- Title: Scarlet Spider #9
- Comic Vine: link
- Writer: Christopher Yost
- Artist: Tana Ford
With the set-up of the team settled and the New Warriors victorious over the High Evolutionary I decided to pop back in on this title and give it a look. New Warriors #9 has two things going for it: lots of Scarlet Spider and an insane giant basketball mascot intent on proving himself a hero. This my friends is a good time.
Returning Kaine to Houston against his will Vance Astronik attempts to sell the hero on staying with the team when the city’s former basketball mascot, transformed into a giant 100 ft. insane bear, shows up to take down the “super-villains” and prove himself the true hero of the city. Scarlet Spider vs. giant stuffed bear? Yeah, that’s pretty awesome.
The B-story involves the rest of the team blowing off some steam by hitting a nightclub in Prague. Although it gives the various other characters less a role to play (which is fine by me with Kaine picking up the slack), this lighthearted subplot does foreshadow dark times ahead for one particular member. Must-read.
[Marvel, $3.99]
A quick note:
Originally the bear was called Clutch – the real-life mascot of the NBA’s Houston Rockets – but Yost had to change the name (and the name of the team) due, well, obvious legal reasons.
That said, he still urges you to mentally replace the name – specially if you are from Houston or a basketball fan – in his Twitter. The costume is identical to its real-life counterpart.
Thanks for giving this title a chance. 🙂