Minimum One Year Experience Required
Unlike most issue number one's, which give new readers the opportunity to start in a series from the ground up, Web Of Spider-Man issue 1 is not one which can be read without knowledge of current events surrounding our favorite Web Slinger. At the time of its release, the issue served as a conclusion to the Symbiote story arc which began in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars and continued through the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man, Peter Parker The Spectacular Spider-Man and Marvel-Team Up. To pick it up as a stand alone book would leave any new comer to the character potentially confused. Why is he fighting his costume?
While the sub-plot severs as throw away fodder, with disposable villains, The Vulturions, its overall main focus is ultimately satisfying. Especially if you had your finger on the pulse of recent events in the Spidey universe. You know why Peter Parker is shocked when he finds his black suit suddenly enveloping his body. You feel his sense of urgency to get to the Baxter Building to shed himself of it. You're enthralled by the final showdown and end result. With all these elements, this book is easily a four star.
However, without them, and as a stand alone book, it's probably more so middle of the road, if not lower. It would be one thing if these events unfolded in issue two hundred something of an already ongoing title. A new reader should expect to have to do a little backtracking to catch up. But it's not. As a first issue in an all new series, it doesn't provide a solid stepping stone for new readers.