Marvel’s Spider-Man/Superman Crossover Officially Put Character Ahead of Spectacle

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The following contains spoilers for #1, on sale now from Marvel and DC

I’ve noticed that writing the core story for these team-up events is much harder now than it used to be. Back in the day, comic books had over thirty pages to set things up before the actual crossover began—they really did spend over thirty pages just introducing characters like Spider-Man and Superman! Now, these entire stories are often shorter than that.

Last month’s issue felt like a classic team-up story, cleverly condensed, with some great focus on individual characters. This time, however, Brad Meltzer seemed to prioritize character development over a large-scale event, even though he still included exciting action. It was a deliberate choice, as he wasn’t aiming for a grand crossover like a Batman/Captain America team-up – a role previously filled by John Byrne.

The main story in this crossover, titled “Our Kryptonite,” is written by Brad Meltzer, with art by Pepe Larraz, colors by Matthew Wilson, and lettering by Clayton Cowles. It dedicates most of its length to exploring the dynamic between Spider-Man and Superman as they face a difficult and seemingly inescapable challenge.

What is the big question that Superman has for Spider-Man?

Meltzer takes a risk by beginning the comic right in the middle of the fight, with Superman and Spider-Man already captured by Lex Luthor and the Green Goblin. What’s even more unusual is that the story starts completely in darkness. Artist Matthew Wilson is particularly skilled at setting a strong atmosphere, and he does a fantastic job of creating a really striking mood here.

The way it’s colored really emphasizes how unsettling the glowing Kryptonite is, especially against the darkness. Spider-Man is desperately trying to prevent whoever’s with him from being buried alive as a cave seems to be caving in around them.

Kryptonite has made Superman incredibly weak, leaving Spider-Man to attempt the impossible task of lifting it alone. Even Superman, after quickly scanning Spider-Man’s muscles with his X-ray vision, is baffled, questioning how Spider-Man could possibly succeed.

The heroes share some playful back-and-forth, but they quickly connect because of what they’re going through. Artist Pepe Larraz perfectly captures their physical strain and emotional frustration during their conversation.

Okay, so this ‘cave’ wasn’t a cave at all – it was a SYMBIOTE! Seriously, it just latched onto us, and for a second, we were both sharing thoughts – a total mind meld. It was pretty freaky, honestly.

The most exciting part of this story is when Superman gets taken over by Venom, forcing Spider-Man to find a way to stop the powerful combination.

Once the hero escapes, Clark pays Peter a visit. He learned through their mental connection that today is significant for the hero and wanted to check in.

There’s a really sweet pairing between May Parker and the Kents – it’s just lovely to see them interact.

Meltzer really shines in this story by exploring the contrast between how Spider-Man sees himself and how others perceive him. While Spider-Man often attributes his actions to guilt – which is certainly a key part of his backstory – Meltzer cleverly points out that, fundamentally, Peter Parker is simply a good person shaped by a loving upbringing.

Good stuff, indeed.

What happened in the backups?

The backups are notable because the writers generally adopted a similar approach to Meltzer’s work. They tended to prioritize brief moments of character development within a story, before moving on to the main action and larger conflicts.

While not every story is this concise, “Metropolis Marvels” delivers a complete narrative in just a few pages. Written by Dan Slott with art by Marcos Martin, Muntsa Vicente, and lettering by Joe Caramagna, the story features a conflict between Spider-Man Noir and Golden Age Superman, who disagree on how to handle J. Jonah Jameson being falsely accused of murder by a villain resembling the Kingpin.

Both heroes sometimes use questionable tactics, but the original Superman at least managed to resolve situations by frightening criminals into confessing. Plus, there’s a fantastic illustration of Martin’s work that cleverly combines the covers of the first issues of Action Comics and Amazing Fantasy into one memorable panel.

In the comic series “Sweethearts,” created by Joe Kelly, Humberto Ramos, Edgar Delgado, and Joe Caramagna, Lana Lang and Gwen Stacy get together at Empire State University to talk about their boyfriends.

It’s a cute story, and the dialogue is strong.

Geoff Johns, Gary Frank, Brad Anderson, and Joe Caramagna’s “Identity War” feels like a story driven by the desire to showcase Gary Frank’s artwork.

It’s a really enjoyable story, and it’s great to see Johns – who previously created a popular Thing miniseries – explore the characters of the Thing and the Hulk in a meaningful way.

“Ghosting” is a simple but engaging story featuring Steel battling the Hobgoblin, created by the team of Louise Simonson, Todd Nauck, Rachelle Rosenberg, and Joe Caramagna.

The entire comic is worth reading just for the moment Todd Nauck imitates Walter Simonson’s art style when Thor and Steel team up with their hammers.

The comic “Remarkable” feels a bit limited, as writer Stephanie Philips didn’t have enough space to develop much beyond simple conversations between Supergirl and Ghost-Spider.

Pretty Phil Noto art, though.

I absolutely loved this little story! It’s basically a fun take on that classic scene where Superman and Spider-Man meet after Superman’s been weakened by Kryptonite, but this time it’s Miles Morales getting to chat with the Man of Steel. Brian Michael Bendis, Sara Pichelli, Federico Blee, and Joe Caramagna really nailed it and made it feel special.

Bendis does insightful well, so it works, and Pichelli and Blee pair well together.

“The Wonderous and the Worthy” brings together the creative team behind the popular Thor run – writer Jason Aaron, artist Russell Dauterman, colorist Matthew Wilson, and letterer Joe Caramagna – for a delightful story featuring a meeting between Thor (as Jane Foster) and Wonder Woman.

The story is brief, so Aaron quickly focuses on the characters, which is effective. It really shows what made Jane Foster such a great Thor.

We wrap up with a scene from Jeph Loeb, Jimmy Cheung, Jay David Ramos, and Joe Caramagna’s “One of Those Days,” where Superman gives Spider-Man a little encouragement.

Just wanted to say, Cheung’s art is fantastic! And Loeb really gets how to make you feel something, even in a short story like this one. It’s impressive how much emotion they pack in!

This year’s crossover books were both quite enjoyable! I can’t wait until next year’s crossovers!

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2026-04-23 19:40