What If Peter Parker kept the Venom symbiote? Spider-Man becomes a killer. Find out what happens next in Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow #4 (of 5) by Marvel Comics!

SPIDER-MAN: SPIDER’S SHADOW #4 (OF 5)

Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Artist: Pasqual Ferry
Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Editor: Wil Moss
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 14th, 2021

Previously in Spider-Man: Instead of Eddie Brock becoming Venom, Peter Parker kept the suit. After the death of Aunt May, Peter went on a killing spree and killed his enemies. The Sinister Six reformed to take him out but Spider-Man proved to be too much of an enemy and overpowered them. At the last moment Kraven discovers the suit’s weakness to fire. J. Jonah Jameson saves Peter from the suit but not before the world learns that Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker.

REDEMPTION

Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow #4 starts with MJ, J. Jonah Jameson, and Black Cat in Peter’s apartment surrounded by cops. Peter decides to return to his normal red and blue costume and suggest the quartet run from the police. Black Cat takes Jameson away while MJ and Spider-Man head to the Baxter building to talk to Reed Richards. Unfortunately, the symbiote has taken control of the building. Spider-Man joins the Avengers and the X-Men to handle this problem. While many of the heroes do not trust him, the symbiote allows Peter into the building.

As Spider-Man enters, MJ and the Human Torch rush in behind him. MJ stays on the bottom floor with a gun while the Human Torch and Spider-Man fight the Thing. After overcoming him, they find a symbiote controlled Reed Richards who declares his intention to spread his symbiotes to other people. Peter finds himself facing an army of symbiotes who have taken control of the Avengers and X-Men!

FACING YOUR FEARS

There were two incidents that stuck with me in Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow #4. The first is that Mary Jane decided to forgive Peter and then later pulled out a gun. For some reason this struck me as very odd. That Peter Parker would still have such a strong support group despite having killed several people. I think that there should have been more social consequences for Peter’s actions but maybe that theme was not something that could be explored in such a short miniseries. The second thing that stuck with me was Peter’s inner monologue. I don’t read a lot of Spider-Man comics, but I think hearing Spider-Man trying to find his redemption is going to lead to a thrilling conclusion. And because this is a What If comic, the creative team can do whatever they want.

BOTTOM LINE: SOLID

Spider Man: Spider’s Shadow feels like it should be a twelve-issue series because there is room to tell an amazing story. The writing is solid, the art is amazing, I just wished that it could be paced a little slower. This is a solid 4 out of 5 for me but I am interested to see how everything concludes next issue.

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