SPIDER-MAN'S BAD CONNECTION

Spider-Man continues tackling schoolwork, romantic turmoil, and alien rage monsters in this middle-grade sequel.

Just for kicks (and punches) Chhibber spots 16-year-old Spidey a fresh villain du jour from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the main menace remains the not-quite-extirpated viral invaders from the opener, Spider-Man’s Social Dilemma! (2022)—who, in typical comics tradition, stage a major comeback at the abrupt end of this episode to string readers along. Before that, though, the webslinger tussles with the Spot, a resentful adversary dotted with portable interdimensional wormholes, and with girlfriend Mary Jane, who presents him with a demand to give her a way to rescue him if he ever gets into serious danger. Meanwhile, something shifty is plainly in play as the obviously evil techno-giant Oscorp impinges itself more and more on the lives of Peter Parker and his high school classmates, while the teens continue to develop a new social media app. Considering constant nighttime patrols, daytime huddles and chores, and all the threats to his world as well as his emotional equilibrium, it’s hard to see when Peter gets any sleep; still, the intertwined plotlines roll forward another inch or two. Peter and Mary Jane are white, and secondary characters are racially diverse.

An expertly crafted middle volume featuring a comfy crew of mostly familiar characters.