Spider-Man must finally confront the head honcho himself: Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin! Kingpin, as owner and operator of the Daily Bugle, has been working with the Maker’s Council to control the spread of information in their favor… Which means he’s the first domino that must be toppled to end their regime! Ultimate Spider-Man #6 features action and drama and leaves with some bruises.

Marvel’s Ultimate Universe has been a fantastic return. It feels fresh and new while also continuing a story that began some time ago. It’s easy to pick up for new readers while already having lots of history.

One of the more interesting comics Marvel has put out recently is Ultimate Spider-Man which has a 30-something Peter Parker getting his powers instead of receiving them decades earlier. This Peter is married with two kids and in the first arc his daughter discovered his secret, that he’s now a superhero. But, the cat’s out of the bag for the entire family as Peter is sporting some rather noticeable bruises.

Written by Jonathan Hickman, Ultimate Spider-Man #6 has Spider-Man and Green Goblin confront Kingpin to try to get to those who have been manipulating the world. It’s a brutal battle that doesn’t go the way they expect. This Kingpin is different too, boosted that makes his toughness make a lot more sense. This is an amped up bruiser and fighter that takes the classic and puts him on steroids.

But, it’s Peter and his family that’s the interesting aspect of the comic. With noticeable bruises, it’s hard to keep his secret from his wife and son. Their reactions are… not expected. It feels rather anticlimactic and cuts short one of the best aspects of the comic, Peter keeping his secret with his daughter. It was a cute dynamic that wasn’t mined and explored enough. Give us a bit of his daughter worrying about him being a superhero while the rest of the family is clueless. Let’s see her struggle more with keeping the secret. But, how it all comes out is cute and fits the tone Hickman has nailed in the comic.

The art by Marco Checchetto is solid as usual. With color by Matthew Wilson and lettering by Cory Petit, the comic looks good. The fight is brutal and that’s juxtaposed with the family moments. The visuals nail down the flirty nature of Peter and MJ’s relationship.

Ultimate Spider-Man #6 is better than the previous issue, but not as good as the first four. The family’s reaction feels a bit odd with MJ being far more understanding and calm about it than expected. There seems to be a lack of it hitting them as to what it all means. Maybe we’ll see that in the next issue but for what should be a shocking moment, it falls flat and comes far too soon in the series.

Story: Jonathan Hickman Art: Marco Checchetto
Color: Matthew Wilson Letterer: Cory Petit
Story: 7.75 Art: 8.5 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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