The idea of matching comic books to the movies often worries dedicated fans. Over the past ten years, superhero films have become incredibly popular, turning lesser-known characters into stars. Because of this success, companies like DC and Marvel – particularly Marvel – have tried to make their comic book heroes look and act like their movie versions. However, details often change when a story moves from film to comics, so the two versions rarely line up perfectly. Trying to force comic characters to mirror what happens in the movies usually disappoints fans and weakens the stories.
When Marvel announced the Spider-Man: Long Way Home miniseries, many fans worried it felt like a setup for the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The series features early appearances from Spider-Man, the Hulk, and the Punisher, seemingly to build hype for the next installment. However, the first issue proves it can also work as a strong story on its own. Written by Johnathan Hickman with detailed art by Adam Kubert, who also handles the intense action sequences, this comic is a fantastic and promising beginning to what looks like a really enjoyable adventure.
Rating: 4 out of 5
| PROS | CONS |
| Great tension and excellent balance of three protagonists | Clearly made for movie synergy |
| Fast, exciting plot that kept me eager for more | Very little Spider-Man for a comic with his name in the title |
| Dense, punchy art and next-level onomatopeia |
Different Motivations, Singular Storyline
The story begins with Bruce Banner confessing to a priest before shifting to a jungle setting. Meanwhile, the Punisher’s team is sent on a dangerous mission to steal high-tech equipment from an A.I.M. base – but HYDRA also wants it. The situation escalates quickly when they discover the technology is actually a man-made Cosmic Cube, and the Hulk arrives, unleashing chaos. SHIELD then calls in Spider-Man for help, though he realizes he’s unprepared for this level of threat. Each of the three main characters – Punisher, Hulk, and Spider-Man – gets their moment to shine, with clear motivations driving their actions. The comic expertly builds suspense while also developing its characters effectively, achieving a lot despite its concise nature.
This story offers a really compelling angle that’s fun to follow. It’s shaping up to be very entertaining, with a great balance of horror and comedy – it’s serious when it needs to be without being overly dark. Seeing the Hulk through the Punisher’s eyes is genuinely frightening. My only real issue is that it’s heavily advertised as a Spider-Man story, but he doesn’t appear much in this particular issue. He will likely become more central later, but currently his involvement feels forced and underdeveloped, though it’s not a major problem.
Every Page Is a New Punch in the Best Way
As a fan, I have to say Kubert’s artwork here is incredible – especially how much detail he manages to fit onto each page! It feels unreal how many panels are on almost every page, and they all actually move the story forward. He uses really interesting panel shapes and layouts which perfectly adds to this feeling of being trapped and uneasy that these characters experience. The tight panelling makes everything feel claustrophobic, so when he finally opens it up with a full or double-page spread, the impact is huge. Seriously, the image of Hulk holding someone after… well, you get the idea… is genuinely terrifying but in a way that’s brilliantly done.
Even in lush settings, the Hulk always looks strikingly different from his surroundings. And the way Spider-Man is colored when he appears in the sunlight is fantastic. I especially want to highlight the work of letterer Ariana Maher. Letterers don’t always get the recognition they deserve, but Maher’s work is exceptional. The sheer number of sound effects on each page really builds the drama and intensifies the tension. In fact, the pages showing Punisher’s team attacking the Hulk have some of the best sound effect lettering I’ve seen in months.
While this comic seems designed to ride the wave of popularity from the recent movie, it’s actually a really fun story that I’m eager to see finished. It would be even better if the writers developed the backgrounds of its three main characters more fully – and I believe they’re capable of doing so. However, since it’s branded as a Spider-Man title, future issues need to feature Spider-Man himself more prominently.
Spider-Man: Long Way Home #1 is on sale now!
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2026-06-17 16:16