“Spider-Man 2099” is back in a brand new one-shot continuing the 2099 crossover at Marvel. Writer Nick Spencer is expanding on the status quo for Miguel O’Hara established in recent issues of “Amazing Spider-Man” and the “2099 Alpha” #1 one-shot. The line brings readers back into 2099 to catch up with the fan-favorite characters. Spencer has created a new story for O’Hara with new themes and ideas for the hero. Spider-Scribe and Miguel co-creator Peter David is not returning for the one-shot. Co-creator Rick Leonardi is also not returning for the new chapter of Miguel’s life. How will the series fair outside of the context of the original story? Will the title find a place in crowded market decades removed from the birth of Marvel’s 2099 line in the early ’90s?
Written by Nick Spencer
Illustrated by Zé Carlos
Colored by Brian Reber and Andrew Crossley
Lettered by VC’s Cory Petit• Miguel O’Hara is a rising star at Alchemax, but his world is about to come crashing down.
• The future of the Marvel Universe is about to die and the world needs a hero.
• As Miguel faces a destiny he’s tried to run from all his life, the secrets of 2099 begin to unravel here.
Readers will be absolutely shocked by just how far author Nick Spencer takes the narrative of “Spider-Man 2099” #1. Miguel O’Hara is at one of the darkest points in his life. Spencer doesn’t shy away from showing just how desperate Miguel has become. A large portion of the issue is owed to the setting crafted by Zé Carlos. Spencer and Carlos immediately bring out haunting imagery of Spiders before acclimating readers into the new world of 2099. Spencer takes time easing readers into the new world of O’Hara and commits to the status quo change of a darker 2099. With his jovial personality, it can be difficult to understand the differences between Peter Parker and Miguel O’Hara. Thankfully, this issue shows that both Spiders have the same spirit but they currently inhabit different settings.
Miguel is desperate and the stakes of “Spider-Man 2099” #1 are incredibly high. While most aspects of the story feel genuine, Spencer’s script relies on cliches like worried family members in the first half of the story. The biggest flaw of the issue is the introduction of Tyler Stone. Stone has some interesting things to say and eludes an ominous presence. Stone also likes to chat, proceeding to overexplain the premise and ideas behind the story. Spencer gives Stone so much dialogue that the issue almost comes to a grinding halt. After an abrupt ending to an exposition dump, Spencer moves the story along eloquently and fleshes out some of the most interesting ideas of the setting.
Spencer introduces the idea of a class of people into his interpretation of 2099. The world of 2099 has an astounding level of world-building built into it. The differences and parallel ideas are captured really well through O’Hara’s scientific work. Spencer tells O’Hara’s history with a collage that captures his recent discoveries. Readers get a good idea of Miguel has been up to since we’ve seen him last. The series takes a couple of nods from science-fiction stories after these scenes. Spencer starts to slowly introduce more nods to continuity and the previous “Spider-Man 2099” runs as the issue progresses. Spencer also adds in some changes from Peter David and Will Sliney’s story for good measures.
“Spider-Man 2099” #1 is a confident, enjoyable debut comic but the art from Zé Carlos doesn’t always match the bleak tone of the issue. The art is strong and would likely serve a more traditional “Spider-Man 2099 story much better. In the first pages with Miguel, it is hard to understand just how bleak readers can expect the script to go. Miguel’s physical state at the beginning of the issue is jeopardized but the interior art makes it look like Miguel is in the shape of his life. Zé’s depiction of Stone appears comical in some moments by the exaggerated facial hair and silly expressions from Stone.
The lighter, refined art helps the comic from getting too grim. There’s also a fascinating level of cognitive dissonance. Futuristic drug dealers dart charming glances regularly in this issue. There’s also an argument to made that even though “Spider-Man 2099” #1 carries a dark script, it is still a Spider-Man title. For the most part, the art is dynamic and is able to get the emotion and action in the book. The main problem with the art direction is how the faces can come off as generic in certain moments. The depiction of Miguel’s brother Gabriel sports a particularly generic expression that falls flat in certain moments.
Despite the fact that the series is based on a decades-old idea, “Spider-Man 2099” #1 is bursting with new ideas. Spencer’s script is devoted to exploring a dystopian version of The Marvel Universe that has the thought and world-building required for a story like this. While the art direction is technically competent in the issue, Marvel wasn’t able to match Spencer’s art from an editorial standpoint. The issue’s script and bombastic ideas have me optimistic to see just how far Marvel is going to take their new 2099 world. It is also interesting to see the bleak future from Alchemax that David was hinting at in previous storylines in such a clear and present manner.
Final Verdict: 7.8 – Marvel ushers in a dark new era for Miguel O’Hara in “Spider-Man 2099” #1 despite a puzzling art direction.
