Age of Revelation has seen the X-Men and the rest of the Marvel Universe undergo a significant shift. Heroes have become harbingers of death or shells of their former selves as Revelation’s rule spreads over the globe. If there’s one character who represents the Marvel Universe, it’s Spider-Man, so the question remains: what happened to Peter Parker in this future? Radioactive Spider-Man #1 answers the question, and it isn’t pretty.
Spidey is one of the few heroes who can survive the X-Virus that decimated the globe, due to the irradiated spider venom in his blood. To stave off the advance of the virus, he’s subjected himself to more intense bouts of radiation, which will have a fatal outcome. Until then, he spends the rest of his days living up to the credo of “with great power comes great responsibility”, which is tested due to a major change in his personal life.
Radioactive Spider-Man is brought to us courtesy of Joe Kelly, who’s currently penning Amazing Spider-Man, and Kev Walker, the artist behind Thunderbolts and Guardians of the Galaxy. Kelly has a clear handle on what makes Peter Parker tick; he cracks jokes, he fights against impossible odds, and he has a strong sense of justice. That hasn’t changed in over 60 years of comics, and it isn’t changing in the Age of Revelation.
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Walker whips up a design for the mutated Spider-Man that is pure nightmare fuel. Spidey has two tiny arms growing out of his sides, which look far more arachnid than human. Glowing green diodes are also attached to his costume, and his eyes glow green courtesy of Chris Sotomayor. Peter Parker looks even worse outside of the costume, as radiation burns are dotting his body. The gruesome moments don’t stop there, as there’s a moment toward the end of the book that would upset even the strongest stomach.
Despite its interesting set up, Radioactive Spider-Man #1 feels like it’s missing some core moments. Peter has struck up a romance with the X-Men’s former medic, Cecilia Reyes. How did this happen? What does Cecilia see in Peter? We don’t get the answers. Neither are answers forthcoming about a major reveal in this issue, which lands with a thud rather than the earthshaking momentum Kelly probably intended.
Radioactive Spider-Man #1 does feature plenty of fight scenes, especially in the opening sequence where Spidey takes out a squadron of mutant police officers. It’s a chance for Kelly and Walker to display how this Spider-Man fights, and it turns out he doesn’t hold back. His punches are more brutal, his webbing as thick as ice. Every panel screams that this is a Peter Parker who’s left his friendly neighborhood instincts behind.
Radioactive Spider-Man #1 lives up to its title, showcasing a more brutal, haunted version of the web-slinger in the Age of Revelation. While some key details are missing, Kelly and Walker make a good team and keep the reader invested – which is for the best, considering the major reveal on the final page.
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