Written and Illustrated by: Mike Maihack
Cover by: Mike Maihack
Published by: Abrams Books
Summary:
This graphic novel starts with Peter Parker as Spider-Man. Spider-Man goes through different phases of victory: defeating villains, teaming up with heroes, winning talismans and lastly, making friends. These accomplishments create a great picture of Spider-Man. Spider-Man has a pet pal named “Steve” that accompanies him in this book.
Spider-Man and Steve go on various adventures throughout the book, as villains such as The Rhino wreak havoc in NYC, and he swings in to stop it. As the two brawl, Spider-Man is taken to Asgard by Thor, who was transformed into a toad. After being transported to Asgard, Spider-Man runs into the Collector, who begins to tell him that he needs help in obtaining sacred artifacts that were stolen from Asgard.
The Armor of Sol, the Eternal Flame and the Destroyer were scattered across nine realms. From this point in the story, Spider-Man goes on various missions, from Asgard to Jotunheim. Many of Thor’s friends were turned into animals by the Enchantress, a known villain of Asgard. Thor is a toad; Loki is an alligator. Valkyrie is a brown toad. One of the things I’ve noticed is how easy and approachable this novel is for children. The plot stays simple, from beginning to end, and I think that choosing Asgard was a nice way to introduce the gigantic lore of Thor’s continuity. Many locations were simplified for kid readers, which is a great decision, such as Jotunheim being the land of ice cream, instead of the land of ice giants. Muspelheim became the land of fire, Alfheim became the “land of pretty things”, and more. I think the breakdown of Nordic lore, such as describing how Midgard is Earth, and the structure of Yggdrasil, was fun to read.
Towards the end of the novel, Enchantress appears and reveals to Spider-Man and the crew that her spell-casting caused mischief in Asgard, which leads to a satisfying end, I would say, for both kids and Thor fans such as myself.
I would say that this novel is fun and concise. The plot is easy enough for children to follow, and it still gives enough callbacks for older readers such as myself. Mike Maihack makes fun illustrations that all ages can get into. I think this book will be a great addition to any child’s bookshelf.
Overall: 10/10
India Williams is a comic writer and reviewer based in Florida. She is a lifelong comics fan, with favorites including Thor, Conan, G.I. Joe, and Speed Racer. When she’s not writing comics or reviewing them, she enjoys toy photography.
