Ultimate Spider-Man: The Paper (Comics) | Review

Watching Spider-Man teaming up with his greatest enemy sounds like multiverse madness or a fever dream come to life. Here's the twist: this Green Goblin isn't a villain and the real monsters are the ones running the Daily Bugle with ruthless efficiency.

Writer Jonathan Hickman (New Avengers: Infinity, Wolverine: Revenge) picks up after Married With Children in the second volume and now Peter Parker's amateur heroism collides with Wilson Fisk's empire. The title refers to the Daily Bugle itself, Kingpin's propaganda machine and the facade hiding his control over Manhattan.

What starts as two masked vigilantes trying to make a real difference becomes something bigger and far more complex and dangerous when they realize the system they're fighting has already prepared for them by assembling the Sinister Six to eliminate the threat.

After their brutal confrontation with Kingpin, both Spider-Man and Green Goblin understand they're outmatched against the infrastructure protecting the Maker's corrupted world. Peter's homemade web-shooters and Harry Osborn's high-tech armor can only do so much against organized crime backed by inter-dimensional conspiracy.

The realization hits hard: being a hero in this Ultimate Universe means fighting people who've spent decades fortifying power. The Sinister Six emerges not as random villains seeking revenge but as Kingpin's calculated response to vigilante problems.

This version includes Mole Man, Kraven the Hunter and other dangerous operatives specifically chosen to counter Spider-Man and Green Goblin's growing partnership. What makes the threat different is the context. These aren't criminals gone rogue or mad scientists with personal vendettas but employees doing a job for Kingpin.

They're two men stumbling through vigilantism together, making mistakes that endanger their families while trying to expose corruption too entrenched to topple with punches alone. The strain shows in every interaction, especially when Green Goblin suggests tactics that cross lines Peter isn't ready to acknowledge might be necessary.

Tony Stark's introduction into Peter's world complicates everything in the best possible way. This isn't the billionaire philanthropist from the main Marvel Universe. This is a teenage genius assembling the new Ultimates while trying to understand what the Maker did to his reality.

His connection to Peter involves upgrading the Spider-Man suit with technology that actually works but also creates dependency on resources Peter can't manufacture in his garage. The power dynamic shifts uncomfortably as Peter realizes accepting help means owing favors to someone whose agenda remains unclear.

The Paper connects to the broader Ultimate Universe reshaping across multiple titles. References to Ultimate Invasion's aftermath appear throughout, reminding readers that Peter's crusade against Kingpin is one small battle against the Maker's restructuring of reality.

J. Jonah Jameson's investigation into the conspiracy gets more dangerous as he digs deeper into who actually owns the Daily Bugle and why Wilson Fisk needs it so desperately. The revelations set up conflicts that will clearly extend beyond this volume.

What Hickman does brilliantly is maintain the family drama alongside the superhero action without letting either element overshadow the other. Mary Jane isn't just the supportive wife anymore. She's actively involved in protecting their children from Peter's choices, which means making her own difficult decisions about truth.

The dinner table conversations hit harder than the fight scenes because they expose the real cost of Peter's late-blooming heroism and what it demands from everyone. You can't un-ring the bell once your kids know their father might not come home.

The climactic confrontation with the Sinister Six forces Peter and Harry to make choices that fundamentally change what kind of heroes they're willing to become. Hickman doesn't offer easy answers. The arc ends with progress made but problems multiplied, setting up future storylines while delivering satisfying development.

Marco Checchetto (Daredevil: Know Fear, Daredevil: Lockdown) returns as the primary artist, maintaining visual consistency with the first volume while expanding his scope to handle larger action sequences that the Sinister Six demands throughout the arc.

The coloring establishes distinct moods across settings. Parker household scenes maintain warm lighting contrasting sharply with cold blues dominating Kingpin sequences. Spider-Man's costume pops against darker backgrounds and the visual distinction between homemade and Stark-upgraded suits is immediately apparent.

Hickman's writing strips the quips and nervous energy that define Spider-Man. This Peter talks like someone who's lived real-life, with natural dialogue that feels earned. Pacing breathes when needed, letting moments develop without rushing toward action beats.

The script handles exposition efficiently, trusting readers to connect dots. Conversations reveal backstory naturally rather than forcing information dumps. Hickman layers multiple plot threads without losing focus on the emotional core. Dialogue feels authentic to people under pressure rather than comic book characters.

The Paper elevates what Married With Children established, expanding Peter's world while maintaining family drama. Hickman and Checchetto understand bigger threats only matter if personal stakes escalate. The Sinister Six functions as danger and corruption metaphor.

Connections to the broader Ultimate Universe give the story room to breathe beyond Peter's immediate concerns while setting up future conflicts. Tony Stark and the new Ultimates open crossover potential without compromising the series' identity. This remains Peter Parker's story even when sharing space with other heroes.

If you're looking for traditional Spider-Man adventures with familiar villains and resolutions, this isn't that series but if you want heroism requiring more than good intentions, when fighting corruption means risking everything, The Paper delivers with confidence and clarity.

Ultimate Spider-Man: The Paper is collected in its physical trade paperback edition, available via comic-book shops, bookstores and online retailers. The storyline is also available in digital format on Amazon Kindle, ComiXology and Marvel Unlimited, giving readers both print and screen options for Hickman's Ultimate Spider-Man saga.