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!

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How cool is it that I hold in my hands, in 2012, a comic called Scarlet Spider? I know my brother and I aren’t the only fans of the Clone Saga out there in comic book land. It’s just a thrilling feeling to have characters and concepts that I’ve loved since my earliest days of comic collecting get some love. And it’s a pretty good first issue too! Granted, it’s not about Ben Reilly wearing his classic Scarlet Spider costume, but one simply has to accept that this is a modern update to characters of the past.

Scarlet Spider #1

Basically this series can be summed up as: Anti-Hero Spider-Man.

Comic rating: 4/5: Good!

Scarlet Spider #1 starts the ongoing story of Kaine, a clone of the original Spider-Man. I’ll get into his somewhat confusing backstory in a bit. Kaine, a former villain, has a new lease on life with all of the spider-powers to boot. Now he has to decide what he wants to do with his life, and if he wants to be a superhero. This issue is a fine introduction to Kaine as a character, his powers, and his goals in life. For some reason his journey has taken him to Houston, Texas. Writer Christopher Yost has a nice handle on the character, and he starts building the cast and the setting. The tagline for this comic is ‘All of the power, none of the responsibility’, and that’s definitely showcased in this character-driven issue.

Joining Yost is artist Ryan Stegman, who draws clean, concise and nicely animated characters. The action is easy to follow and engaging, and the characters stand out as unique individuals. Unfortunately – spoiler – we don’t see the Scarlet Spider in costume in this issue.

Maybe next issue. Join me after the jump for spoilers and synopsis!

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