Spider-Girl: Like Father, Like Daughter

Spider-Girl 2: Like Father, Like Daughter 

By Tom DeFalco, Pat Olliffe & Al Williamson (Marvel Comics)
ISBN: 0-7851-1657-8

The second pocket paperback volume featuring the daughter of Spider-Man carries on the teen-angster adventures (reprinting issues #6-11 of those titles set in the pocket universe – known as M2 – of titles starring the offspring of mainstream characters such as The Avengers and Fantastic Four).

May “Mayday” Parker is the child of Peter and Mary Jane Parker. Her super powers develop whilst she’s still in High-School, although she is much less a nerd than her father ever was. I suspect modern kids aren’t so ready to admit their alienation issues, and besides, reading comic books is enough nerdiness for anyone to admit to. Every month she fights someone and worries what her parents and peers think of her. That’s pretty much it.

As just another title for fans to buy that’s all it needs to be, but for a graphic collection you would hope for a little more for your money, even if it’s just a little thematic shape to the book – like a complete story-arc. I can’t see any one except a follower of the series wanting the album, and they’ve already got the stories. How sad is that?

Writer DeFalco continues to rehash the adolescent trauma shtick of those hallowed – and successful – Lee/Ditko days as May eventually wins the grudging acquiescence of her parental units to become a super-hero (heroine? – is that still an acceptable term?), whilst dealing with classroom politics and the rest of the second generation Marvel Offspring. With appearances by the likes of Nova, Darkdevil, Ladyhawk (no, not Michelle Pfeiffer, although I’m not sure she wouldn’t be preferable), and the Fantastic Five, there are the requisite cameos, crossovers and guest stars. This time though, there is the ever-inevitable team-up with her dad, both the M2 version, and by the miracle of trans-dimensional time-travel, “our” Spider-Man, during his first encounter with the robotic Spider-Slayer.

Artist Pat Olliffe’s work is very easy on the eye, especially supplemented by the inking of the legendary Al Williamson, and the hell that has always been school days is possibly an evergreen theme for comics readers, but this is woefully mediocre fare. Whilst DeFalco may be giving it his all, it’s pretty unpalatable to wade through what feels like a cynical attempt to defend a Trademark and by default recapture the glory days from a corporation unaware, unconnected and oblivious to the passion that once made Marvel great.

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