Essential Spider-Woman, Vol. 2 (Marvel Essentials) (v. 2) [Paperback]

Michael Fleisher (Author), J. M. DeMatteis (Author), Chris Claremont (Author), Ann Nocenti (Author), Steven Grant (Author), Steve Leialoha (Illustrator), Jerry Bingham (Illustrator), Mike Esposito (Illustrator), Ernie Chan (Illustrator), Frank Springer (Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: 4 and up

The first part of Spider-Woman's career concludes as her collection of challenges and crises is completed! Some of Marvel's most stupendous scribes set the heroine against Morgan le Fay, the Viper, Gypsy Moth and other fearsome foes, forgotten or otherwise! Plus: the first appearances of X-Factor's Siryn and X-Force's Caliban! But after tearing through a gauntlet of magicians, mad scientists, murder and mystery, what final fate awaits the webbed wonder? Guest-starring Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men and the Werewolf! Collects Spider-Woman #26-50, Marvel Team-Up #97 and Uncanny X-Men #148

Product Details

• Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: Marvel (August 8, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785127011
• ISBN-13: 978-0785127017
• Product Dimensions: 1 x 1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160,554 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Plenty of quality material assemmbled under one cover, August 28, 2007

By 

Benjamin Herman (Queens, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Essential Spider-Woman, Vol. 2 (Marvel Essentials) (v. 2) (Paperback)

If you are a fan of Spider-Woman, but you do not want to spend months, even years, tracking down every single issue of her series in the back issue bins of comic shops & conventions, this is definitely a collection for you. As someone who spent his high school & college years in the 1990s doing just that for any number of series, the Essentials are definitely a fantastic format. And we get to see all of the artwork from those back issues in glorious black & white, the detail and craftmanship of the artists unobscured by the low quality color printing comic books were burdeoned with in those days.

Certainly there's some great art in the stories reprinted here, most if it done by the very talented Steve Leialoha, as well as a handful of issues pencilled by the underrated Brian Postman, plus fill-ins by Carmine Infantino, Ernie Chan, and Jerry Bingham.

The writing is also top-notch, enjoyable, and fun. This volume sees the conclusion of Michael Fleisher's stint as writer, the entirety of Chris Claremont's run (featuring appearances by the X-Men, Juggernaut, Morgan le Fay, Madame Hydra, and the introduction of mutant mainstay Siren) and the four issue wrap-up penned by Ann Nocenti.

My only criticism is that this collection omits Avengers issue #s 240-241, a siginificant two-part epilogue to the Spider-Woman series finale that wraps up several loose ends from that title. Instead, this collection features a reprint of Uncanny X-Men #148, a story in which Spider-Woman appears in a minor capacity. Considering #148 has already been reprinted in Essential X-Men volume 3, it would have made more sense to include the two Avengers issues, which are much more significant for the character, and which have never previously been reprinted.

In any case, that one point aside, this collection is definitely still worth getting. Afterwards, just keep an eye out for those two Avengers back issues.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A struggle to read., July 21, 2008

By 

William H. Lukash - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Essential Spider-Woman, Vol. 2 (Marvel Essentials) (v. 2) (Paperback)

If you like Chris Claremont's early work, then you will like this book. I hate how he wrote in the late '70s and early '80s, so I found myself cringing half the time. The art is okay. Claremont didn't write all of the issues in this book, the rest were written by Ann Nocenti and Mike Fliescher. None of the stories are very good. I think the first volume is much better than the second, but neither of them should replace Lee/Kirby/Ditko books on your shelf.

Not as bad as the '70s She-Hulk book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good run..., October 16, 2008

By 

Mark A. Domeier "Grammar Freak" (Minnesota) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Essential Spider-Woman, Vol. 2 (Marvel Essentials) (v. 2) (Paperback)

This second batch of Spider-Woman wraps up her original series of stories in the Marvel Universe. She evolves out of her bounty-hunting persona throughout and truly becomes a hero by the end. I agree with another reviewer that they should have included the two issues of The Avengers where the Morgan LeFay storyline is wrapped up. Luckily I had them and was able to re-read them after finishing this collection. The last four issues by Ann Nocenti and Brian Postman are especially crisp and fun to read. If you read the first volume, you should definitely read this one as well!