Written by Tom Taylor, FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN takes the “Neighborhood” part of his nickname and plays within that world.
The first issue of the currently ongoing series opens up with a great sequence where Spidey saves a father and daughter from a potentially fatal car accident by backflipping through the window and pulling them out to safety. After saving them, he offers some advice on how to more effectively navigate rush hour in Queens, reinforcing the idea that this Spider-Man is just being the most perfect ambassador of his neighborhood.
Right after that heroic act, he helps an elderly woman named Marnie bring groceries up to her apartment. (He’s such a good kid.) Peter continues to just be generally helpful and nice to all those whom he encounters.
One of Peter’s neighbors asks him to contact Spider-Man to assist her with a problem that can’t be solved through the police. Peter says he will pass the message along, then goes out for some hot dogs. On his way back, he sees two strange cars double parked outside the apartment building and it triggers his Spidey senses. He rushes to help, and gets knocked out instead.
Overall, this issue does a great job of world-building an intimate community and making every person Peter comes across seem like a potentially important character. I know I was a bit late in diving into this series, but I hope to be caught up soon because it looks to be a wonderfully endearing tale of Peter Parker — and, I mean, who doesn’t love that?
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