The Clone Conspiracy: Omega #1 - Marvel Comics

THE CLONE CONSPIRACY: OMEGA No. 1, May 2017

Presumably Editor Nick Lowe never bothered to inform writers Dan Slott & Christos Gage that one can only get so much blood out of a particular stone, otherwise the former “intern at Marvel Comics” would surely never have agreed for this painful one-shot dedicated to the aftermath of “The Clone Conspiracy” mini-series to have been printed. Indeed, “Collateral Damage” genuinely doesn’t seem to actually bring anything new to the “Dead No More” story-arc, unless it was published simply to show a surprisingly affectionate bond developing between Spider-Man and his former arch-enemy, the Rhino; “I’ll check on you soon, Aleksei. See how you’re doing. That’s a promise.”

Admittedly this anthology’s seventeen-page lead adventure does contain at least one magical moment, as arguably the creative collaboration’s handling of Sytsevich, docilely slumped, knee deep in the ashes of his beloved wife one moment and then formidably enraged the next, imbues the narrative with a genuinely gut-wrenching pathos. But sadly, such emotional storytelling is soon sidelined by the Berkeley-born author’s usual obsession with Peter Parker ‘beating himself up’ over both the immoral machinations of another, and his persistent failure to protect all those he cares about, such as Jerry Salteres, Gwen Stacy, J. Jonah Jameson and Anna-Marie.

Certainly, there seems little for this book’s dedicated audience to have enjoyed when it comes to Peter David’s astoundingly contrived subsequent ‘short’ concerning Ben Reilly’s successful attempt to convince old friend Doctor Clarkson to give him some much needed money, having first set her up to be murdered by some disgruntled clients. Just why S.H.I.E.L.D. would simply release the criminally-responsible New U scientist to enjoy a drink in her regular bar after all the chaos she has caused is utterly unfathomable… Yet in “Give Us A Wink” the “espionage, law-enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency” have purportedly done just that despite Rita having “had a hell of a day.”

Equally as bizarrely penned is Slott’s solo contribution “King’s Favour”, which sees Stuart Immonen doing his level best to illustrate Spider-Man trashing a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco so as to confront the Kingpin, and make it clear that “You don’t come to me, Fisk. I come to you!” Dark and gritty, dynamically-charged and pulse-pounding, this four-pager’s breakdowns are undoubtedly the best thing about “The Clone Conspiracy: Omega”, and must undoubtedly have whetted the appetite of the wall-crawler’s readership when “Marvel Worldwide” announced the Canadian comic book penciller was to become the regular artist for “The Amazing Spider-Man” ongoing series.

Writers: Dan Slott & Christos Gage, Artist: Cory T. Smith, and Color Artist: Justin Ponsor

The Amazing Spider-Man [2015] #24 - Marvel Comics

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN No. 24, April 2017

Dan Slott was probably right as far as most of this twenty-page periodical’s readers were concerned when he wrote that “people are not walking out of this one happy.” For whilst “The Clone Conspiracy” tie-in does rather nicely explain precisely why Spider-Man found only the dusty remains of Doctor Octopus and Ben Reilly at the end of that aforementioned Spider-Event mini-series, the plot to “Night Of The Jackals” only does so by first introducing a contrivingly convenient proto-clone body for Otto Octavius to inhabit as “the true Peter Parker’s Superior”, and then subsequently allowing the original Scarlet Spider to ward off the fatal effects of his Carrion Virus by simply consuming vast quantities of “New U” pills; “Remember, kids, don’t do drugs. Drugs are bad. Except when they keep you from turning into a carrion zombie.”  

Equally as poorly thought out is the Berkeley-born writer’s motivation for Miles Warren to confront his callous employer at the dog-mask wearing maniac’s safehouse. Admittedly, the Professor’s desire to have his revenge upon “a failed experiment” who made him believe he was actually a defective clone himself was undoubtedly a strong one. Yet that doesn’t explain why, having once again donned his instantly recognisable ‘goblinesque green’ costume, the genius geneticist demands Riley fight him inside the burning remnants of “a recreation of Peter's childhood home,” nor why he is surprised that, having arrived and found his stash of medication destroyed, the American author's latest incarnation of the Jackal simply turns his back upon his predecessor and matter-of-factly ensures the biochemist’s destruction by helping the building collapse upon the talented gymnast’s head.

Quite possibly just as tired as the plot to Issue Twenty Four of “The Amazing Spider-Man”, are Giuseppe Camuncoli’s illustrations. The Italian comic book sketcher undoubtedly pencils the grisly demise of Warren’s hapless melting clones with all the panache and dynamism that made him “best known for his work on the Marvel Comics title… The Superior Spider-Man”. However, the same cannot be said for the rest of the former “Swamp Thing” fill-in artist’s breakdowns, with Ben Reilly in particular appearing increasingly poorly drawn as the adventure progresses, as are the numerous indistinctly-detailed firemen found within the publication's final scene.

Writers: Dan Slott & Christos Gage, Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli, and Inker: Cam Smith

The Clone Conspiracy #5 - Marvel Comics

THE CLONE CONSPIRACY No. 5, April 2017

Painfully bringing “the Spider-Event of the Year” to a most unsatisfactory conclusion, Issue Five of “The Clone Conspiracy” must surely have disappointed more than its fair share of followers due to a sickly sweet ending which sees Anna-Marie far too easily work out “the inverse frequency” required to save the world from the “lethal Carrion virus”, and unbelievably reveals that all the original New U patients, such as Hobie Brown and Jerry Salteres, have actually been safely stored alive deep underground in cryogenic freezers the entire time.

Admittedly, this ‘feel good’ finale does mean that the Prowler, Spider-Gwen and Kaine Parker ‘live to fight another day’, as do some of the wall-crawler’s more notably-deceased adversaries like the Rhino. But such poignant positives still don’t erase the feeling that Dan Slott’s narrative could easily have attained a similar result far earlier on in the mini-series if the Berkeley-born writer had simply ‘cut-out’ the story-arc’s superfluous sub-plot of having Ben Reilly trying to ‘recruit’ the CEO of Parker Industries to his cause, and “cloning nearly everyone who has died in Spider-Man’s life, from friends and loved ones like Gwen Stacy, Captain Stacy, and Jean DeWolff…”

Happily however, the Diamond Gem Award-winner’s script does contain a few quality moments, which whilst not ensuring that “this is the issue-Spider-fans around the world will be talking about for years to come”, does at least provide a modicum of entertainment. Indeed, the American author’s handling of Aleksei Sytsevich as he cradles his dying wife Oksana in his powerful arms, or Jonah’s pitiable plea to his crime-fighting nemesis not to tell Peter that “he was right” when he realises that his cloned beloved was simply a pawn in the Jackal’s plans, are arguably worth this comic’s cover price alone; “I beg you. Don’t tell him.”

In addition Jim Cheung’s pencils are simply outstanding throughout, and genuinely bring some quite extraordinary dynamism to this twenty-page periodical’s frequent fight-scenes. Certainly, as a result of the British artist's illustrations, it’s hard not to wince as the titular character is dramatically drawn smacking his ‘not-brother’ in the head for being “just another lunatic in a mask”, or give Doctor Octopus, still disturbingly enamoured with Marconi, a noble nod of assent as he dutifully battles the Jackal until both of them have ‘melted’ into “dust and empty suits.”

The variant cover art of "THE CLONE CONSPIRACY" No. 5 by Mark Bagley & Scott Hanna

The Amazing Spider-Man [2015] #23 - Marvel Comics

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN No. 23, March 2017

Supposedly depicting events which “take place after the revelations of The Clone Conspiracy #4!”, and containing little more than a conversational piece between Peter Parker and the latest clone of his “first love”, this tediously dire publication must surely have bored even the most steadfast of Dan Slott’s supporters in January 2017. It’s certainly hard to imagine any of the comic’s 73,773 readers obtaining any lasting entertainment from a pedantically-paced plot whose foremost highlights consist of the titular character removing his mask to reveal a tear-streaked, stumble-covered face, and Gwen Stacy becoming increasingly cross at the audacity of her former-boyfriend for informing her she’s “not Gwen.”; “How dare you! Who the hell are you to say that? I know what I feel. What I remember. And I remember every part of my life!”

Admittedly, Issue Twenty Three of “The Amazing Spider-Man” was probably viewed by its American author as something of a success, on account of the twenty-page periodical somehow finding itself as that month’s ninth best-selling title. But such a sudden rise in sales could arguably be justified by the book’s misleading Alex Ross cover illustration which implies the Jackal’s clone is about to reveal the costumed crime-fighter’s secret identity against his wishes, rather than as a result of the Berkeley-born author’s attempt to ‘pad out’ an entire comic with a dialogue-heavy argument set within the living room of Captain Stacy’s house.

Equally as disconcerting as the Eisner Award-winner’s insistence on putting words before action, is his frustrating premise to simply repeat many of the self-same events depicted within the “The Clone Conspiracy” mini-series, such as the Lizard harmlessly playing soccer with his young son and wife on a grassy lawn, Ben Reilly providing Peter with a tour of his ‘super-villain paradise’, and Parker finally convincing his cloned captor that he’ll never willing play a part in the Machiavellian manipulator’s great deception. These ‘duplications’, disappointingly two-dimensionally drawn by Giuseppe Camuncoli, make it painfully clear that rather than being a ‘stand-alone’ tale set within the “Dead No More” story-arc, this particular edition is nothing more than a rehash of Slott’s concurrently published Spidey-event and strongly suggests that Dan, despite frequent collaborator Christos Gage’s support, had run out of ideas to progress this particular adventure any further…

Writers: Dan Slott & Christos Gage, Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli, and Inker: Cam Smith

The Clone Conspiracy #4 - Marvel Comics

THE CLONE CONSPIRACY No. 4, March 2017

It’s probably a safe bet that the clear majority of this twenty-two-page periodical’s 54,947-strong audience found the second half of its narrative far more to their liking, than the first. For whilst Dan Slott’s opening sequence does somewhat heavily feature both Curt Connors and Doctor Octopus, as well as Otto Octavius’ much-anticipated ‘first meeting’ with his love Anna-Marie, it isn’t until the Jackal clicks his fingers and (finally) orders his murderous gang of duplicate criminals to kill Spider-Man that Issue Four of “The Clone Conspiracy” really takes off.

Indeed, up until the point where Peter Parker’s alter-ego forces his clone “brother” to realise that ‘their’ Uncle Ben would never approve of his “honey trap”, the Berkeley-born writer’s script is somewhat lack-lustre at best and only really piques the interest whenever Marconi is shown working alongside her mechanically-limbed “repugnant” ex-boyfriend. Certainly, it’s hard to take a storyline seriously when it depicts the Lizard cheerfully playing soccer with his long dead infant son and wife amidst an idyllic village scene packed full of happy-go-lucky super-villains like the Green Goblin, the Rhino and the Hobgoblin; “Sspider-Man, pleassse. Leave me alone with my family.”

Fortunately however, once Spidey does become “very disappointed in” Ben Reilly, and starts fighting “the bad guys” alongside the Prowler, the pace to this publication picks up quite significantly. In fact, what with Anna-Marie’s revelation that she knows “how to stop the cellular decay” of Miles Warren’s clones, followed closely by Spider-Gwen’s literally shocking fisticuffs with Electro it’s almost as if a completely different author was penning the book’s plot…

Jim Cheung’s breakdowns also appear to become reinvigorated once the wall-crawler finally decides to oppose the original Scarlet Spider, and genuinely produces some superb pieces of artwork, such as when Doctor Octopus decides that not even the Jackal may “make such an offer to the woman I love” and attacks him, or Otto pipes the amplified harmonic which will destroy all Reilly’s duplicates into the madman’s base and eradicate “everyone in Haven!” It’s just a pity the same can’t be said for some of the British comic book artist’s earlier panels, where perhaps ‘newcomer’ Cory Smith doesn’t ink the penciller anywhere near as well as co-worker and mini-series regular, John Dell?

The variant cover art of "THE CLONE CONSPIRACY" No. 4 by Mark Bagley

The Amazing Spider-Man [2015] #22 - Marvel Comics

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN No. 22, February 2017

Selling an arguably disappointing 63,359 copies, considering it was a close tie-in to its Berkeley-born writer’s 2016 “Spider-Man event of the year” mini-series, “The Clone Conspiracy”, this twenty-page periodical’s audience probably weren’t anywhere near as “excited to get my copies… each and every month” as Associate Editor Devin Lewis. For whilst this publication certainly provides plenty of detail as to just how Ben Reilly is once again alive and well within the ‘Marvel Universe’ following his disintegration at the hands of the “original Green Goblin” twenty years earlier, Dan Slott’s explanation is so pedantically-paced that many readers surely felt that they too were being repeatedly experimented upon by Miles Warren with every passing panel; “I knew they that soon there’d be nothing left. Just a nonstop existence of pain and suffering.”  

Indeed, for those bibliophiles who either inadvertently overlooked purchasing Issue Twenty Two of “The Amazing Spider-Man”, or rather perceptively deduced that the best thing about the comic was its haunting Alex Ross cover illustration and gave the magazine a miss, they can be reassured that absolutely nothing of any real importance occurs within “Seeing Red”, apart from perhaps the book’s final act which depicts Parker being contrivingly enticed to work with “Peter’s own clone” in order to receive “the ultimate gift… bringing back Uncle Ben!” Certainly any followers of the “Dead No More” story-arc could readily 'skip' this particular instalment and thereby save themselves the trauma of endlessly reading about the Jackal cold-bloodily murdering his captive clone “twenty-seven times” using such nauseating methods as electrocution, drowning, freezing, toxic gas, acid, and immolation… 

Perhaps aghast at such a strung out script, Giuseppe Camuncoli seemingly provides some remarkably unexceptional breakdowns for this particular publication, with the Italian’s drawings of Reilly being firmly held within Warren’s secret laboratory appearing particularly angular, sedentary and unremarkable. In fact, despite being “best known for his work on the Marvel Comics title… The Superior Spider-Man”, this magazine’s most memorable moment must be the penciller’s attempt to imitate Steve Ditko’s incredibly youthful incarceration of the web-spinner “growing up in Forest Hills, with Aunt May and Uncle Ben” and then later fighting Mysterio during “those early days as Spider-Man”, rather than his own attempt to deliver something new to the artistic aesthetics of the titular character.

Writers: Dan Slott & Christos Gage, Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli, and Inker: Cam Smith

The Clone Conspiracy #3 - Marvel Comics

THE CLONE CONSPIRACY No. 3, February 2017

It’s hard to imagine that many “True Believers” agreed with Associate Editor Devin Lewis that Dan Slott’s script for Issue Three of “The Clone Conspiracy” is “one of the biggest payoffs” for the American author’s “blood, sweat, and tears” over the course of the last few years. In fact, considering that this arguably deplorable twenty-page periodical heralds the return of Peter Parker’s “blue-hoodie-wearin’” “brother from another blood cell”, Ben Reilly, and ultimately threatens to “bring back Uncle Ben”, it is probably far more likely that this book’s 56,117 strong audience became increasingly despondent as the Berkeley-born writer’s plot progressed. It’s certainly hard not to blanche at Lewis’ final sign-off at the bottom of the publication’s ‘Letters Page’ when he pens “trust me when I say – things will get crazier.”

Quite possibly top of this title’s many flaws, besides a distinct irreverence towards many of Spider-Man’s most popular deceased cast, is its mishandling of two of the wall-crawler’s most recognisable supporting characters. “In 2009, the Lizard was named IGN's 62nd Greatest Comic Villain of All Time” and yet in this mini-series the usually violent monster is portrayed as a weak-willed simpering ‘pet’ who poses such little threat to his arch-nemesis and Spider-Gwen, that neither super-heroes' spider-sense even tingles when Curt Connors’ alter-ego traps them within a dark, gloomy pipe. That hardly seems the sort of reaction one would expect towards a savage, sharp-toothed criminal well-known for envisioning “a world where all humans had been transformed into (or replaced by) super-reptiles like himself.”

Similarly disserved by Slott’s script is "Parker 3.0", or rather the ‘new’ Scarlet Spider. Supposedly possessing “a slight amplification of the powers he ‘inherited’ from Peter”, this clone was actually thought worthy enough by the Eisner Award-winner to carry an entire issue of “The Amazing Spider-Man” single-handedly as part of the title's tie-in to this “Dead No More” story-event. Disconcertingly in this comic however, Kaine is simply depicted as “no contest” fodder for the Rhino to easily overcome with a single charge, and so having previously been seen as a major contributor to this narrative’s far-reaching consequences, courtesy of several treks across a ‘zombie-infested’ Multiverse, he is suddenly reduced to a body nonchalantly slumped over Aleksei Sytsevich’s broad shoulders; “We get what the master wants, and we get out.”

The 'XCI' variant cover art of "THE CLONE CONSPIRACY" No. 3

The Amazing Spider-Man [2015] #21 - Marvel Comics

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN No. 21, January 2017

Considering that this book’s principle protagonist “is usually ranked as one of the greatest comic book characters of all time alongside DC Comics characters such as Batman and Superman”, it may have been hard for some to believe that Issue Twenty-One of “The Amazing Spider-Man” was only the twenty-third best-selling title in November 2016. For whilst Dan Slott’s script for “Live Another Day” arguably contains more than its fair share of lengthy flashback sequences and the occasional unfollowable piece of ‘timey wimey’ explanation, “The Clone Conspiracy” tie-in does feature “an alternate San Francisco” which has become overrun with decaying ‘New U Technologies’ zombies, an autopsy scene that is “pretty gnarly stuff”, and the prominent return of Karn, the “protector and prisoner of the Web of Life and Destiny”.

Unfortunately for this twenty-page publication’s 63,052 readers however, what the Berkeley-born writer’s narrative doesn’t surprisingly contain, is neither hide nor hair of its titular character. In fact, even the wall-crawler’s alter-ego, Peter Parker, only makes the briefest of appearances, and that’s just so the different universe’s version can be ‘degenerated’ by a mindless hordes of Carrions when his world’s generators are breached; “It’s too late for them. But maybe their work can still save other worlds. Come on, let’s get out of here.”

As a result, the Eisner Award-Winner’s narrative instead exclusively follows the exploits of the Jackal’s first clone of “the crime-fighting super-hero”, Kaine, and “the second greatest alternate version of Spider-Man”, Spider-Gwen. This remarkable coupling does admittedly prove to be a somewhat interesting team-up once the pair identify that the epicentre of the master geneticist’s plague “always starts in a city with a major Parker Industries” research center, and battle “the most advanced Carrion-state” the Scarlet Spider has ever seen. But even the dynamic action just such a punch-up portrays was surely never going to be enough to satisfy an audience presumably purchasing a comic in order to enjoy an adventure featuring Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s “flawed superhero with everyday problems".

Judging by his inconsistent pencilling, such a dialogue-heavy story-line certainly seems to have caused Giuseppe Camuncoli a few problems, particularly when the artist is drawing the “near-irreparably mutated” Scarlet Spider. Indeed, despite seemingly being perfectly capable of imbuing Gwendolyne Maxine Stacy with plenty of dynamic life, the Italian visibly struggles to do the same for Kaine’s costumed alternative personality.

The variant cover art of "THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN" No. 21 by Paolo Rivera

The Clone Conspiracy #2 - Marvel Comics

THE CLONE CONSPIRACY No. 2, January 2017

There surely must have only been a few of this mini-series’ 58,921 readers, who found Dan Slott’s script for Issue Two of “The Clone Conspiracy” an entertaining read. For whilst the twenty-page periodical does contain the return of two Warriors of the Great Web in the shape of the Scarlet Spider and Spider-Woman (Gwen Stacy), as well as an entire Rogue’s Gallery featuring the likes of Spider-Slayer, Massacre, Mirage, Big Man, Stilt-Man, Tarantula, Mysterio, Rose and the Green Goblin, to name just a few, it does so as a result of one of the most preposterous and unbelievable plot-twists possible…They’ve all returned as “a force for good” and want simply to help Peter Parker’s alter-ego.

Considering just how truly evil and formidable some of these underworld villains have been in the past, such errant nonsense as them no longer wanting to do any “bank jobs, muggings, or even jaywalking” really is ‘hard to swallow’, even if the “reborn” clones “can’t leave or skip” the Jackal’s chemical treatments without their new bodies fatally failing. It’s certainly difficult to see a maniac like the Red Skull’s employee Jack O'Lantern, humorously suggesting that “someone needs to take their pill” when the Web-Slinger first confronts his deadliest enemies and looks set to battle them all. Did the Berkeley-born writer forget this incarnation of the pumpkin-headed professional criminal was a member of the Skeleton Crew, and later an enforcer of the gangster the Golem? 

Equally as galling is the Eisner Award-winner’s mistreatment of the Wall-crawler’s arch-nemesis Otto Octavius, who is one moment clearly handing out to Spider-Man the beating of his crime-fighting career and then in the next simply skulking back to “the lab” where he’s meant to be working, at the mere snap of the Jackal’s fingers; “Don’t forget we’re all one big, happy family here.” Such evident subservience to another is utterly alien to someone as ‘superior’ as Doctor Octopus, and smacks of Slott simply wanting to start the publication with a thrilling fight-scene underneath New U Headquarters, rather than actually pen an opening which tied in to the rest of his disconcerting narrative. As the stocky multiple-limbed homicidal genius states himself “I am not your lackey”…

The variant cover art of "THE CLONE CONSPIRACY" No. 2 by Mark Bagley

The Amazing Spider-Man [2015] #20 - Marvel Comics

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN No. 20, December 2016

Brazenly advertised on its Alex Ross cover as being “a Clone Conspiracy tie-in”, and then, upon opening, immediately warning its 67,530 strong audience that they must “proceed at your own risk” if “you haven’t read” the opening instalment of the “Spider-Man event of 2016”, it is hard not to view Issue Twenty of “The Amazing Spider-Man” as little more than a frustratingly cynical ‘cash-cow’ comic. In fact, it’s actually awkward to reconcile this twenty-page periodical’s narrative, which focuses purely upon the cloning of Doctor Octopus and subsequently only just scraped into the top thirty best-selling titles of October 2016, with one belonging to the New York City-based publisher’s “popular and commercially successful” “flagship character”.

Foremost of its problems is that anyone who had previously read Dan Slott’s accompanying mini-series would already know the outcome of Otto’s mental battle with Peter Parker, thereby making Octavius’ ridiculous efforts to retrieve his long dead and emaciated corpse in "Spider-Man's Superior" a rather redundant storyline before even a single panel’s dialogue bubble was perused. It certainly strikes as disappointing that rather than bring any conclusion to the current machinations of “Tubby McPsycho”, as he increasingly constricts his wall-crawling foe with his famous mechanical limbs, the American author (along with Christos Gage) instead once again regurgitates Doc Ock’s demise as the “truly superior Spider-Man” before unsurprisingly restoring the super-villain to his “prime.”

Sadly, even this series’ current lead antagonist, the Jackal, suffers from an acute lack of menace, on account of the Berkeley-born writer seemingly depriving the dog-headed scientist of his usual sinister power to manipulate events in his favour. Indeed, the “mysterious” red-suited Machiavellian man appears perfectly happy to ‘simply let things slide’ by paying the considerable cost for Otto’s cadaver, even though he previously never wanted to, and placidly allowing an octobot to penetrate his cloning technology simply to establish “what our little uninvited guest wants”; The biologist even comically stands by and watches Doctor Octopus ‘kill the heck out of’ whatever “you were fighting against” whilst cheerfully eating a box of popcorn…

Equally as disheartening is Giuseppe Camuncoli’s unusually inconsistent breakdowns. Whether or not the Italian comic book penciller’s artwork was detrimentally affected by Cam Smith assisting him on inking his illustrations is unclear. But a number of panels, especially those concerning Doctor Octopus and Anna making “use of that workman’s phone to access the web”, are disquietingly distracting, and not helped by colourist Jason Keith’s garishly red palette either.

The variant cover art of "THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN" No. 20 by Simone Bianchi

The Clone Conspiracy #1 - Marvel Comics

THE CLONE CONSPIRACY No. 1, January 2017

Described by Editor Nick Lowe as “the craziest Spider-Man story I’ve ever worked on”, Issue One of “The Clone Conspiracy” arguably plays to one of Dan Slott’s supposed strengths by heralding the return of a number of “classic characters from Spidey-Lore” such as the Rhino, Otto Octavius, Gwen Stacy and her father, Captain George Stacy. Indeed, even this publication’s ten-page secondary story, “The Night I Died”, must have delighted its 90,285-strong audience with the Eisner Award-winner’s re-imagining of Gwendolyn’s murder at the hands of the Green Goblin “a lifetime ago” and subsequent revival by the Jackal “in a lab. In San Francisco, of all places.”

Fortunately however, this opening instalment of the “Spider-Man event of 2016” is not just about having some of the franchise’s most popular dead make ‘shock returns’, and instead actually starts with Peter Parker doing a bit of ‘low-level’ snooping, just as he once did when he worked for the Daily Bugle. Admittedly, “the CEO of his own technology company” is accompanied by his trustworthy aide Anna Maria Marconi whilst questioning Jerry Salteres’ wife, and inevitably he dons his famous red and blue costume in order to conduct some “industrial espionage” at the New U’s Headquarters. But the entire tone of the super-hero’s investigation is highly reminiscent of the basic legwork he once employed before “his (and Spider-Man’s) friendly neighbourhood” got a lot bigger, and resultantly imbues the narrative with a nostalgic atmosphere somewhat akin to that of the character’s John Romita days; “This is just me cutting through all the red tape and saving everybody tons of time.”

Jim Cheung’s incredibly detailed artwork also clearly contributed towards making this comic the eleventh best-selling title of October 2016, with the British penciller’s dynamic drawings of Aleksei Sytsevich, the new Electro and Web-head’s riotous battle down amidst the Jackal’s “very mad-scientist-y” laboratory proving particularly pulse-pounding and thrilling. In fact, the co-creator of the “Young Avengers” provides such consistently outstanding breakdowns, whether they be Jay Jonah’s grim-faced burial, Emma Salteres ‘interrogation’ or Parker’s alter-ego kicking the Rhino in the chops, that for this aspect alone the mini-series is “one Spidey fans will be talking about for years!”

The variant cover art of "THE CLONE CONSPIRACY" No. 1 by Mark Bagley