“Yesterday’s” Comic> Spider-Man: Friends And Enemies #1

They’re going to punch the guy who thought “Metahumes” was a good team name in the 90s.

Spider-Man: Friends And Enemies #1

Marvel (January, 1995)

“Power Meetings”

WRITER: Danny Fingeroth

PENCILER: Ron Lim

INKER: Mark McKenna

COLORIST: Ben Sean

LETTERER: Pat Brosseau

EDITOR: Nel Yomtov

In an issue of Darkhawk I don’t currently own our hero left some crystals hiding in Central Park. Unfortunately, while he was off fighting a villain (I’m assuming the reason he had to hide them fast) a concert came up. Speedball and Nova arrived, the latter to enjoy the concert and the former to enjoy the adulation. The cops asked them to leave so they can keep the crowd calm(er). While waiting for the concert seven people find the crystals which gives them superpowers. Darkhawk makes the connection and recruits Speedball and Nova (the other New Warriors being unavailable) to help find the crystals. During their search they bump into Spider-Man who agrees to join them. They better hurry. One of the empowered has the ability to control the others, and he’s a thieving con artist who dubs them “Metahumes”. But some shadowy figures have a darker use for the kids he controls.

What they got right: A superhero team-up where the heroes aren’t fighting each other? I hope that sticks because it’s getting rarer to see, and Marvel practically invented heroes not getting along. The plot isn’t exactly new but I’ll see where it goes before I judge. (Although I don’t think I have the whole miniseries. In fact, this might be the only issue I currently have, but I could be wrong. that’s how overly massive my comic collection currently is.)

What they got wrong: I linked to Ron Lim’s website to see how good his art is, and it’s pretty good. Well he either got better or the inker messed up his style because the art is not very good. More of those exaggerated expressions the 90s are famous for, with Speedball (who is written as a jerk) looking the worst for it, and I’ve seen him under better artists. Also, “Metahumes“, short for Metahumans, which is DC’s answer to the mutants of the Marvel Universe, so possibly being a weak name (maybe the shadow people are right about Flynn lacking imagination) may be the least of the name’s problems. But it still stinks(who’s.

Recommendation: It’s a good setup but it depends on where it goes before I can give it a proper recommendation.