SPIDER-MAN #7
Writer Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler: Nico Leon
Colorist: Marte Gracia
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Release Date: 8/31/17
Price: $3.99
Plot: “What if?” – Miles Morales
In Spider-Man #7, Miles contemplates some hard questions about his role in the Civil War II event.
Story: The events of Civil War II continue to weigh heavily on Miles’ mind. It’s clear now (as if it wasn’t before) that a decision must be made about where our hero stands in the conflict. Sooner or later he has to make a decide what to do. Unfortunately, with the way things are unfolding, it’s the latter.
Not much goes on to advance the plot in this issue. Miles continues to be a spider stuck between a rock and a hard place. His school/home/hero life is slowly declining as he has horrifying dreams of the hulk “smashing” him (quite literally). Meanwhile, his parents are dealing with a similar stressful dilemma. Miles’ Grandma who hired everyone’s favorite P.I. Jessica Jones to investigate Miles has snowballed into a big issue beyond anyone’s control. They have been on edge. Miles’ mom even goes as far as to demand Jessica tell her what her son is hiding. This has honestly been my favorite subplot since the new Spider-Man run began. Bendis dials back on the action to give us a more grounded story centered on the relationships between Miles and his friends and family. This is very much their comic as much as it is Miles’.
Bendis’ writing is pretty standard here. He continues to tease Miles’ eventual departure from out under the vet heroes shadows. My only complaint is that the dialogue goes nowhere. Given how far along Civil War II is, you’d think Spider-Man #7 would have a lot more to offer than a conversation that only skims the surface.
By the end of the issue it starts to feel like we’re in the same spot as we were when the Civil War II tie-in began. That’s the most annoying part about this otherwise good issue.
Art: Artist Nico Leon steps in to fill the void that the magnificent Sara Pichelli left. As much as I am a big fan of Pichelli’s work, Leon’s strong handling of facial expressions make it seem like Pichelli never left. I’m glad the art is consistent despite the big change in artists.
Color wise, Marte Gracia gives every panel look gorgeous. His styling becomes evident when coloring the action scenes. The interaction between Bombshell and Miles doesn’t take up much of the issue but the color of the explosions adds a layer of fun to an otherwise uneventful issue.
Verdict: Spider-Man #7 is an okay issue that unfortunately has more questions than concrete answers.