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Civil War: A Marvel Comics Event
Civil War: Spider-Man
Life couldn't be more complicated - or more dangerous - for Peter Parker. After rushing to the aftermath of the Stamford Massacre, he travels with Tony Stark to Washington, D.C., where the enactment of the Superhuman Registration Act appears imminent. As the Marvel Universe braces for the implications of legislation that will forever change the societal status of super heroes, Peter is forced to make what may be the most important decision of his life. As Civil War tears apart the super hero community, will Spidey stay true to that decision? COLLECTING: Amazing Spider-Man #529-538, Sensational Spider-Man #28-34, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11-16.
544 pages, Hardcover
First published January 26, 2011
2 people are currently reading
205 people want to read
About the author
J. Michael Straczynski
1,372 books1,281 followersJoseph Michael Straczynski is an American filmmaker and comic book writer. He is the founder of Synthetic Worlds Ltd. and Studio JMS and is best known as the creator of the science fiction television series Babylon 5 (1993–1998) and its spinoff Crusade (1999), as well as the series Jeremiah (2002–2004) and Sense8 (2015–2018). He is the executor of the estate of Harlan Ellison.
Straczynski wrote the psychological drama film Changeling (2008) and was co-writer on the martial arts thriller Ninja Assassin (2009), was one of the key writers for (and had a cameo in) Marvel's Thor (2011), as well as the horror film Underworld: Awakening (2012), and the apocalyptic horror film World War Z (2013). From 2001 to 2007, Straczynski wrote Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man, followed by runs on Thor and Fantastic Four. He is the author of the Superman: Earth One trilogy of graphic novels, and he has written Superman, Wonder Woman, and Before Watchmen for DC Comics. Straczynski is the creator and writer of several original comic book series such as Rising Stars, Midnight Nation, Dream Police, and Ten Grand through Joe's Comics.
A prolific writer across a variety of media and former journalist, Straczynski is the author of the autobiography Becoming Superman (2019) for HarperVoyager, the novel Together We Will Go (2021) for Simon & Schuster, and Becoming a Writer, Staying a Writer (2021) for Benbella Books. In 2020 he was named Head of the Creative Council for the comics publishing company Artists, Writers and Artisans.
Straczynski is a long-time participant in Usenet and other early computer networks, interacting with fans through various online forums (including GEnie, CompuServe, and America Online) since 1984. He is credited as being the first TV producer to directly engage with fans on the Internet and to allow viewer viewpoints to influence the look and feel of his show. Two prominent areas where he had a presence were GEnie and the newsgroup rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated.
Straczynski wrote the psychological drama film Changeling (2008) and was co-writer on the martial arts thriller Ninja Assassin (2009), was one of the key writers for (and had a cameo in) Marvel's Thor (2011), as well as the horror film Underworld: Awakening (2012), and the apocalyptic horror film World War Z (2013). From 2001 to 2007, Straczynski wrote Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man, followed by runs on Thor and Fantastic Four. He is the author of the Superman: Earth One trilogy of graphic novels, and he has written Superman, Wonder Woman, and Before Watchmen for DC Comics. Straczynski is the creator and writer of several original comic book series such as Rising Stars, Midnight Nation, Dream Police, and Ten Grand through Joe's Comics.
A prolific writer across a variety of media and former journalist, Straczynski is the author of the autobiography Becoming Superman (2019) for HarperVoyager, the novel Together We Will Go (2021) for Simon & Schuster, and Becoming a Writer, Staying a Writer (2021) for Benbella Books. In 2020 he was named Head of the Creative Council for the comics publishing company Artists, Writers and Artisans.
Straczynski is a long-time participant in Usenet and other early computer networks, interacting with fans through various online forums (including GEnie, CompuServe, and America Online) since 1984. He is credited as being the first TV producer to directly engage with fans on the Internet and to allow viewer viewpoints to influence the look and feel of his show. Two prominent areas where he had a presence were GEnie and the newsgroup rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 8, 2023
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24 Hour Comicbook Reading Vlog || Timer Method!
I went in already having a good knowledge of this storyline but was excited to actually read it nonetheless. What’s super weird though is how the omnibus is laid out. The first half focuses solely on the main storyline of Civil War— Peter working with Tony, the reveal of his identity, the changing sides— but the latter half then jumps backward timeline-wise to explore how revealing his identity has affected Peter’s life, in both crime fighting and personal. I loved getting to see through the eyes of Mary Jane, Aunt May, Felicia, and even one of Peter’s students, to see their perspective of things as well. However, if this had been bound together in a way to match the timeline of events, I think it would have been a much more enjoyable read and not so disjointed.
24 Hour Comicbook Reading Vlog || Timer Method!
I went in already having a good knowledge of this storyline but was excited to actually read it nonetheless. What’s super weird though is how the omnibus is laid out. The first half focuses solely on the main storyline of Civil War— Peter working with Tony, the reveal of his identity, the changing sides— but the latter half then jumps backward timeline-wise to explore how revealing his identity has affected Peter’s life, in both crime fighting and personal. I loved getting to see through the eyes of Mary Jane, Aunt May, Felicia, and even one of Peter’s students, to see their perspective of things as well. However, if this had been bound together in a way to match the timeline of events, I think it would have been a much more enjoyable read and not so disjointed.
March 5, 2018
This might be my favorite volume of the Civil War epic thus far. So glad that Peter switched sides, and the reader really gets to see how important Peter's family are to him as a driving force for his super-heroing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2023
Read in conjunction with the Civil War main comic.
It's interesting to see Marvel grappel with 9/11.
Its been almost 20 years. The moat recent cpt. America comic also has steve running from the law.
It's interesting to see Marvel grappel with 9/11.
Its been almost 20 years. The moat recent cpt. America comic also has steve running from the law.
February 4, 2022
3.25⭐️ Loved seeing Peter’s humanity come to light and his decisions
August 18, 2014
Reading this collection shows why it was in Marvel's best interest to eventually break down the various Spider-Man series into one consistent thrice-monthly book. There is just soooo much going on in here, and a lot of it seems to contradict or at least not acknowledge concurrent events in other series.
Oddly enough, my favorite storyline in this whole thing was JMS's main Civil War tie-in (from Amazing Spider-Man), which actually did a pretty solid job elaborating upon Peter's emotions during the whole thing. The central Civil War series has Spider-Man making so many huge choices with so little explanation that it felt completely unjustified. JMS sought to justify those decisions with some pretty good (stellar for him) character development and plot momentum. We of course see Peter struggle with the fact that he's unveiled his identity to the public, but that's surface-level stuff. We also get some great internal conflict and reasoning about the Superhuman Registration Act, which was the only real debate about the act in all the Civil War stuff I've read that actually felt realistic. If this was the only thing in this collection, I'd have given it 4 stars.
However, then we get into the extra stuff from Sensational and Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. A lot of this feels like muck piled onto the already solid Civil War story, and reaches a point where you have to realize that there's no way Peter could possibly be handling ALL of these crises at once without a serious mental breakdown or a couple of clones running around covering for him (which I guess isn't out of the question in the Spidery-verse). He fights, like, every bad guy he's ever even met, and not a single one of these fights is resolved satisfactorily. Most fights just end with the villain running off into the night, sure to attack again whenever the next writer comes up with something interesting for them to do.
I was hoping to have seen the last of the Spider-Man-has-stingers-in-his-hands garbage and move past the ole totemic powers thing, which JMS's story actually avoided somehow. However, the other stories in this book seem to be moving toward another big reveal about his damn spider spirit or whatever the hell, and I just wanted to scream "get over it!" It's such a dumb idea at this point, only being used when they feel like it, never really informing Peter's character or abilities, and I just want it to end.
Anyway, lackluster (and LOOOONG) as the additional stories in this collection are, I still recommend reading JMS's stuff if you're into Civil War. If you're not, it probably won't make a ton of sense, so I guess take that how you will.
Oddly enough, my favorite storyline in this whole thing was JMS's main Civil War tie-in (from Amazing Spider-Man), which actually did a pretty solid job elaborating upon Peter's emotions during the whole thing. The central Civil War series has Spider-Man making so many huge choices with so little explanation that it felt completely unjustified. JMS sought to justify those decisions with some pretty good (stellar for him) character development and plot momentum. We of course see Peter struggle with the fact that he's unveiled his identity to the public, but that's surface-level stuff. We also get some great internal conflict and reasoning about the Superhuman Registration Act, which was the only real debate about the act in all the Civil War stuff I've read that actually felt realistic. If this was the only thing in this collection, I'd have given it 4 stars.
However, then we get into the extra stuff from Sensational and Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. A lot of this feels like muck piled onto the already solid Civil War story, and reaches a point where you have to realize that there's no way Peter could possibly be handling ALL of these crises at once without a serious mental breakdown or a couple of clones running around covering for him (which I guess isn't out of the question in the Spidery-verse). He fights, like, every bad guy he's ever even met, and not a single one of these fights is resolved satisfactorily. Most fights just end with the villain running off into the night, sure to attack again whenever the next writer comes up with something interesting for them to do.
I was hoping to have seen the last of the Spider-Man-has-stingers-in-his-hands garbage and move past the ole totemic powers thing, which JMS's story actually avoided somehow. However, the other stories in this book seem to be moving toward another big reveal about his damn spider spirit or whatever the hell, and I just wanted to scream "get over it!" It's such a dumb idea at this point, only being used when they feel like it, never really informing Peter's character or abilities, and I just want it to end.
Anyway, lackluster (and LOOOONG) as the additional stories in this collection are, I still recommend reading JMS's stuff if you're into Civil War. If you're not, it probably won't make a ton of sense, so I guess take that how you will.
February 5, 2014
Other than Tony Stark and Captain America, Spider-man is probably the character most deeply involved in the Civil War storyline. Therefore, it makes sense that an entire tie-in book is needed to cover his perspective. Before the SHRA is passed, Tony begins cultivating Peter as a protégé and right hand man. Civil War: Spider-Man opens with Tony taking Peter to his private meetings with Congress about superhero registration. Tony is arguing against it, though he knows it is inevitable. When the Stamford tragedy occurs, he is proven right and he puts his plans into effect.
The first half of the book goes behind the scenes of the Civil War, in particular Tony’s actions, as viewed by Peter. If Tony looked bad before, he’s revealed as downright ruthless and unethical here. Peter’s life begins to unravel after Tony convinces him to reveal his identity to the public. First, he is terribly conflicted when he has to hunt down his former colleagues, especially Captain America. His conviction begins to waver when he learns that Tony and Reed are making billions of dollars off of government contracts to build a prison and create tech to hunt and contain superheroes. Secondly, he realizes that Tony is using the Spider armor to monitor Peter in addition to “helping” him. When he visits the prison, he is horrified to see that the heroes are being imprisoned without due process, permanently, and in the Negative Zone. Further, Tony emphasizes that the prison is not on American soil, or subject to law, and that all the prisoners are now “non-entities.” It’s no surprise when Spider-Man switches sides!
The second half of the book focuses on confrontations with various villains from Spidey’s rogues gallery – who now know who, and where, he is. Aunt May and MJ are guarded in Avengers tower until Peter takes them on the run and into hiding. Since Spidey ends up switching sides during Civil War, the second half of the book was sometimes difficult to follow as to exactly when the battles were occurring in the timeline. However, it wasn't strictly necessary to know. Peter switches costumes back to his original one once he defects. There are some excellent action sequences in part two, and many familiar faces like Rhino, Mysterio and Black Cat.
Overall, this was an excellent tie-in. I thought it was better than Civil War: Fantastic Four omnibus, and as good as Civil War: Avengers. Highly recommended!
The first half of the book goes behind the scenes of the Civil War, in particular Tony’s actions, as viewed by Peter. If Tony looked bad before, he’s revealed as downright ruthless and unethical here. Peter’s life begins to unravel after Tony convinces him to reveal his identity to the public. First, he is terribly conflicted when he has to hunt down his former colleagues, especially Captain America. His conviction begins to waver when he learns that Tony and Reed are making billions of dollars off of government contracts to build a prison and create tech to hunt and contain superheroes. Secondly, he realizes that Tony is using the Spider armor to monitor Peter in addition to “helping” him. When he visits the prison, he is horrified to see that the heroes are being imprisoned without due process, permanently, and in the Negative Zone. Further, Tony emphasizes that the prison is not on American soil, or subject to law, and that all the prisoners are now “non-entities.” It’s no surprise when Spider-Man switches sides!
The second half of the book focuses on confrontations with various villains from Spidey’s rogues gallery – who now know who, and where, he is. Aunt May and MJ are guarded in Avengers tower until Peter takes them on the run and into hiding. Since Spidey ends up switching sides during Civil War, the second half of the book was sometimes difficult to follow as to exactly when the battles were occurring in the timeline. However, it wasn't strictly necessary to know. Peter switches costumes back to his original one once he defects. There are some excellent action sequences in part two, and many familiar faces like Rhino, Mysterio and Black Cat.
Overall, this was an excellent tie-in. I thought it was better than Civil War: Fantastic Four omnibus, and as good as Civil War: Avengers. Highly recommended!
January 2, 2015
I'm not a big Marvel resder. I've only started reading Spider-Man and X-Men quite recently since I always found it hard to find a starting point to get into the Marvel Universe (something that has gotten a lot easier with the Msrvel Now reboot).
This is the first Marvel crossover event I read. I bought this collection years ago together with the Civil War miniseries and read them together using a reading quide I found on-line. It was a fun reading experience, laying aside one book to continue the story in another.
I enjoyed the "Civil War" miniseries, but didn't love it. I liked this companion much better. Spider-Man plays a large and important part in the Civil War so this companion is essential. But besides that, this hefty collection of Spidey issues from "Amazing...", "Sensational..." and "Friendly Neighborhood..." features some gamechanging events making some of these issues the best in years. Which is hardly a surprise given the fact that this run was written by the likes of J.M. Straczynski and Peter David.
Surprisingly, the best issues in my opinion and the stories that struck a chord with me the most were the issues written by Roberto Aguiire-Sacasa for Sensational Spider-man. He takes the time to show us how the events of the war affect not only Peter Parker but Mary Jane and Aunt May as well.
Great stuff throughout and essential for fans of Spider-Man.
This is the first Marvel crossover event I read. I bought this collection years ago together with the Civil War miniseries and read them together using a reading quide I found on-line. It was a fun reading experience, laying aside one book to continue the story in another.
I enjoyed the "Civil War" miniseries, but didn't love it. I liked this companion much better. Spider-Man plays a large and important part in the Civil War so this companion is essential. But besides that, this hefty collection of Spidey issues from "Amazing...", "Sensational..." and "Friendly Neighborhood..." features some gamechanging events making some of these issues the best in years. Which is hardly a surprise given the fact that this run was written by the likes of J.M. Straczynski and Peter David.
Surprisingly, the best issues in my opinion and the stories that struck a chord with me the most were the issues written by Roberto Aguiire-Sacasa for Sensational Spider-man. He takes the time to show us how the events of the war affect not only Peter Parker but Mary Jane and Aunt May as well.
Great stuff throughout and essential for fans of Spider-Man.
April 12, 2014
(I've only read a fraction of this book; it is in actuality a compendium of a storyline for the Marvel Civil War arc. I've read one comic from the collection featured in this book.)
This seemingly small comic contains one of the best speeches about patriotism and moral and ethical thought that has ever been put to paper. Surprisingly graceful and succinct, I picked this up at an airport convenience store while wasting time before a flight, and I stopped dead. Shivers broke out along my arms and up my scalp. Never have I read something so truthful and well-placed. And to be clear, I dislike comics, Marvel ones in particular for their sophomoric angst brigade of bubble-chested and over-powered heroes. But with one speech, My heart and mind was caught and will never be the same shape again, even if only in some small but important part. Ignore every other comic in this series, ignore every other comic on the planet, but read this one volume.
This seemingly small comic contains one of the best speeches about patriotism and moral and ethical thought that has ever been put to paper. Surprisingly graceful and succinct, I picked this up at an airport convenience store while wasting time before a flight, and I stopped dead. Shivers broke out along my arms and up my scalp. Never have I read something so truthful and well-placed. And to be clear, I dislike comics, Marvel ones in particular for their sophomoric angst brigade of bubble-chested and over-powered heroes. But with one speech, My heart and mind was caught and will never be the same shape again, even if only in some small but important part. Ignore every other comic in this series, ignore every other comic on the planet, but read this one volume.
September 8, 2010
Civil War Spider man is about how Peter Parker’s life changes when he goes public as Spiderman to tell everyone his secret identity. This was good story but not a lot of action. I would recommend this book to fans of Spider Man and Marvel comics even if there was little action.
Tony Starks asks Spiderman to join the registration group and work with him. Spiderman has strong feelings about against making his identity public because his enemies could attack his loved ones. He finally decides to join Tony Stark’s team. Tony has a press conference and Spiderman took off his mask and told the public he real name was Peter Parker. Even though he went public he still is wandering what will happen next and how his life would change.
Tony Starks asks Spiderman to join the registration group and work with him. Spiderman has strong feelings about against making his identity public because his enemies could attack his loved ones. He finally decides to join Tony Stark’s team. Tony has a press conference and Spiderman took off his mask and told the public he real name was Peter Parker. Even though he went public he still is wandering what will happen next and how his life would change.
March 10, 2013
Of the three distinct Spider-Man titles and their respective tie-in trade paperbacks collected here, only Civil War: The Amazing Spider-Man is really worth the average reader's time (in that it's interesting & enriches the storyline of Civil War). That trade paperback earned 4 stars. It's the other two trades' Meh-ness that bring down the rating of this particular collection to 2 stars. They can easily be skipped.
January 18, 2013
If you are a huge Spider-man fan you'll want to read this for reading ever other Spider-man story. If you're not, then I say don't bother.
SPOILERS:
This is the volume where Spider-man infamously reveals his identity. If you're looking to read that story, this is it. Why 1 star? (1) the whole emotional touchstone was undone by "Brand New Day" and the wiping out of Peter's marriage to MJ. So, what did Peter do during the Civil War? Should we care? Also, the volume ends on a cliff hanger and a mighty big one so it is not in and of itself a satisfying read.
SPOILERS:
This is the volume where Spider-man infamously reveals his identity. If you're looking to read that story, this is it. Why 1 star? (1) the whole emotional touchstone was undone by "Brand New Day" and the wiping out of Peter's marriage to MJ. So, what did Peter do during the Civil War? Should we care? Also, the volume ends on a cliff hanger and a mighty big one so it is not in and of itself a satisfying read.
August 28, 2013
I'm really, really, really tired of Civil War stories, but even I can't resist Straczynski's Spider-Man. This is an enormous collection, but I wasn't bored and as an interlude to the Dan Slott era, it was a very nice change.
June 18, 2012
Featuring one of biggest moments in Marvel’s Civil War, this volume is all about Spider-Man and is an enjoyable, if at times overly long, volume.
June 30, 2012
Creo que esto lo leí más de una vez, entre el coleccionable de Clarín y algún que otro número español de Panini. Cuando lo corrobore, me pongo las pilas con la reseña.
February 8, 2014
It started off relatively promising then it just became dull. didn't feel like continuing turning the pages so for me the book was done.
April 3, 2016
read 4/1/16
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews