Dark Web Finale #1: Hell or High Hopes

This issue was pretty fun, Zeb Wells has a good feel for the numerous characters, and I feel each character gets their turn. I felt the X-men were a bit meme-ified and out of character, but I didn’t mind something a bit lighter in their case. Truthfully I didn’t follow this event too closely, mainly reading the main event issues and the Spider-Man tie-ins. Still, I plan on reading the rest based solely on how much I enjoyed everything I DID read, and that’s a better endorsement than you’ll get from most events.

I was a bit unsatisfied with the resolution between Peter and Ben; it seems like it would have been so easy to give Ben what he wanted with this many telepaths in the universe.

The issue was, by and large, an action scene, and it was delightful, with Bedlam tearing through the demons and the X-men facing off against the Insidious Six. Rek-rap had his moments as well, and I’m surprised and excited he made it out of the event alive; I hope he comes back soon and never leaves.

I didn’t get much resolution on Ben’s girlfriend being written as a fawning plot device and nothing else, with her being foisted to parts unknown without having a single thought beyond serving Ben. Sigh.

The art is stellar, with the myriad action panels being laid out wonderfully; I particularly love a sequence of Bedlam destroying a group of demons in a frenzy. Obviously, in every meeting with Rek-rap in it, he’s a scene stealer. The primary fight between Spider-Man and Bedlam is only six panels, but they are excellent; I love an integrated sound effect. The colors by Frank Martin are typically spectacular for one of the hardest-working colorists in comics; in anyone else’s hands, this very heavily warm-toned issue could feel washed out.