All right, what's next? Dang it, Marvel, you don't get to make me feel sympathy for Otto Octavius and not say what follows this arc! Oh, what a great arc it was. ( )

Superior Spider-man has definitely one of my favorite Spider-man stories so far. One of the best aspects is the way that it complicates the notion of heroism and villainy. Otto takes a different strategy as Spider-man, as he's more ruthless than Peter ever was. He does things for Peter that Peter never would have done himself, like earning his doctorate and beginning his own company. But Otto also alienates people that Peter deeply cares about, like MJ and Aunt May. While things look up for him for awhile, Otto's ruthless nature as Spider-man paired with his narcissism and loss of Peter's memories causes his empire to start to crumble as Norman Osborn gains control.

Volumes 3 and 4 were probably my least favorite, as they felt like they dragged a bit to me. Our views of Doc Ock are complicated within this run, as he definitely blurs the line between hero and villain, realizing that he might not have what it takes to be the Spider-man that Peter is. Superior Spider-man should be a must-read for anyone who's a Spider-man fan.

Read more of my thoughts at between-the-shelves.com! ( )