"However, the transfer gave Octavius more than just Spider-Man’s great powers, it gave him Parker’s experiences as well … including the lesson of great responsibility! Now Otto Octavius is beginning a new life as a hero – possibly the greatest hero of all – The Superior Spider-Man."Those words are on the recap page to Superior Spider-Man No. 1. Too bad Otto Octavius has yet to live up to the idea of being a hero.
I dealt with my disappointment in how things unfolded in Amazing Spider-Man 700 and Avenging Spider-Man 15.1
earlier this week. We have a better view of Doctor Octopus’ version of Spider-Man in the Superior debut, and there isn’t much to say he’s going to live up to the idea of being a hero.
SPOILER WARNING: If you haven’t read Super Spider-Man No. 1, don’t read any further.
Otto makes for a much darker Spider-Man, but that was to be expected. He is more brutal than Peter Parker in his battles with the new Sinister Six, headed by Boomerang. He also nearly bolts the first confrontation until, much to his confusion, he finds himself hurling between a Razorang and a police officer. But we see later that even that selfless act wasn’t Doctor Octopus being a hero; his hand was forced.
Things are taken to another level when Otto (I find it hard to call him Spider-Man) nearly kills Boomerang in the final battle. He had every intention of killing the villain to send a message that there’s a new Spidey in town and the rules have changed, but at the last moment, this happens:
That’s right. Good ol’ Peter Parker is still inside his body. Otto doesn’t know it, but Peter’s there to keep Octavius from going to extremes, like killing someone, and to make sure Doc Ock doesn’t forget he’s supposed to save innocent lives, like he did with the police officer earlier in the issue.
The “surprise” ending was anything but surprising. Few characters ever die for good in comics, and everyone expected Peter Parker to return sometime in the not-too-distant future. The only surprise was that Marvel brought him back so soon. I had expected a few months of hints that Otto wasn’t completely in control of his new body, with things progressing to Peter having more of a say in things but without writer Dan Slott actually revealing that Parker was still there.
Instead, any suspense was killed right away. Superior’s run is clearly limited (no shock). Slott and others at Marvel have promised that there are more surprises to come, but these are the same people that told is Superior No. 1 held a huge shocker. If their idea of a “surprise” is something that everyone has already guessed, then I don’t hold out much hope for this storyline having many unpredictable twists.
That said, there were some fun moments in Superior Spider-Man 1. Otto’s interaction with Mary Jane was entertaining, if a bit misogynistic. He’s clearly reveling in being a younger, healthier man, and it was clear that while he relished Mary Jane’s physical attributes, he didn’t care anything about the conversation she was trying to have.
One thing I’m looking forward to seeing is Peter’s reaction to Otto making moves on MJ. The thought of things progressing too far is creepy, as I’m sure it’s meant to be. In a weird, comic-book, body-swap way, it would amount to rape.
I’m betting their relationship never makes it that far, though. If Mary Jane doesn’t realize from his new mannerisms and elocution that this isn’t the same man she’s always known, then I’m betting Peter will keep Otto in check.
Otto’s interaction with his co-workers at Horizon Labs is interesting, too. While Peter had always been understanding of Grady Scraps’ sometimes clumsy behavior, Octavius brushes him off as a clumsy oaf. And when Max Modell tries to discuss some of Otto’s interesting requisitions, things that could lead to weapon-making, Otto convinces him he can be trusted. He is Peter Parker, after all.
That conversation leads to another revelation with Otto as he tries to come to grips with the idea that any success he has from here on out will be a success for Peter Parker, not Otto Octavius. He is clearly still coming to grips with the idea that he is Peter Parker now and Otto Octavius is dead.
Otto’s desire for personal glory shows again in a humorous moment during the final battle when the press shows up to cover his beatdown of the Sinister Six. He admits to Boomerang that he had called the media earlier in the day when he was setting things up for the confrontation. As he’s beating Boomerang to a pulp, just before Peter steps in, he exults in his victory. “I’m beating the Sinister Six,” he says, “and everyone is going to see it!”
While the quick reveal of Parker’s presence was disappointing, there’s enough in this storyline to keep me around. A lot of readers have been down on Dan Slott, and while there are problems with this issue (Why did the field that cancelled the Sinister Six’s powers shut down their weapons but not his?), Slott hasn’t ruined Spider-Man to the level many critics argue.
If anything, Slott’s more guilty of hyperbole in interviews hyping the changes to Spider-Man than he is of bad writing. If he had sold this as another story in Amazing Spider-Man, many readers wouldn’t have batted an eyelash. He raised the level of expectations with the story being pushed as a rebirth of Spider-Man with a new title and the end of Peter Parker.
At this point, I doubt this arc will go down as a great storyline like “Kraven’s Last Hunt,” but for the time being, I’m optimistic that it won’t be another “Clone Saga.”
