Scarlet Spider the comic equivalent of shined shit. Let me explain…

Kaine was born in the era of the EXTREME in one of the most universally reviled storylines of all time: The Clone Saga. Quite easily he could have been swept under the rug and forgotten about, occasionally brought out like a picture of your teenage self with a bad haircut and shown to your significant other.

What we’re given, however, is something to truly be admired. While maybe not re-re-reintroduced in the smoothest of ways, Kaine, a.k.a. the Scarlet Spider, is now doing something very few books are doing in the Marvel Universe: being independent.

Here we see Kaine running around the streets of Houston, which to all those who passed third grade social studies, is not New York City. This gives the book such a removed sense of independence, allowing Yost to create a new world, filled with interesting individuals who aren’t named Wolverine, Iron Man or Thor.

Moving on to this specific issue, Kaine is em bridled with a group known as The Rangers, a seemingly Roxxon-owned super team, set to defend their employer and the Southwest at large. However not all is as it seems, and the empowered group tends to side with Kaine in that perhaps Roxxon is more sinner than saint. The issue leaves us with a big reveal that perhaps Kaine ain’t just whistlin’ Dixie.

As per usual, Yost is delivering a solid book filled with interesting dialog and a unique world (despite it being a real life city.) And of course the on and off team of Khoi Pham and Tom Palmer contribute their art to a colorful yet gritty world in which their kinetic art style lends itself well.

All-in-all, if you are a Spider-fan, odds are you already have your grubby hands on this issue and are rewarded for it. For those that don’t, swing on down (see what I did there?) to your local comic store and see what all the hub-bub is about. You won’t be disappointed.