There’s nothing more traditional in American comics than a fight between two superheroes. Indeed, some readers complain that modern superheroes spend more time fighting each other than actual supervillains. Then again, based on the preview pages of Kidpool & Spider-Boy #1, it’s debatable how much of a hero the Murderous Middle-Schooler is.
Written by Christopher Yost, with art by Nathan Stockman, Jed Dougherty, and Chris Campana, Kidpool & Spider-Boy #1 opens up in medias res. The young Deadpool variant (whose name and backstory are a mystery) is out to assassinate Spider-Man. Naturally, Spidey’s loyal sidekick, the Adolescent Arachnid Bailey Briggs has serious issues with that. This establishes the central conflict of the story.
The main cover and first five pages of Kidpool & Spider-Boy #1 may be viewed below.
How Kidpool & Spider-Boy plays off a classic Marvel trope
Beyond the comedy inherent in two youngsters who should be playing superheroes actually engaging in a superhero battle, there is another layer of humor. Namely, how Kidpool & Spider-Boy plays off the expectations of a classic Marvel Comics trope. Usually whenever two superheroes fight, it is over some sort of misunderstanding. Often a newbie hero is caught in the crossfire at a bank robbery and is presumed to be one of the thieves. Or an ambitious new hero decides to bring Spider-Man to justice, based on the latest J. Jonah Jameson editorial declaring him a freak and a menace.
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In this case, however, there is no misunderstanding between the title characters. Bailey knows exactly what the mini-Deadpool is trying to do and is determined to stop it. In this, the book does a fine job of subverting the classic Marvel formulas to comedic effect.
Kidpool & Spider-Boy #1 arrives in comic shops everywhere on December 25, 2024.
