The World According To Spider-Man by Daniel Wallace and Mirco Pierfederici (book review).
As should be expected with a book called ‘The World According To Spider-Man’, Spidey is more likely to be flippant and extremely focused on his life as a super-hero or, as he describes it in the introduction, ‘Crime-fighting while wearing tights’. The illustrious Peter Parker also points out that you need more than being bitten by a radioactive spider, creativity with physics and chemistry and an ability to sew up a practical costume. Although there is a reminder to make a costume that makes going to the toilet easy, I wish he’d mentioned the unique fact that with his gloves off, his sleeves are nearly up to his elbows, which I always thought was neat when I first read him, even if tucking his mask and gloves in the top of his longjohns might have left an unnecessary bulge in civies. He might not be able to wear short-sleeved shirts but at least he can roll his sleeves up.
Although he says his own line, with great power comes great responsibility, it also needs a dose of how to make money and still be available at short notice, so no 9-to-5 job for the friendly neighbourhood one. A couple things still puzzle me. No matter how much J.Jonah Jameson berates Peter, he can afford an apartment all to himself in the middle of Manhattan so he must be paid reasonably well.
Spidey must also have had an upgrade as the last time I was keeping up with him, he could only press 10 tons not 20 tons! This book seems to only go up to the 1990s and not the recent upgrade Marvel are going through. There is reference to the Living Robot from the Lee/Ditko period and even the Spider-Mobile that lasted all of five issues back in the 70s in a Twinkies promotion. I think this tells more about writer Daniel Wallace although I doubt if it will affect the Spidey fans out there. The art by Mirco Pierederici lies somewhere between the more vague-lined drawings of today, foregoing wrinkle expression, than getting exact likenesses although all people are identifiable.
As with all of these Vault-like books, there are a variety of inserts stuck in and the only frustrating thing is that the sticky bits hide some text but you can still read them without peeling them off if you’re careful. There is also the obligationary Spidey poster at the back. If you want to look after these books, slip the cardboard insert back in after reading to protect its shape.
It does make me wonder if there will be other books in this series. Spidey hints that Tony Stark might be doing one but less sure about Daredevil. Don’t get stuck on a web.
GF Willmetts
June 2014
(pub: Bantam Press/Transworld Books. 63 page illustrated small square hardback. Price: £12.99 (UK).ISBN: 978-0-593-07423-7)
check out website: www.transworldbooks.co.uk
