Review of "The Amazing Spider-Man and Human Torch," by Dan Slott and Ty Templeton

Review of

The Amazing Spider-Man and Human Torch, by Dan Slott and Ty Templeton ISBN 9780785140047


Five out of five stars

Teen rivalry becomes a bromance

 Johnny Storm is the Human Torch and has a fiery temperament to match, he also makes no secret regarding who is he. Peter Parker is secretly Spider-Man and Storm is unaware of this. The Human Torch is part of the Fantastic Four while Spider-Man acts alone. They sometimes battle against the same powerful villains, but they also have an intense personal rivalry in their normal human lives. Storm is jealous of Parker and Parker is jealous of Storm.

 The two young men compete for general attention, women, and essentially anything they consider of value. Sometimes it even reaches the point of light, at least for them, fisticuffs. At times, especially Storm, they act like adolescents far more than the super beings they are. After several embarrassing failures for both of them, their better natures win out and they become the best of friends.

 The plot of this story is based on teen angst more than on the power of the two super protagonists. The natural rivalry between teenage boys at times overwhelms them. A fact that all males in their teen years will understand. Even older males who retain their memory will understand and appreciate this story.