Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #20 Review

I have been eagerly anticipating this issue since the last page of #19; and it has really felt like a massive amount of time since I saw that last page. Yes, Venom is back in the Ultimate universe, and he looks as great as he ever has. It is one of the best depictions of the character that I have seen for quite some time, which means that Sara Pichelli is doing such a fantastic job on this issue as always. However, it looks like Miles may have bitten off a bit more than he can chew this time around.

The whole of this issue was pretty much made up of a fight between Venom and Miles, and let me tell you; there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. What we got was a great little battle, which Miles spent most of trying to figure out just how he was going to beat the villain  This is what is great about this book in general; the fact that Miles is still trying to figure out how to be Spider-Man. He has never faced Venom before, which makes battles like this even more intriguing as he is trying to feel out his opponent.

Bendis still includes some humorous touches in this issue, as he has been doing the whole of the series. There was one particular moment when Miles attempted to use the webbing that Ganke had just supplied him with that made me laugh out loud. What really helps with this is just how accurate Pichelli can draw human emotions, which sees the humour just pour off the pages.

The only downside to this book is the fact that we are still waiting for more development of Miles. He has been the new Spider-Man in the ultimate universe for 20 issues now, and he is still a complete rookie. I do not want him to become a vet over night, however it would be nice if he was a bit more polished and a bit more sure of himself; considering everything he has already fought during the series. This is a minor gripe, as I'm sure many people would argue "but we are only 20 issues in". What Bendis is doing here with this series really helps you to overlook a gripe such as this one.

If you have not experiences the Ultimate Spider-Man universe yet for whatever reason, then get involved in this issue. It is a great jumping on point, and I am sure many old school fans will just fall in love with this version of Venom. I really can't wait to see more of him in this series, and how Miles is going to overcome such a strong bad guy. It is also going to be interesting to see just who this new Venom is, as he seems to know a lot about how Miles has become this new Spider-Man. One thing is for sure; the 20th March feels a very long way off.

Rating: 8 / 10

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