Scattershot
Nitpicks right off the bat:
Cover: Lazy. Cloak and Dagger had a lame cover too, but at least it was all shiny and rendered. I will concede that Zircher and Troy remarkably gave Anya a non-sexualized, strong action pose. Good on you for that, but try a little harder next month, guys. Unfortunately, she also seems to have lost a shade or two of her complexion. I'll pretend it was accidental whitewashing.
Spelling: This is just me complaining as a Latino. Araña has an 'ñ'. Corazón is spelled with an 'ó'. Not that tough, Marvel. I can't believe I've talked about lettering twice this week!
Now that we've addressed that, I will say that Anya Corazón is a character I know nothing about. I've never read a Spider-Girl book, but I was really interested in starting...about two months too late for the main series. I don't know whether to rejoice or complain that she reads like Peter Parker. Not even a Peter Parker with boobs, just Peter Parker. I'm torn because I love the humor. That's exactly what I want in a Spider-Book. Jokes. Lame quips. It's what gets me to open my wallet every week!
There's just no real difference in her and Peter, aside from dealing with Wasps...
Tobin writes Hobgoblin really well. I had no idea Phil Urich was so insane, but I love it.
The real issue I have with this book is the pacing. I get that you only have three issues to do something, but this issue feels a little too busy...or is that brilliant? I mean, Manhattan is bursting with Spider-Men! Things should be chaotic! The action is exciting, but it feels like Anya is just being dragged from scene to scene, quipping at each stop. Contrast that with Cloak and Dagger, which seems downright comatose in comparison. Spencer took his time decompressing C&D's relationships and Dagger leaves a battle to go to class. Anya doesn't get that luxury. She is a crimefighter and she fights crimes. It's superhero stuff, but it leaves me wanting.
I really love Pepe Larraz' art. There's a lot of chaos in the panels and he doesn't shy away from showing it. I really like the way he draws Anya's fighting style. It's not the lithe, smooth style that you'd expect for Spider-Man or a female hero. She's nimble, sure, but she's a bruiser. Serious hits. Another nice touch is that we get to see a Spider-Hero emote thanks to the open mouth of Anya's costume. Larraz doesn't quite take advantage of it (there's a lot of scowling
So there you have it. Spider-Girl is not a narrative tour-de-force, but the action is solid. I was expecting her to be working with the Young Allies, but her partners in this mini-series may be way more exciting. The mini-series shows promise as a lot of fun without too much substance, but I'm cool with that if it means more Spider-Girl.
