The Good
SPIDER-MAN 2099 is a different type of super-hero book, especially with this issue. Sure, Miguel does his spider-duties by stopping bank robbers with his own style of justice, which is a lot more abrasive than Peter Parker, but the majority of this issue deals with Miguel being a man out of time.
This issue is very dialogue driven, but not in a way where the reader is blasted with walls of dialogue. Writer Peter David does a great job at capturing Miguel's voice as well as redefining who he is in this series and this timeline. He's a straight to the point guy and comes off as a bit of a jerk, but that's what I find incredibly appealing about the character. He's not your atypical hero.
Throughout the issue, there was one scene that was fantastic, where Miguel reveals to Liz that he's from the future in a very futuristic outfit. This is a perfect scene for new readers and those who just don't know too much about this character. Aside from that it's a chunk of expositional dialogue that serves a purpose in story and isn't just there to fill gaps.
Will Sliney and colorist Antonio Fabela do some great work here. Artistically, they tell a great looking story that's more driven through facial expressions and body language over fists in faces ad explosions. Sometimes, a dialogue heavy issue can have trouble keeping the reader's attention but this art team makes these scenes exciting without going over the top on the facial expressions.
The Bad
The series hasn't won me over yet. The first issue was incredibly down the middle of the road for me, and while I think this issue is a vast improvement, it doesn't have a grip on me. There's TONS of potential here and right now, it's just the matter of waiting and seeing what happens next.
The Verdict
SPIDER-MAN 2099 #2 is a solid read. I'm not incredibly sure where the story is going, but David is still setting things up for a character that really hasn't appeared in 20 years. It hasn't completely won me over, but there's a lot of potential for this series as a whole. The dialogue heavy issue was an easy read and flowed incredibly well. Overall, I highly recommend this issue.
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