Spider-Man: Revenge of the Sinister Six

Spider-Man (1990) #15, 18-23

by Erik Larsen, Terry Kavanagh, Scott McDaniel (Illustrator)

Collects Spider-Man (1990) #15, 18-23.

The Six have never been more sinister than in this star-studded saga! They've looted and slaughtered their way across an alien world, and Earth is next! If even Spider-Man's strength, wit and new web cannons can't stop the murderous miscreants and their robot army, it may take a dozen heroes to win the day - but one of the Six outweighs and outpowers all of them combined! Guest-starring Ghost Rider, the Incredible Hulk, Deathlok and more!

Genres: Comics, Spider Man, Marvel, Graphic Novels

169 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 5, 2012

About the author

As a child growing up in Bellingham, Washington and Albion, California, Erik Larsen created seveal comic books featuring versions of a character named 'Dragon.' He eventually published a fanzine, which led to his doing professional work on a comic book called Megaton for creator Gary Carlson. It was here that he introduced the Dragon, a super powered superhero, to the comic-reading masses.
After a multitude of mailings, showing his work, Erik became aquainted with Jim Shooter, who was, at that point, Marvel's Editor-in-Chief. Erik eventually met Jim at a convention in Chicago and Jim was impressed enough with Erik's work that he consented to co-plot a story with him on the spot. That story was a battle between Marvel Comics characters Hulk & Thor. Although it wasn't actually published until years later, it did impress a variety of Editors enough to get Larsen some more high-profile work in the funnybook field.

Erik jumped around various books in this part of his career. He did an Amazing Spider-Man fill-in story at Marvel, a few issues of DNAgents for Eclipse, and he eventually took over the art chores on DC's Doom Patrol. Soon afterwards, he left DC and moved on to the Punisher for Marvel. Five issues of that book was about as much pain as that poor Minnesota boy could stand. Erik wanted to write and when a Nova serial was given the thumbs up to run in Marvel Comics Presents with Erik as the writer/artist, he gladly left the Punisher. But it was not to be! The powers that be had other plans for Nova and Erik's yarn didn't fit in with the impending New Warriors series. Editor Terry Kavanaugh gave Larsen an Excalibur serial to draw for Marvel Comics Presents while the poor bastard waited for his big break.

When ever-popular artist Todd McFarlane left his artistic duties on Amazing Spider-Man, Larsen was chosen to be his successor. That run was astoundingly well-recieved, and included popular stories like 'The Return of the Sinister Six', 'The Cosmic Spider-Man', and 'The Powerless Spider-Man'. Although he was comfortable with his position as Amazing Spider-Man penciller, he was frustrated drawing other people's stories. Larsen found that his ravenous desire to write had only gotten stronger. He left Amazing Spider-Man, quite pooped.

By this time, the New Warriors was going full tilt and Erik tossed together a proposal for a Nova ongoing series. While he waited for it to get the nod, Todd McFarlane left the new Spider-Man title that he had launched. Erik was called upon once again picked up the torch - and he ran with it. Larsen created a memorable albeit brief run on that title, despite a traumatic event in his personal life - his house burned to the ground, destroying all of his childhood drawings and comic books.

After this period, creator Rob Liefeld invited Larsen to help found a new comic book imprint called 'Image' at Malibu comics, alongside notorious creators Todd McFarlane, Rob Liefeld, Jim Lee, Marc Silvestri, and Jim Valentino. Erik's flagship comic book at Image (which soon left Malibu and became the third lagest comic book publisher in the United States) was an updated version of his childhood creation -- 'The Savage Dragon.' Larsen has been succeeding with his ideas ever since, through his creations Freak Force, Star, SuperPatriot and the Deadly Duo as well as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles which he helped revitalize and bring to Image.

As of 2004, Erik Larsen became the Publisher of Image Comics and shows no sign of slowing down.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Erik Larsen's last Spider-Man work before he went off to Image. This thing is one big slugfest with as many guest stars as Larsen could pack in. The Sinister Six's big plan for world domination, collect lots of guns. That's it. One thing the book made me greatly appreciate is that Spider-Man is so much better not married. Half of the book is Mary Jane whining about how dangerous fighting crime is and a subplot where she wants to act in a movie where she'd have to do a nude scene. All of these MJ subplots in the 90's were terrible.

[Devero · Rating 2 out of 5]

Prima di andare a unirsi ai fondatori della Image, Erik Larsen accettò comunque di realizzare questo ciclo, in sostituzione di McFarlane, su Spider-man. La storia, per quanto disegnata certamente meglio rispetto a McF. risente di tutti i difetti tipici di quei primi anni '90: guest-stars a gogo, situazioni improbabili tipo Doc Oc che sbatacchia Hulk (nella sua personalità di Professore) per diverse pagine con nonchalance, coprotagonisti arrabbiati e protagonisti riempiti di spallacci, ammenicoli tecnologici vari. Molte botte, introspezione nulla e trama spicciola, ma comunque meglio di quanto aveva fatto McF. Quindi le 2 stelle il volume le merita anche per via del formato di lusso e della qualità di stampa di questa edizione americana.

[Curtis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm reviewing this today after having read it a quarter of a decade ago, purely for my own records (because until just now, I'd always confused it with another Spider-Man arc).

I borrowed this at the age of 11-12 from my local library alongside (or maybe shortly after borrowing) The Return of the Sinister Six, which I think was the first Spider-Man/Marvel comic I think I ever read (certainly the first trade), and which I loved.

I don't remember much about this one other than it coming as a big disappointment when compared to the first, and that I didn't enjoy it very much overall. I'll probably never read it again, so here it is, consigned to the book graveyard my Goodreads account has become.

[Kelvin Green · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll be honest, in terms of writing, this is a bit of a mess, and it shows Erik Larsen's lack of experience as a writer. It's choppy, erratic, and often bizarre (and not in a good way), but at the same time there are a couple of inventive sequences, and a shedload of enthusiasm and energy that *almost* carry it.

The art is much stronger, with lots of the expected Larsen energy but also some clever storytelling moments. I could have done without the way Mary Jane is portrayed, ironic, given that one of the major subplots is Peter's anger at MJ potentially taking an exploitative film role. Oh, the 90s.

[Kelen Conley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had the penultimate issue of this trade for years and I always wondered how it started and ended. Now that I have my answers, I can't say I regret reading this trade because Larsen's artwork is gorgeous. The plot leaves a little to be desired but turns out Erik lost his home to a fire during the production of these issues so I can't even fault things there. Definitely gives you all the 90s team up nostalgia you need plus a little MJ/Peter behind the scenes bickering over her movie role choices. Not essential Spidey reading though.

[Jordan Mccoy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art was great. This book is very 90’s with an emphasis on art instead of story. Things just tend to happen because the story needs them to happen and characters seemingly pass each other on a whim. The art is sometimes very cool and interesting and other times very busy and nauseating. Honestly the best part of this book for me is the prelude issue where spider man seeks out beast to better understand the complications of having a child with his genetics. Everything else I can take it or leave it.

[curtis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty classic example of early 90s Spider-Man, with all the bells and whistles: frenetic action, awkwardly-contrived team-ups, and impossibly high stakes. Erik Larsen’s artwork alone is worth the read, and while it’s obvious at turns that he’s still very much a fledgling writer, he actually worked hard to portray Peter Parker with as much depth as Spider-Man. A solid story arc from a really fun era of Spider-Man.

[Gordon Mcghie]

An old favourite revisited

I remember reading this story when it first released. At the time I was delighted to see the Sinister Six back in action, looking back now I still enjoy the story a lot but it just feels too busy at times. Huge cast of heroes and long pages of dialogue at times. Still a fun read

[Alexys · Rating 4 out of 5]

i want a sinister six movie so bad

[Adam Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book collects Spider-man #15 and #18-23 of the 1990s series Spider-man. The first issue telling the tale of Spider-man and the Beast teaming up in a one-off, the last six collect the title story for the book, Revenge of the Sinister Six which begins with the Sinister Six seeking revenge on Otto Octavius, who has betrayed them.

Positives: This book features a ton of guest stars which has positives and negatives. Many of these are quite obscure but among the guest stars are the early 1990s Incredible Hulk and the Fantastic Four. The relationship between Mary Jane and Peter is great as Mary Jane has got the opportunity for a big part but it involves appearing nude and Peter's not happy. The way it plays out shows how they actually make it each other better. In addition to this, the trade paperback features a back up story that ran in these issues in which Spider-man battled Diablo and it's a good story.

Negative: The book represents typical 1990s artwork which means its kind of garish and tacky in its attempt to be extreme and grity. It kind of goes against one theme of the book where Spider-man points out that he's not one of those grim and gritty heroes. He's old school. It's hard to make the case when everything in the book is drawn 90s style.

The other problem is that with the parade of guest stars and with the Sinister Six itself, the book is hard to follow. Most of the Six are kept off stage for most of the book and other than perhaps Octavius (who has a great battle with the Hulk), none of them is really allowed to shine, and whatever Doc Ock's world dominating plan was is kind of lost on me.

Overall, not bad if you see it a library. Couldn't recommend buying it retail.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

An example of a comic series I loved in the 90's that doesn't hold up... silly pointless story, terrible "witty" banter, shallow guest stars (Solo? Ugh...) - this is such a 1990s read, not in a good way.