Spider-Ham #1 // Review
Writer Tom DeFalco must have been in a really strange mood in 1983 when he came up with the idea for Spider-Ham. It had to have been a strange pitch to then Editor-In-Chief to Jim Shooter. Years later, the character is something of a breakout star of the Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse. This Christmas, the joke of a one-shot character has longevity that finds himself debuting the first issue of a brand-new mini-series written by Zeb Wells with art by Will Robson. Color comes to the page courtesy of Erick Arciniega. Though the joke DOES feel a bit tired in the latest Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham, Wells finds some clever bits of comedy in the funny animal analog of the Marvel Universe.
Peter Porker has seen things most animals wouldn’t believe. The anthropomorphized spider that had been bitten by a radioactive pig has stepped into a multiverse populated by strange things called humans. Seeing the multiverse has made him more than a bit disinterested in helping out his fellow heroes back home. He has become an insufferable egotist that his fellow heroes in the Sca-vengers would prefer not to have to deal with. Naturally, Porker is going to be very hurt when an inter-dimensional threat arrives, and they DON’T contacts him.
Wells finds a natural fit for Spider-Ham in an introductory issue heavily weighted-down in funny animal humor. Though not all of the characters were created by Wells, he has no problem finding novel and unique ways to bring out the humor in animal analogs for Marvel characters. The plot gradually asserts itself through a menagerie of funny animal jokes. Invariably Porker finds himself once again catapulted into a meeting with his human counterpart to open the series.
Robson finds a smart depth in the funny animal universe. The cartoony animated look on the comics page tends to look a lot like the flat cell animation that inspires it. Robson finds the right balance of clean lines and detail, allowing Arciniega plenty of room to develop a very sophisticated depth to the visuals. Typically a colorist dazzles with radiance and luminosity. Arciniega renders depth through shadow in a way that gives Spider-Ham’s world substantial texture. It’s rubbery and cartoony but with a cuddly charm thanks to Arciniega’s work.
The first issue of the series gives Spider-Ham’s world a solidly compelling reality about it that establishes the character really well. With Peter Porker now entering the mainstream Marvel Universe for at least the next issue, the creative team is going to have to switch gears. Though the character originated almost exclusively in his own world, mainstream contemporary audiences are far more familiar with Spider-Ham in a world of humans. Wells and Robson are going to have to come up with a fresh angle on the team-up to maintain audiences as the mini-series continues. This first issue is an auspicious start to a potentially clever new mini-series.
