Amazing Spider-Man #40 Review

 

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; J. Scott Campbell & Tanya Lehoux; Tony Daniel & Sonia Oback; Anthony Francisco; Sean Galloway; Peach Momoko; Joey Vazquez

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $5.99

Release Date: December 20, 2023

 

Madame Masque organized all this chaos, but can she control it? Janice Lincoln loves her father, but then she ousts him as head of his territory. And who does Spidey team up with this issue? Let’s thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #40 and find out!

 

Story

Digger is back and working for a hooded figure who wears a rose. Beetle insists on taking Diamondback's territory. And Madame Masque tells an injured Hammerhead, "Fine. Call in your boys. Go ahead. Make my day!"

 

Madame Masque grabs the headlines in Amazing Spider-Man #40. She played understudy for years. Now she's taking the stage. She believes she'll win this Game Of Thrones. But does she hold all the cards?

 

Aside from She-Hulk, Spider-Man couldn’t keep his team together. So Peter accepts Tombstone’s offer to repeat their former partnership. This time, Tombstone's making no bones about his involvement. He’s a master strategist and knows what this play will cost him. Still, his daughter’s worth it.

 

 

 

Janet Lincoln has finally thrown in the towel with Randy Robertson and embraced the Dark Side. With Randy in hospital and no longer campaigning to overturn Fisk’s Law, she’s building a new future without him. Aside from losing Randy, one wonders what else her actions will cost her. With Luke Cage ignoring Fisk’s Law by coordinating with superheroes and covertly fighting foes as Power Man, will he face the consequences of his actions? With Wilson Fisk back in New York City, might the Kingpin use this Gang War to his advantage? Does anyone think he wants his master-crafted anti-vigilante law overturned? 

 

 

 

Art

John Romita Jr. and Scott Hanna preserve the Rose’s anonymity in their opening page. Then the Art Bros show us the Tracksuit Mafia poised to take down the Inner Demons. She-Hulk practices her fastball while Spider-Man scores a strike. Madame Masque’s body language reinforces her confidence, and Hammerhead's crew pays her respect. While Janice looks determined, she betrays none of the joy she revealed with Randy. Tombstone can't help but smile as he helps Spidey and Shulkie take on the Tracksuite Bros. Yet Tombstone’s not smiling when he discusses the future with his temporary teammates. 

 

 

 

A closeup of Tombstone pouring drinks affords readers a glimpse of Spider-Man. Smoke rises behind Tombstone, reminding us of the anarchy ruling the crime lord's streets. The Beetle makes a powerful statement as she busts into Diamondback's headquarters. John Romita Jr. and Scott Hanna close Amazing Spider-Man #40 by showing a worried father beside his confident daughter as each confronts different crime lords.

 

Marcio Menyz paints pages using a palette loaded with bold colors. Light sources and shadows give scenes drama. While bathing closeups of Madame Masque and Hammerhead in gray tones, the mansion's façade glows with color and reflects gold like her shiny mask. Menyz and Erick Arciniega signaled Hammerhead’s ambition in ASM #35 by showing the crime lord’s reflection in a pool of blood. Now blood coats Hammerhead’s face in Amazing Spider-Man #40.

 

 

 

Vibrant sound effects report gunfire and toppled boxes in a warehouse wrangle. Madame Masque crunches her victims from great heights and underfoot. While Joe Caramagna thwips easily readable uppercase black letters into most of his white balloons, Tombstone’s tell tiny tales. But then, after his extended hospital stay, it’s understandable Tombstone's reflecting on his mortality and the model he set for his daughter.

 

Thanks to Marvel for providing this essential chapter of the Gang War saga for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Spider-Man, She-Hulk, and the Beetle tackle symptoms while Madame Masque, Tombstone, and perhaps another player concentrate on curing New York City’s disease in Amazing Spider-Man #40.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #13 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artists: Federico Vicentini

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Alejandro Sánchez; Anthony Francisco; Peach Momoko; Dustin Nguyen

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: December 13, 2023

 

Miles Morales used to rely on Peter Parker. Then suddenly, Peter wasn’t around anymore. When Peter asks Miles to help him combat the Gang War threatening New York City, the elder Spider-Man acts as if he hadn't ghosted Miles. Pent-up resentment prompted Miles to unload on Peter. How does Brooklyn’s young Spider-Man feel about his relationship with Peter now? Let's thwip into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #13 and find out!

 

Story

In Peter’s absence, Misty Knight took Miles under her wing. Her fellow private investigator, Colleen Wing, assisted with his training. Blade’s magic upgraded Miles’ capabilities. Doc Sasquatch and Keisha Kwan listen to him without judging. Miles may not feel centered, but he’s able to carry on. All this helps when Miles discovers Bumbler and Vespa fighting Frost Pharoah’s Ankh-Colytes.

 

When Brooklyn's young Spider-Man rescues a child from the battlefield, Bumbler and Vespa turn their wrath on him. Despite his training and determination, Miles knows he isn’t ready to fight crime on his own. Yet even if the situation threatens to overwhelm him, Miles can rely on the skills and strategies he’s worked so hard to master.

 

While struggling to cope with the stressful life of a superhero, Miles has fought off Agent Gao's All Cape Killers anti-vigilante team. He's teamed up with Blade and Bloodline and helped Peter Parker and his friends to combat Ringmaster, Crime-Master, and A.I.M. In Miles Morales: Spider-Man #13, he receives assistance when he least expects it and gets an intriguing proposition. Even if Miles isn't ready to fight alone, others recognize his worth. Hopefully, he'll draw strength from that, learn that relationships change over time, and embrace the opportunities that come his way. 

 

 

 

Art

Light streams into the garage of Misty's safehouse as Miles shares his struggles with the glowing face of Keisha Kwan. In her office, a device mounted to her chair displays a holograph of Miles. Colorist Bryan Valenza enhances solitary moments of contemplation and despair with compelling realism.

 

Federico Vicentini breathes life into the snowy warfare in Brooklyn. Frost clings to objects while villains charge through the snow, ignoring the wispy flakes that obscure their opponents. Panels fight for dominance amid a sea of imagery while objects hurtle toward the reader. Appealing character designs blur as changing camera angles heighten frenetic battle scenes. Yet the camera sprints away from explosive moments, anxious to avoid the carnage in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #13. 

 

 

 

After lavishing many appealing colors on present-day scenes, Bryan Valenza scrapes all but a few from his palette. He applies this limited selection to scenes taking place in the past. Federico Vicentini draws these scenes with a harshness that conveys the intensity of the earlier battle.

 

Cory Petit relays Cody Ziglar’s story with white dialogue balloons and red narrative thought-boxes. His large uppercase letters look delicate but rarely shrink. Sound effects in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #13 encompass eye-catching thwips, savage buzzing, and a puffy, transparent boom.

 

Final Thoughts

After their initial consultation, Doc Sasquatch relegated Miles' therapy to a protégé. Once, Miles fought at Peter Parker’s side. Now, his elder colleague rarely calls. Like Spider-Man's new sidekick, Spider-Boy, Miles combats D-List villains. Miles may be more of a trainee or teammate than a team leader. Yet he's turning heads in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #13.

 

Rating 9/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.