It’s safe to say that Dan Slott has been one of the most divisive comic book writers of the past decade, thanks to his run detailing the trials and tribulations of Marvel’s most popular character, the Amazing Spider-Man. More so than any other Spidey writer in recent memory, Slott is pushing the character into new places while finding the fun that has come to definine Peter Parker and his alter-ego.
Perhaps Scott’s greatest accomplishment has been his ability to take ye olde comic book standby – the event series – and breathe new, exciting and interesting life into it. Spider-events such as Spider-Island and Spider-Verse have been fun and epic stories that remind you why you picked up the exploits of the Web-slinger in the first place. Even Slott’s most controversial story, the Superior Spider-Man, which found Spidey defeated by Doctor Octopus, whose subconscious proceeds to take-0ver the mind and body of Parker, was an outstanding and original tale that wound up pleasing skeptical fans while also hit hitting pay-dirt.
Slott’s new event series, The Clone Conspiracy, should be another winner, based at least on the first issue of the event series and it’s follow-up in Amazing Spider-Man #20. In the new series, long thought dead characters from Spider-Man’s past are seemingly back from the dead, among them Doc Ock himself and, perhaps most controversially, the original Gwen Stacy. Hey, this is Dan Slott, of course he’s going to court some wrath from the fans boys out there.
While having some knowledge off previous clone stories from Spider-Man’s illustrious history, you don’t need to be an expert to enjoy these first two issues (in fact, considering the bad taste the previous clone-centric stories left in the mouths of fans, you might be best off not even going there). Furthermore, Slott is quick to give the reader an explanation for why the dead are returning. This is smart storytelling on his part, because it takes away the why that people may be waiting for. By revealing it early on, he makes it clear that that isn’t the story he’s telling here. Which begs the question – what is Dan Slott’s endgame, and what will it mean for Peter Parker.
I can’t wait to keep reading and find out.
The Clone Conspiracy #1 and Amazing Spider-Man #20 are in stores and available digitally now.
