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Wondering what the first issue of Superior Spider-Man is all about, or what the series is all about? I don’t blame you. While at the hands of Doctor Octavius, Peter Parker’s body was stolen by Doc Ock himself, who was able to swap out of his dying body prior to his death. But what is this new wall-crawler all about?
In issue 1, the new “Peter Parker” shows his wealth battling the new Sinister Six (a bunch of bad guys). He is able to implant nanobots into one of them, which included GPS coordinates and an audio feed. He has also been able to outsmart them every step of the way, a nod to how this new Spider-Man is smarter.
This new Peter Parker, with an earpiece, is able to spy on the Sinister Six and court Mary Jane simultaneously. He is also able to work on brilliant new projects in Horizon Labs, a state of the art lab facility that the former Doctor Octopus couldn’t be happier to get his hands on. This scenario of making moves of Mary Jane, who is technically his ex-wife, has been controversial. The mind of Doc Ock had been working over-time to hook up with Mary Jane, but she knows nothing about what is actually going on.
The real surprise though is the revelation that the real Peter Parker did not cross over when he died. His soul is still present and watching, and wants to find a way back. This first issue is exciting, and is a great start. Revealing that Parker’s true soul still exists leaves open a window to have him return to his old body, if the fans hate this new comic series. Personally, I think it is an exciting twist. Be sure to get your hands (Affiliate Link) on this issue.
For those who are curious, the series ends with Octavius realizing that he must relinquish control back to Peter Parker in order to save the day. Problems with The Green Goblin come to haunt him after he finds a bug in Octavius’ surveillance equipment that he was using to monitor the city. When things go from bad to worse, it turns out that Peter’s capacity for love was necessary to resolve everything. I know that’s vague, but I’m not explaining every detail.
The Ironic Body-Swap
In order to gain a full appreciation of the irony that underlies this plot twist, we need to delve deep into the character traits of both Doctor Octopus and Peter Parker. For example, Doctor Octopus is a great scientist who is motivated by a desire for power and authority. Although he has exceptional intelligence, he is usually portrayed as weak and physically insignificant.
However, Peter Parker is a high school student who suddenly acquires superpowers due to a stroke of fortune and evolves into the famous superhero Spider-Man. In contrast to his extraordinary strength, Peter’s character is frequently unassuming and self-sacrificing, using his powers for the common good, protecting the defenseless, and fighting wickedness.
When we look at these character traits in this manner, the irony behind Doctor Octopus having changed places with Peter Parker is evident. This is a villain who has, for many years, envied Spider-Man’s powers and made several attempts to overpower him. Then something strange happens – he not only has what he always wanted but also turns into Spider-man himself; this is why “be careful what you wish for”, because Dr. Octopus ends up getting trapped inside the body he initially thought was weak.