Welcome back to the Spider-Verse featuring Spider-Gwen, Spider-UK, and Mini-Spidey! Find out the spider-heroes new enemy in Edge of Spider-Verse #2 by Marvel Comics!

EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE #2 (OF 5)  

Writer: Mallory Rosenthal, Ramzee, Dan Slott, and Chris Giarrusso
Artist: Ig Guara, Ruairi Coleman, Paco Medina, Walden Wong, and Chris Giarrusso
Colorist: Rico Renzi, Brian Reber, and Chris Giarrusso
Letterer: Joe Caramagna, Travis Lanham, and Chris Giarrusso
Editor: Nick Lowe and Devin Lewis
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: August 17th, 2022 

Previously in Edge of Spider-Verse: A new villain threatens the Spider-Verse, and Madame Web collects the spider-heroes once more! However, a new hunter has arrived and has corrupted Spider-Man Noir!

THE SPIDER AND THE WASP

Edge of Spider-Verse #2 features four stories. One is a funny one-pager featuring mini-Spider-Man characters called into the multiverse. Another features Spider-Gwen playing a show with her band before they are attacked by Mysterio, and she is suddenly bitten by a wasp! However, the main story in this issue features a new Spider-UK. Zarina is a London-based spider-hero who is currently on break for Ramadan. She works for the W.H.O., which investigates paranormal activity. Suddenly, a giant dragon appears and dons her costume, despite being fifteen hours into her fast. The dragon breaths out a poison that mutates people into weird lizard creatures. Spider-UK gets a sample and returns to base.

Luckily, Professor Alistaire Stuart finds a cure quickly, and Spider-UK is back in the field. Spider-UK and her boss, Alysande Stuart, use a grenade to cure the mutation. At the same time, a military team takes out the central dragon. As Zarina’s alarm goes off to eat, Madame Web summons her to help the Spider-Verse.

Dan Slott takes on a story that introduces the origin of our antagonist. The story takes us to ancient Egypt, where we meet the deity Neith who creates the Spider-Verse web. However, her sister Shathra was jealous and created the wasp to destroy the spiders. Now Shathra traves the Web and is hunting all the spider-heroes.

A LOT GOING ON

Edge of Spider-Verse #2 introduces a new, diverse character while some of the classic heroes are being set up as mind-controlled villains. With Spider-Man Noir and Spider-Gwen becoming infected, it leads different characters to get the spotlight. And I am happy those heroes are from a minority because they introduce a new perspective I want to see explored more in comics. Hopefully, Spider-UK and Araña will play a critical role in this story.

I think the stories in this series have vastly different qualities. The Spider-Gwen story in this issue didn’t have a solid narrative arc. And that has a lot to do with the page allocation given to the story. But, oddly, such a popular character wasn’t given a little more care. Spider-UK story, however, got a ton of characterization and drove interest to the new character. But perhaps that is just the nature of how this series will run.

BOTTOM LINE: I LIKE THE DIRECTION

This series doesn’t have the excitement or magic I usually get from Spider-Verse titles, but it is getting there. With an assortment of talented writers and artists, I am excited to see where the plot line goes. Edge of Spider-Verse #2 is a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars.

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