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HotShot Pickleball @hspickleball is Live on @kickstarter

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Pick Your Pickle and Prepare for Puns: Pickleball's Board Game Just Launched. A fast, fun, irreverent board game that celebrates the joy of Pickleball. Fans of silly puns, pickles, and fast-paced games alike have a new game to add to their list of must-haves: HotShot Pickleball. This delightful card-drawing board game is quick to learn and gives a surprising amount of opportunity to lightly strategize as you race to the ball and attempt to hit it back over the net to your opponent. The debut release from indie studio Midnight Trading Co., HotShot Pickleball was made while game designer Robert Gelb was recovering from an Achilles injury sustained, ironically, by playing Pickleball. For those who haven’t heard of pickleball, it's the fastest-growing sport in the world, with over 32 million players last year. HotShot Pickleball is a lively, family-friendly game that combines the fun of the sport with a cast of quirky, pickle-themed characters like Stew Cumber, Kim Chee, and Corni...

Guest Review: @Marvel Superior Spider-Man #1

Superior Spider-Man #1 Cover

Hero or Menace?


THEN!...Peter Parker spent a lifetime living up to the responsibilities his powers foisted upon him but his Amazing story finally ended dramatically in the historic Spider-Man #700. NOW!...The new Amazing Spider-Man has arrived and he is better in every single way. Smarter, stronger...Superior.

Preview





Review


The New Spider-Man Original Review by Johnkmccubbin91 at Comic Vine


WARNING THIS WILL SPOIL THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #700!

After the way The Amazing Spider-Man #700 ended my high hopes for this series lowered dramatically, and I wasn't actually sure what I'd think of it, and was considering not getting it at all. I eventually decided to try this series, with the hope that it would be good, and that Peter would return as Spider-Man sooner rather than later (like I assume most Spider-Man fans who had a similar reaction to ASM #700 did).

Plot

This issue sees the introduction of the new SUPERIOR Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus (for those who didn't read ASM #700). It sees how he deals with life in Peter's body, and how he plans to be good. It also sees the introduction of a new Sinister Six, all to the bemusement of Doc Ock.

Review

This issue wasn't as bad as I dreaded it would be, and I actually quite liked it. Dan Slott did a good job of introducing this new Spider-Man for any new readers who didn't read ASM #700, but I still can't come to terms with Doc Ock as Spider-Man. This is probably the biggest issue I will have with this series for the foreseeable future, and although there'll be some people wanting to see how Slott handles Doc Ock as Spider-Man I won't be one of them. Besides that this was a decent starter issue, and although it wasn't great it eases newer readers into the series, whilst keeping current readers interested. Even if Peter was still Spider-Man I don't think this story would have been any better, but my hope for the future of this series has risen closer to what it originally was prior to ASM #700, especially with the surprise that features in this issue (don't worry I won't spoil it).

The thing I was probably most looking forward to this series was Ryan Stegman doing the art, more so after ASM #700. I've loved his art over the last year or so, and was disappointed when he stopped working on Scarlet Spider. His work on this issue was brilliant, and I really hope he stays on this series for a long time. The way he draws all the characters throughout this issue is brilliant, and the way he draws action sequences is phenomenal. I also love how he knows exactly what to draw in each panel, giving a more dramatic feel to the issue, and making it feel similar to watching a movie. The detail is also amazing, and although it's not fantastic in the panels where the characters are further into the background, the detail in the rest of the comic more than makes up for this.

New Sinister Six
This issue saw the introduction of a new Sinister Six. I initially thought that it wasn't a brilliant idea having the Sinister Six in the first issue, especially with the characters involved, but once I remembered Doc Ock's connection to the Sinister Six my mind instantly changed, and I felt it was a great idea. Besides the fact Doc Ock is planning to be a good guy now, it also shows parts of his former self whilst fighting the Sinister Six, as there's bound to be a small part of him that feels that this version of the Sinister Six is a joke compared to his former Sinister Six, and that he feels the need to stop them. Although I didn't necessarily think that the villains were good choices as members of the Sinister Six, I did like seeing them in this issue, as I've always liked Shocker, Speed Demon, Boomerang, Living Brain, Overdrive, and Beetle as individual characters, but don't think they suit being the Sinister Six.

"Peter" at Horizon Labs
This issue also showed how Doc Ock is utilising Peter's job at Horizon Labs to his advantage. During this he's less than pleasant to Grady Scraps (who was one of Peter's closer friends at Horizon Labs), and reassures Max Modell that his work is for good, as Max doesn't like the idea of them making weapons. Although I've felt this throughout the issue, this was the main part were I felt that someone should question "Peter"'s actions (when ever I refer to Doc Ock as Peter I will be adding " " round the word Peter, just to emphasise who I'm talking about, as I have also talked about Peter prior to the body swap), as this isn't the way Peter normally treats people, and his new attitude is easily noticeable. I hope that people will notice a change in his attitude in future issues, as I can understand Slott not wanting to confuse newer readers by adding it in this issue, but it wouldn't make sense if he didn't add it sooner or later.

"Peter" and MJ on a Date
"Peter", also takes Mary Jane out on a date during this issue. Although I personally have wanted to see MJ, and Peter back together for some time now, not like this. Although it makes sense that Doc Ock would take advantage of Peter's past relationship with MJ to get a beautiful girlfriend, it's not right MJ, and Peter getting back together without it being the real Peter. I did however like that it's even more obvious that Doc Ock is controlling this body, as he's thinking of other things whilst MJ is speaking, not caring what she's talking about. I also didn't understand how MJ didn't pick up on this new attitude of Peter's as besides maybe Aunt May, she's the person that knows Peter the best.

There was also a very shocking turn of events, which I already mentioned earlier at the end of the issue. I still won't spoil this, but I will say that that alone makes this a worth while purchase, and that it upped my rating by half a point. It also speculates the future of this series.

Final Verdict

A decent start to this new Spider-Man series, and although I personally still can't get to terms with Doc Ock as Spider-Man it was still a brilliant issue. I would highly recommend this issue to new fans, and old fans, and would also recommend it to people who have dropped Spider-Man following ASM#700, as the ending of this issue is enough to make this a worth while buy.

Rating: 4/5


What I Thought


See the Review Rating Overview page for more information on how I rate each comic 

Cover & Solicit - 4/5
Art, Colors & Inking - 4/5
Layout & Flow - 4/5
Story - 4/5
Verdict - 4


I enjoyed the ending to The Amazing Spider-Man, and while disappointed we wouldn't see Peter anymore I still was looking forward to this issue. For the most part this was a good introductory issue. We get to see the difference of somebody without the moral compass and compassion that Peter had fighting the same villains. The art for this issue worked very well, and I like the fact they are drawing Pete's face differently to show a more sinister look. It's going to be fun to see how they handle this series and how the "Spirit of Parker Past" keeps Doc Ock in check.

Purchase Superior Spider-Man TPB Vol. 01 My Own Worst Enemy
Pre-Order Superior Spider-Man HC Vol. 01 (Save 20%)
Pre-Order Superior Spider-Man HC Vol. 01 (Ditko Variant) (Save 20%)
Purchase Superior Spider-Man #1

John McCubbin is a blogger at http://imaginationcentre.blogspot.co.uk/ and a comic book reviewer at Comic Vine. The use of this review has been authorized by the original author.

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