Spider-Man & Friends (UK Magazine) #59

Background

Published every four weeks back in 2011, this UK magazine featured a toy taped to the front of each issue. Inside you would find a four page Spidey & Friends story with three panels per page, captions of 8-20 words per panel. Then there's some nice simple kids puzzles, some coloring, a couple of competitions, and a page or two of Spidey merchandise.

It was one of three Panini Publishing UK Marvel magazines at the time, the others being Spectacular Spider-Man (UK Magazine) and Marvel Heroes (UK Magazine). But this one targeted the youngest market segment, with "learning-to-read" content.

I missed this issue the first time around, and they're super-hard to find on eBay. After a few years searching, I managed to stumble across this one.

Story 'The Best!'

Wolverine has special claws for "climbing trees". He can also sneak up on wild animals and track someone over a hundred miles just by their smell.

"I'M THE BEST." says Wolverine. And he's right – he's the best at what he does. But what he does is licensed by Disney.

Then Spidey wonders what he is the best at. Oh, yeah! He can stick to things! Wolvie and the Web-Head go on a journey to find out what things the other heroes are best at.

1. Captain America: Catching Things.
2. Storm & Thor: Making it Rain (down at the club...house).
3. Iron Man: Inventing.
4. Hulk: Carrying Stuff (like library books).
5. Doctor Octopus: Putting things away (like library books).
6. Silver Surfer: Flying.
7. Rhino: Crashing into Things.

General Comments

Awwww... everybody is awesome.

Right in the feels, man

Overall Rating

To me, "Spider-Man & Friends" was the most successful of the Panini UK Magazines.

Sure, it's a genre-bending rework that verges on the absurd. But that separation from "Normal Marvel" allowed an un-self-conscious freedom, and permitted it to stay true to a clear and well-understood mission.

Them's a lot of sesquipedalian words just to say that I like a kids' magazine.

Four webs.