Spider-Man: The Friendly Neighborhood Pet-Sitter
Cartoonist Mike Maihack talks to us about the wildly fun, all-ages graphic novel on shelves next spring: ‘Spider-Man: Animals Assemble! (A Mighty Marvel Team-Up).’
PREORDER YOUR COPY FROM ABRAMS BOOKS!
On shelves in June of 2023! When the Avengers are assembled to contain a super-threat in New York City, Friendly Neighborhood Wall-Crawler Spider-Man is given the most important job of all: to make sure all the Avengers’ super-pets are safe! In Abrams Books’ Spider-Man: Animals Assemble! (A Mighty Marvel Team-Up), Spider-Man wants in on the bad guy fighting action, but with great power comes great pet sitting. Featuring fan-favorite Avengers like Captain America, Captain Marvel, and Black Panther, this fun and funny 96-page original graphic novel will see the mighty Web-Slinger teaming up with the most unlikely of heroes to save the day!
Mike Maihack (Cleopatra in Space), the award-winning cartoonist behind Spider-Man: Animals Assemble!, spoke to us about his love for Spidey, super-pets, and even mind-controlling cats.
What has been the most fun aspect of working on Spider-Man: Animals Assemble!?
MIKE MAIHACK: If I could only pick one thing, it would be writing and drawing the Friendly Neighborhood, arachnid-obsessed hero himself. I hadn’t really played around with Spidey a lot until working on Animals Assemble! but—ahem—swung right into it. He’s such an expressive and enthusiastic character that every part of the book that he’s in (essentially the entire thing) was an absolute joy.
Which Marvel super-pets will readers get to meet?
MIKE MAIHACK: There’s so many! Besides some favorites like Lucky the Pizza Dog, Redwing, Frog Thor, and Captain Marvel’s “cat” Chewie, I introduce quite a few new ones. One of them even has powers. Although, I suppose Chewie does too, but that’s not really a power; it’s Flerken biology.
What sets this story apart from a classic Spider-Man adventure?
MIKE MAIHACK: I’m not sure there’s ever been a more epic search for pizza in the Marvel Universe.
And finally, a very important question: If your cat had super-powers what would they be?
MIKE MAIHACK: Probably mind control: “More petting and treats, human!” Although come to think of it, she gets all of that now. GASP! Maybe she already has mind control powers!
Preorder Spider-Man: Animals Assemble! (A Mighty Marvel Team-Up) today, or pick it up on shelves wherever books are sold in June 2023! Grab a first look now.
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