Spidey and friends debut in new comic

Can't wait for your favorite superheroes to fight together in "The Avengers" next year? How about "The Amazing Spider-man" reboot?

Wait no longer.

"Avenging Spider-man," Marvel's newest Spidey comic book, teams Spider-man with a fellow superhero for an action-packed, humor-laced adventure.

Each story will see the Webhead join forces with a different teammate from the expansive Avengers roster. The inaugural issue features the Red Hulk, a lesser-known hero with endless super-strength.

When Spider-man needs to quickly return to New York for his normal job, the Red Hulk is unwillingly volunteered as his ride. Upon arriving, though, they find the city overrun with Moloids, hideous creatures who typically dwell underground.

Upping the stakes, Mayor J. Jonah Jameson is kidnapped and taken beneath the city, where he learns the situation is about to get worse.

While the plot is fairly standard, writer Zeb Wells handles the characterizations extremely well. His Spider-man is goofy and sarcastic but likable. He fights alongside the world's greatest superheroes, but still struggles with relevant problems such as holding down two jobs.

Wells also does a good job with Spidey and Red Hulk's interactions; the silly nature of the former is hilariously contrasted against the aggressive, serious attitude of the latter.

Even Jameson gets in several great lines, with Wells amplifying the character's headstrong, ill-tempered personality.

The real draw of the book is the art of Joe "Mad" Madureira. The action scenes look incredible, especially the larger panels, which he utilizes to great effect.

Mad's art is definitely caricature-influenced, but it works here; every character's facial expression is filled with emotion.

Also, his Spider-man is lanky and slender, a welcome style opposing the beefier figure most artists draw.

Mad's art is greatly accentuated by colorist Ferran Daniel, who creates some amazing light and shadow work.

My only major complaint is the absence of an inker, which reveals Mad's sketch lines. This is especially problematic with close-up panels where small, stray pencil marks are noticeable.

Overall, the story is solid and entertaining, while the art is dynamic and emotive.

Additionally, the book is a great starting point for new readers: it doesn't require you to read 500 prior issues, and a brief summary on the title page explains who the main characters are — for people who don't know the Green Hulk from the Red Hulk.

The book also comes with a code for a free digital copy of the comic, allowing you to access the issue from a computer, Apple or Android device.

As if all this wasn't enough, it has the Avengers fighting a giant robot. It doesn't get more classic than that.

My rating: 3.5/5

—Russell Axon is a senior majoring in English.