Written by Sean McKeever; Zeb Wells; & Fred Van Lente
Art by Patrick Scherberger; Michael O’Hare; Cory Hamscher; Norman Lee; Guru eFX; & Dave Sharpe
Cover Art by Patrick Scherberger. ‘Paris;’ & Guru EFx
SUMMARY:
As a 2007 Target exclusive, this 96-page paperback reprints Marvel Adventures Spider-Man # 6, # 15, and # 21-22 from 2005-2006.
“Picture Perfect Peril!” Accepting a bounty from art collector Justin Hammer, Spider-Man finds that retrieving a stolen painting from the Sandman is easier said than done.
“How Spider-Man Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Arms!” A scheming Doctor Octopus sends his cybernetic arms to attack Spider-Man as a legal ruse to free him from prison. Yet, those same cybernetic arms have a different idea.
“Fashion Victims!” New villains Rocket Racer, Stilt-Man, & Leap-Frog set up the webslinger on a collision course with criminal gimmicks genius, the Tinkerer. This tale establishes an alternate (and kid-friendly) explanation for how Spider-Man acquired his black-and-white costume.
“World War G” Spider-Man gets caught in a feud between the Green Goblin and the debuting Hobgoblin. This villainous rivalry prompts J. Jonah Jameson into bringing along Peter Parker along for an exclusive stakeout.
REVIEW:
While this unrelated compilation’s title plays off Spider-Man’s extensive “Back in Black” storyline, the four tales still serve up some decent kiddie entertainment. All four Spider-adventures are ideal for younger readers, as the visuals deliberately make this teen Peter Parker relatable to elementary schoolers. If it can be found for a reasonable price, this Marvel Adventures Spider-Man: Back in Black ages well as for the intended audience.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
Each issue’s cover art is reprinted in a full-page format. The cover artists are: Tony S. Daniel & Soto’s J. Rauch (Issue # 6); Amanda Conner & Chris Sotomayor (Issue # 15); Scherberger, ‘Paris,’ & Guru EFx (Issue # 21); and Scherberger, Hamscher, & Guru eFX (Issue # 22).
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5½ Stars
