Peter Porker: The Spectacular Spider-Ham- The Complete Collection, Vol. 2

Yesterday, I reviewed volume 1. With that reflection, I argued that both Marvel and Amazon had rated the book incorrectly. Marvel put a Teen label on the back cover. Amazon said the first book was appropriate for preschool readers. I stated that since the original publishing imprint, Star Comics, was geared for readers aged 6-10, that both ratings weren't correct. 

Volume 2 collects all of the Spider-Ham stories that appeared in the back pages of Marvel Tales, a primarily Spider-Man reprint series that ran from 1964-1994. The Spider-Ham stories periodically ran from 1987 through 1991. That level of lunacy and silliness are still present in these later tales. Unlike the Star Comics stories, these shorts are a bit more grown-up.

Peter Porker's relationship with Mary Jane Waterbuffalo was a main focus in many of the Marvel Tales stories. When Mary Jane gets mad at her beau, Spider-Ham starts a love triangle with the cat burglar, Black Catfish. Plus, an old flame makes a couple of appearances in Peter's life, causing strife with Mary Jane. The female characters are dressed very scantily and drawn in sultry positions. And there's innuendo galore! Definitely not the sort of stuff preschoolers need to be reading.

The Spider-Ham shorts only account for about half of this book. The other half is comprised of an assortment of stories from the past 30 years. All of Spider-Ham's appearances in the pages of the Marvel humor book What The--?! along with a novella set during the third Secret Wars add to the wacky history of the character. Then Peter Porker suffers an identity crisis and later celebrates his 25th anniversary with family and friends. Readers then get a glimpse at Spider-Ham's future with daughter Swiney-Girl as well as meet ancestor Piguel O'Malley who swings through the streets of New York City as Spider-Ham 2099 before things wrap up with a metaphysical discourse on reboots between Spider-Ham and Howard the Duck!

Amazon rates this book as being for readers 9 and up. I have to side with Marvel on this one and put things at Teen. Everything in this book is much more mature than the material in Volume 1. No nudity or curse words or anything like that. It's more about the edginess of the jokes, vampiness of the female characters and more PG-13 level violence that parents and guardians might need to pay attention to. 

This is a volume that would result in having to collect almost 2 dozen assorted Marvel Tales issues and these books are part of a complete run. Spider-Ham would have to wait several issues to resolve his cliffhangers due to the length of the Spider-Man reprints contained. As for the specials and What The--?! stories, I've read some of them before. But it's been a long time. Definitely worth owning even if you got a few of these works if just for the ability to shave some time off of your search for everything. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Peter Porker: The Spectacular Spider-Ham- The Complete Collection, Vol. 1 (Family Comic Friday)

I gave up. Instead of trying to buy the complete 17 issue run of Marvel's Star Comics imprint devoted to the funny animals of the Marble Universe, I gave it and purchased this massive collection. 

I was missing about a dozen issues of Spectacular Spider-Ham and each one was running about $5-7 per issue. In fact, there was 1 issue that I couldn't find selling for less than $125. So I gave in and bought this book for less than $30, used. (It also helped that I had Amazon gift cards.)

Resting in May Porker's basement is a tiny spider named Peter. While working on an atomic hairdryer, May receives a large dose of radiation. This turns her temporarily rabid and May bites Peter as a result! 

The bite turns Peter the Spider into Peter Porker, a bi-pedaled swine with an eye for photography. While working as the main photographer for the Daily Beagle, Peter Porker makes a living selling photos of himself as the Spectacular Spider-Ham. These antics as a costumed hero brings Spider-Ham face-to-face with a myriad of super villains including Duktor Doom, The King-Pig and the mysterious Bee-Yonder. 

Don't feel too bad for Spider-Ham. Helping him out against these villains are allies such as Captain Americat, Nick Furry, Agent of SHEEP and heroic psychiatrist Doc Clamson. When the heroes of the Marble Universe aren't able to give Spider-Ham a hand, our friendly Neighborhood Spider-Ham can rely on his non-super-powered friends like girlfriend Mary Jane Water-Buffalo and the junior newspaper reporters of the Daily Beagle!

The stories are extremely fun. They can also be funny. However, this is a work of parody and some of the gags just don't cut the mustard. But the creativity of co-creator Tom DeFalco (Archie Christmas Spectacular 2022) and assists by writers such as Fred Hembeck and Mike Carlin (Star Trek) are unmatched. 

The artwork is all quite good. But the work of Steve Mellor and brother Mike in the debut story is perhaps the most striking. There's a hint of art deco to the first issue that was originally published as Marvel Tails. Everyone looks like they are drawn with italics. In fact, Captain Americat looks like he's walking on a ramp throughout the whole thing! But I love it!

I've shared works starring Spider-Ham in several Family Comic Friday postings before. But the reason I share this book in particular is mainly because of the rating Marvel gave this work and it's dead wrong. Marvel has this book rated for readers aged teen (and higher). Yet, with exception of that first story, which was released as a Marvel title, issues #1-17 of Peter Porker, The Spectacular Spider-Ham were originally released as part of Star Comics, an imprint for readers aged 10 and under! 

Unless Star Comics readers in 1984-1989 were much more mature than the Gen Z readers of today, I don't see a reason this book should have been rated for Teens. In fact, Amazon grades this book as suitable for those in preschool and higher. Now, I think that's a bit young as there are some decent sized words in these books and the scripts are a tad wordy. But at least that recommended age range is closer to whom these comics were originally geared towards.

Over 400 pages with tons of inside jokes and Easter eggs. This is definitely a work that the parents and grandparents who grew up with Spider-Ham will enjoy perusing with the young readers in their lives!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Spider-Man: Spider-Verse- Spider-Ham (Family Comic Friday)

 

I've been sitting on this book for a while. With the release of No Way Home this weekend, I thought now would be the appropriate time to review it. 

Starring that scene-stealer of Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, Spider-Ham has been a previous featured character of Family Comic Friday. Introduced in the 1980s, Peter Porker was a spider who gains the powers and features of a pig after being bitten by a radioactive Aunt May!

Spider-Ham has long been a kids feature starting with his first appearance in Marvel Tails: Starring Peter Porker: The Spectacular Spider-Ham one-shot from November 1983. Reprinted in this volume, that first comic also starred animal versions of the Hulk and Captain America.

Shortly after that initial appearance, Spider-Ham returned a couple years later in a short-lived but very well received series under Marvel's all-ages STAR COMICS imprint. Sadly none of those issues are reprinted here. I say sad because I am still missing a few issues from that run. 

After cancellation, Spider-Ham starred in about 3 dozen shorts in the back of the Spider-Man reprint title, Marvel Tales. A trio of those stories are added to this book. There's also the first modern starring a team of Spidey variants called the Web Warriors, a teen rated tale set firmly within the confines of the Spider-verse. Lastly, Spider-Ham's movie inspired Spider-Man annual is included. 

I was okay with the inclusion of the Web Warriors story. But that annual is a bit of a stinker. I've read and reviewed it before as it's a book I own in my personal collection. The first story is all over the place. The follow-up starring Porker and Howard the Duck is just too meta to enjoy. Maybe it's cause I am looking at everything in this book being enjoyed by a family as a whole as to why I am more negative than previously reviewed. But those later stories are too complicated for readers under 15 to enjoy. There's a bunch of mash up characters that only the parents will know and appreciate. Plus, the whole existential thing between discussed by Spider-Ham and Howard is something that even the adults might get confused on. 

I understand that this book is trying to show a progression of Spider-Ham through the years. But I would have rather had more of the older stuff included. Keep the Web Warriors thing. And maybe just show a fraction of the stories from the annual. This collection starts off so well and then shows how lame Marvel Comics has gotten in the past 5 years or so. I can't understand why Marvel kills DC in sales. The talent at the House of Ideas just isn't up to par of 75 previous years of artists, writers and colorists. If it wasn't for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I don't think Marvel COMICS would be relevant anymore!

A collection of Spider-Ham tales that span the ages. Just not something that could be shared for family members of all ages.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Spider-Man Annual Presents: Peter Porker: The Spectacular Spider-Ham #1

Peter Porker is back! After stealing all the scenes of last year's Into The Spiderverse, the Spectacular Spider-Ham returns to print! 

An Inter-dimensional mishap on earth-616 involving the Ringmaster has resulted in a host of Peter's enemies to take refuge throughout the multiverse. With the help of Spider-Guin, Spider-Ham must gather his foes who are going on crime sprees on new and very different earths.

I know that this was a one-shot story. But it set things up for a potential new Spider-Ham series; which is something I very much would like. Black Cloud's Jason Latour penned a good story. But it was the artwork of All-New Doop's David LaFuente that really won me over.

There was a second story in this annual. But other than some very clever modern Marvel parodies of more recent heroes and villains turned into animals, I could have done without this yarn. In the middle of yet another universe rebooting crisis, Spider-Ham and Howard the Duck sneak into a bar and share a drink while pining philosophical over the Buddhist-like reincarnation sure to happen with the Marvel Universe. It read like a Grant Morrison story. That would okay if only I wanted to purchase and read a Grant Morrison story. But I only wanted a soft-hearted funny animal parody!!!

This book was available with several amazing covers. But the cover I choose was a no-brainer. I went with the wonderful 'Spiderverse' version crafted by John Tyler Christopher. It was just so classic. 

I loved the first act. I rather had an extra 6-8 pages added to it instead of that mind-boggling of a downer second tale. I really do hope that Marvel brings back Spider-Ham in an all-new title. Just please don't make it in the style of that last piece. Cause I will not buy it if you (Marvel) do!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.