- Written by: Brad Meltzer
- Art by: Pepe Larraz
- Colors by: Matthew Wilson
- Letters by: VC’s Clayton Cowles
- Cover art by: Pepe Larraz (cover A)
- Cover price: $7.99
- Release date: April 22, 2026
Marvel / DC: Spider-Man / Superman #1 (Marvel, 4/22/26): A small army of writers team up the legends of DC Comics with the heroes of Marvel for an anthology that brings the (almost) best of both worlds together. The anthology is filled with more art than action, but it’s a relatively satisfying read. Verdict: Worth your precious money.
First Impressions
Let’s just get this out of the way now. Is this version of a Superman/Spider-Man crossover anthology better or worse than the DC version, which was released about a month ago? It’s better. Not a lot better, but better enough that you feel like you get your money’s worth. Marvel should have made better choices with the B- and C-tier characters for the anthology shorts, but it’s still a decent purchase.
Plot Synopsis (Main Story)
Spider-Man and Superman find themselves trapped in an underground cavern that’s collapsing. Superman is weak from Kryptonite exposure, and Spidey’s spider-sense is not working. As the two heroes talk while looking for a way out, a Goblin bomb is dropped into the cavern, unleashing escalating levels of Kryptonite radiation. However, the Kryptonite isn’t meant to kill Superman; it’s meant to weaken him enough for the Venom symbiote ooze hiding in the cavern to take control of the Kryptonian. Suddenly, Venom/Superman bursts through the asphalt of NYC to wreak havoc, with Spider-Man chasing close behind.
Spider-Man figures out a way to dislodge the Kryptonite Goblin Bomb from Venom, giving Superman an opportunity to recover and escape. The issue ends with Peter Parker and Clark Kent bonding over dinner.
Anthology Stories
Metropolis Marvels
In 1938 NYC, J. Jonah Jameson is about to get the death penalty for a crime he didn’t commit. Spider-Man Noir believes he’s too late to save Jameson, but he intends to eliminate the man responsible – Lex Luthor. When the bullets start flying, Noir’s attempt at justice is interrupted by the Man of Steel to save Jameson and see that justice is done through Truth, Justice, and the American Way.
Dan Slott’s quick story of WWII-era heroes on opposite sides of doing justice is fast, action-packed, and snappy. That said, the art is too flat and too bright for the Noir aesthetic.
Sweethearts
College students Lana Lang and Gwen Stacy bond over their shared lamentations of immature… except that someone special in their respective lives – Clark Kent and Peter Parker. While the ladies chat, Superman battles Sandman at an amusement park, and Spider-Man fights Metallo at a shipyard. The short ends with Peter and Clark meeting up with the ladies, proving them to be chronically late.
I suppose this short by Joe Kelly is meant to pair with the Tom King short in the DC version of the anthology, depicting MJ and Lana Lang bonding while their “boys” tussle. The banter is cute enough, although it dips a little too far into condescending misandry.
Identity War
Saturn Queen arrives from the future with a Red Rage Lantern and gifts it to Mysterio to do his worst. The master of illusion infects the Hulk with Red Lantern energy, causing an infectious wave of rage to cover the planet. Ultimately, only a handful of heroes are able to resist the rage, including Ben Grimm. The survivors hatch a plan to confront the Hulk and talk to him to calm him down. Of course, Superman is the only hero kind enough to save the day, but the Thing learns a valuable lesson about talking instead of being angry all the time.
Geoff Johns, Gary Frank, and Brad Anderson (The Geiger gang from Ghost Machine) deliver a story that’s equal parts end-of-the-world action and social commentary. The concept is strong, the art is fantastic, but the preachiness is too heavy-handed.
Ghosting
Hobgoblin breaks into Steel Works to steal a prototype material that renders whoever it covers invisible to all forms of detection. Steel shows up to stop the villain, but it’s the Mighty Hammer of Thor that saves the day.
Short, sweet, and to the point. Louise Simonson’s tale is snappy fun that gives characters from two publishers a chance to interact for a few panels. That said, the limited page space is taken up with a lot of (too much?) exposition about the material (nicknamed “Ghosting” by Hobgoblin). Fortunately, Todd Nauck’s artwork is excellent.
Remarkable
Ghost Spider pays a visit to Metropolis and crosses paths with Supergirl. Each is somewhat disappointed to meet the derivative of the hero they wished to meet, trading barbs after an icy ‘hello’. Suddenly, Livewire creates chaos in the streets below, calling out Superman for a fight. The two heroes race to the scene, first competing, then collaborating to take Livewire down.
Stephanie Phillips lends her talents to the anthology with a Mean Girls vibe and a quick bit of action. The heroes ultimately become friends after a forced team-up, but getting there is a bumpy ride. Plus, Phil Noto’s is serviceable but stiff.
The One Thing…
Miles Morales patrols a quiet NYC when he sees a crash landing of sorts on a nearby rooftop. He finds Superman crashed to Earth with a glowing green object stuck to his chest. Superman explains he was attacked when he intervened in a collaboration between Brainiac and Dormammu. While Superman recovers, Miles asks Superman for advice about what he would do differently if her were still Miles’ age. Superman concludes the short by giving Miles solid advice before the two charge off to stop the demon and the robot.
Brian Michael Bendis’ pep talk is just the right mix of mentor/mentee energy that Miles doesn’t get enough of from his regular interactions with Spider-Man. The pep talk is outstanding, and the visual energy from Sara Pichelli is top-notch.
The Wondrous & The Worthy
Darkseid has attacked the Earth, aided by the symbiote goo bonded to himself and his parademons. Only a handful of heroes remain, including Jane Foster/Thor. During an intense battle, She-Thor is saved by Wonder Woman, and the two heroes extol each other’s virtues before continuing the fight.
Jason Aaron uses the opportunity to elevate Jane Foster’s Thor persona with a little help and a lot of validation from Wonder Woman. The short is little more than a brief scene or vignette, but it’s a perfectly adequate character (re)introduction.
One Of Those Days
Superman lands on a rooftop where Spider-Man is feeling down. The short takes place on or in close proximity to the death of Gwen Stacy. Spider-Man laments the pain of getting through the bad days. Superman responds by giving Spider-Man just the pep talk he needs before flying away.
Jeph Loeb’s pep talk is fairly simple, but placing it around the events of Gwen Stacy’s death is an interesting twist. Loeb’s depiction of each hero is strong but restrained, so you get a pleasant sense of who they are, even if there isn’t a drop of action to be found.
Pros and Cons
What We Loved
- The anthology isn’t an unqualified homerun, but the positives greatly outweigh the negatives.
- The artwork ranges from good to great
- The strongest story in the bunch is, unexpectedly, the Miles Morales and Superman team-up.
Room for Improvement
- There are too many side character team-ups.
- The weakest shorts are a toss up between Sweethearts and Remarkable
- The main story lacked a proper setup.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
The Scorecard
Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): 3/4
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): 3/4
Value (Originality & Entertainment): 1.5/2
Final Thoughts
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Marvel / DC: Spider-Man / Superman #1 delivers on the promise of the premise by teaming up the Big Blue Boy Scout with the Friendly Neighborhood Spidey in the main story, but takes a left turn with randomized team-ups in the anthology shorts. While the collection isn’t perfect, it’s solid and better than the DC version of the multi-publisher crossover.
7.5/10
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