Spider-Man "Spider-Sense" Coloring/Activity (288pp, Bendon)

Background

Bendon have picked up the Spider-Man activity & coloring book mantle and have been gently popping out a few different items here and there over the past two or three years. In 2009, most of those items were marked as "Spider-Sense" Spider-Man.

This example is a massive 288 coloring book which is otherwise basically identical to the Amazing Spider-Man Jumbo Coloring & Activity Book (Bendon) from 2006.

Story Details

Just like it's smaller 96 page cousin, this book contains some coloring pages, plus plenty of word games, drawing challenges, mazes and a few puzzles perfect for keeping any restless pre-teen Spidey fan occupied for at least an hour or two. Just add colored pencils!

General Comments

There's nothing new in this coloring book. The art is pretty standard - like so many of its contemporaries, it relies heavily on Bagley pencils from Ultimate Spider-Man. As in the other books that use Ultimate Spidey art, the pencil lines look like they have been mechanically processed from colored artwork. Many of the lines are a bit scratchy.

However, unlike other publishers, Bendon has been a bit fussy and has set a reasonable bottom threshold for "scratchiness", so that in general it's all pretty reasonable quality. In addition, there's a lot of non-USM artwork mixed in too, most of which is better print/reproduction quality, even if it lacks Mark Bagley's inspired understanding of form and captured motion.

Overall Rating

I gave all the smaller Bendon coloring books 3.5 webs. This one is three times the size for basically the same price! Mine was marked $3.99, but if I recall correctly, I actually purchased it on Amazon for $0.01 plus shipping. What a complete and utter bargain! Four webs!