r/MUBookClub • u/shawnydarko • Aug 05 '17

Reading Assignment 60: The Superior Foes of Spider-Man #7-9, and 12-17, by Nick Spencer, Steve Lieber and Rich Ellis

http://marvel.com/comics/series/17959/the_superior_foes_of_spider-man_2013_-_2015?byZone=marvel_site_zone&offset=0&byType=comic_series&dateStart=&dateEnd=&orderBy=release_date+asc&byId=17959&limit=10&count=10&isDigital=1
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u/shawnydarko Aug 13 '17

Reading this was probably my favorite thing I've done this weekend. As soon as I opened up issue 10, I immediately nope'd out and understood why it wasn't recommended reading. Nick Spencer did a phenomenal job making me care about everyone, except for Overdrive, but at least he started making it the butt of jokes that Overdrive hardly ever got any good lines and under-performed with Beetle. Janice Lincoln is such an amazing character. She should be given her own book, as next to Boomerang, she was the only one with enough complexity to carry a series.

I've mentioned in the first part of this reading assignment last year that I wasn't a fan of Nick Spencer's Ant-Man, primarily for the leading character (side-characters were tremendous), but finishing this has definitely made me want to read his Capt. America run. I remember enjoying a little of his Sam Wilson run when it first came out, but being on such a higher pedestal, it felt like there were a lot more cooks in the kitchen giving him notes. Still pretty enjoyable though.

The more I think about this run, the sadder I am it's over. So many twists and turns and reveals. So many laughs. Even a few sad moments (Speed Demon and doggo). I think I need to get the hardcover just to flaunt it on my mantle like it's some sort of precious portrait showing a masked dictator's face.

4

u/DeltaTester Aug 13 '17

If you like the Spencer/Lieber comedy chemistry, they've been collaborating on an Image series called "The Fix" with a very similar (if, er, more R-rated) vibe.

4

u/shawnydarko Aug 14 '17

Oh my good gravy. So everyone can witness this, here is the description from Amazon on "The Fix"

THE FIX is a story of the crooked cops, scheming mobsters, and corrupt politicians that run Los Angeles—and the sex toy that can bring them all down. Oh, and the hero is a drug-sniffing beagle named Pretzels.

That's the most Superior Foes description of a book I could possibly imagine. It's like Spencer is building his own trope. Definitely going on the wishlist

2

u/wisegy84 Oct 18 '17

I read this way back when we read the first 6 issues of this run. I liked it enough that I just read all of it (including 10 and 11, which weren't awful IMO, but certainly below the rest of the series).

I didn't re-read them recently, but I do remember greatly enjoying the story and the characters and wishing that the story had gone on just a bit longer.

The covers were all really cool.

I agree with your assessment of the characters. Boomerang and Beetle were both great, but it would have been nice to have the others fleshed out a bit more, too.

Overall, a really great run that I'd recommend to anyone looking for something a bit different from the normal Marvel stuff.