There once was a time we had numerous Spider-Man titles but having a single title released twice a month has been nice. Zeb Wells and Joe Madureira make a great argument as for why we need more Spider-Man.
The Good
How about just about everything? The issue begins with Spider-Man and the Avengers finishing up a mission. What we get to see (with a nice humorous touch) is the aftermath part. Readers often ask how can characters (like Spider-Man or Wolverine) be in several teams and still meet the other commitments they might have. All the while, Spider-Man's witty remark fly around and even come across as being funnier when characters like Red Hulk fail to get the joke. I'm loving Dan Slott's run on AMAZING SPIDER-MAN but I forgot how much I enjoyed Well's writing on Spider-Man.
To keep this from being just another typical Avengers story, the action later shifts to Spider-Man and another member fighting foes they've never really dealt with before. Not only is this an uncommon team-up, we're getting to see Spider-Man fight a non-typical enemy. He has a great rogues gallery but we've seen him fight them all over and over.
What about Joe Madureira's art? It's so great to see him drawing again. It feels like it's been a while (was the last time ULTIMATES 3?). I don't think it needs to be said (but I will anyway), Joe Mad can draw an impressive battle scene. His art almost looks a little thicker. The inking is a little on the heavy side but it looks good. Throw in the color art by Ferran Daniel and it's a great package all around.
The Bad
I can see some getting a little turned off by the $3.99 price tag. You do get 24 hilarious and action packed beautiful pages. There is also a 6-page 'exclusive' preview for AVENGERS: X-SANCTION. By exclusive, I'm not sure if it's only appearing in this issue or exclusive to this week's comics. This issue also comes with a code for a FREE digital copy of the issue. You are getting your money's worth, especially compared to some other $3.99 comics that have less content than this.
The Verdict
As much as I love Spider-Man, my wallet has been loving the fact that there's only been one Spider-Man title to buy (even if it's twice a month). In the past, as a Spider-Man fan, you would feel compelled to buy the different series out of loyalty to the character and for the times when great stories also appeared in them. The idea of AVENGING SPIDER-MAN seemed odd at first but based on this first issue, it's a concept that will totally work. Making more sense than the beloved MARVEL TEAM-UP series featuring Spider-Man, Zeb Wells and Joe Madureira deliver the perfect combination in winning over readers. Spider-Man is hilarious and even more so when trying his witty remarks around those that can't understand his level of humor. At no time does it feel forced. Joe Mad's art is a delight to see once again. There's plenty of big action but even seeing someone like J. Jonah Jameson address a crowd looks great. Ferran Daniel's color art really compliments Madureira's art and the books is such a joy to read. Based on the tease of what characters will be appearing in future issues, we're in for some fun times. The caption for issue #2 is "More!" and that is exactly what I want, more AVENGING SPIDER-MAN.