On the darkest of days, he is the spark in the shadows! After the devastating events of the Hellfire Gala, Kurt Wagner is on the run – and having the time of his life?! Swashbuckling about NYC in disguise, the Uncanny Wallcrawler sets aside his mutant angst and dedicates himself to the hero’s life: saving civilians, hanging with fellow wallcrawlers, battling baddies, and hunting down the best pizza on the planet. But he can’t ignore the mutant plight forever… Uncanny Spider-Man #1 kicks off the next journey for Kurt as he attempts to find redemption and heal from his past.

Written by Si Spurrier, Uncanny Spider-Man #1 is an interesting comic. It’s entertaining and fun overall really emphasizing the playful nature of Nightcrawler. But, it also feels a bit odd in its focus on things that shouldn’t be all that new and surprising for Kurt.

The comic takes us through some adventures of Kurt as he stops bad guys and has run in with Sentinels. It’s all fun action but overall it’s the other moments that really stand out. We get a hurt and still healing Kurt talking to Spider-Man about his current status. The conversation is interesting with real heart and plays off the personalities of the two quite well. But, the negative, is Spurrier’s focus on Kurt the outsider. There’s a focus on his attempt at banter with villains and pizza. The idea of Kurt not knowing pizza all that well feels a bit odd like he’s treated as brand new to New York City and the US as a whole. It just doesn’t feel like something he’d be so surprised about, enjoy like TMNT sure, but there’s a weird focus on it in the comic. But, Spurrier really nail’s Kurt’s playfulness and juxtaposes it with Peter Parker Spider-Man to show that when it comes to other characters donning Spider-Man’s costume, he’s not that odd of a choice.

Lee Garbett‘s art is entertaining. With color by Matt Milla and lettering by Joe Caramagna, the comic has a swashbuckling nature about it, a modern day Three Muskateers vibe as Kurt bamfs in to save the day. Like the story itself, the visuals play off what makes him an interesting character. There’s the exaggerated poses, the bamf, and the tail that make him stand out. There’s also a slight darkness about the comic too which reflects the sad nature of it all as Kurt must clear his name and find direction.

Uncanny Spider-Man #1 is a fun read but there’s moments the characterization of Nightcrawler seems a bit odd and outdated. Still, it’s an interesting new take for the character and with what’s teased, a hell of a big deal for what’s to come for the entire X-Men line.

Story: Si Spurrier Art: Lee Garbett
Color: Matt Milla Letterer: Joe Caramagna Design: Tom Muller, Jay Bowen
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle