Spider-Man/Superman

A lot of people don't know this but after the 1976 historic first meeting of Superman and Spider-Man, a sequel was released. DC Comics was adamant that they were going to be the main publishers of the initial team-up. Seeing that a book starring the Man of Steel and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man was going to be a massive hit, Marvel let their distinguished competition have the first run; they would publish the eventual sequel. It took another 5 years, but in 1981, Marvel, in the lead role, co-published the follow up. Unfortunately, while it's the superior story, the sequel wasn't as well received. 

Now in honor of the 50th anniversary of the two comic book icons meeting, DC and Marvel issued not one but two giant-sized specials. Naturally, DC published first. But for Marvel's entry, fans didn't have to wait another 5-6 years. Nope. Just a couple of months later, readers got to enjoy more of Superman and Spider-Man together in action.

The main story takes place during Peter Parker's time with the symbiote suit. Trapped underneath a pile of Kryptonite laced rubble by the combined efforts of the Green Goblin and Lex Luthor, readers finally get a chance to see what would happen if Superman and Venom bonded together!

There's 8 shorts that occupy the last half of this special. Spider-Man Noir has less than 10 minutes to save his biggest detractor, J. Jonah Jameson from the electric chair, having been famed for murder by by Lex Luthor. Featuring the Golden Age Superman, the plot hearkens back to the very first story by Siegel and Shuster to star the Man of Steel.

Gwen Stacy and Lana Lang run into each other and discuss the men in their lives. Then the ever lovin' Thing must lead a team of Justice Leaguers and Avengers against the Hulk, who has become the newest member of the Red Lantern Corps. Thor assists Steel after the Hobgoblin has stolen the newest tech from John Henry Irons' lab. Supergirl and Ghost Spider team-up against Livewire. In my favorite story, Darkseid has overthrown Odin as the supreme leader of Asgard. The only warrior able to defend the throne remains Thor. Only it's the Jane Foster version of the Thunder God.

Superman shows up a couple more times in this book. First he offers some sagely advice to Miles Morales on what it means to be a super hero. Then in the capper, Superman finds Spider-Man atop the George Washington Bridge on the anniversary of the web-crawler's darkest day: the day Gwen Stacy died. 

Once again, I think Marvel published the better of the 2 Superman and Spider-Man team-up specials. For one thing, it's got Supergirl. For another, we see a Venomized Man of Steel and a Hulk in full Red Lantern rage. Plus anytime you get to visit Kirby's Fourth World is a treat for me. I didn't mind that the hero of the story was the Jane Foster Thor. I also enjoyed the cameo addition of the DC hero who comes to help. I just would have loved it if Beta Ray Bill might have also arrived on the scene. He could have had a personal history with Darkseid. Maybe the New God killed BRB's race and the alien Thor was hungry for revenge. 

As with every one of the Marvel/DC crossover specials, there has been one story that I demand that the Big Two publishers follow up on. With this one-shot, I want to see an Asgard Vs. Apokolips battle to the finish! Throw in a scene where Darkseid obliterates Thanos for being a cheap copy of the New God and I'll happily pay $10.99 for the special!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.