has followed him. Why does T.O.T.E.M. want to destroy Spider-Man 2099?
I had not planned on reviewing Spider-Man 2099 #1. It was just another Marvel Comics, “All-New Marvel NOW!,” number-one issue that I was going to give a try. I had the comic book for several weeks before I decided (as an afterthought) to read it.
I had forgotten how often I have enjoyed Peter David-written comic books, but Spider-Man 2099 #1 reminded me. The story is simple and straight-forward in this first issue, but David wonderfully sets it up to launch a quality ongoing series. While Will Sliney is not a spectacular artist, his compositions and storytelling capture the humor and action in David's script. This looks to be a solid comic book, and not just another “acceptable” Spider-Man title.
B+
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux
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