Spider-Verse Team-Up #3 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

I mentioned in my review of "Amazing Spider-Man" #13 that we hadn't seen Karn for a while.  He appears in this issue in a big way, when a group of Spiders convinces him to betray his family with the promise that he'll no longer need to feed off Spiders.  To be honest, I'm not sure how the Spiders managed to convince him of that, since they themselves have no evidence that they can actually make that happen.  We've already seen in the "Spider-Man 2099" and "Scarlet Spiders" tie-in issues that Miguel and Jennix, respectively, have failed to find an alternative food source of the Inheritors.  As a result, it seems cruel to promise Karn something that they really have absolutely no idea that they can deliver.  Are they going to constantly have to send five or six Spider-Men to him so that he can feed off them at the same time?  But, Karn's betrayal and the possibility of an alternate food source now seem to be the turning points that'll help the good guys win in "Amazing Spider-Man" #13.  In other words, you should probably buy this issue, even if you haven't bought other tie-in issues.  (You can skip the second story.  It amounts to Spider-Girl simply raging against Uncle Spider-Ben for...some reason.  She's an angsty teen?  He failed to save his family like she did?  I don't know.  It doesn't really matter.  Just read the first story.)

** (two of five stars)

Spider-Verse Team-Up #2 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

This series hasn't really produced the sort of fun team-ups that it should be producing, but I was pretty  happy with the Spider-Gwen story in this one.  She meets a Peter Parker who killed the Green Goblin after the "bridge incident" and who subsequently took over the Goblin's identity.  In trying to convince him to join her, Spider-Gwen tells him that she understands how he feels, given that she feels responsible for her own Peter's death.  It's really a touching moment (not surprisingly, since it's scripted by Gerry Conway), and it seems to help both of them process their grief.  I complained in my review of "Amazing Spider-Man" #11 that I wanted to see exactly this sort of conversation happen between our Spider-Man and Gwen.  I still want that conversation to happen, but it was nice to see a form of it here.  Moreover, the other story, featuring Miles Morales and two animated Spider-Men, was worthwhile if only for the gag about a potentially racist Peter "Mad Men" Parker from the animated '67 series.

*** (three of five stars)

Spider-Verse Team-Up #1 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Honestly, this issue is pretty skipable.  It's not terrible by any stretch of the imagination; it's not like "Axis: Revolutions" #1, which I didn't even bother reviewing.  But, we don't get that much insight into the characters here.  We learn that the Ben Reilly that we saw in "Amazing Spider-Man" #9 is so optimistic that he can overcome unbelievable odds and we watch Six-Armed Spider-Man save an alternate Peter Parker from becoming a giant spider.  That's about it.  It's not like "Edge of Spider-Verse," which gave us some insight into the characters.  It's too quick for that, and it's a bit of a stretch for Marvel to think that it's worth $3.99.

** (two of five stars)