For a miniseries, Edge of Spider-Verse has one of the longest runs and enough issues to fill a large trade paperback. This year is the ten-year anniversary of the series, and today, we’ve got three new Spidey tales from the multiverse. What’s the deal with Weapon VIII? Can Spider-Byte survive “The Glitch”? And can Spider-Man 2099 survive a fight long enough to change the course of the Spider-Verse?! All good questions are answered with this anthology special.
Edge of Spider-Verse #1 opens with a story by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing with art by Travel Foreman. In a story titled “New Toys,” we’re introduced to Earth-72, where a familiar-looking Weapon X Wolverine is running through a snowy forest. Weapon VIII hangs in a tree nearby, and so begins a story that’s totally weird, sometimes gross, and incredibly compelling. This story is truly great and never skimps on edgy, mature content. It’s a tragic tale similar to the Weapon X of the 616, but in this story, Peter is the victim, somehow making the tragedy even worse. This story is so good I’d recommend buying the entire issue on this alone.
Next up is “The Glitch” by Nilah Magruder and Eric Gapstur, which features Spider-Byte. Co-created by Magruder, it’s nice to see this character get another adventure. Gapstur is no stranger to kid-friendly stories, and it shows with this one. Spider-Byte is super fun and endearing. There’s a slightly glossy look to the art thanks to Frank D’Armata’s colors and some interesting streaks of color here or there to convey that this is all happening inside a computer. It’s a fun fight comic sort of tale, and Magruder makes me want an animated series for Spider-Byte pronto.
He’s behind you!
Credit: Marvel
Closing out the issue is “Prologue” by Alex Segura and Salvador Larroca. A quick five-issue tale, this story opens with Spider-Man 2099 fighting Hulk 2099 and then being whisked away to chat with Madame Web. Segura writes a great Spider-Man 2099 with a unique voice that’s very matter-of-fact and natural. The story ends up being mostly a setup for another story taking place in Web of Spider-Man, but it’s a tightly written and drawn tale to be sure.
Overall, this is a must-read for Spider-Man fanatics like myself. Two solid stories and a primer for another larger tale combine for a highly entertaining return to the wonderment and excitement of the Spider-Verse.
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