@GodricKharg
I don't share the same sentiments about getting the feeling across, since a spread is meant to be a two page spread, but I suppose I can see what you're trying to achieve.
I personally believe the spread looks much nicer than the separate pages, especially in a case like this, where nearly nothing is on the first page.
I'm reading on phone using the long strip mode, so it's easy enough for me to see both images, but then I have to combine them mentally. If I was using the one-page-at-a-time-mode (whatever it's actual name is), there's bound to be a greater amount of confusion.