The SPIDER-VERSE storyline concludes with a book that stunned both visually and thematically. There are some amazingly powerful moments throughout this, and I was impressed by how they tie it all together here. The book does suffer from some pacing problems, and that is due to the fact that this crossover has been so freaking big, that it had too many loose ends to tie up in a manner that felt both timely and not rushed.
The project here was not as big as DC's MULTIVERSITY, but it does feel like it is at least an attempt to work on that scale. I think, underneath it all, that is what the writers and artists were trying to do here, create an almost metaphysical event through the mythos of Spider-Man. We explored so many worlds, with so many versions of Peter Parker, and his particular story. At the heart of the vast majority of them all, was the simple conviction that 'with great power comes great responsibility'. The Spideys were acting as incarnations of that principle, fighting against beings who reveled in power as privilege and who feasted on the power of those who sought to be responsible.
It was a cosmic battle, which at the same time explored the life and lives of one man (men/women). This juxtaposition of the cosmic and the human was brilliant, and it allowed the writers and artists to, at the same time, explore their own imaginations, their own cosmic visions and visions of what Spidey could possibly be. It was a fun ride, and it attempted to say something profound, and on a cosmic scale.
Did it succeed? Not totally. There is profundity here, but it doesn't end up feeling like a cosmic scale in the way, say, MULTIVERSITY does. It feels, instead, like a very special, very fun, and thematically-driven Spider-Man story. And that is okay. In the end the very attempt is worth nodding to, and the book works on the level of entertainment. And at least it does succeed in saying something. I liked this crossover event, though I was sad to see a favorite character of mine die. All-in-all, this was a good ending to a good crossover event, better than most in fact. Good, very good even, but not great.
Storyline: 4 Stars
Dialogue: 4 Stars
Pacing: 3 Stars
Art: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars
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