Ultimate Spider-Man #7 (2024) Review
Summary: This issue has brought us some great action & more world-building info. Having Norman Osborn in your head is NEVER a good thing & that will lead to some disastrous things in the future. While this issue and the book in general could use more Ben, Jonah, & Gwen, it still earns a solid rating.
4
Dad A.I.?
Background – Otto is up to no good, Wilson gains favor, and Harry Osborn finally has a talk with his dad. Uh-oh.
Writing – Ben, Jonah, Robbie, Mary Jane & Gwen – Gwen and Mary Jane appear for a single page. That’s it. But it does seem that Gwen is more apprehensive about the news outlet that Jonah and Ben have started. I’m getting the distinct impression that Gwen is more of a calculating businesswoman then Harry is. What’s the saying? Behind every great man is a great woman?
As for Ben, Jonah & Robbie, they all meet in a parking lot like they were Mulder talking to Deep Throat. Robbie has decided to become the inside man at the Bugle and gives them some documents. What it is we don’t find out just yet, but I’m assuming it has something to do with Wilson Fisk. I love the friendship between Jonah and Ben. They are like brothers with their comments about hurt knees and hips. They have, in my view, actually become the heart of this book. While Peter fights on the frontlines, they are the street level view of all this craziness.
Wilson Fisk & Otto: Wilson Fisk has quickly morphed into the Kingpin that he should have been from the start. His meeting with Captain Britain goes well, and he even manages to earn his respect by the end of the meeting. Two major plot points occur during this part of the story, the first being the reveal of what I’m calling the Bullseye Corps. While my earlier prediction of the first Bullseye we saw being Gambit might still come to pass, it seems he wasn’t the only Bullseye. Captain Britain has a whole team of them.
Plot point number 2 is that Wilson’s upcoming plans include SIX people. Now, when somebody hears or reads the number SIX in a Spider-Man context, that can only mean one thing. This leads into the Otto portion of the book.
Otto is definitely not on the level. Whatever good intentions he seemed to have when he first appeared are slowly but surely eroding into a lust for more knowledge and power. He takes an extra sample of Peter’s suit (it is more advanced than Harry’s). I’m thinking, and this is only a guess, but I’m fairly sure that he is already on Wilson’s payroll and he asked him to figure out how to beat Spider-Man.
Harry & Peter: I think we have just seen the start of Harry’s descent into insanity and villainy. The reveal that both his and Peter’s suits have an onboard A.I. that hasn’t been used yet is interesting (although, being Stark suits, isn’t as surprising as it should be.) It works along the idea in the previous issue that Harry sucks at fighting and needs help.
Peter hilariously chooses himself to be his A.I. (he does mention that he talks to himself) and this leads to his A.I. cracking jokes and telling him how good of a dad he is. Harry, however, has chosen Norman as the voice inside his head. It starts by giving him fatherly advice, but that quickly devolves into it asking Harry how weak he is. By the end of the training fight with Peter, Harry very obviously gives into his anger and blasts Peter across the room. Peter and his suit both think that Harry needs therapy, but that is cut short by TONY STARK appearing in front of Peter, Harry, and Otto, asking if he (Peter) has become a hero yet.
Artwork – The fight between Peter and Harry is as visceral as ever, with each hit from Harry feeling personal on some level, but while the Spider-man / Green Goblin action is great, the standout art for me comes in on the very last page. Watching Iron Lad arrive in a crackle of energy and float there looking all heroic is the bees’ knees. I would definitely buy a poster of that last page.
Final Thoughts – This issue has brought us some great action, more info on the world that we now inhabit and some cool suit information. But more than that, we have finally found a plausible reason for Harry Osborn to break bad. Having Norman Osborn in your head is NEVER a good thing. He may not have been crazy in this world, but it’s very apparent he wasn’t the best dad. While this issue and the book in general could use more Ben, Jonah, & Gwen, it still earns a solid rating. Next issue is going to be a doozy.
Final score: 4 out of 5
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Marco Checchetto
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Cover Artists: Marco Checchetto & Matthew Wilson
Genre: Superhero
Format: Monthly
Release Date: 07/31/2024
About the Author
Matt Fischer Lover of all things nerdy. Reader of Comics for over 25 years. DC encyclopedia. X-Men historian. Spider-Man and Marvel lover. Indie side guy.
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