Writer: Nick Spencer
Artist: Mark Bagley
Colorist: Brian Reber
Cover Artists: Bryan Hitch & Paul Mounts
Reviewer: StoryBabbler
Spider-Man’s life has been pretty rough for a couple of years. Peter’s encounter with Kindred had left shaken to the core as he deals with the existential crisis his enemy had done to him. Despite the ending of Last Remains, the insidious villain’s not done with the web-head. He secretly enlisted Doctor Octopus to reform the Sinister Six for unknown goals. And now Kindred’s plot unfolds in Sinister War #1 as super-villains collide.
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Review:
In this issue, stories from Nick Spencer’s Spider-Man are paying off in one way or another from Kraven’s Hunt, King’s Ransom, Last Remains of course, and even the Mary Jane series. We see Peter and MJ show up for her film’s big premiere with the red carpet, photos, and everything and it seems like all’s going well. Which is where things inevitably begin to go down for Spider-Man as trouble literally looms over them.
The comic does hang the One More Day element over fans’ heads with Dr. Strange and Mephisto. But fans shouldn’t expect any big developments on this just yet, it seems like Nick Spencer is going to use this storyline to cover it in full detail. If nothing else, it’s good to see the major subplot is going to get the attention it deserves. All it needs is some good follow-through.
Thankfully, the comic doesn’t spend all day on that and just gets right to the main event – the all-out super-villain brawl between the Sinister Six and the Savage Six. The spotlight is on the Savage Six and the Sinister Six team members, specifically their leaders Adrian Toomes aka The Vulture and Otto Octavius aka Doctor Octopus. They’re the main focal point of the fighting between the two teams as they’re front and center in the comic book action.
The fighting between these two super-villain teams is drawn very well by Mark Bagley and the coloring by Brian Reber is pretty good. The members from both teams all look distinguished, they look great in action, and the two team leaders get some good shots in too. Kind of makes me wish the fight was a little longer since we don’t get the most intense fights and villain match-ups in the book. Readers will be wishing they had more, but that might be by design.
All in all, the art really shined in this comic book. Then the comic comes back to its true center point: Kindred. It all ties back to him. However, nothing too revelatory occurs in this comic, aside from one character’s appearance, but if you’ve been following the MJ series you’ll see it coming a mile away.
The comic delivers on the all-out super-villain brawl between the Sinister Six and the Savage Six, but it also leaves on a solid ending that more’s on the way as the Sinister War has just begun.
Spoilers:
Through Kindred’s narration, the comic does suggest that in this storyline all readers’ questions will be answered. At least those concerning Kindred himself as the super-villain is hinting that he will deliver a reckoning upon Spider-Man as this story arc develops. What is unclear but it involves the full roster of super-villain teams as he has all of them attack Spider-Man at once near the end.
Final Thoughts:
Sinister War #1 launches with the promise of a super-villain brawl between the Sinister Six and the Savage Six, and that’s exactly what you get. The art and colors show all the members of both super-villain teams in all their glory fighting each other while Spider-Man is caught in the middle. However, the comic doesn’t sideline Spidey for the villain fights and manages to keep a cohesive story in what could’ve been a cluttered comic. Sometimes you’ll wish there was of the villain teams fighting each other, but the comic leaves on the strong promise of more to come in the next issue.