Arach-Attack!

By: Arnold T. Blumberg
Date: Wednesday, February 20, 2002

To tie in with the release of May's SPIDER-MAN feature film, Marvel Comics has lined up a veritable smorgasbord of Spider-titles. Let's take a closer look at the tangled web of offerings:

SPIDER-MAN First up is the 48-page movie adaptation by Stan Lee and Alan Davis (shipping April 17), a powerhouse team if there ever was one.

STARTLING STORIES: THE MEGALOMANIACAL SPIDER-MAN #1 (also April 17) Certainly one of the most unusual, and possibly one of the most hysterical, Spider-projects ever attempted, this is written and drawn by none other than Hate creator Peter Bagge!

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #22 (May 1, 48 pages) By Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley, this issue will feature the return of that universe's Green Goblin (while the original rears his pointy head over in the pages of PETER PARKER: SPIDER-MAN #44 on May 15), a villain that moviegoers will instantly recognize.

ULTIMATE MARVEL TEAM-UP #14 (also in April) Bendis will team up (appropriately enough) with STRANGERS IN PARADISE creator Terry Moore and inker Walden Wong to introduce the Ultimate version of the Black Widow to Spider-Man and readers.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Over in the flagship title, series scribe J. Michael Straczynski will give us Aunt May trying to help her nephew by spreading the good word about the Spider.

SPIDER-MAN: BLUE A six issue Marvel Knights series from the creators of DAREDEVIL: YELLOW, Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale.


QUALITY OF LIFE A four issue Lizard tale by Greg Rucka and Scott Sava

TANGLED WEB #14 (May 22) Featuring Crusher Hogan! By Brian Azzarello and Dave Johnson of 100 BULLETS fame, Giuseppe Carmuncoli, and WWF superstar Raven (to provide the wrestler's perspective).

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN SPECIAL #1 (May 22) Featuring an all-star line-up both on the page and behind the scenes.

DEADLINE #2 (May 1) With a cameo by Spidey and the entire staff of the Daily Bugle.