Its so weird that we have two Superior Spider-Man runs now. Because now we have fans of one over the other. In other cases you have fans of both. I'll be the first one to admit that I'm a bigger fan of Gages run because his characterization of Otto was better.

I just wish Gage had the chance to really expand on his characterization of Otto as Superior Spider-Man. I honestly feel that if he had a 30 something issue run instead of 12, we would have seen more of the stuff that made it great expanded on. I think when people read Slott's--

run and finish reading a lot of the good moments stand out but the bad moments outshine them. I admit its been a while since I read Slott's run, but I remember thinking it was a mixed bag. I think where Gage's run shines the brightest is in the characterization of Otto.

He takes all of Otto's experiences from the first run and the red goblin and compiles it with everything Otto has learned from Spider-Geddon. He places Otto outside of New York on the other side of the country in San Francisco and it works. He's on his own now.

Without any other Spiders to watch him or to make sure he's keeping in line with it means to be a good person. In the opening scene of Issue 1 Otto is fighting Stiltman and I honestly believe if it was the Slott run it would have ended with Stiltman more injured or dead.

The fight is over with some clean and simple science and web work. Otto's not out to prove he's a better Peter and hero than Peter himself this time. He's out here to be a better him. Over the course of Gage's run we see him tackle some of Otto's flaws.

Those mainly being that Otto is arrogant, relatively new to being a hero in some regards. Post Terrax batte we have Anna Maria tell Otto that he needs to get to know what life is like for people who aren't him. To know what the everyman goes through.

To get him to see despite all his brains. The spider powers. People who don't have that are doing there best with what they do have. This and the speech from Doctor Strange in issue 6 are something I found that to be amazing. Strange after Otto asks him if he can wave his hands-

And make everyone forget he was Otto Octavius. Strange tells him no, that redemption and atonement for the wrong he has done isn't simple. Its hard work and not something you can measure with "X amount of good deeds equals redeemed" you can only try to do good everyday--

And then some. Though my absolute favorite interactions in this series

Has to be the ones during post and post War of The Realms. With Peter and Gwenpool and then Peter again. Another flaw of Otto's is explored again. This time his need for his actions to be put to use in some grand manner because he's just that arrogant. He refuses to see himself-

-play a small role. This is where Peter And Gwenpoole's (mostly Gwenpoole's) make him think. Peter tells him that being the hero means sometimes being the one to sit and protect the gas station in the town. Its not about you. Its about doing the most good. Gwen piggyback on this-

-tells him that yeah it sucks that he can't do more but what he's doing now is so important. That even if all he can do is save one guy's life that makes him the most important person to that guy. Now to our arrogant webslinger this hits home and it sticks.

After this we see Otto deal with some sweet sweet hero guilt. Despite him saving San Francisco. He feels that he, with all his intelligence and ability should have been able to save more people in the surrounding areas. The world at large. After some back and forth with Peter.

Peter tells Otto that way feels is good. It let's him know that he's going about the hero thing the right way.

Personally I think Gage's runs sets up the framework of a former villain turned hero who wants to change, who wants to be a better man. He shows that you can be a better person than you once were but it won't happen overnight. It takes work and lots of it.

Otto may be the Superior Spider-Man, but he wants to as amazing a hero as Peter Parker. To me Gage really nails this. Again just wish he just had more than 12 issues to work with. Though I'm not complaining on what we got. Except for the last issue. But that's for a different day