SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MEN #1 / Script by GREG WEISMAN / Pencils by HUMBERTO RAMOS / Inks by VICTOR OLAZABA / Colors by EDGAR DELGADO / Letters by VC’S JOE CARAMAGNA / Published by MARVEL COMICS

Spectacular Spider-Men #1 almost slipped under my radar. It’s understandable, given that it came out in the same week as the long-awaited (and quickly sold-out) Ultimate X-Men #1. There was also a new Ms. Marvel book, quite a few Fall of the House of X books and the final chapter of Gang War to read through. That’s a lot for a professional critic and comics news journalist to comb through. Yet somehow, I almost totally missed out on a Spider-Man team-up book from the showrunner of the Spectacular Spider-Man show, Young Justice and Gargoyles.

There’s not much in terms of plot to this first issue. Yes, there is a fight teaming the two Spider-Men against a Hulked-out Jackal. Yes, there’s a number of plot hooks relating to previously existing characters from our heroes lives. Despite all that, the focus is on Peter and Miles trying to hang out and get to know each other outside the context of their superpowers and shared name. That and a lot of smart comedy highlighting how Peter is more immature than his protege, despite his repertoire of dad jokes.

The artwork is solid throughout. I remember some of Humberto Ramos’ more stylized Spider-Man art from many years ago. His style here is more traditional, but still features the Ditkoesque way he changed up the Spider-Man mask to show narrowing eyes. (Curiously, the flashback scenes seem to resemble Ramos’ classic aesthetic.) The colors are brilliantly vivid, with subtle palette shifts from day to night. The inks and lettering are likewise good.

It’s no surprise that Spectacular Spider-Men is good. It would be more surprising if it were not. Fans of Greg Weisman’s writing and Humberto Ramos’ art will be among those least shocked by the quality of this book. The rest of us will simply enjoy seeing Miles and Peter teaming up again.