Gr 7 Up—Forget Peter Parker. Marvel's going for variety with its bevy of new Spider-Men and Spider-Women. In Edge of Spider-Verse, various creators explore the possibilities. What would a futuristic Spider-Man look like? What about a girl? What if Gwen Stacy were bitten by the spider? Each universe has a distinct style, from heavily shaded noir to horror. Costumes in particular are worthy of praise, including a Spidey "Iron Man" and the sleek and stylish look of Spider-Gwen. The thread that connects each issue is a dimension-crossing enemy bent on killing the different iterations. In The Ultimate Spider-Man, the newly revived Peter Parker officially passes the mantle to Miles. Bendis's black Hispanic character continues to search for the answers on both fronts of his life. First, his father returns to reveal his criminal past; a gritty style portrays this. Miles then has a run-in with Hydra and Dr. Doom, all too quickly wrapping up this arc for Marvel's bigger plans. As for the majority of the illustrations, those involving the everyday are all about facial expressions, while those involving the heroic showcase colorist Justin Posner's talents. Comic fans of "Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man," "Spider-Verse," "Spider-Gwen," and "Secret Wars" and those looking forward to the upcoming "Miles Morales" series will be anticipating these volumes. VERDICT While both titles should prove popular, some investment into the larger multiverse (yes, it's complicated) is required to enjoy the whole narrative.—Rachel Forbes, formerly of Oakville Public Library, Ontario, Canada