Spider-Man: Back in Black [Hardcover]

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Author), Matt Fraction (Author), Sean McKeever (Author), Angel Medina (Illustrator), Ramon Bachs (Illustrator), Lee Weeks (Illustrator), Salvador Larroca (Illustrator), Terrell Bobbett (Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: 4 and up

The second massive hardcover collecting the status-quo-shattering Back in Black saga! Reeling in the aftermath of Civil War, Peter Parker has plenty of reasons to consider a change of wardrobe: Black is his state of mind. But the worst is yet to come for Spider-Man! In Sensational Spider-Man, as Spider-Man and his family get used to the new status quo...other Spider-men begin appearing all over the city. Younger, less-experienced versions of our web-spinning hero, causing havoc wherever they go. Who's creating these arachnid doppelgangers and why? And will Peter Parker be able to stop them, and whoever's behind them, before more lives are lost? And in Spider-Man Family, Peter Parker and his supporting cast get all-new, untold tales featuring the original alien symbiote black costume. Collecting Sensational Spider-Man #35-40 and Annual #1, Spider-Man Family #1-2, Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Spider-Man and Marvel Spotlight Back in Black.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Marvel (November 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785129200
• ISBN-13: 978-0785129202
• Product Dimensions: 1 x 1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,019,887 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars exploitative and overhyped, January 23, 2008

By 

Kevin Tam (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spider-Man: Back in Black (Hardcover)

I want you to carefully look at the issues in this book. That's Sensational Spider-Man #35-40 and Annual #1, Spider-Man Family #1 and 2, an Official Handbook and a Marvel Spotlight.

The latter four issues have weak relevance to Spider-Man's transition to a darker mood after Aunt May's shooting. They are merely Spider-Man in the black costume.

That said, that means that six issues are worth looking at if you want to examine Peter's reaction to May's shooting, all of them in Sensational Spider-Man.

Issues 35-37 have a nice juxtaposition between Spidey's dark transition and Calvin Zabo's dark transition, but they're only a side story that has little influence on the Spidey books. Issues 38 and 39 are about Eddie Brock's struggle with the inherent symbiote inside him, and although it's a good story, whatever substance it contributed to the event of "Back in Black" has been nulled in One More Day. Issue 40 is a nice retrospective story, which is also nulled by One More Day. The Annual was a touching tribute to MJ's and Peter's relationship.

Which was also nulled by One More Day.

These stories were fairly good. They really were. It's just a shame that they have little meaning due to One More Day, and that they're piggybacked with meaningless issues of Marvel Spotlight and Official Handbook. Honestly, you can probably get those Sensational issues as back issues for a cheaper price, and if not, by the time you get this book, it won't be relevant to Spider-Man as a character at all. It's not even relevant NOW, in fact.

If you really like the black costume and are willing to gobble up any of its numerous appearances, regardless of story integrity or book integrity, then I wholeheartedly recommend it. I really do.

I doubt, however, that that's the case.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars First half is great. Second not so much., December 10, 2007

By 

Elmore Hammes "Writer and Reader" (Anderson, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Spider-Man: Back in Black (Hardcover)

Collecting Sensational Spider-Man 35-40 and Annual 1, Spider-Man Family 1-2, Marvel Spotlight:Spider-Man and Spider-Man:Back in Black Handbook, this is the second book of two Back In Black hardcovers detailing Spider-Man's life after the Civil War events in the Marvel Universe, where his identity as Peter Parker had been publicly revealed.

The storyline in the Sensational arc was good, dealing with a rash of Spidey-wannabees, although the climactic battle resolving that was not very dramatic. The Eddie Brock side story was of more interest to me.

The second half of the book was almost a waste, though - they sell Marvel Encyclopedias which serve as villain rosters and character bios, filling half of a $35 hardcover with that was very disappointing.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Watta rip!, April 4, 2008

By 

Notch Jenkins "notacomicsnob" (u.s.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spider-Man: Back in Black (Hardcover)

A fine (if not great) first half, followed by a second half made up of junk. If I want a Marvel Encyclopedia, I'll buy one. Lower the price and lose the last part!