It’s no surprise that I love Si Spurrier’s writing. I’ve gushed about his Flash, Hellblazer, Damn Them All, Way of X, Legion of X, and his Detective Comics backups. Whenever I read his work, at the beginning it eludes me somewhat, but by the end it all comes together in a way that works and makes reading them worth it.
When they announced Uncanny Spider-Man originally, it was obviously confusing. I mean, right? Then we got some idea of what it was going to be about, and I was all in. To me, he’s one of the best Nightcrawler writers of all time, if not the best since Claremont. Also, Kurt’s wearing a Spider-Man costume, and it’s being illustrated by Lee Garbett, whose art I adore. Of course I’m in, I’m invested, all hands on deck, betting everything I’ve got.
It was worth it.
Uncanny Spider-Man, like the previous two Krakoa Era books written by Spurrier, is an exploration of Nightcrawler and his faith, but it’s also about more. In Spurrier’s initial explanation, he described it as a book which “leans hard into heroic, joyful, street-level action,” and it had that too. Through five issues (and a special sixth), we get swashbuckling fun, romance, and an examination of the protagonist that is deeply rewarding and worth every second of your time.
Before anything though, we need to talk about that costume. It’s so cool. Black and red is such a perfect Spidey colour combo, starting way back from the original Lee and Ditko look, to the fan-design for the symbiote suit which inspired the black and white, to Alex Ross’ design, to Miles, and that streak continues to keep going with no chance of stopping. It’s sleek, the tail matches, and he has a sword, just like Miles does now! A design that I really hope continues to surface in other places, whether it be as an alternate costume in games, or little cameos in Spider-Verse media. Maybe even an action figure too (please).
The art throughout is also phenomenal. Lee Garbett, Javier Pina, Simone Buonfantino, Marcus To, Wilton Santos, Oren Junior, Matt Milla and Ceci De La Cruz all pop off, making this entire run look great without fail. There isn’t a single panel where I went “oh this looks weird”, or “oh, this looks bad”, because everything is stunning as is.
Within the first six pages of the first issue, we’re treated to a sequence that is so classically Spider-Man, yet with enough of Nightcrawler’s DNA to establish him as his own guy. Two members of the “Shocker Gang”, dressed in jackets that are reminiscent of the titular villain, are being chased by this Spidey.
Then comes the kicker. Where a regular Spider-Man would just swing forward, this one teleports in front of them. Where one would hang upside down from a tree with a web to crack a joke, this one hangs using his tail. Where one would jump around to dodge gunfire, this one BAMF!s around before slicing it with a sword. It’s taking usual Spidey tactics and layering them with Nightcrawler in a way that feels natural, and I think that rules.
From there onwards, issue #1 is a lot of set up for what’s to come, but not in a way that’s ever boring. Sometimes it’s expository, yes, but I’m always engaged. The Mystique plotline, Nightcrawler’s own internal struggle, Vulture with ORCHIS, and Silver Sable International are all interesting beats, some of which are, again, taking pieces from the Spider-Man board and putting them in a new, interesting context.
Issue #2 onwards, this book starts to fire on all cylinders. First off, I appreciate that the data pages aren’t an excuse for furthering the narrative without actually showing us the story, but rather, just key background to get us up to speed. For example, the first data page in this issue is all about explaining how they’re using Warlock to control mutants, which if it was explained through dialogue would be just expository nonsense, so it makes sense that this is how the reader is kept up to speed on these concepts that are played with in the story.
Silver Sable and the drama she brings to both Kurt and the story is so great. From their first interaction down in the dark cave, you can really feel their chemistry jumping out of the page. They’re very cute and I found myself rooting for them from the outset. It’s so fun seeing her fall for Kurt’s irresistible charm, and the inner conflict that brings to her. However, I think it’s resolved a little too fast for my liking. I totally get it, it’s a 5 issue series with a lot of moving parts, but I just wish there was a little more juice squeezed out of a “will they/won’t they” scenario. Nonetheless, she’s great, they’re great, and I hope we see more of them going forward.
The story of the “imp Nightcrawler” is also just fantastic. It’s a fitting conclusion to Spurrier’s work on Legion and Nightcrawler both within this era. We as readers get this reveal mid-way through the story in Issue #3, but it isn’t until the end where Kurt finally vocalizes that he knows too. He’s great, serving as a foil, the voice that speaks to his own insecurities and deeper thoughts, reflected through conversations he has with Silver and Mystique. Sometimes a little annoying, but isn’t that the point of that imp in your head: to be annoying?
Previously, I mentioned how taking these Spider-Man characters and changing them in interesting ways to fit this narrative was cool, and I stand by that. This splash for example, where we see the Vulture decked out with the Technarch is awesome, and in general, the entire idea of him “corrupting” mutants that way and using them against Kurt out of rage for not being offered immortality is great, and fits him perfectly. That being said, I do wish that there was more to him as an antagonistic threat, a more personal driving force between him and Kurt, but in counter to that too, we get so much of Kurt’s internal conflict of always having to be the one to save people, and his willingness to do the right thing, so I think it evens out that way.
Silver Sable’s story with Kremer is also good, showing two people dedicated to a cause, but not necessarily in the right ways. To one, it comes down to doing the right thing, and to the other, it comes down to getting the job done no matter what, and I think that makes for a good foil, especially with how it’s balanced along with everything else going on in the book.
And finally, Mystique…
When X-Men Blue: Origins got announced even before Uncanny Spider-Man started, I figured it was only a matter of time until Kurt’s origin got retconned into what Chris Claremont originally intended it to be. After all, that seemed to be the realistic outcome. Seeing that come into fruition through the first four issues of the book, having her be an amnesiac who had gone back to her “original” self, before she and Kurt finally talk things out and we get the full picture of what happened, was a treat.
It’s one of those comic retcons that feels right, that makes sense, but more than anything, is handled extremely well. It helps that Blue: Origins was written with consultation by Charlie Jane Anders and Steve Foxe, both queer creators in the X-Office, the former of whom is a trans woman, and it really shows through how this issue handles both queerness and gender.
“The only true binary division lies not between genders or sexes or sexualities. It lies between those who are allowed to be who they wish, and those denied that right.”
It’s beautiful. I’ve never read a comic that handled something like two women conceiving a child, and I much less expected one from the Big 2, and yet, here it was. It’s handled with the right amount of nuance, with the right amount of love, while also not looping into what a lot of Big 2 queer stuff loops into, which is making it all “wholesome” without any conflict. Destiny and Mystique don’t just become drama-free, there’s still a lot of it here – a lot of love, a lot of rage. The story also always manages to remain about them. Sure, it’s about the birth of their son, so Kurt is involved in some manner, but it’s still the tale of Raven Darkhölme through and through.
It’s also a story of forgiveness, a theme that is a constant throughout Spurrier’s work in the Krakoan era. Sure, it’s not like everything between Kurt and Mystique is magically fixed now, but they’re going to try to be better now that they know. They owe it to themselves that much.
The eventual conclusion to everything with the last issue is great. The big bait and switch, the way everything gets paid off in a way that doesn’t seem rushed is wonderful, and I was filled with glee as I read through the entire thing. Lots of good payoff (and as per my own selfish wants, I hope we get more of Kurt as Spider-Man) that easily makes this my favourite of the “Fall of X” miniseries, along with Children of the Vault.
If anything, my criticisms largely lie on more. I would’ve liked some more exploration, some more buildup in some regards, some more drama. Yet, the way all of this is handled over the course of 5 issues (and Blue: Origins) is great. I don’t like the term “plot efficiency”, but this story manages to balance all the story beats without feeling like a checklist being signed off, which is always a good feeling.
Read Uncanny Spider-Man. Read X-Men Blue: Origins. Read all of the Spurrier Krakoan Era. I’m so thankful I stuck around for the ride, and I’m especially thankful for Origins. What a beautiful issue, what a beautiful run overall really. A story about forgiveness, about hope.
“We know that the inheritors of a dream got a bigger hill to climb than the ones who had it in the first place. And if we can’t put our hearts and our heads into the climb? Well. Then we’ll never see past the dream to the truth that holds it up. That the world is basically good. And worth the struggle.”
