A Special Thanks Goes to NetGalley and Viz Media for the opportunity to review this title.
With the premiere of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in a couple of days, let’s review Yusuke Osawa’s Spider-Man: Fake Red. This is another collaboration involving Viz Media and Marvel Entertainment. If you would like to read the past reviews for each manga, here are the titles that I have reviewed previously:
Our story begins with a young man named Yu, who is not having a great experience in High School. He is striking out socially, failing classes, and lacking confidence in himself, but that changes when he happens to come across one of Spider-Man’s costumes abandoned in an alleyway. He puts the costume on and pretends to be the Wall Crawler until he comes face-to-face with the responsibility and the power that Spider-Man carries. No, I am not referring to Spider-Man’s Spider-Abilities. I am referring to the ability to have the strength, and the resolve to be the hero that New York and the World need. Even though he is out of his element, Yu has to rise out of the dark depths of his despair and save the City from whoever threatens it.
That is one of the important things people liked about the hero that Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created is that anyone could be Spider-Man. He was a teenager that people could instantly relate to. Spider-Man was a character that dealt with the struggles of adolescence and financial issues, ultimately considered to be a flawed superhero with everyday problems. Fake Red gives readers that similar type of situation and wish fulfillment to Yu, who faces the pressure and expectations from his father and himself. He happens to come across an abandoned Spider-Man Costume and puts it on, thinking he could be like the Web-Slinger, but it would be fate that would make the fanboy face the most difficult question he has evaded, do I have the power to change my destiny?
Another thing that works for this book is having an author that can balance the superhero genre with fantasy. Osawa gives readers a story that stands out and plays on the strength of what Spider-Man is and can do. If you notice in this story is that Yu mirrors Peter Parker in many ways, even having what fans call the Parker Luck. The Parker Luck is a phrase that has been used a lot, meaning when Spider-Man succeeds at something, it usually doesn’t bode well for Peter’s Civilian life, this scenario is used in our protagonist’s current situation when it comes to meeting a girl he likes. While it doesn’t play out like he thought it would, Yu perseveres and sees the silver lining behind it, that he made a new friend and that his life is changing for the better.
Spider-Man: Fake Red has great artwork, which includes well-drawn action sequences, and is filled with plenty of easter eggs that fans of Marvel will be quick to catch! It also includes unique character designs that give Spidey’s Rogue Gallery a feel of nostalgia and a shōnen touch, a nod to Toei’s approach to Spider-Man (No, I’m not saying this has Giant Robots, but it has the same sense of wonder that we have come to love about the webhead.)
Spider-Man: Fake Red Is Available Now For Pre-Order, it goes on sale on June 13th. Be sure to pick up your copy, and thanks for reading the review! Also, be sure to subscribe to my new YouTube Channel! Video Reviews will be coming soon.
Final Grade:
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