It’s been close to 30 years since we traveled to the year 2099 in the Marvel Universe and were introduced to familiar characters with a whole new spin. At the center of it all was Miguel O’Hara, Spider-Man 2099! The character has returned to the spotlight in recent years and after having some time travel adventures, he’s back in his own time dealing with some major shakeups. Spider-Man 2099: Exodus Alpha #1 kicks off a mini-event that spins us through the world of 2099 reintroducing characters and introducing brand new ones as well.

Written by Steve Orlando, Spider-Man 2099: Exodus Alpha #1 takes us back to Nueva York as The Cabal terrorizes the people and Spider-Man 2099 stands in the way. From there we get a conspiracy about a “rock” being dropped in the Wastelands resulting in materials that the Cabal wants and everyone wants to get for them. It’s a race to stop the bad guys getting things they can use for evil!

Spider-Man 2099: Exodus Alpha #1 is a fun return to the world of 2099 after some side quests for Miguel that didn’t quite fit the character. Protecting a neon-infused city against evil corporations and cabals is more his speed and the comic in some ways feels back to basics. There’s a bit that’s left out there for longtime fans that new readers might not get but overall, the comic is pretty friendly to those diving in. It’s Spider-Man in a futuristic city, exactly like it should be. The comic is a lot of what I remember after 30 years and exactly what I expected and hoped for. There’s the solid shocking language and slightly edgier Spider-Man but it’s mixed with some humor, heart, and solid action.

Paul Fry handles the art with Neeraj Menon‘s colors popping and Joe Caramagna‘s lettering adding so much personality. The comic looks amazing at times with vivid colors and solid action and angles. There’s some panels where what’s going on feels a little muddled and doesn’t quite convey clearly the details. But, this is a futuristic world that feels familiar and foreign at the same time. Like the story itself, it’s what I remember and expect. What’s great about the art is it lets Spider-Man 2099 be a look and visual language to himself. This isn’t putting the futuristic Spider-Man in familiar poses the original strikes. The visuals take a queue from that but doesn’t try to repeat it with neon.

Spider-Man 2099: Exodus Alpha #1 is a fun read that kicks off a nice way to celebrate 30 years. The comic feels like returning to old friends and hopefully the event itself is more of the same. It’s not groundbreaking but it is a lot of pop entertainment.

Story: Steve Orlando Art: Paul Fry
Color: Neeraj Menon Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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Purchase: comiXology/Kindle – Zeus Comics