Writer: Zeb Wells
Penciler: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Scott Hanna
Colorist: Marcio Menyz
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Cover Artists: John Romita Jr, Scott Hanna & Marcio Menyz; Ema Lupacchino & David Curiel; Justin Mason & Federico Blee; Lorenzo Pastrovicchio
Publisher: Marvel
Price: $4.99
Release Date: February 14, 2024
Madame Masque’s minions confront the Beetle’s battalion in Central Park. Spider-Man, She-Hulk, Daredevil, Miles Morales, and Spider-Woman want to stop the Gang War. Who will win the battle for New York? Let’s thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #43 and find out!
Story
Robbie Robinson finds Spider-Man in the hospital. The Daily Bugle stalwart sat by the bedside of his longtime rival, Lonnie Lincoln. Now, Robbie rarely leaves his son's room. He understands and shares Spider-Man’s sorrow and anxiety over Randy’s fate. But as a reporter who spent his life covering all aspects of life in New York City, Robbie wants the chaos to end. So, just like when Randy arrived in the hospital, Robbie tells Peter Parker, "Get out there."
Gang War saw the rise of two women anxious to usurp Kingpin’s crown. Wilson Fisk may have abdicated the throne, but Madame Masque used guile and treachery to remove his successor. Of the two women, she's the most powerful. Madame Masque leads a band of conscripts and mercenaries. She commands no loyalty. By comparison, Janice Lincoln's lieutenants are also her friends. They attended the party before her aborted wedding. Her fiercest supporters love her. But does the Beetle have what it takes to maintain a criminal empire?
But enough about the past. The gangs are fighting, and Team Spidey wades into the fray. Peter Parker’s got his mojo back. He’s no longer so intimidated that he’s reaching for clubs. He’s comfortable that webbing his opponents will get the job done. His teammates see his renewed confidence and respond to his example. Unlike in previous issues, Spider-Man commands the spotlight in Amazing Spider-Man #43. He no longer needs to cozy up to villains. It may be an epic battle, but he’s got this.
Amid all the fighting, Gang War remains a story about families. Zeb Wells planted the seeds when Shotgun destroyed Randy Robinson and Janice Lincoln’s wedding and put Lonnie Lincoln in the hospital. The story grew as Hammerhead sent Randy to keep his would-be father-in-law company. Now, while Robbie sits by his son’s hospital bed, Tombstone fights to end the Gang War and protect his daughter. Despite his tough exterior and Janice's quibbles about his parenting skills, he cares about her more than she realizes.
Art
John Romita Jr. and Scott Hanna show Robbie’s stilted actions and expressionless mask when he spies Peter in Spidey attire. Yet after Randy's friend leaves, the hardened reporter slumps and buries his face in his hands. The artists convey an equally significant moment in Amazing Spider-Man #43 by showing Spider-Man climbing the wall outside the hospital while Team Spidey gazes down at him from the roof. Unlike when Gang War ignited and Spider-Man told his peeps to stand by him, Peter's posture conveys humility. “You weren’t ready to follow me before,” it suggests. “Will you allow me to lead you now?
The battle in Central Park plays out like a seasoned Daily Bugle reporter might cover it. Each page conveys confrontations between longtime rivals and breathtaking action while showcasing drama. She-Hulk plows through A.I.M. soldiers like a tractor harvesting corn. Madame Masque blazes away at Janice with blasters like those she smuggled into Hell’s Kitchen. Rabble weighs her weapons against Miles’ Venom Saber. Shotgun makes Tombstone eat more lead. Madame Masque started this Game of Thrones by manipulating Shotgun. Spider-Man leaps and thwips and makes clear he won’t quit until Endgame.
Marcio Menyz delivers bright and bold colors to Amazing Spider-Man #43. The loaded palette unleashes eye-catching contrasts as the action takes place surrounded by lush greenery while skyscrapers touch tufts of white in an azure sky. The furious action and appealing colors almost make you forget that this Gang War has its roots in Randy and Janice's wedding, which took place (or tried to take place) under a similarly pastoral setting in New York's Marcus Garvey Park.
Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase black letters into white balloons. Words grow bold for inflection. Enlarged and colored letters celebrate shouts, grunts, and wails. Tombstone’s tiny lettering suggests he’s the strong, silent type. Amid a feast of sound effects, the thud that the aging crime lord meets out suggests he’s not as past it as many dared to think. Perhaps it even surprises him?
Thanks to Marvel for providing this essential chapter of the Gang War saga for review.
Final Thoughts
Amid a raging battle filled with epic confrontations, Amazing Spider-Man #43 celebrates the importance of friendship, family, and the need to recognize who we are.
Rating 9.8/10
To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.
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