Review by Ian Keogh

A gimmick applied to Spider-Boy throughout his previous appearances is that no-one remembers him. There’s a reason that make sense, but it was subverted and The Dragon’s Challenge begins with everyone remembering Spider-Boy, and those who knew him remembering Bailey Briggs. This includes his mother, who claimed no knowledge of him in a heartbreaking scene during Fun and Games.

That’s the good. The bad is having to attend school again with plenty to catch up on, and even worse is that several villains have remembered their encounters with Spider-Boy and are looking for revenge. Among them is Bullseye, the world’s most dangerous assassin, and he has a young protogé. That rather than Bailey’s domestic life provides the story occupying the entire graphic novel, teaming Spider-Boy with Daredevil and taking him to Madripoor for a combat tournament only the exceptional can win.

Other Marvel series have featured such tournaments, and they’ve been deadly and unpleasant, but Dan Slott’s aiming at a younger audience, so this is the thrills without the danger of fatalities, Bullseye notwithstanding. Plus artist Paco Medina buys into Slott’s sense of humour, but without exaggerating the jokes. Daredevil and Spider-Boy in a mad rush using a three-wheeled tuk tuk is as funny as intended, but without turning the story into outright comedy. Slott also uses flashback sequences to embed Bailey further into the Marvel universe. We already know he trained with Daredevil, but we see him here teaming with Ms. Marvel and there’s a charming shifting relationship with other characters.

Part of the mystique keeping the series creatively successful is that we have to believe in Bailey and others as children. Superhero artists aren’t always great at that, tending to draw scaled down adults, but Medina possesses the knack. So does Humberto Ramos responsible for the art on some flashbacks, including Spider-Girl’s origin.

Slott’s a master of misdirection, on several occasions leading readers into the trap of believing they know what’s going to happen. It doesn’t, and that’s great. The Dragon’s Challenge is a joy from start to finish. Sadly, though, Full Circle is the series end.