The second issue of this new Scarlet Spider series lives up to the awesomeness of the first. Kaine is badass and very much still in line as the Anti-Hero Spider-Man. There is one little hiccup towards the end, which I’ll discuss later. But it’s safe to say that the book has a good start. There is no second-issue-slump. Writer Chris Yost continues his world building efforts, and I hope he gets a chance to really flesh them out.

Scarlet Spider #2

Because frankly, there’s nothing very special about Scarlet Spider.

Comic rating: 4/5: Good!

I know that sounds negative, but it’s true! There’s no hook to this book. There’s no catchy or flashy gimmick, no particular reason for it to exist. It’s just Badass Spider-Man being badass – in Houston of all places! So I’m worried that Scarlet Spider is just not going to keep an audience. It’s written like a generic superhero title, one that just happens to cling to the Spider-Man family of books to stay afloat. I’m sure a large portion of its audience are people like me, who are big fans of Kaine and the very concept of a ‘Scarlet Spider’ series. But that audience alone can’t sustain a book.

Yost needs to come up with a very compelling reason why people should keep reading. Spoilers and synopsis to follow!

When I say this is a generic superhero story, I mean that everything just strikes me as obvious about the development of this character and this book. I’ll point it out as the review goes along. But Yost is clearly putting up huge red flags when it comes to future supporting characters, possible love interest, unique locale and other easy cliches. I’ll show you what I mean as we go along. Or you could just read this CBR article where Yost says exactly that. But my way will be more fun!

Last issue’s cliffhanger of Kaine leaving town while danger was afoot was just a tease. Because no sooner does Kaine find out that the hospital is under attack than he turns right around to try and save the day! First we open with a brief dream-like sequence, in which Kaine, a clone of Spider-Man, remembers trying to flee from his creator, only to get shot and left in a pile of failed clones. Nobody came to help him then, and Kaine had to save himself.

But who is going to save that woman he rescued last issue, Aracely? She called out for someone to help her, just like Kaine did when he was shot. So when he hears and sees an explosion at the medical center, it only takes a few moments for Kaine to convince himself to race to the woman’s rescue. Which is too bad for the taxi driver who is too afraid to turn around.

This is how we all wish we could 'tip' taxi drivers

The fiery villain from last issue is attacking the hospital in a hunt for the woman, Aracely. There is some kind of mysterious connection between them, but she doesn’t remember. If you recall, she was the only one still alive in a cargo shipment filled with Mexicans that came across the border into Texas. What’s that? A cute damsel in distress that the hero just happens to save? Can you say ‘potential love interest’? Of course you can. Based on the ‘recap’ page at the beginning of the book, the villain is named Salamander. Which is great, because that’s the nickname I chose for him last issue! I must be prophetic! Anyway, he reveals that he gets his powers from Xiuhcoatl, the ancient Aztec god-creature. So that’s cool, and cultural, I suppose.

So The Salamander is still all about fire, and he has no problem burning down the hospital to get to Aracely. What’s that? A unique, original villain who has never been seen before? Can you say ‘building a Rogue’s Gallery’? Of course you can.

What's there to say, the man likes fire

The hospital has basically been turned into one big oven, with Salamander burning just about everything to get to Aracely. One doctor, who we met in the first issue, tries to be heroic and lead Salamander away. The villain does not believe him. What’s that? A helpful, almost heroic side character? Can you say ‘supporting cast’? Of course you can. Anyway, it isn’t long before Salamander finds Aracely, who is still injured but is trying to run away. He pontificates about his powers and his heritage and whatnot, until he catches a glimpse of something out the window.

Someone who is finally wearing that badass new costume and knows how to make an entrance.

Cue the Mighty Mouse theme song

Scarlet Spider (though he does not yet have that name) bursts through the window and starts kicking butt. Salamander laughs because he’s rather excited to finally fight a superhero. Kaine tells him too bad, because he’s not one! Kaine then slashes him across the face, because apparently he’s got some kind of super-claw thing going on with his fingers. Well the fight gets pretty brutal, with Salamander striking back with fire and general badassery.

Kaine has a small moment with Aracely in which he tells her to get out of his way, so clearly he’s going to have to build up to loving her. Salamander keeps after her, keeps mocking her about her lack of memory. All the while, Kaine’s inner monologue keeps chugging along, just like Peter Parker’s in Amazing Spider-Man. But Kaine’s is not as quippy or wise-cracking. Kaine is much more brutal.

Eventually Kaine manages to take Salamander out a window.

Peter Parker eat your heart out

The fight is now on the street, but that just gives Salamander more room to open up with his flames. Seems he can cover a wide area with fire, which isn’t so great for Kaine. At one point, Kaine runs into that police officer we also met last issue. What’s that? A seemingly ordinary…nah, that joke has gotten old. That police officer will be important in future issues, kids. Anyway, Kaine grabs the cop’s gun and fires at Salamander, but the super hot villain just melts the bullets as they fly towards him like it’s no big thing. Though the melted metal does splash against his face. That hurts.

So Salamander gets rightly pissed off and ups the ante with his powers, creating a giant fire-snake to do battle with the Scarlet Spider. With the heat bearing down on him, Kaine wraps himself up in his new webbing to protect himself. Salamander thinks he’s won, until he gets a little bit too close to the webbed-up body. Kaine breaks free and grabs him, then shows Salamander why he should have stopped calling Kaine ‘Spider-Man’ some time ago.

Nor is he Steel Spider, Spidercide, Spider-Girl, Spider-Woman, Spider-Ham, Spider-Carnage or a dozen others

To be fair, Kaine, you are DRESSED LIKE SPIDER-MAN!!

Anyway, it’s kind of badass, because each punch also delivers a dose of webbing until Salamander is the one who is tied up. Then Kaine kicks him just because. Here’s where I have a slight problem with the book. Kaine considers killing Salamander, or at least letting him suffocate in the webbing. But then he monologues about a whisper in the back of his mind that convinces him to let Salamander live. How totally Jiminy Cricket, right?

My problem is that I think Kaine should embrace his anti-hero agenda! I know that Yost is trying for a redemption arc, but Kaine does not need to be redeemed. He’s such a blank slate that I can’t imagine anyone caring about Kaine’s super-villain past. This is a new lease on life, a new start. Embrace it! Truly separate Kaine from Spider-Man by allowing Kaine to kill. Let him be an anti-hero, doing heroic things but in a less than heroic way.

Oh well, I’m not writing the book.

Kaine feels better about letting Salamander live when he realizes that all of the people who were watching start applauding.

Later that night, Kaine pays a visit to Aracely in the hospital because, of course, he’s probably started developing feelings for her. She’s happy to see him, then the doctor and the cop show up to complete this growing supporting cast. Their conversation gets a little too on-the-nose for my tastes, in that the cop, Wally, comments on how Houston doesn’t have a superhero, but could use one. And how he, a cop, can’t protect Aracely, who is an illegal immigrant, but a vigilante could do basically whatever the hell he wants.

The mask is supposed to say on, Kaine. That's Superhero 101

They’re being a little too obvious about the role of superheroes in the Marvel Universe.

Kaine leaves the two supporting players scratching their heads because he won’t commit to what they’re suggesting. He’s still considering going to Mexico, and he even makes it to the border fence. But he’s done some thinking and decides to stay in Houston. He remove Aracely from the hospital (where she would have been deported) and moves her into his hotel room. Then he costumes up and greets the dawn, essentially laying out the premise of the book.

Sunrise as a metaphor? How quaint

And besides, if he still wants to cut his losses and flee, Mexico is right over the border!

So there we have it, a second issue that is pretty much just as good as the first. We’ve met our hero, gotten into his head and his motivation, and we’re starting to get a cast together. But as I said, that’s exactly how every other comic book starts! How many forgotten supporting characters and love interests have come and gone over the years in new series that get thrown out there, only to fade away quickly? And this one is so random! A cop, a doctor and a superhero walk into a bar. Ba-dum bum!

A new series needs a hook if it hopes to survive. I’m buying the book because I like Kaine and I love the Scarlet Spider. But that is not going to retain readers for very long. He’s such a blank slate in this book that he’s simply not the Kaine we remember. He’s Kaine in name only. He’s Kaine because we’re told he’s Kaine. Which, frankly, is good enough for me. But what happens if the book becomes mediocre? Then we’d just be spending our money on another Spider-Man comic.

Which is one of the reasons I suggest Kaine keep up the anti-hero role. Let him kill. Let him be badass to the extreme. Being rude to people isn’t enough. He needs a reason for us to keep reading the book.

And, sadly, fanboy love is not a strong enough reason.