MANGA REVIEW | "Spider-Man: Octo-Girl" - Volume One
A Marvel series from the team behind My Hero Academia: Vigilantes? Sign me the heck up! The duo of writer Hideyuki Furuhashi and artist Betten Court did a phenomenal job with adding a twist to Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia, to the point where they often times crafted a narrative better than the source material! Can they do the same with one of the most iconic villains of the Marvel Universe, Doctor Octopus? From what’s on display in the first volume of Spider-Man: Octo-Girl, we can at least expect one fun ride!
Spider-Man: Octo-Girl begins with an ordinary day in New York City. Spider-Man and Doc Ock are once again duking it out throughout the Big Apple’s skyscrapers. But during this battle, Doc Ock slips and plummets towards an impending death. With the help of his super computer, Doc Ock transplants his consciousness into what should be one of his clones. But there’s a problem: the aim of the super computer is slightly off, instead inserting the consciousness into a Japanese teenage girl.
The girl, Otoha Okutamiya, finds her body taken over by Doc Ock, a feeling she doesn’t like one bit. On top of dealing with some school bullies in the least-peaceful manner, Doc Ock’s given the poor girl a Moe Howard haircut. Surprisingly, despite being one of the biggest super-villains around, Doc Ock’s got time for rhyme and reason. With the aid of Sakura Spider, Doc Ock seeks to get back to his body, whilst Otoha tries surviving life as an early teen.
Like in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, the role of hero and villain isn’t as cut & dry as it seems in Spider-Man: Octo-Girl. Yes, Doctor Octopus is as big of a villain as one can get, but those who’ve read the comics and seen his film & cartoon counterparts know that he’s not 100% evil. The fact that he’s able to compromise with Otoha, not to mention help her out with certain things both at home and at school, shows that his heart isn’t truly black. As Otoha says, “Take things one little step of a time, and everything’s sure to get better.”
That attitude plays well into how Otoha and Doc Ock deal with some schoolyard bullies. One that gets plenty of spotlight here is Denko Deirogi, a kid who got dealt a bad hand in life. With no parents in sight and a handful of siblings to look after, Denko is forced to a life of shoplifting just so she can feed her family. But when she comes across a bunch of cash in a purse, the wrong kind of people enter her life, resulting in an alleyway beatdown. Fortunately, Otoha convinces Doc Ock to flip his switch from villain to hero in a battle that’s surprisingly satisfying to read.
Having Sakura Spider joining the foray is a smart move, as it brings a connection to the Marvel Manga world. She was entertaining in Deadpool: Samurai, and her addition to Spider-Man: Octo-Girl brings both some majestic fights and a good sense of humor. Even with Doc Ock’s hatred of all things Spider-[insert word here], he winds up being a good sport by how he accepts her help to get his body back. (One hopes that this also means the Merc with the Mouth might make some sort of cameo down the line.)
Visually, the premiere volume is just as good-looking as My Hero Academia: Vigilantes was. Betten Court places plenty of care into characters both new and classic. How he showcases the first fight between Doc Ock and Spidey in the opening pages felt like something from a Western Marvel comic, never looking out of place of the massive universe this comic book franchise has built. Even something silly like Doc Ock taking over for Otoha to do some schoolyard chores is brought to life with the right amount of humor and coolness that stays true to what Marvel is all about.
Volume One of Spider-Man: Octo-Girl is the right step forward for the duo of Furuhashi & Court. It’s clear that they love Marvel and all things superheroes, and their treatment of one of the franchise’s greatest villains shows that their brains and hearts are in the right place. One hopes that we’ll see plenty of growth between Otoha and Doc Ock, on top of more mended friendships and new ones blossoming throughout this adventure. With the right amount of power and responsibility, Spider-Man: Octo-Girl could shape itself up to being a unique tale with the right amount of heart, darkness, and occasional silliness.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
