Writer: Joe Kelly
Artist: Pepe Larraz
Colorist: Marte Gracia
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Cover Artists: Pepe Larraz & Marte Gracia; Paolo Rivera; Chris Giarrusso; Pablo Villalobos; Tony Daniel & Marcelo Maiolo
Designer: Jay Bowen
Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski
Publisher: Marvel
Price: $4.99
Release Date: April 23, 2025
After fifteen interviews in nine days, Peter Parker gets a break. Thanks to an internal recommendation, Peter is now the Supervising Engineer of Cooperative Disciplines at Rand Industries. But the Rhino nearly spoils Peter's party. A rampage through the street ends with a totaled truck and Rhino's heart going Big Bada Boom.
While enjoying drinks with Shay Marken and wine with Brie, Randy Robertson mentions that his clients in East Harlem are frightened. Peter dislikes coincidences, so he thwips over to the Rhino’s neighborhood for a superhero snoop. Instead, he finds a villain meetup that makes The Bar With No Name resemble The Electric Company. Is Spider-Man ready for a battle with the Terrible Twelve? Let's grab a packet of Jelly Belly beans, leap into Amazing Spider-Man #2, and see!
Story
Like fighting a tribe of Tuskin Raiders without a lightsaber, Peter's life has become a nightmare. But then, battling a supervillain dirty dozen will test even the strongest spider-hero. Worse, the civilians seem to shrink as he fights, making them rebel soldiers struggling to avoid getting squashed by a herd of rampaging AT-AT Walkers.
Recently, Spider-Man saved Bailey Briggs when he lost his anchor in the Web Of Life And Destiny. In Amazing Spider-Man #2, Peter Parker gets cut adrift from time. One moment, he fights for his life. The next, he awakens amid discussions at work. Like Michael Newman in Click, Peter’s universal remote has gone out of control. Peter is fast-forwarding through his life and awakening from battles to wonder what he has missed.
Others consider Norman Osborn a geek celebrity, but Peter calls him a friend. Norman may be busy shutting down Oscorp, but he's still there for Peter. He wants to understand what happened to Peter in the Rhino's apartment. Given time, Norman can concoct an antidote. But whoever sent Rhino and Peter to hallucination hell is also harming people in East Harlem. Who knows how many people in New York could get hurt or killed from this strange malaise?
In Amazing Spider-Man #2, Peter races for a cure. Whoever infected Rhino also attacked him. Until he discovers the culprit, it could happen again. He could die. Worse, trapped in a land of illusions, he could kill others. And like Admiral Ackbar, Peter doesn’t want to wander into another trap.
Art
Marte Gracia cloaks Spider-Man’s worst enemies in red and purple. As they battle amid yellow and orange, people in the full-color world behold the Arachnobatic Demolition Man. Monocolored foreground characters keep the focus on the action, while black-and-white memories weigh down Peter with guilt.
Pepe Larraz wraps Peter's hands like a martial artist in Amazing Spider-Man #2. Dr Maira Osmani-Milton seems an upscale version of nurse Shay Marken as she speaks of uplifting people through dignity. Brian Nehring smiles behind his glasses like Dr Ian Malcolm, linking memories of mayhem with the chaos detonating Peter's life. And in this era of deregulation, boots tramp through blood in explosive, cinemascope scenes.
Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase black lettering into dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Words grow bold for inflection, swell and change color for volume, and rarely shrink. White letters in edgy black balloons hail a villain's return, while green laughter suggests another revivification. Sound effects enliven a spectacular battle, an astonishing rescue, and a spine-tingling yell. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.
Final Thoughts
As Peter Parker plays detective, the clock is ticking. Shay Marken demands his best in their relationship. His new boss, Dr Maira Osmani-Milton, demands Peter’s complete focus at work. And then there is his childhood friend. Brian Nehring claims he is looking out for Peter but also admits he breeds magic mushrooms. After frightening New Yorkers and South Korean auto workers, Peter must discover the culprit before they blow up his life in Amazing Spider-Man #2.
Rating 9.4/10
To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.
No comments:
Post a Comment