Spider-Man 2099 got new life last year thanks to Steve Orlando, and he continues his reign over the techno-future in Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis #1, out this week. It’s part of a weekly series meant to continue what Orlando started, with fantastic artist Justin Mason taking over art duties. Given the cover art already revealed, and what Orlando told AIPT exclusively on our podcast, this is a direct homage to Maximum Carnage. ’90s kids rejoice!
This issue does the work to unleash a new 2099 Carnage with some power-ups and extra dangerous abilities. It also establishes Spider-Man 2099 and his wish to save everybody, lending the same general vibe as the Maximum Carnage event.
There are also some interesting political elements at work. Orlando wove in some with the last foray into Spider-Man 2099, and we get a bit more of that involving hospitals turning people away. It may be the far future with amazing technology being used everywhere, but some things never change regarding the class system.
If you’re curious if Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis #1 is an easy jumping-on point, you can rest assured Orlando will catch you up on almost everything you need to know about the state of the world and the characters. That includes expert weaving in more recent appearances like Moon Knight and a generally good setup issue. A lot of the key players are established in brief cutaways.
Carnage 2099 has a cool look, like he’s a zombie or something.
Credit: Marvel
I did wonder who Venom was, though, and I could see how folks might not know Ghost Rider’s whole deal. The latter is established, and Venom gets a big splashy moment, but both have interesting backstories a casual reader will lose sight of.
The art has a lot of pop thanks to Mason’s style giving a bit of weight to every Symbiote tendril. He doesn’t skimp on the futuristic city backgrounds, which are a huge part of getting a Spider-Man 2099 comic right. Mason shows off exponentially with Carnage 2099, which is like a cross between a dinosaur carcass and a Symbiote. Mason will make you believe Spider-Man 2099 is way out of his league fighting Carnage 2099 one on one. Thus, a team appears to be forming.
Jordan Boyd colors the issue, giving it a bright pop suitable for the 2099 setting. There are nice details in Carnage 2099’s skin, making the body look dead and hardened. That juxtaposes well with the volume he gives the Symbiote tendrils. The webbed Spider-Man 2099 cape also looks on point. Together, Mason and Boyd make you feel the damage Spider-Man 2099 takes at one point, and it’s bone-breaking stuff.
Knowing it will be a team effort to defeat Carnage 2099, Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis #1 establishes many key characters and the villain for what will be an epic month-long story arc. Since it’s not a Spider-Man 2099 solo story, it feels bigger, exciting, and a maximum 2099 extravaganza.
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