The Spider #17 Review

This violent vigilante’s odyssey is nearing an end, but should fans go ahead and jump ship now? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

Brought low by his enemies, the Spider has lost the means to carry on his crusade against crime, but not the will. Now it is time to strike back. The Spider wipes the slate clean and takes his pulpy revenge on those who have targeted him, but he’s about to find out that their hooks go far deeper into his life than he ever imagined.

Things are certainly complicated and dramatic for this pulp themed book. As it enters its final hours I am reminded that this journey is, in a lot of ways, about a man who broke the law in favor of justice or his own ends. It’s the superhero genre personified and this latest entry offers up a few additional nuggets to get us ready for what’s coming around the corner.

David Liss handles the script and the series scribe continues to show his literary prowess. His characters may seem like familiar tropes found in other stories similar to this but there’s an innate level of detail within that makes them a bit more dimensional. The author uses that very same mentality to properly frame the situations at hand while not diminishing their impact. From beginning to end I was drawn into this, and even as it sets the stage for next month’s finale I found myself eagerly anticipating what’s going to happen.

The art by Ivan Rodriguez is a spot with this particular comic book that impresses. He offers a natural level of detail that may not rival the original renditions by Colton Worely but still manages to find just enough grit, gumption and detail to make this episodic series feel realistic or even plausible. I especially enjoyed his approach to the protagonist, highlighted during some trying moments where we see the extent of the threat baring down on the city.

The Spider #17 is a strong release that does nothing to hinder but rather maintains the overall quality. Recommended.

3.5/5