Spider-Man & Wolverine #4: A Worldwide Mess

Spider-Man & Wolverine #4 has been a series of unfettered excitement, one that trades the complexities of its two title characters for the sake of simple, drama-fueled action that sings with the artwork of Kaare Andrews. With its fourth issue, the series begins to complicate itself with multiple narrative developments and momentary character conflicts that all fight for room in an already crowded issue.

Even without Andrews on art, the series continues strong in the visual department with Gerardo Sandoval. Most of—if not the entire—appeal of this title lies in its explosive, throwback visuals, and it feels as though Andrews never left. Sandoval is on the same level in terms of layouts and visual language. The difference between the two really comes down to minor stylistic nuances, with Sandoval’s work leaning a bit more “of the era” than Andrews, even with his own brand of ’90s-inspired art.

That being said, there is only so much “rule of cool” one can possibly cram into a single issue, and this one really pushes that limit. Between the random teleportation, the conflict development with the main villain, and even more characters thrown into the mix, it can be hard to maintain a grip on the title’s whirlwind pace. There’s an interesting decision made regarding our main villain’s identity—one that promises further depth and development down the line—but with how fast this issue moves, any setup of interest has little time to truly stake its claim as a narrative thread worth investing in.