A DARK HOMECOMING AWAITS… It’s a world before the Punisher. A world where the existence of the Hulk is but a whisper of a rumor. A world where A.I.M. has just developed a Cosmic Cube in the jungles of South America. Frank Castle, Bruce Banner and Peter Parker are all on a mission to keep the Cube out of the wrong hands – including each other’s. In this three-way free-for-all for the power of the cosmos, who will come out on top? Spider-Man: Long Way Home #1 is an interesting start with moments of potential that never really come together.
Written by Jonathan Hickman, Spider-Man: Long Way Home #1 is an in-continuity, out of continuity, we’re not really sure, story that pits Frank Castle, Hulk, and Spider-Man against each other for a cosmic cube. I mention the continuity bit because it’s Frank Castle that takes part in this, not the Punisher, putting his origin and all of that up in the air and how this all fits in.
Castle is part of a mercenary group sent on a mission by S.H.I.E.L.D. to retrieve a Cosmic Cube. Standing in the way is AIM and Hydra and for some reason the Hulk gets involved. We’re not quite sure of that motivation and then Spider-Man is recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D. to take on the Hulk… which feels like it’s a complete misunderstanding of power sets on S.H.I.E.L.D.’s part. All of it is convoluted and far more complicated than it needs to be.
The comic stands out as best when it’s Frank and the team he’s working with attempting to escape a Hulk who’s hunting them for the Cosmic Cube. The comic has a Predator vibe to it as members of the squad are picked off and there’s a sense of dread and terror surrounding it all. And honestly, the comic should have just kept it to that. Keep it simple and focused.
Instead, we get Spider-Man thrown into the mix for some reason, a match-up that feels rather one-sided. It’s an odd mix of characters that doesn’t quite click in how it’s presented. It makes things far too complicated and dialing it back a bit, the comic would have excelled and been really interesting (and potentially created more motivation for Frank’s eventual war).
The art by Adam Kubert is what makes the interesting parts actually interesting. With color by Arthur Hesli and lettering by Ariana Maher, Spider-Man: Long Way Home #1 presents the chaos and terror of Frank and his fellow soldiers well. You get a sense that they really don’t know what’s going on and what to do. There’s also small moments as the Hulk picks them off one by one. Stretch all of that out and the comic would be overall much stronger, a horror comic featuring Frank Castle being stalked by the Hulk who’s toying with him the whole time.
Spider-Man: Long Way Home #1 isn’t a bad start but also doesn’t really stand out. It’s an oddity in that it doesn’t really make much of a case for it to exist. It’s entertaining in some ways. It has some moments that stand out. But, it’s a comic you read and generally forget about soon after. It doesn’t shine with so many choices, even many choices with just these characters, out there.
Story: Jonathan Hickman Art: Adam Kubert
Color: Arthur Hesli Letterer: Ariana Maher
Story: 7.75 Art: 7.95 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle
