Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #1 Review – Finding A Voice

The aftermath of Marvel’s Clone Conspiracy hasn’t been so great for Ben Reilly, in polar opposition to the original Spider-Man Peter Parker these days. In an effort to lay low, Reilly seeks out a new life in Las Vegas, but it seems ironing out a new goal is going to be harder than it looks.

Spoilers incoming for Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #1, so you’ve been warned.

Ben Reilly is a man looking for a purpose, and as the character goes the book follows. The debut issue is in a unique sort of limbo, and in many ways feels a bit like Deadpool-lite. Writer Peter David‘s take might put off some longtime fans of the character, but that sort of uncomfortableness is important for the character to evolve and find his place in a world with several other popular Spider-characters already residing in it. Still, it might need to go further to make this character stand out. He feels too much like leftovers from a Superior Spider-Man Deadpool double feature and needs to find more of his own identity. For example, that scene in the casino feels like it was lifted straight out of an early cut of Deadpool, as does the scene in the alleyway.

The first half of the book is much stronger than the last half, and Reilly dueling his inner demons makes for plentiful banter and character development opportunities, a place the book excels in. When Reilly is discussing his reasoning for reviving people in Clone Conspiracy, it allowed readers into his thinking, something that Clone Conspiracy touched on but frankly didn’t really analyze to a satisfying degree. This is where the book has an opportunity to really shine, and while it is teased here there isn’t enough of it.

It does help to have Mark Bagley on art duties to give a sense of familiarity to this new world Reilly finds himself in, and his work on the new costume design is stellar. The art can’t overcome the sense of deja vu throughout. More fleshing out is needed to keep this take fresh, as the book feels like a promising concept without a plan. Hopefully, fans will get to see a plan take shape in future issues.

Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars.

Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #1 is written by Peter David with art by Mark Bagley. The official description can be found below.

One of the most controversial characters in comics has returned — and the controversy has only BEGUN! In the aftermath of THE CLONE CONSPIRACY, Ben has a new take on life…and he’s not the same Scarlet Spider he was before. Come witness what will be the most talked about comic of the year!

Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #1 is in comic stores now.

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