Ultimate Spider-Man has broken the charts for the last nine months. The first issue alone had seven reprints, the second had four, the third had three, with the fourth through sixth all had two reprints. That’s a pretty impressive first arc sales-wise for an alternate universe. But what makes this series so compelling to readers? What’s with all the buzz, and why is this volume so important? Well, I think the volume’s name says it all: Married with Children. While the 616 Spider-Man series has been slightly controversial due to its unique direction as of late, Ultimate Spider-Man couldn’t be more the opposite. Peter Parker is older, he’s married, he’s a father, and most importantly he’s happy. But something feels off. Something is just… different. It’s that, well, he’s not Spider-Man. Yet. Yep, this title couldn’t be any more different than Amazing Spider-Man if it tried. But does that make it better? And more importantly, does that make it worth your time?
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The story as a whole does quite a bit of world building in the first six issues. The introduction to the world feels almost perfect, especially the first issue’s final moment as Peter decides to change his life forever. But the book does a lot of relationship-building for Peter. A fun shift here is his relationship with J. Jonah Jameson, who takes on a unique mentor role with Peter. But this only serves as an appetizer to the bigger story Jonah has to play; his project with Ben Parker to change the world. Spider-Man isn’t the only one just starting on his own, and Jonah and Ben’s new mission becomes a secondhand point of intrigue. Their banter continues to serve as a huge source of comedic relief and gives life to the greater world of the story.
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During these first few issues, we also meet Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy. Harry Osborn has traditionally had a hard life and challenging road ahead of him in comics, and this series is no different. While things might be a little different here, the pressure of Norman Osborn still looms over Harry throughout the story. But his relationships with Peter and Gwen, albeit different than before, seem to counter that. That said, Hickman does a great job showing how every relationship in Peter’s life helps shape his growth.
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Speaking of relationships, there are a few that are the most important to him and they’re quite blatant. First and foremost is his wife. Peter Parker loves his wife, Mary Jane Watson. In fact, this universe might be the one where he loves her the most. While the two are flawed and sometimes a little self-conscious in their own ways, their partnership shines throughout the book. Additionally, his relationship with May is imperative. May seems to almost speak for the fans through her support, kindness, and worry for Peter. Her love for her father resonates throughout the book and helps clarify that the greatest responsibility Peter will face is protecting his family.
Then there’s Richard Parker. Richard is a bit awkward thus far. While almost everyone else has had a moment of their own, Richard hasn’t had many opportunities to be given depth. This does make it a bit challenging to determine his relationship with his dad at times. Altogether, the relationships Peter carries with his family are sure to be the most important for this series.
Outside of relationship building, this story also packs a punch through incredible fight scenes and touching moments of sincerity. While Peter’s rogues gallery is still building, each fight offers brief glimpses into what the new world has to offer for Spider-Man. Artist Marco Checchetto does a brilliant job bringing each of these moments to life with the help of Matthew Wilson’s vibrant colors. One of the best moments that depict this is when Bullseye squares down against Spider-Man and Green Goblin. While Checchetto does a brilliant job giving the sequence intricate line work, Wilson’s colors help to make every punch, thwip, and explosion ripple off the page.
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The story also does an excellent job of delivering more somber moments with the help of David Messina’s artwork. Messina brings a thick brush to the book that makes things such as dinner conversations and meetings with attorneys feel incredibly important. Wilson again does a splendid job giving these moments a somber feeling that helps make these sequences hit home. Altogether, this book is incredibly beautiful all the way through and in every way.
Ultimate Spider-Man by Johnathan Hickman Vol. 1: Married With Children is one of the best Spider-Man stories ever written, in my opinion. This book does a spectacular job working as a slow burn, where every moment pays off. One of the most important parts of this series is every issue is a month apart. No, not the release dates, the story. For every month for us, a month for the Parkers pass. This narrative device works quite well in practice. While each issue on its own feels like an independent adventure, they become pieces to a bigger puzzle when collected together. By the time the first volume ends, there are notable differences between the relationships Peter has with others. Not to mention, his confidence drastically improves. If the point of this book is to launch Peter into becoming Spider-Man by showing him what his life was missing, he certainly got the message. While this isn’t the Spider-Man readers are used to, he’s every bit the hero he should be.
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