Spider-Man Marvel Adventures #15

Background

This is a different Spider-Man than you remember. This version is targeted towards a younger audience, and has a slightly different continuity and background to the hero than the one that us old timers remember. Still, the important things here are that Peter Parker is still Spidey, he lives with his Aunt May, and he is 15 years old. Also, Spidey’s name tops the book’s header, so we know it’s still all about him — as a teen in the modern-day world.

Story 'Council of Doom'

This is it, kids; Spidey faces off against Dr. Doom. Online Daily Bugle Reporter Vickie Dainer is reporting live outside the UN where Latverian Dictator, Victor Von Doom is addressing the UN, demanding trade concessions towards his country, even as he is holding the building all of the delegates, staff, and visitors hostage inside. Stranded outside, unable to help are several heroes, including Daredevil, Iron Fist, and Spider-Girl. Trapped inside are several tour groups, including one from Midtown High, that count among their number, Peter Parker and his girlfriend, the mutant, Chat.

Pete and Chat are attempting to determine their best course of action just as a team of Doombots clear the way for Doom himself. As the monarch strides past, Peter notices that Doom is caring a trigger device in his hand. Pete correctly deduces that the device will set off the bombs that Doom has planted in the building. Slipping away, Pete prepares to change into his fighting togs. Hanging onto his cell phone, Spidey promises Chat to stay in touch as he crawls through the air vents.

He happens across a group of people hiding out in a utility room and enlists their help in order to distract Doom and wrest the trigger away from him. While Chat attempts to get recon intel from the various animals around the building (Pigeons, a dog, a goldfish) a janitor attempts to wheel a dumpster hiding Spidey past a couple of Doombots. As they inspect the dumpster, Spidey manages to slip past them crawling across the ceiling.

Spidey makes it all the way to the General Chamber when he is finally spotted by Doom. Fortunately our teen hero is swift enough to web the trigger away from the surprised Doom. Once he has the device, Spidey hightails it out of the chamber with the monarch hot on his heels. Spidey, Doom, and the ‘bots mix it up. Then Spidey ducks out, tossing the trigger into the dumpster as chat and the janitor attempt to hide it.

Spidey exits the building passing Dainer and the crowds as Doom continues to chase Spider-Man into the City, away from the UN. A few blocks away, Doom realizes that he’s been duped, and that Spidey tossed the device into the dumpster. So he starts to head back, only now, Spidey has doubled back and is once again fighting the ‘bots as Doom returns to the UN. As he manages to drop some of the robots, Spidey spots Chat driving a box truck. As Doom approaches, Spider-Man once more attempts to stop him.

Chat struggles to keep the truck on the road as Spidey and Doom fight on the roof of the moving vehicle. Ultimately she can’t control the truck and it crashes. Doom approaches the truck just as Spidey and numerous armed men all draw down on Doom, telling him to stand down. Just then the real Doom shows up, explaining that the Doom that held the UN hostage and chased Spidey across NY was just another Doombot that was malfunctioning. However, Spidey reveals that the newly-arrived Doom is actually the Robot and the one that has been chasing him around really is Doom and not a ‘bot.

Doom is taken away and Spidey returns to Chat, thanking her for the assistance. Spidey also thanks the Chat’s little dog who is the one who really sniffed out the true Doom.

General Comments

This is a cute story and it held together well, especially the part about the dog being able to sniff the sweat on Doom. Sure the story is simple and almost too easy to tell, but we need remember that this is for younger kids, and thus, comes off quite well.

Overall Rating

As cute as the story is, we can’t help but to feel that the stories are being written down for their potential audience.

Footnote

As I’m writing these reviews several months after the books were published it is becoming clearer that the title is about to get canceled and re-rebooted.