Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis #1 (of 5)

ComicsOnline

If you missed out on the recent Spidey 2099 adventure Exodus, readers had the opportunity to spend some quality time with their favorite future wall-crawler as he fought back against the elite high-society group known as The Black Cards. These wealthy masterminds were pulling the strings behind the scenes, lead by the one and only Norman Osborn (yes, the original) who is still alive and kicking in the far future. With help from some 2099 versions of his amazing friends, the web-slinger successfully stopped the bad guys and set the future on a better path. Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis picks up shortly after the last adventure, with Nueva York still picking up the pieces from the take down of The Black Cards. With the lower-class rising up against their oppressors, a series of events presents the return of the deadly symbiote known as Carnage. Can Miguel and the mysterious new Spider-Woman 2099 stop Carnage before he once again lives up to his name? I’ve been a big fan of the 2099 world since it was originally released in 1992. The darker futuristic take on our favorite heroes was an interesting concept, and it was exciting to see it return to prominence in recent years. I was pleasantly surprised by Spider-Man 2099: Exodus, from story to execution, so I have high hopes for Orlando’s creative approach being applied to a symbiote-centric story. The dynamic duo of Justin Mason and Jordan Boyd work perfectly to bring the dramatic gritty future world to life with style. With Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse coming soon to theaters,Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis is the perfect opportunity to enjoy more 2099 adventures.

AIPT

Spider-Man 2099 got new life last year thanks to Steve Orlando, and he continues his reign over the techno-future in Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis #1, out this week. It’s part of a weekly series meant to continue what Orlando started, with fantastic artist Justin Mason taking over art duties. Given the cover art already revealed, and what Orlando told AIPT exclusively on our podcast, this is a direct homage to Maximum Carnage. ’90s kids rejoice! This issue does the work to unleash a new 2099 Carnage with some power-ups and extra dangerous abilities. It also establishes Spider-Man 2099 and his wish to save everybody, lending the same general vibe as the Maximum Carnage event. (...) Knowing it will be a team effort to defeat Carnage 2099, Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis #1 establishes many key characters and the villain for what will be an epic month-long story arc. Since it’s not a Spider-Man 2099 solo story, it feels bigger, exciting, and a maximum 2099 extravaganza.

ComicBook.com

Steve Orlando already did more than enough to prove he's got a great vision for the 2099 world of Miguel O'Hara, and this latest adventure is just further confirmation that he's the writer for the job. The story is the perfect blend of futuristic tech sci-fi and current social politics. The icing on top? A pitch-perfect take on Carnage and a promising new direction for Venom in future issues.

Impulse Gamer

Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis #1 serves as a pleasant rollercoaster ride of mayhem. It’s sure to keep any avid Spider-Man fans to keep reading. Miguel O’Hara is long from solving his problems, but hopefully, in the next release of this comic book, we’ll get to see how he overcomes his journey as the one and only Spider-Man 2099. If you’re interested in what’s next for Miguel or want to start somewhere new, check with your local comic book store or online where this is sold.

Weird Science Marvel Comics

Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis #1 starts a new adventure for the hero of tomorrow when social/class strife leads to violent protests, and a new Carnage emerges to become the weapon of revenge for the people. The art is solid, and the technical aspects of the writing are good, but the story gets painfully heavy-handed with social commentary.