Superman vs The Amazing Spider-Man: The Battle of the Century #1 Review

 

Writer: Gerry Conway

Pencillers: Ross Andru, Neal Adams & John Romita Sr

Inkers: Dick Giordano, Terry Austin & Bob Wiacek

Colorist: Jerry Serpe

Letterer: Gaspar Saladino

Cover Artists: Carmine Infanto, Ross Andru & Neal Adams

Editors: Carmine Infanto & Stan Lee

Consulting Editors: Roy Thomas, Julius Schwartz, Marv Wolfman & E Nelson Bridwell

Producers: Sol Harrison with Jack Adler

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $19.99/$24.99 Foil

Release Date: January 7, 2026

 

When the temperature falls, the affluent flee Metropolis for warmer climes. But Superman can't leave his adoptive city, because some villain always uses Metropolis as a testing ground for their superweapons. Still, it’s not every day that someone sends a giant robot stomping and crashing through Metropolis.

 

Sadly, the falling mercury in New York City doesn’t discourage criminals from making Spider-Man’s neighborhood less friendly. When Spider-Man notices thieves absconding with priceless artifacts from the Metropolitan Museum, he thwips into the fray. What villains are behind the giant robot in Metropolis and the art theft in Manhattan? And how will they plague Superman and Spider-Man when the two heroes meet? Let’s leap into this 50^th Anniversary Treasury Edition Facsimile issue of Superman vs The Amazing Spider-Man: The Battle of the Century #1 and see!

 

Story

In Metropolis, the towering robot seems resistant to Superman’s abilities. Clark Kent may not be the world’s greatest detective. Still, he soon discovers that Lex Luthor is behind the giant robot. Clark's deductive skills prove an equal partner with his superpowers, whether battling the giant robot or navigating office politics. But impressing Morgan Edge and Lois Lane proves more difficult than shrugging off the effects of Kryptonite.

 

In Manhattan, Spider-Man soon discovers who is behind the art theft. But his wonky web-shooters make apprehending Doctor Octopus difficult. Like Clark, Peter Parker struggles in his relationships. But while Lois gets frustrated with Clark, Mary Jane Watson calls him “Tiger” or “Wolf.”

 

Clark Kent and Peter Parker meet in New York at a World News Conference. While the setting places Superman on Spidey’s home turf, Spider-Man nonetheless struggles. Mary Jane wonders if he had nails for breakfast. Peter makes a better impression on Lois Lane. But when a confusing incident occurs, Spider-Man regards Superman not as a potential ally, but as his enemy.

 

Superman vs The Amazing Spider-Man: The Battle of the Century #1 includes lots of action as the two heroes battle separately, against each other, and together. Gerry Conway contrasts Lex Luthor and Doctor Octopus when the two meet and decide to work together. Like Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot, Superman and Spider-Man criticize themselves when they realize they’ve messed up. But once they join forces, they work together like one of Lex Luthor's or Doc Ock's well-oiled machines.

 

Art

After a credits page in which the two superheroes face off, each section of Superman vs The Amazing Spider-Man: The Battle of the Century #1 opens with a two-page spread or layout. The art also flows across pages when Superman and Spider-Man come to blows. Ross Andru, Neal Adams, John Romita Sr, Dick Giordano, Terry Austin, and Bob Wiacek contribute highly detailed art. Cityscapes contrast modern towers with the architecture of past ages. Even if they don't play a pivotal role in the story, the people in the two heroes' lives make an appearance. The artists showcase the inventiveness of the villains, with high-tech vehicles, robots, and space vehicles.

 

While Superman and Spider-Man wear red and blue costumes, Jerry Serpe adorns Clark Kent and Peter Parker with hints of their secret identities. As Lex Luthor and Doc Ock wear green, it also links the two ladies in the superheroes' lives. But in this brightly colored comic, blue proves the dominant color. It links the villains amid their initial defeat and immediately afterward. Blue also links the superheroes with the pop culture of 1976, as a light-blue and pink Superman evokes the Six Million Dollar Man, and Spider-Man pays homage to a sport growing in popularity.

 

Gaspar Saladino places uppercase black letters in white dialogue balloons and colored narrative boxes. The letters grow bold for emphasis and enlarge for raised voices. Balloons grow spiky in tense situations, while characters’ thoughts float in clouds. Colorful sound effects enhance the action, as Superman and Spider-Man circle the globe through the atmosphere and above it in Superman vs The Amazing Spider-Man: The Battle of the Century #1. Thanks to DC Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Clark Kent and Peter Parker are both storytellers. Yet their superhero exploits hamper their journalistic success. In the 50^th Anniversary Treasury Facsimile Edition of Superman vs The Amazing Spider-Man: The Battle of the Century #1, Clark and Peter team up to save the world from Lex Luthor and Doctor Octopus. Still, their bosses wish their most promising employees could live up to their promise.

 

Rating: 10/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Superman vs The Amazing Spider-Man: The Battle ofthe Century #1.

The Amazing Spider-Man: Torn #2 Review

 

Writer: J Michael Straczynski

Artist: Pere Pérez

Colorist: Guru-eFX

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Mark Chiarello; Ario Anindito; Gabriele Dell’Otto; Steve Rude; Pere Pérez & Marte Gracia

Designer: Carlos Lao

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 12, 2025

 

Life at Empire State University challenges Peter Parker. Some General Education classes tax him. Other subjects he could ace in his sleep, but must sit through regardless. Peter feels torn between his duty to protect the public and his schoolwork. College life also prompts Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy, Harry Osborn, and Mary Jane Watson to contemplate the careers they will pursue and the people they will share their futures with.

 

As Peter struggles to figure out where he belongs and what his future holds, trouble explodes on campus. While stealing a rare book, the stone-cold killer executes the librarian and his assistant. But before Peter can apprehend her, the woman transforms into a winged demon. Who will the demon thief attack next? And can Peter draw on German 101 to read the 13^th-century tome and figure out how to reverse the thief’s transformation? Let's thwip into The Amazing Spider-Man: Torn #2 and see!

 

Story

The dangers that threaten people know no boundaries. They may occur across the Hudson or when Peter is relaxing with his friends. After his uncle taught him the relationship between power and responsibility, Peter feels the weight of every soul he couldn't protect. So, while Gwen, Harry, and Mary Jane mourn librarian Tom Ambrose and his assistant Lauren Connor, Peter blames himself for their deaths.

 

In The Amazing Spider-Man: Torn #2, Peter researches the book he grasped from Evangeline's claws to understand why they died. But he finds little or no mention of the book online. Languages change over time, and Peter keeps tripping up in Dr Dunkle’s class. He realizes he’s not up to deciphering 13^th-century German. So, Peter seeks assistance, even though doing so risks his secret identity.

 

As Peter navigates the complex web of his investigation, guilt, and relationships, Evangeline strives to understand what has happened to her. She seeks the aid of the person who commissioned her theft. Evangeline is frustrated and shocked by her transformation. And while she's not thinking straight, she lashes out with her newfound strength. In J Michael Straczynski’s story, Evangeline clings to the hope of regaining the body she has lost.

 

 

 

 

Art

In Lafayette Deli, a young employee struggles to comprehend the intricacies of customer service. His pupils rise when webbing yanks the bag from his smiling employer's hands in The Amazing Spider-Man: Torn #2. As Peter sits atop a column high above the street, Pere Pérez shows how Peter relies on coffee to prepare for those grueling 8 am general ed classes. Amid the streamlined towers, a man gazes out upon the city through his wall windows. His Garfield-like cat leaps from his arms when a winged demon makes a spectacular entrance.

 

 

 

 

As Guru-eFX adorns The Amazing Spider-Man: Torn #2 with a radiant palette, he gives Mary Jane and Peter black shirts, and dresses Dr Dunkle in a black suit. The man who commissioned Evangeline’s theft wears a purple robe, a color historically linked with wealth, royalty, and power. The story he weaves for Evangeline’s pointed ears appears in white, black, and purple. As he explains how the book transformed her, Evangeline’s brown skin links her with the leather-bound volume.

 

 

 

 

Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. The words grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and rarely shrink. Evangeline speaks into cloudy balloons, while the font hints at her traumatized state. Sound effects herald a shrieking demon, enhance fighting, and remind Peter of an upcoming engagement. Ask not for whom the bell tolls, Peter. It tolls for thee! Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

While Peter fears hurting his friends, losing the last person he sees as a parent, and not saving those in need, he worries about the trauma people undergo following a life-threatening ordeal. Mary Jane fears the consequences of an opportunity not taken, while Evangeline fears life as an outsider. Yet the greatest fear people face in The Amazing Spider-Man: Torn #2 isn't death, relationships, or the future. Instead, it is the secrets contained in an ancient book, and what drawing upon its power could unleash.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Amazing Spider-Man #14 Review

 

Writer: Joe Kelly

Penciler: Ed McGuinness & Todd Nauck

Inkers: Mark Farmer, Wade Von Grawbadger, Ed McGuinness, & Todd Nauck

Colorists: Marcio Menyz & Erick Arciniega

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Patrick Gleason & Marcio Menyz; Lee Bermejo (Amazing Visions); Cory Smith & Edgar Delgado; Jay Anacleto & Romulo Fajardo Jr; Joshua Cassara & Matthew Wilson (The Muppets)

Designer: Jay Bowen

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe, & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: October 15, 2025

 

Hermes Crenshaw believes that Manhattan's new Take No Prisoners Spider-Man hails from a parallel universe. Instead, while Ben Reilly impersonates Peter Parker at Rand, Norman Osborn thwips the streets as Peter’s alter ego. But Norman doesn’t practice Peter’s restraint. And he hates losing.

 

When Miles Morales, Spider-Boy, Silk, Araña, and Spider-Gwen invade his web after losing his “cowardly” lawsuit against Roderick Kingsley, Norman lashes out. Can Spider-Norman placate New York's Spider-Society? And will the Sic Semper Monstrum club teach Roderick Kingsley their secret handshake? Let's thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #14 and see!

 

Story

Although Silk assured Norman that Peter still lives, he left their encounter feeling like a failure. So Norman seeks out someone else who has tried and failed to be Spider-Man. But Ben Reilly doesn’t want to share the same universe, let alone the same airspace, with Norman Osborn. And he’s far from alone in that sentiment.

 

While Ben impersonates Peter in Amazing Spider-Man #14, his growing closeness to Dr Maira Osmani-Milton drives his girlfriend crazy. Janine Godbe enjoys life in the shadows with Ben. Now he is chasing Peter's life again, and that's beyond frustrating.

 

 

 

While endangering his future with Janine, Ben shuts out the people who care about Peter. Aunt May feels cut off from the successful working nephew who hung photos in her living room when he was bombing interviews. And at work, Brian Nehring isn't feeling freaktastic as his childhood chum’s science outshines his mycoteria.

 

While Joe Kelly’s story urges us to understand what drives us, it also contrasts life in the shadows with exposing our actions to the light of day. Night patrols gave Norman the anonymity to act out his aggressions. Imitating Peter solely at Rand allows Ben to hurt everyone close to him. But people who exercise power responsibly inspire others. That's something a would-be hero learns in Amazing Spider-Man #14. 

 

 

 

Art

Ed McGuinness & Todd Nauck, Mark Farmer, and Wade Von Grawbadger contrast memories of the Spider-Society on a rooftop with Norman sitting alone in his exclusive penthouse. Janine’s masks feed her desire for easy victories but provide no lasting contentment. As Maira sits before an image of sunflowers, she makes a more understanding and accepting comparison with Peter’s not-girlfriend. Yet despite her words, Maira’s disdain for Norman struggles to dominate her face, suggesting a familiar jousting tournament with a business rival. 

 

 

 

Marcio Menyz and Erick Arciniega make Chasm and Hallows Eve look good together in purple, orange, red, and green. Maira and Ben’s blue attire emphasizes the growing connection between them. Norman’s dark gray suit seems a reminder that his self-esteem, if not his body, is trapped in the dark web of Limbo. An attacker's light gray and blue emphasize a cold, clinical approach to curing a disease. While the yellow and orange coursing across his body evoke Hellgate's inner fire, Kintsugi's gleaming suit recalls another cosmic hero.

 

Joe Caramagna fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase dialogue. Words grow bold for inflection, enlarge for raised voices, and shrink for lowered voices. Faint lowercase handprinted letters reveal Norman's thoughts in irregular white rectangles, while Aunt May writes in tiny cursive. Sound effects hail a pleasant outing, a responsible use of power, and defiant dry-thwipping in Amazing Spider-Man #14. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

While Norman Osborn struggles to overcome his past, Roderick Kingsley makes new friends, Brian Nehring gets desperate, and Astrid reveals a fondness for Battlestar Galactica in Amazing Spider-Man #14.

 

Rating 9/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Amazing Spider-Man #13 Review

 

Writer: Joe Kelly

Artist: Pepe Larraz

Colorists: Marte Gracia & Erick Arciniega

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Pepe Larraz & Marte Gracia; Lee Bermejo; Pere Pérez & Morry Hollowell; J Gonzo; Dave Bardin; Valerio Schiti & Frank Martin

Designer: Jay Bowen

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe, & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: October 1, 2025

 

Cursed with far-sight, Nikodemu charged her knight with a mission. He must pierce the Soul Wall and parley with the Prince of Steel Silk. Peter Parker didn’t understand what Hellgate wanted. Nor did he like how Hellgate dealt with the gunrunners in Queen’s Cola uniforms. So their war of words escalated to a thwip-and-smash across New York City. As their titanic battle waned, Hellgate mourned a lost opportunity. “You were to teach me,” he said, before punching Spider-Man across the universe.

 

A broken man, Peter scrambled to survive on a planetoid with limited resources. All the while, Hellgate’s imperative rang in his ears. After Dr Xanto Starblood rescued him, Peter thought the xenobiological engineer could help him accomplish Hellgate’s final demand. Then he discovered who paid the price for Xanto’s biotech enhancements. Can Peter “get stronger” now that he’s defeated his most promising instructor? And can he prevent the laboratory subjects he freed from shooting Xanto with a Hadron Enforcer? Let’s pull on our Flexisuits, thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #13, and see!

 

 

 

Story

When he freed them from their cages, Peter didn't find Howard the Duck. Still, he met some enormous personalities and a little Venom. While Rocket the Raccoon shines the brightest, he also met Raelith the Wretched and Nial. They form Peter’s brain trust as he works to return them to their respective homes. It’s a simple plan. But in a universe at war, people are bound to cause problems. The Gothon Conglomerate is doing a Trade Federation-style blockade over Gaileia 3. Still, Rocket has escaped from twenty-three-plus prisons. He has a plan for passing through the checkpoint in their Corpo-Death Satellite Web.

 

Rocket is well-versed in disappointment. The Guardian has experienced enough cruelty to know that a dead torturer can’t hurt anyone again. But as with the "Clan of the Hobgoblin," Peter seeks a gentler form of justice in Amazing Spider-Man #13. 

 

 

 

While Joe Kelly chronicles Peter and Rocket’s assault on a Gothon space station, he keeps returning to the Beacon, the deep-space research vessel where Dr Starblood experimented on his subjects. Xanto accompanies Peter, Rocket, and the others on their mission. And despite Rocket’s threats, Xanto approves of the way his former captor treats him.

 

Joe Kelly weaves a dark thread of irony into Amazing Spider-Man #13. As Peter argues for life in prison versus the death penalty, he wears a Flexisuit based on Xanto’s research of Technarchs. And just as Warlock refused to follow the rules of his society and kill his father, Peter refuses to kill the alien who has helped him become 99.9999% stronger than anyone else on Earth. 

 

 

 

Art

Pepe Larraz launches readers into an intense battle in the space station shuttle bay. While Rocket uses a rifle, Peter utilizes Xanto's version of the Iron Spider armor. Rocket seems at home in the battle. The Guardian displays his irritation, contempt, and outrage during group discussions. The park that Peter likened to his boyhood notion of Heaven becomes an amphitheater to propound his philosophy. Nial may evoke Gumby's Blockheads, but he displays wisdom and patience beyond his years. Among the aliens gathered in the park, a Humanoid named Raelith evokes Peter’s non-girlfriend. But Shay Marken doesn’t have Elven ears or red eyes.

 

Amid the fast-paced scenes and the intense arguments, Marte Gracia & Erick Arciniega weave a tapestry of energizing color in Amazing Spider-Man #13. As camera angles change faster than Yondu’s Yaka Arrow, Peter shines in his golden suit. Green often grounds scenes, and soothes as purple and gold battle for dominance. Xanto's purple tattoos link him with a central tree in his park. While the tree fascinates Nial, Rocket displays little interest. Yet despite his opposition to Peter's approach to life, Rocket's red-and-blue suit evokes Peter’s normal appearance as a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

 

 

 

Joe Caramagna's black uppercase letters in white balloons and boxes grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered voices. Rocket utilizes cloudy balloons, while Symbie speaks white letters into less puffy black balloons. Sound effects demonstrate Rocket’s restraint amid battle as Peter launches his personal Infinity War, and Symbie does what he does best. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Nikodemu watches events in our universe from her realm. And of everyone she sees, she sends Hellgate to our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Peter Parker may have dismissed Hellgate as a cosplaying costumed hero when they first met. But after glimpsing Nikodemu amid Dr Xanto Starblood’s rescue, like Luke seeing Obi-Wan on Hoth, Peter's a believer. As order in his universe descends into chaos, Hellgate’s warning haunts Peter Parker in Amazing Spider-Man #13.

 

“Everything relies on your strength.”

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Amazing Spider-Man #12 Review

 

Writer: Joe Kelly

Penciler: Ed McGuinness

Inkers: Cliff Rathburn & Ed McGuinness

Colorists: Marcio Menyz & Erick Arciniega

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Ed McGuinness & Marte Gracia; Lee Bermejo (Amazing Visions); Simone Bianchi; Rogê Antônio & Marcelo Maiolo; James Kerigan (Halloween Mask); NetEase Games (Marvel Mystic Mayhem)

Designer: Jay Bowen

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe, & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: September 17, 2025

 

Ben Reilly felt every moment of Cyra’s test thanks to his unspoken clone thing with Peter Parker. So, he impersonates Peter Parker while the genuine article is away. But Ben lacks Peter’s Freaktastic connection to Brian Nehring. And Chasm lacks compassion for the people in Peter’s life.

 

Norman Osborn has come a long way. Driven by Peter’s faith in him, Norman tries to fill his friend’s shoes while he’s gone. But no one likes Norman’s take on Manhattan’s webslinger. And while all that is going on, Roderick Kingsley is fending off Norman’s legal maneuvers and using Queen’s Cola to move weapons in Tombstone’s streets. Will Ben Reilly and Norman Osborn cost Peter Parker his job, his friendships, and his reputation as a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man? Let's thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #12 and see!

 

 

 

Story

We always feel like we know the right thing to do. Hermes Crenshaw thinks he knows what's going on with Spider-Man, but he rushes to judgment without substantiating his claims. J Jonah Jameson generally tries to do what's right. Sadly, his way of doing what's right often means hurting other people. Although he's working for another corporation now, Ben Reilly's still trying to be like Peter Parker. But he knows he's failing and realizes his time at Rand is beyond limited. And that hurts.

 

Of all the people in Joe Kelly’s story, Norman theoretically has the best shot at emulating Peter Parker. He knows the man behind the mask. And unlike Roderick Kingsley, Norman wishes to make amends for his acts as a goblin. But life has forged Norman into a predator who exploits weaknesses and crushes the opposition. That mindset has served him well in building a business empire. No matter how hard Norman wants to be good, his past forged him into a fighter who destroys his rivals. And that hurts.

 

In Amazing Spider-Man #12, New York’s Spider-Society confronts Manhattan's spider-poseur. But instead of attempting an intervention, they adopt Norman's tactics. They try to strongarm the Captain of Industry, who once stole Roderick Kingsley's business empire. And that's going to hurt.  

 

 

 

Art

Ed McGuinness and Cliff Rathburn show Norman swinging into action. He hurtles down pages and careers across two-page layouts. Norman thwips by night and corrals herds of paperwork at Oscorp by day. He slips off brick walls and crashes into cars. Norman hurries from one item on his packed itinerary to the next. And whatever he does, and wherever he goes in his trek toward redemption, Norman frowns.

 

While the paparazzi put Norman’s life under the microscope with their cameras, Brian Nehring tries to peer into Ben Reilly’s soul with his magnifying glass. The Mycoteria clinging to a shard of hovering steel reveal Astrid’s fears, even if it doesn’t justify her goblin-like disdain. But when Brian extends his hand, Ben shrinks from contact, just like Norman Osborn in Amazing Spider-Man #12.

 

 

 

Amid the beige and gray locale, where Tombstone showed Peter the limitations of the legal system, Marcio Menyz and Erick Arciniega's yellow-orange light suggests the sun is setting on Norman's legal maneuvering. A black, white, and red image forms a link with Norman's spider-suit, while a face shaded purple contrasts Norman's strategy with Peter’s when he had to justify his existence. While Norman crouches in a place that has often brought Peter peace, he confronts all the colors that better represent what it means to be a spider-hero.

 

 

 

Joe Caramagna fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase dialogue. Font size shrinks when business giants whisper. Faint lowercase handprinted lettering reveals Norman's thoughts in irregular white rectangles. Sound effects reveal Norman's pain and his willingness to visit it on anyone who threatens to hurt him in Amazing Spider-Man #12. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Pain forged Norman Osborn into an unstoppable empire builder. But when a victim from his past returns to judge his progress in turning his life around, Norman realizes he has a long way to go in justifying Peter Parker’s faith in him in Amazing Spider-Man #12.

 

Rating 9/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Amazing Spider-Man #11 Review

 

Writer: Joe Kelly, Saladin Ahmed, Lee Gatlin, & Jason Loo

Penciler: John Romita Jr

Inker: Scott Hanna

Artists: Pepe Larraz, Pere Pérez, Lee Gatlin & Jason Loo

Colorists: Marcio Menyz, Marte Gracia & Morry Hollowell

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Pepe Larraz & Marte Gracia; Lee Bermejo; Pepe Larraz & Edgar Delgado; Sanford Greene; Junggeun Yoon; Bengal; Benjamin Su; Javier Garrón & Jesus Aburtov; Felipe Massafera; Luciano Vecchio; James Kerigan

Designer: Jay Bowen

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe, & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $7.99

Release Date: September 3, 2025

 

With Kingpin’s forces reigning chaos in the streets, Spider-Man has taken off the kid gloves. J Jonah Jameson, never soft on crime, is calling out his friend on-air after Spidey sends three Aftershocks to the hospital. Even Black Cat’s sweet reason couldn’t stop Spider-Man from breaking Shocker’s arm.

 

While Spider-Man is taking out the trash, Peter Parker is whipping everyone into shape. He dissed his freaktastic friend Brian in front of Dr Osmani-Milton. Then Peter broke poor Frankie’s nose, just because he didn’t want to take a ride on the wild side with Tombstone. Why is Spider-Man using harsher webs than Spider-Girl? And why is Peter Parker dating a secret girlfriend and ghosting everyone he loves? Let's thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #11 and see!

 

 

Broken Mirror: Story

Peter’s silence and distance weigh down Aunt May. But she can’t sleep, can’t divert her focus from her nephew’s betrayal. So, Aunt May takes comfort in memories of better times, when she believed she could help Peter choose a better path.

 

Usually, it’s Peter who reacts to others' needs. Now, the people in his web alter their behavior to accommodate Peter’s absence. Perhaps most surprising of all is Tombstone’s response. He’s used to Peter Parker being his link to his foe. Yet Spider-Man was an opponent Tombstone respected. The crime boss even checked Spider-Man into the hospital after their brutal brawl in the New York underground. In Amazing Spider-Man #11, the hero who helped Tombstone become the new Kingpin no longer serves as a mirror to gauge his actions against.

 

 

 

Broken Mirror: Art

A framed photograph prompts Black and White memories, while a childhood costume makes Aunt May wonder at her parenting decisions. The city glows yellow, highlighting Peter and Spider-Man’s faces as they confront each other beneath a blue night sky. A double-page spread unleashes a fight between two former heroes, before one dispenses with his disguise as they reenact Spider-Man and Tombstone’s fight at the Canal Street Station. Marcio Menyz unleashes a vivid palette of colors on John Romita Jr and Scott Hanna's dramatic, action-packed, and revelatory art in Amazing Spider-Man #11. 

 

 

 

Broken Man: Story

After the big reveals in “Broken Mirror,” Joe Kelly takes us on a space odyssey in “Broken Man.” Hellgate’s punch proved stronger than Hulkette’s, propelling Peter to a planetoid where he struggles to survive. After the rigors of playing Robinson Crusoe on a planet as barren as Mars, an alien extends a helping hand. Xanto may not live in Xanadu, but life on his spaceship seems ideal. With the Imperial War raging across the cosmos, Peter knows he couldn’t return home right now even if he wanted to. But he knows that Hellgate isn’t through with him. As in his battle with the scions of Cyttorak, that knowledge drives Peter’s actions in “Broken Mirror.”

 

 

 

Broken Man: Art

Marte Gracia lavishes a vibrant palette on Pepe Larraz’s extraterrestrial art. Peter crouches in darkness. Survival reduces him to barbarism. A yellow figure glows like an angel, willing him to survive. Aboard the Beacon, Peter trades his ravaged red-and-blue for a white and black suit with a partial exoskeleton. A sleek fighter sits in the hangar where Peter tests his limits. Afterward, he traverses a circular corridor with someone who shares Korg’s sense of humor, if not his looks.

 

In the station’s upper levels, a tree rises before a waterfall, while Peter enjoys a riparian picnic in the park without Shay Marken. After a workout, his gold-clad companion turns blue as he gazes down and rests his hand on Peter’s shoulder like a proud father. But when Peter stands alone amid a starry and colorful cosmos, a purple shadow points toward danger in Amazing Spider-Man #11.

 

 

 

Rapid Return: Story

Roger has a lot to be grateful for. In Lea, he has a loving helpmate. Noah is an adoring son. Roger knows that love means taking care of the people in your life. But as with Aunt May, it can be draining. Roger and his father have always been distant from each other. Now, visiting his dad in the hospital reminds him of his unhappy childhood. And he resents the time he spends with his comatose father when he could be investing it in Lea and Noah.

 

After Roger’s debut in Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man #1, Saladin Ahmed brings us a day in Roger’s life. An experimental serum that could have healed his father accidentally helped him slow time. Spider-Man helped him during his rough superhero birth as Rapid. So when Spider-Man isn’t around, Roger uses his super-speed to protect his neighborhood. Roger may not have spider-powers, but he demonstrates all that Peter could have if he realigned his priorities. 

 

 

 

Rapid Return: Art

As Roger leans against the hospital wall, his shirt heralds the energy he wishes he possessed. The motto on another visitor’s T-shirt urges him to “Be stronger.” Instead, Roger glares at his unresponsive father and strides from the room. Lea and Noah’s embraces make him feel guilty. Roger’s eyes widen when he stares at his phone. Another hug brings him peace.

 

Morry Hollowell imbues vibrant color on Pere Pérez’s heartfelt intro. Then, energy lines and smoke infuse pink, blue, and gray backgrounds as energy arcs around Rapid’s pink and black suit. Another pink bubble evokes the explosion that Spider-Man helped him control. Yet a gray cloud that hovers before a close-up shows what empowers the latest hero to hold an Avengers membership card.

 

 

 

Spider-Mayonnaise

Lee Gatlin’s two-page cartoon showcases Peter Parker’s innovative nature. He is always learning and growing. While Peter takes inspiration from science, another hero wonders if sometimes he doesn’t go too far in Amazing Spider-Man #11.

 

 

 

In The City With…Spider-Man

Jason Loo delivers another two-page story highlighting Spider-Man’s abilities. While a snapshot of what makes Spidey special, it highlights a different ability than Peter works hard to enhance in Joe Kelly’s “Broken Man.”

 

 

 

Lettering

Peter shares his thoughts in red-edged narrative boxes. Roger’s thoughts appear as white letters in pink boxes. Joe Caramagna's black uppercase letters in white balloons grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered voices. Sound effects accompany battle and betrayal, while faint lowercase black letters reveal an imposter’s thoughts. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

As Shay Marken once noted, Peter’s life may be a dumpster fire. But when Peter pulls a no-show, friends and villains shine in Amazing Spider-Man #11.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.