Written by Ron Marz
Art by Jackson Guice; Josef Rubinstein; Bill Oakley; Lee Loughridge; & Digital Chameleon
Cover Art by Jackson Guice & Josef Rubinstein
SUMMARY:
Co-published by DC Comics and Marvel Comics for December 1996, this 48-page Amalgam Comics-related opener entitled “The Crossing!” begins a four-part crossover mini-series. Leaving his girlfriend, Ming, behind at her parents’ Greenwich Village restaurant, interdimensional conduit Axel “Access” Asher leaps from the Marvel Universe to the DC Universe to retrieve a lost Venom rampaging in Metropolis. Due to his unfamiliarity with Venom, Superman (still in his mullet phase) is stymied. Summoning Spider-Man to assist the Man of Steel, Access realizes a triple-threat may be necessary to neutralize Venom. Elsewhere, a familiar super-mystic senses that further crossover chaos is imminent.
Note: Despite the all-star cast implied on the cover, only Superman & Spidey appear — aside from a cameo from a certain mystical doctor.
REVIEW:
As fun as these rare Spider-Man/Superman team-ups are, one must swallow the unlikeliness of Venom holding them both off for an indefinite period. Still, this extended battle sequence is well-played, though Superman is predictably super-dull amidst the long-standing Spider-Man/Venom feud. Excessive blandness further applies to Access, who actually makes time to flirt with a rescued female hostage — who is oddly far too relaxed, considering the circumstances. Despite these scripting contrivances, writer Ron Marz ensures that fans get the Superman/Spider-Man fix they’re seeking. For this occasion, the art squad delivers glossy and well above-average work from start to finish. If not for the eye-rolling presence of Access himself, All-Access # 1 makes a decent, if not forgettable, quick read.
Note: To catch the first two Superman/Spider-Man team-ups, the best option is DC-Marvel Crossover Classics, Volume 1. Also included are X-Men/Teen Titans and Batman/Incredible Hulk.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
There’s the full-page “Watch This Space” news, hype, and notes column (it’s # 31). In roundtable fashion, Mike Carlin, Roger Stern, Dan Jurgens, Louise Simonson, and Karl Kesel discuss the upcoming Superman: The Wedding Album, as well as its live-action TV counterpart on Lois & Clark.
BRIAN’S OOD MOON RATING: 5 Stars
