Free Comic Book Day 2007 (Spider-Man) #1

Name: Free Comic Book Day 2007 (Spider-Man) #1
Brand: Marvel

Jun 2007 · Marvel · 0.00 FREE

“Swing Shift”

About this Issue

Free Comic Book Day 2007 (Spider-Man) #1 — titled 'Swing Shift' — is the opening shot of Marvel's Brand New Day era for Spider-Man, functioning as a direct prologue to the sweeping status-quo reset that followed 'One More Day.' It debuted three characters who would define that era: Mister Negative (Martin Li), the crime lord who became one of Spider-Man's most distinctive modern antagonists; Jackpot (Sara Ehret), a new hero whose true identity was intentionally kept ambiguous to tease readers; and Overdrive (James Beverley), a gadget-powered thrill-seeker working for Mister Negative. Unusually for a Free Comic Book Day offering, it was an entirely original story — not a reprint — and its plot threads connected directly into Amazing Spider-Man's relaunched thrice-monthly schedule beginning in early 2008.

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writer Dan Slott · artist Phil Jimenez · inker Andy Lanning · inker John Dell · colorist Jeromy Cox · letterer Chris Eliopoulos of Virtual Calligraphy · letterer Cory Petit of Virtual Calligraphy · cover Phil Jimenez, Andy Lanning

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History

Writer Dan Slott and penciller Phil Jimenez produced 'Swing Shift' under the editorial direction of Stephen Wacker, who had recently joined Marvel from DC to shepherd the Brand New Day relaunch. Marvel initially positioned the story as a standalone, 'timeless' Spider-Man adventure to avoid revealing the massive continuity changes still in progress under 'One More Day,' and some dialogue in the original FCBD printing was quietly edited to prevent spoilers about the forthcoming status quo. In January 2008, Marvel republished the story — with restored and revised dialogue, pencil art pages, a five-page editorial manifesto from Tom Brevoort, a 22-page 'Spidey Bible,' and a behind-the-scenes piece from Wacker — as Spider-Man: Swing Shift Director's Cut #1.

Trivia · 8 facts

First appearance of Mister Negative (Martin Li), a Chinatown crime boss who becomes a major recurring Spider-Man villain and later appears as the primary antagonist in the 2018 Marvel's Spider-Man PlayStation video game.
First appearance of Jackpot (Sara Ehret), a red-haired female hero deliberately designed to tease readers into speculating she was Mary Jane Watson in disguise.
First appearance of Overdrive (James Beverley), a technology-based villain who can upgrade any vehicle on contact and who serves as Mister Negative's driver/operative in this issue.
Written by Dan Slott with art by Phil Jimenez, inked by John Dell and Andy Lanning, colored by Jeromy Cox, and lettered by Cory Petit; edited by Stephen Wacker and Aubrey Sitterson.
Unlike most Free Comic Book Day issues, 'Swing Shift' was a full, entirely original story — not a reprint — running approximately 19–21 pages.
Mister Negative appears only on a screen in this issue (not in person), making this technically a first cameo/screen appearance; his first full in-person appearance followed in Amazing Spider-Man's Brand New Day issues.
The story was reprinted — with restored dialogue, bonus art, and supplemental editorial material — in Spider-Man: Swing Shift Director's Cut #1 (January 2008), and has since been collected in the Amazing Spider-Man: Brand New Day trade paperbacks and the Brand New Day Omnibus Vol. 1.
The 'Bar with No Name' scene features a large cast of established Spider-Man villains watching the Overdrive chase on television, while a bookie character (also debuting here) takes bets on the outcome — an early signal of the lighter, more ensemble-driven tone Slott would bring to Brand New Day.