Variant Cover Erik Larsen & Edgar Delgado, Cyborgs Spider-Man & Superman

I have to say, this is exactly what I want in these crossovers.  Good main story, and the backups have a fun mix of characters.  Nothing, besides the main story, overstays its welcome, and even that, maybe just be three pages shorter so we can get another backup? 

Our Kryptonite

Spider-Man & Superman

Writer Brad Meltzer

Artist Pepe Larraz

Color Artist Matthew Wilson

Letterer Clayton Cowles

This comic looks gorgeous, and how could it not be drawn and colored by Larraz and Wilson?

Spider-Man & Superman wake up together.  Superman isn’t at the top of his game, as he’s being poisoned by Kryptonite.  Spider-Man doesn’t know what that is, maybe it is like adamantium?  Which is cute. 

Superman wastes no time x-raying Spider-Man’s waist area to discover an old watch Spider-Man keeps on his belt.  Which seems like the worst place for that, with how often Spider-Man is thrown through buildings.  But sure. 

Spider-Man and Superman exchange some opening jokes which is fun.  Superman isn’t great at it, but he’s also poisoned.

They are fighting Lex Luthor and Green Goblin.  We get a terrific Spider-Man holding up rubble sequence that we love to see.  Spider-Man needs a distraction, which Superman isn’t great with, so asks about motivation.  Spider-Man is racked with guilt, that’s what keeps him going. 

The Venom symboite is there, for some reason, and Superman and Spider-Man exchange some memories.  Then we get Venom-man, which is cool.  We also see that Brianiac, Doctor Octopus, Electro, Parasite, Doomsday, and Rhino are there.  So, a Sinister Six, plus two, situation. 

Still bugs me we didn’t get Michael Keaton in Spider-Man No Way Home, the one chance we had at a live action Sinister Six, and we didn’t get it.

I like Superman using his own heat vision to start the process of getting the symbiote off of him.  Then a Hulk inspired thunder clap, and Superman is fully back.

The day is saved.

Queens, New York.  Three Weeks Later.  Peter Parker is at Uncle Ben’s grave, and gets a visit there by Clark Kent.  He keeps a pair of his father’s glasses with him at all times.  Which also seems like a bad place for it, with how often he’s thrown through a building. 

That Evening.  Peter and Aunt May are invited to Smallville?  Seems like expensive tickets, but they get a meal with the Kents, so Jonathan is alive, but I guess it is an old pair of glasses. 

Ma Kent and May Parker arm wrestle, so that’s fun. 

“Metropolis Marvels” Spider-Man Noir & Superman Dan Slot (A) Marcos Martin (CA) Muntsa Vicente (L) VC’s Joe Caramagna

I really like the idea of 30s Spider-Man teaming up with 30s Superman, that’s a fun idea.  They are fighting businessman Lex Luthor, who has framed J. Jonah Jameson as the kingpin of crime. 

We are treated to a very fun Amazing Fantasy 15 homage, with Superman holding Lex Luthor. 

No one lifted a car in this segment.

“Sweethearts”

Gwen Stacy & Lana Lang

Writer Joe Kelly

Artist Humberto Ramos

Color Artist Edgar Delgado

Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna

Gwen Stacy & Lana Lang at Empire State University, New York.  They are talking about their similarities and differences, as well as those things about the men in their lives, Peter Parker and Clark Kent. 

Superman fights Sandman, and Spider-Man fights Metallo.  I think. 

Lana redeems all red heads for Gwen, which is cute.

Clark shows up, covered in sand, and Peter shows up all wet.  Which is funny. 

“Identity War”

Mysterio vs Superman featuring The Thing (and more)

Writer Geoff Johns

Artist Gary Frank

Color Artist Brad Anderson

Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna

Mysterio and Saturn Queen are making everybody angry with a rage-powered red lantern. 

I like that we get a segment with the ever loving blue eye Thing!  He has to fight off the Legion of Superheroes. 

Spider-Man & Jessica Drew Spider-Woman fight off the Legionnaires.  

Grimm says Cloak & Dagger are X-Force, fighting in Gotham.  I’ll chalk this to either (1) Thing doesn’t know who X-Force is, or who Cloak or Dagger are, or (2) Gary Frank doesn’t know, and no one caught it, or (3), the captions and art are not supposed together, as having the Legion of Superheroes and Legionnaires, doesn’t make sense either. 

But we also get Power Pack at titans Tower, and we see Miles Morales Spider-Man fighting maybe Rewind and Reel? 

Of course, you can’t have a story about people getting angry, and not feature the Hulk. 

Superboy punches Fred Dukes, but doesn’t move him, I like that. 

The gathered heroes are – Captain America, Stargirl, Superman, She-Hulk, Hal Jordan Green Lantern, and Thing.  So a great group of heroes. 

They all fight the Hulk, except for Superman, who is trying to calm Hulk down.  The sun is getting real low. 

Superman tells Thing that it isn’t always clobbering time, which feels like a real jerk thing to say.  Now Ben has to think about that every time before he says it? 

I do like the story ending with Ben and Banner eating doughnuts. 

“Ghosting”

Hobgoblin vs Steel

Writer Louise Simonson

Artist Todd Nauck

Color Artist Rachelle Rosenberg

Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna

I love whenever Todd Nauck and Rachelle Rosenberg work together, so you know this story looks perfect. 

For anyone who might thing Steel is just a guy with a hammer, he’s super smart too, as Hobgoblin keeps trying, but failing, to outsmart him with the tech he’s trying to steal.  Or steel.

There is another guy known for a hammer, and we get Thor to help out, which was quite the surprise. 

They click hammers like hammer bros do. 

“Remarkable”

Ghost Spider & Supergirl

Writer Stephanie Phillips

Artist Phil Noto

Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna

This was very fun.  Is Ghost Spider the type of person to want autographs?  That seems more like a Ms. Marvel thing, but Stephanie Phillips would know.  She is hoping to see Superman, but gets Supergirl in Metropolis.  They don’t get along, which as a reader, I just figure this is how it starts, but we’ll see at the end, them being friends. 

They fight Livewire, who seems like a fun villain to pick.  Reminds me of the animated series with Supergirl and Batgirl. 

Noto does a great drawing everybody, as he does. 

Story ends with Supergirl signing the autograph book in a fun callback to the story. 

“The One Thing”

Miles Morales & Superman

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Artist Sara Pichelli

Color Artist Federico Blee

Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna

This was also a fun story.  Miles is bored, then sees a giant explosion.  Superman asks for his name, he gives his real name, and oh, Miles.  Brianiac is attacking the city, and Superman teaches Miles the most important lesson, showing up is the right thing to do. 

This was very short, but tells the full story in like three pages.

“The Wondrous & The Worthy” Symbiotes in Metropolis Jason Aaron (A) Russell Dauterman (CA) Matthew Wilson (L) VC’s Joe Caramagna

Jane Thorster, who must be early in her career as the new Thor, is fighting off symbiotes.  Wonder Woman shows up to help.  I like Jane having the thought of “say something cool,” and all that comes out is “you’re Wonder Woman.”  Which I imagine she gets a lot.

Darkseid has a mix of symbiotes and his cronies.

Dauterman gets the chance of draw some of his favorites, is what I imagine the script called for.  We get – Batman (with packed in sword), Ghost Spider, Superman, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man (the Peter one), Supergirl, John Stewart Green Lantern, and Wolverine, the boy one. 

“One of Those Days”

Spider-Man & Superman

Writer Jeph Loeb

Artist Jim Cheung

Color Artist Jay David Ramos

Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna

This was an interesting choice to end on.  Must be days after Gwen’s death, and Spider-Man is having “one of those days.”  Superman shows up, and offers some Pa Kent observations.  You are born, and you die, neither are up to you.  It is what you do that matters. 

And you’ll eventually feel better, better is good, but there will be good days, and bad days.

A hopeful message at the end.