Review of Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow #5

There has been a lot of conversation lately regarding What If… as the new show is set to debut on Disney Plus. However, we have already seen some major changes with the What-If line with the current Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow comic. Previously What If stories were one-shot issues. That changed with this series as we are seeing the concept of, “What if Peter Became Venom” play out for five issues. Now that we have reached the finale the question becomes did this experiment yield positive results.

Generally, I would say the answer to that question is yes as the longer story allowed for a deeper exploration into the titular question. The scope was opened up allowing side characters like Eddie Brock and J Jonah Jameson to play a bigger role. In this issue, Peter is attempting to reclaim control with the help of the Fantastic Four before the symbiote can take over the world completely. It pits them against Avengers like Thor and Captain America along with Reed Richards who are all under the symbiote spell.

There seems to be a running competition in Marvel comics between Daredevil and Spider-Man to see who can carry the most guilt. With Chip Zdarsky writing both characters right now, it seems both characters are winning. Peter might take the lead with this series after all the death that is now on his hands. Peter’s choice to hold onto the symbiote has lead to so much destruction. Can he be redeemed from this choice? Is simply stopping the symbiote enough to pay for his crime?

My biggest issue with the way it concludes is the lack of exploration of that question. Without spoiling the final result the way the narrative absolves Peter of his sins felt a bit too clean. Placing the majority of the blame on the power of the symbiote and less on the free will of Peter. Considering this story is based on the idea of Peter making a decision that differed from historical continuity that choice undercut its own concept.

To be fair what is done legally can greatly differ from what is done internally. One could assume Peter will use this experience as a similar life lesson to the one that created Spider-Man, to begin with. How power can become so big it goes beyond the realm of responsibility. Also, one may assume this story is far from over. Another twist to the What If… concept.

Despite my quibbles with the general message, the characters within the story were all well represented. All the voices from Spider-Man to Johnny Storm to Sue Storm feel pitch-perfect. I especially appreciated some of the smaller moments like J Jonah Jameson’s conversation with Eddie Brock. It was the exact dressing down he needed to hear and showed why Jameson can be a much more complex character than people realize. Zdarsky has a knack for writing Jameson including a previous annual that focused solely on Jameson a few years earlier.

Artistically I thought this issue was a bit of a mixed bag as well. Matt Hollingsworth’s colors were the highlight. His color choice was vital to setting the tone and making the world feel slightly off from the normal Marvel world. Colors were generally more muted and had a larger reliance on heavy blacks. Seeing Mary Jane without her trademark red hair is a bit off-putting, but that is exactly what you want for a story like this.

Pasqual Ferry’s linework was effective and did the job but lacked dynamism. His camera movement was minimal utilizing a multitude of the same angles. There were a few scenes I thought were rather effective including showcasing Spider-Man’s ag movement and Sue Storm facing off against Thor. Outside of that, his faces were generally inconsistent and not the strongest at conveying deeper emotion. The bottom line was the art did its job but did not do much to overall enhance the story.

Generally, this series had a difficult time matching the chaotic energy of the first few issues, but the conclusion here was satisfying enough to make it an overall success. I appreciate the attempt to break from the classic mold to try something new, and even though it could have use a bolder exploration into its own concept it does bold well for the future of the ‘What If?’ comic.

Score: 3 out of 5

Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Artist: Pasqual Ferry
Colors: Matt Hollingsworth
Letters: VC’s Joe Sabino

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Daniel Clark

A fan of all things comics. Growing up on a healthy diet of 90's Batman and X-Men cartoon series ignited a love for the medium that remains strong today.