Marv’s Picks: “Spider-Man: Life Story”

A review by Marvin Capistrano

Title: “Spider-Man: Life Story”
Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Artist: Mark Bagley

On the surface, this book may seem like another untold tale of Spider-Man’s past. However, the pitch of this series is a “real time” Marvel Universe, where Spidey will actually be aging as the series continues, which is planned to be a six-issue series with each issue focusing on a specific decade. This first issue sets itself in the 60’s, with Spider-Man still getting his feet wet as the webbed slinger. Without getting into spoiler territory, it isn’t just Spider-Man that will be getting the “real time” treatment.

Chip Zdarsky is usually known for his humor. However, he has begun turning heads with more serious takes as shown in his just starting run on Daredevil. He doesn’t shy away from the atmosphere of the ’60s with the lingering presence of the Vietnam War hanging over the heads of everyone. This adds a layer of Parker’s motto of “responsibility” and if he has to consider operating on a global scale.

When we look back at definitive Spider-Man artists, we cannot dismiss Mark Bagley. It’s a no-brainer on why he was selected for this particular project. Sure, he’s drawn Spider-Man plenty of times, but I’m really looking forward to how he ages Spidey as the series continues.

I’m super excited to see where this series goes. The idea of having a middle-aged Spider-Man in future issues is enough to have me eagerly waiting…

Marvin Capistrano is a big fan of comics and provides occasional insights on choice comic book picks.