J. Michael Straczynski’s return to Marvel Comics has seen him writing six one-shots that feature some of the most unique pairings in the House of Ideas. He’s pitted Ghost Rider against Galactus, Nick Fury against Fin Fang Foom, and even teamed up Rocket Raccoon and Doctor Doom. Most of these pairings work, not just because of how unexpected they are, but in how they utilize Straczynski’s gift for character work. With Spider-Man vs. the Sinister Sixteen, Straczynski takes things to a new level.
Peter Parker, thanks to a rare stroke of luck (and clever maneuvering on his part), takes Mary Jane Watson out on a date to an esteemed French restaurant. But he’s not the only person in attendance: Thor and She-Hulk are on a date, and so are Peter’s old enemies Doctor Octopus and Venom. Add in Magneto, Mystique and Destiny, Doctor Strange and his wife Clea, the Leader, the Kingpin and even Squirrel Girl, and it’s a dinner set for disaster.
This setup lets Straczynski layer in plenty of humor into his script. Twice, Peter has to pull aside Ock and Venom, and they both remind him that they have lives outside of trying to kill Spider-Man. There’s also a hilarious moment where Thor almost blows Peter’s secret identity as Spidey, not to mention a full blowout fight. But in true Straczynski fashion, there’s also a deeper story about how the heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe don’t always have to be at each other’s throats, even if it’s for one night.
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Straczynski also gets to work with a top tier artist, as Phil Noto illustrates the entirety of Spider-Man vs. the Sinister Sixteen. Noto’s artwork is legendary – not only has he illustrated amazing runs on Star Wars, X-Men, and Black Widow, he has a gift for displaying Marvel’s heroes at their best. That extends to Spider-Man; though Peter only suits up in the back half of the story, Noto draws him with all the arachnobatic grace you’d expect. Another standout moments features Peter and MJ enjoying a quiet moment together as they sit on the edge of a rooftop, with warm sunlight bathing the entirety of New York.
Noto also gets to draw a brutal brawl between all of the restaurant’s inhabitants, which is both hilarious and intense in equal measure. The intense part comes from the fact that guys like Bullseye, Mr. Hyde and Venom are causing all sorts of violence, but the hilarious parts come from the background dialogue, not to mention some of the imagery. Case in point: Mystique and Destiny are the only patrons who aren’t fighting, while Bullseye fruitlessly throws plates at Luke Cage and waiters run from Magneto.
Spider-Man vs. the Sinister Sixteen closes off J. Michael Stracynzski’s set of Marvel team-ups in style, featuring a story that mixes humor, meditations on the human condition and Phil Noto’s gorgeous art into a unique experience. If you’re a fan of Straczynski’s work on Amazing Spider-Man, this is the issue for you – and Straczynski hints in the end that this might not be the last people have seen of these pairings.
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