4. Superior Spider-Man #22 by Dan Slott, Christos Gage and Humberto Ramos (Marvel)
This shipping schedule is something else, isn't it? It feels like not a week passes without a Superior Spider-Man issue popping up on the shelves! A new story arc begins in this issue as Spidey encounters Venom/Flash Thompson for the first time since Doc Ock took over Peter's body. Venom takes down Crime Master's operations while Peter unveils Parker Industries, his new company. Jay and May visit the new company they helped fund and Peter decides to introduce his new girlfriend Anna Maria to them soon. But Venom's shenanigans attract the notice of Spidey and he heads out to take down Venom and separate the symbiote from Flash - though where will it go... ? I think like a lot of readers, once I realised Superior Spider-Man was going to be long-term, I've been waiting to see how Ock would react to the Venom symbiote, though this issue is more table-setting for that confrontation. We get some fighting between Spidey and Venom and see how Ock's developed yet more cool gadgets, but the Superior Venom that's got to happen will probably be next issue (just wait until next week or so!). My favourite scene in the issue though was May observing Anna Maria at the lab and giggling at her appearance - Anna Maria is a little person. She also doesn't know she's Peter's new beau, so I'm looking forward to that awkward dinner scene in forthcoming issues! May wasn't being mean really, she's from an older generation, and so on... I also like how the supervillains are now selling their costumed reputations to the highest bidder. It's like a weird Marvel version of building up your business and selling it off when you retire! Crime Master isn't the real Crime Master but someone who bought the identity, much like Phil Urich's Hobgoblin. It's adding another layer to the series talking about identity where Spider-Man isn't the real Spider-Man - it's very smart. Lots of fun scenes and a great new storyline abound in Superior Spider-Man #22, another fine issue in one of Marvel's best titles of the year.