The epic battle between the Scarlet Spider and the Rangers was not as epic as I would have liked, but it was still entertaining. I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting, but this issue gave us a nice take on Scarlet Spider’s reaction to other superheroes, as well as a look at a hero team that doesn’t get much attention. Everything was a little cliche in the whole ‘heroes fight and then team up’ angle, but to be fair, Scarlet Spider is kind of breaking the law through a lot of this issue. So it only makes sense that the Rangers would be looking to stop him. And I prefer it when stories make sense.

Scarlet Spider #8

But basically this issue is straight forward and simple, with an emphasis on the action over characterization.

Comic rating: 4/5: Good.

I guess I was hoping that the Rangers would be more than just set dressing, or a cameo for cameo’s sake. I appreciate that writer Chris Yost didn’t force the Avengers into making an appearance, relying instead on realism over marketing, but the Rangers don’t really make a strong connection with our hero in this issue. It’s almost entirely fight scene with little depth to any of the characters. There’s some running, a little humor and banter, but mostly it’s just fisticuffs. Seeing as how this is a superhero comic, fighting is expected. But I would have liked a little more interaction. At least the art holds up, though it’s not as good as departed artist Ryan Stegman.

What we do get is another look into Kaine’s head as he tries to sort out all these shenanigans. He’s still rather entertaining as a reluctant hero who isn’t entirely sure if he’s doing this right, or even what he’s supposed to do. But Kaine is a competent hero, in a way that I think is working against Yost’s ideas. It’s like when an R-rated movie is softened to get the more marketable PG-13 rating. Yost could really push some boundaries with an uncouth, anti-hero Kaine; but it feels like he’s hemmed in by the idea that Scarlet Spider needs to be more ‘family friendly’ as part of the Spider-Man line of comics. So there’s a struggle between Kaine as competent superhero and Kaine as rough anti-hero. I don’t think the book should strike a balance between the two, I think Yost should go full-on anti-hero.

But at least Scarlet Spider remains an entertaining comic. Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review.

We open with another flashback to the Roxxon oil rig a few months ago, where they’ve had some kind of drilling accident. CEO Walsh pays a visit to the rig and shows off how tough he is by immediately firing the head researcher and promoting the guy standing next to him to the top spot. This scientist explains that whatever they uncovered down in the Earth, it has now been sucked into the body of one of the workers. Walsh is taken to meet this man, who is standing upright with his eyes and mouth glowing blue.

We then cut to our story already in progress, where the Scarlet Spider has broken into Walsh’s office at Roxxon HQ demanding answers to…whatever the heck is going on. Scarlet Spider is several steps behind everything else, with only bits and pieces of the larger picture. For example, the woman whom he rescued from an explosion earlier (and then promptly slept with) is actually Walsh’s daughter! Plus Scarlet Spider has essentially broken into Walsh’s office, beat up his security guards and waged war on the company all on a hunch, so Walsh is well within his rights to call the cops.

The Rangers, being local superheroes, also show up to lend a hand.

And a gun…pointed at Kaine’s head…

If you’ve never heard of the Rangers before, don’t worry, the comic introduces them. They’re a rather fun concept, I think. We all know that most Marvel superheroics take place in New York City. Spider-Man, the Avengers, the Fantastic Four and more are all based in the Big Apple. It’s just how Marvel Comics rolls. But that doesn’t mean superhero stuff only happens in Manhattan. There are superheroes and super-villains all across the planet, and in the American southwest, the Rangers are the top heroes.

We’ve got the leader, Texas Twister, as well as Firebird, Living Lightning, Shooting Star, Red Wolf and new character Fifty-One. Took me a little bit to realize he was referencing Area 51. That’s actually kind of cool. He looks alien, for sure.

The comic introduces each of them, with Kaine providing some funny commentary in his head. Meanwhile, the Rangers are trying to talk to him, but he pretty much just tones them out while he tries to think how to escape. Surrendering is clearly not an option. I’m grateful that Yost didn’t just immediately have Scarlet Spider mocking the Rangers. They are legitimate superheroes. Just because they’re from the southwest and have southwestern-themed costumes and identities is not funny in and of itself. It would have felt disingenuous and downright mean if Kaine just started mocking them solely because they weren’t from New York.

Anyway, Kaine’s big idea on how to escape is just to smash:

I like the way he thinks

Shooting Star is thrown right into Texas Twister, who catches her easily. Then the Rangers attack, and Scarlet uses his spider-agility to juke and jive his way out of the building, taking the girl, Zoe, along for the ride. The Rangers pursue, and Fifty-One (who speaks in empty speech bubbles) uses some kind of mind power to mess with the Scarlet Spider’s head. Our hero then starts to fall and is blasted by Living Lightning. Getting a few thousands volts of electricity blasted through him does not bode well for our hero.

Keep your head in the game! And conscious!

Scarlet gets the girl back and makes his escape, royally pissing off Firebird in the process. Scarlet uses his invisibility costume to hide and get away with Zoe.

Back at the office, the cops have arrived and are taking Walsh’s statement. He wants the Scarlet Spider arrested for trespassing, assault and corporate espionage. The officer is a little confused, since the cops really like Scarlet Spider. Even Texas Twister smells something fishy. Why would a superhero break into the office unless he had a reason? Twister points out to Walsh that nobody believes Roxxon is on the side of the angels. Still, Walsh points out that Scarlet Spider broke into his office and kidnapped his daughter!

Speaking of which, Scarlet and Zoe have climbed up to the top of a big metal structure in Minute Maid Park. For some reason, Scarlet now wants Zoe to get away from him. She says she needs him, and Kaine calls her unbalanced and crazy. Zoe explains that she’s always known her father was evil, she grew up with the man, after all. Kaine suggests she should have called the police instead of firing a rocket out of the building. Zoe points out that Roxxon owns the police – but she can take Scarlet Spider to Galveston to prove her father is evil. So he steals a motorcycle and off they go.

Then we check in with the Rangers, who are discussing the Scarlet Spider while they track him.

New member, perhaps?

Twister still wonders if Scarlet might be on the level, but Firebird senses a darkness in him. When an alarm goes off in Galveston, they head in that direction.

And Walsh gets into a helicopter to fly to Galveston as well. He tells his cronies to unleash the mechs, and states that he’ll kill both his daughter and the Rangers if they get in his way.

In Galveston, we see the aftermath of Scarlet Spider smashing his way through all the security in one of the refineries. He’s fought his way into the main chamber in Galveston to discover…

Zilch, nada, big fat goose egg!

Nothing!

Zoe is convinced that there should be bodies, but Scarlet Spider starts freaking out that he really is the bad guy here. He’s beat up a ton of people and broken into several buildings, all for nothing! He has done messed up badly. Now everybody’s going to know where he is, and he was trying to run to Mexico to get away.

The Rangers show up and attack before he can do anything. They kick his ass and tell him to stay down, but Scarlet is still ready to try and escape – until Fifty-One reveals the bodies. He breaks everyone through the floor to discover a secret lab below.

Let the floor hit the bodies! Let the floor hit the bodies!

Everybody starts freaking out, with the Rangers scared at the ritualistically displayed bodies. The scientists are worried that the heroes have interrupted something important, by Scarlet Spider still grabs one and tells them to shut down whatever they’re doing. The scientist cries out that the bodies can no longer contain…something. And we see a man with his eyes and mouth glowing blue, and suddenly he’s possessed!

The mystery is solved, it’s…big blue guy!

This was a pretty standard and plain issue. It was entertaining, I suppose. The action was good, though the art just isn’t as good as Stegman. He was a master of action. Scarlet Spider continues to be a interesting enough protagonist. And the Rangers are competent. But there isn’t much else to this issue. It’s standard superhero stuff. The mystery of what happened at Roxxon isn’t very interesting, because it’s standard super-villain stuff. Something wicked and something evil, and Scarlet Spider is going to beat it.

There are absolutely no stakes. Whatever this blue thing is, it’s going to be defeated and the people of Houston will be saved. Roxxon will take a licking, I suppose, but they’re a far bigger and more important ‘character’ in the wider Marvel Universe than Scarlet Spider. So in the end, we’ll probably just revert back to the normal status quo. Ho hum.

This issue is just standard.