Review by Ian Keogh

Although this is the opening volume of a Spectacular Spider-Man series, it’s Paul Jenkins continuing as writer from an earlier series, very randomly collected. His final volume of that was Trials and Tribulations. Jenkins begins his 2003 run on a revived/new Spider-Man title by introducing those living around Peter Parker in his apartment block, so supplying an instant new supporting cast. In a proficiently scene-setting opening chapter The Hunger also shows Peter’s frenemy Flash Thompson in a coma, Venom in confession and the New York police puzzled by attacks on members of the public leaving them alive, but with their adrenal glands drained. Distinctively drawn with a big moustache, Detective Neil Garrett resembles an updated alternative to Gotham’s Jim Gordon.

Venom rapidly becomes the priority. Set in the days before the backstory of a whole planet of Venom symbiotes, Venom is mutating, and Eddie Brock seemingly no longer has any control. Artist Humberto Ramos represents the changes by portraying Venom as a series of almost abstract twisted shapes topped with Venom’s familiar head and mouth. The cartoon versions of the cast Ramos produces aren’t going to be to all tastes, but there’s no disputing the effect of his distinctive Venom. Here the cartoon approach results in something unknowable and other-worldly.

Jenkins transmits the threat well also, emphasising the moral duty as well as the superhero combat, finding space for a guest appearance from the Fantastic Four and adding an element of sympathy for Brock’s past. Illness is a recurring theme and it feeds into a creatively inventive solution to what’s been happening.

The Hunger is created to the solid Spider-Man template, but with action eventually considerably outweighing the soap opera of Peter’s life, so the balance isn’t quite there. The way Ramos approaches the art isn’t designed for universal appeal either, as his cast are stylistically consistent, but delve far deeper into exaggerated cartooning than Spider-Man’s used to. The series continues with Countdown.