Silk #1 Review
By D. Goodman
Silk #1
Written by Robbie Thompson
Art by Stacy Lee
Colored by Ian Herring
Published by Marvel Comics
It seems like every few years, Marvel decides it’s time to try to expand the Spider-Man family of titles, usually with mixed results. For a while, it published Amazing Spider-Man three times a month with an occasional miniseries thrown in. Last time, Marvel launched a number of spinoff series, which included titles starring Venom and the Scarlet Spider, both of which have since ended. Now, in the wake of the hugely successful “Spider-Verse” event, Marvel is going to give it another go, but with a decidedly female spin.
This month sees the launch of both Silk and Spider-Gwen, two characters first introduced in “Spider-Verse” to join the already up and running Spider-Woman title. And while I have yet to read the new Spider-Woman series, I decided to give Silk #1 a try since a) the cover by Dave Johnson is just all kinds of awesome, and b) the premise of a girl bitten by the same radioactive spider that gave Peter Parker his powers but has remained hidden all these years intrigued me.
My interest was well worth it. Although far from perfect, Silk #1 is a solid first issue of a series that could have a long, healthy run.
Live Feed
Along Main Street
For those who haven’t read “Spider-Verse,” Cindy Moon has been kept in a bunker for 10 years, hiding from the Inheritors, the spider-hunting family of killers intent on wiping all Spider-people from the multiverse. When Spider-Man unknowingly releases her from the bunker, he sets the events of “Spider-Verse” in motion. Now that the Spiders have won and the battle is over, Cindy needs to figure out where she belongs in this new world and what happened to her family.
It’s a fascinating set-up that gives Silk a rich and deep backstory before you even dive into the first issue. Robbie Thompson, known for his work as one of the writers for the show Supernatural, hits the ground running, trying his best to give the reader a sense of who Cindy is and what she’s going through. You have a guest appearance by Spider-Man, some very funny moments (Cindy trying to get a handle on her running internal monologue is priceless) and a bit of subplot to further flesh out why she is so desperate to find her family. The dialogue is crisp, the quips amusing, and the plot doesn’t slow down for a second.
As for the art, Stacy Lee does a commendable job on the first issue, giving Silk a look distinct from the rest of the Spider-Man family of titles. It reminds me a great deal of the style being used on DC Comics’ Batgirl right now by Babs Tarr in that is has an almost indie vibe that one would guess is intentional. But while I didn’t really enjoy the look in Batgirl, finding it distracting, here it works to great effect. It makes Cindy and her surroundings seem more real and genuine and makes the book visually stand apart.
My only issue with Silk #1 could also be considered a plus. As I said before, Silk already has a great deal of backstory and history for a character appearing in her first issue, so much so that it may turn off some readers. Unless you’ve read “Spider-Verse” and the issues of Amazing Spider-Man where Cindy was introduced, you’ll probably be a bit lost. There are a lot of moving parts to the story of Silk, and it can be a bit intimidating to the uninitiated. If you don’t mind learning as you go, then you won’t have a problem, but if you like everything laid out for you, you may want to wait for the “Spider-Verse” trades before diving into Silk.
The Bottom Line: Silk #1 is an entertaining first issue for the latest character to join the Spider-Man family. It has all the elements that you would expect from a Spider-Man spinoff as well as something extra that you didn’t even know was missing. As long as you don’t mind the learning curve, there is no reason you shouldn’t enjoy this book.
If the creative team can keep this up at this high a level of quality, I don’t see any reason Silk couldn’t be spinning her web for years to come. Highly recommended.
Next: See Silk's role in the end of Spider-Verse in our Amazing Spider-Man #14 review
More from Bam Smack Pow
- The Expanse: Every character ranked from worst to best
- James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy casts more major DC characters
- New Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom trailer pushes Arthur to his limits
- Monarch: Legacy of Monsters episodes 1 and 2 review: Aftermath
- 7 actors who could replace Ezra Miller as The Flash in the DC Universe