Black Cat #1 Review

 

Writer: G Willow Wilson

Artist: Gleb Melnikov

Colorist: Brian Reber

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Adam Hughes; Peach Momoko; Simone Di Meo; J Scott Campbell; Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson; Derrick Chew; Jeehyung

Designer: Stacie Zucker

Editors: Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: August 20, 2025

 

A master thief’s life is filled with peril. Usually, they prove more injurious emotionally than physically. So why is Black Cat sitting in the night nurse’s waiting room? And how might her battle with Hellgate change her? Let’s put on our catsuits, leap into Black Cat #1, and see!

 

Story

Curt Connors gained superpowers by becoming the Lizard. Since then, the two have gone their separate ways. The Lizard identifies with those society discards, such as Miles Morales’ clone brother Shift, the Vermin, and the unhoused who inhabit New York’s underground. But when the Lizard meets Black Cat in G Willow Wilson’s story, he’s on a mission to understand himself better. Unfortunately, neither he nor Black Cat enjoys others getting in their way.

 

But that’s the problem in Black Cat #1. Suddenly, Felicia Hardy isn’t having things her own way. She pushed away Peter Parker to pursue a relationship with Amelia Morrow. Felicia enjoyed a sometime partnership with Mary Jane. Now, Mary Jane has become a member of another family. Recently, Felicia began to wonder what she had left behind when she broke off things with Peter. But as his life begins to settle down following his battles with Cyttorak’s scions, Hellgate takes Peter away from her again.

 

 

In G Willow Wilson’s story, a fraught chase and fight leave Felicia exhausted. As she looks back on her life, she wonders if being the Black Cat is worth it. Has all her hard work yielded the lasting satisfaction we all seek? While her tangle with the lizard prompts a visit to the nurse’s room, it helps her put things in perspective. With Tombstone making a bid to rule the streets, and Spider-Man keeping his distance and taking a tougher stance on crime, New York is becoming a more dangerous place.

 

Felicia Hardy misses Peter Parker. Their different views on life prevented them from bonding as a couple. But she’s not happy being on her own. So, in Black Cat #1, Felicia wonders: what if I tried to be like him? Or at least, the way Peter used to be?

 

 

 

Art

Gleb Melnikov populates the night nurse’s waiting room with costumed characters in need of her services. Some you may recognize. Others, perhaps not. Whether battling Felicia or sitting in the waiting room, the Lizard exudes power in Black Cat #1. Amid his primal fury, he clutches two cages with due care and concern. After their fight, all the barriers fall. As she sinks into a tub of foamy water, Felicia trades glamor in Gleb Melnikov’s 90s Image superhero art for supermodel vulnerability. 

 

 

 

Brian Reber lavishes a loaded palette on Felicia’s flight from the authorities. The setting sun fills the air with gentle pink and orange. As she runs, the brick buildings glow, while the windows of a corner shop burn like a cluster of tiny suns. Hints of streetlights appear in the dark windows of an office where two associates await her call. By the time Black Cat glimpses Spider-Man, the vibrant colors have fled. So, she watches him thwip out of her life beneath a blue and purple sky. 

 

 

 

As Joe Caramagna fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase text, he shares Felicia’s thoughts with white uppercase letters in black narrative boxes. White letters in green boxes translate the Lizard’s hisses, while red letters flit through a panel, reminding Felicia of those pursuing her. Joe Caramagna stokes the engine powering Black Cat #1 with an ample supply of crash, bang, and big bada boom. Yet whether adorning a symbol of her profession, accompanying an homage, or enhancing the night nurse’s invitation, Joe Caramagna fills Felicia’s moment of truth with all the sounds of reality. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy. 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Luck can be an elusive target. Some people work all their lives to achieve it. Others seem blessed with an abundance. Felicia Hardy has always radiated luck. But look beneath the surface, and you’ll see all the hard work she does to make her luck in Black Cat #1.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Amazing Spider-Man #10 Review

 

Writer: Joe Kelly

Artist: Michael Dowling

Colorists: Marte Gracia with Erick Arciniega

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: John Romita Jr, Scott Hanna & Marcio Menyz; Dike Ruan; Paulo Siqueira & Rachelle Rosenberg; J Scott Campbell & Sabine Rich

Designer: Jay Bowen

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

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: August 20, 2025

 

Nikodemu sent Hellgate to learn from Spider-Man. Instead, Hellgate taught Spider-Man a lesson he won’t forget. Peter Parker’s life is a history of one loss after another. His uncle Ben taught him to pull his punches and flee a fight when no one else faces danger. But as the weeks pass after the Columbus Circle Fracas, Tombstone makes hay while the Spider-Man doesn't shine.

 

Shocker builds a team to "protect" the streets and becomes Tombstone’s second-favorite person (after that Hellgate guy). And while chaos reigns in New York City, Peter Parker is digging into mushrooms and self-isolating from family and friends. Why has Peter gotten soft on crime? And why is he pushing away the people who love him? Let's thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #10 and see!

 

Story

After Shay Marken challenged Peter Parker to be more dependable, Spider-Man teamed with Mayor Cage to throw Tombstone in prison. Instead, Tombstone eluded their legal maneuvering to remain the new Kingpin of New York. But he's got a thing about getting Peter Parker into a limousine. Luke Cage and She-Hulk saved Peter's life the last time he accepted an invitation from Tombstone. Yet in Amazing Spider-Man #10, Tombstone seems surprised when Peter hesitates to take another ride on the wild side.

 

As Tombstone consolidates his hold over New York, Peter once again adopts a proactive view. His approach impresses Dr Osmani-Milton, who promotes Peter over the childhood friend who recommended him. Dr O-M is looking for someone to oversee Rand Enterprises when life calls her away. Employees who make inappropriate workplace remarks and wear mushroom hats aren't on her short list.

 

Peter has always lived a double life. But in Amazing Spider-Man #10, Black Cat worries about her sometime-lover. The all-new, all-different Spider-Man may be the talk of the town. But bad things happen when Spider-Man wears black. As she keeps her eyes on Peter Parker, Black Cat also watches for Spider-Man. Tombstone had a message for Peter to relay. But if Peter didn’t want to play courier, Tombstone may find another way to deliver it.

 

 

 

Art

After the death of his parents, Peter Parker found solace by hiding away from the world in Ben and May’s Walk-In closet. The full-length mirrors weren't from Hogwarts, but they provided the same solace as the Mirror of Erised. Clad in his black-and-red suit, Spider-Man goes full-on Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, running along the side of a building before somersaulting down to punch out Aftershocks. With his shield, Captain Kintsugi may emulate a great American hero. But yellow rivulets run through his white suit like hellfire through black 'A’ā. Thus, Spider-Man welcomes his wannabee assistant as much as he welcomed Captain America’s help when trying to rescue Mary Jane from Paul Rabin’s world.

 

As Michael Dowling sketches Peter’s new battle with his identity, Marte Gracia and Erick Arciniega paint Amazing Spider-Man #10 in black. Spider-Man haunts the night in black-and-red, while Felicia Hardy unleashes her frustrations in black. She prowls the skyline as Black Cat, watching as Tombstone offers Peter a ride in his black limo. 

 

 

 

While yellow firepower lights up the night, Brian Nehring’s yellow glasses and yellow mushroom tanks promise to light up the lives of the economically challenged. Compared to the danger that lurks in the night, Peter dresses for the day in a tan suit. Standing alongside gray-clad Brian amid the calming colors of the Rand Enterprises labs, Dr Osmani-Milton enters wearing a black suit. As she frowns at Peter and Brian, a figure in a white lab coat lingers and watches in Amazing Spider-Man #10.

 

Peter shares his thoughts in red-edged narrative boxes. Joe Caramagna's black uppercase letters in white balloons grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for words uttered through sharpened teeth. Enlarged red dialogue communicates shouts, laughter, and pain, while colorful sound effects help us hear disturbing sounds, electrifying energy, breathtaking impacts, and Spider-Man singing “Dem Bones.” Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Peter has endured the soul-stripping pain of loss many times in his life. But Hellgate’s blow knocked him back to his childhood. Remembering how he lost everything gives Peter Parker the strength to move ahead in Amazing Spider-Man #10. But this time, he’s doing it as the Ghost-Spider.

 

Rating: 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Amazing Spider-Man #9 Review

 

Writer: Joe Kelly

Artist: Michael Dowling

Colorist: Marcio Menyz

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: John Romita Jr, Scott Hanna & Marcio Menyz; Ema Lupacchino & David Curiel; J Scott Campbell & Sabine Rich; Netho Diaz & Alex Guimarães

Designer: Jay Bowen

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

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: August 6, 2025

 

Nikodemu promised Hellgate a great teacher. But Hellgate values strength, and he perceives weakness in Spider-Man. It’s not Peter’s fault. His uncle Ben raised him to pull his punches and flee a fight when no one else was in danger. But Peter has a dark side like everyone else. He tried to kill Hellgate with an axe. Then he dropped a building on his prospective pupil. Has Peter taught Hellgate what Nikodemu wanted her warrior to learn? What will Hellgate's lesson cost Spider-Man and the people of New York City? Let's grab a cone from the I Scream van at Columbus Circle, thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #9, and see!

 

Story

Peter Parker’s life is one nonstop juggling act. Every time he strives to get on top of a situation, life hurls him back down. Everyone makes demands on his time, and try as he might, he never satisfies them. Perhaps Peter feels this most with the women in his life. Aunt May befriends a man who badmouths him. Mary Jane chooses a life with Paul Rabin instead of him. Shay Marken insists that they're not a couple and goes on a date with someone else. What's the point in trying hard when people shrug off your best efforts?

 

In Amazing Spider-Man #9, Peter survives his battle with Hellgate. Yet something in him has died. Whether it was Hellgate’s final punch, his broken leg, or just the unending series of disappointments, Peter has retrenched. He hasn’t given up on life as he did after Cyra’s test. Instead, he does what Aunt May requested. Peter settles down and concentrates on his job at Rand Industries. He doesn’t take on additional obligations, such as working with Norman Osborn to put down the Hobgoblin’s burgeoning organization. Nor does he don his red-and-blue suit and protect New Yorkers as Spider-Man.

 

Joe Kelly’s story ponders the delicate dance we walk through life. It also reminds us how integral we are to those around us. In Amazing Spider-Man #9, Peter Parker makes the responsible choice. Peter distances himself from the people that he can never please and doesn’t accept responsibility for another would-be protégé. If New York falls apart in his absence, it’s not his problem. Then Peter watches to see how the people he can never please, like Aunt May, Shay Marken, and Mary Jane, react.

 

 

Art

Guest artist Michael Dowling shows the Shocker taking over the streets of New York City. Peter stands on a street corner, his leg in a brace, and watches the man in quilted armor attack a police truck. Then Peter hobbles off to sit in a subway train, using earbuds to tune out his surroundings. He smiles as he approaches the gleaming modern Rand building and does a choreographed high-five with Brian to end a team briefing.

 

Gold symbolizes Peter’s potential futures in Amazing Spider-Man #9. Brian Nehring’s glasses glow gold as he tries to set Peter up with a blonde coworker. The lenses match the mushrooms growing in Brian’s terrariums. The gold material of the Shocker’s armor also signals the anarchy that could reign in New York’s streets, if Spider-Man continues to play Hider-Man. Like the rivulets of lava that flowed through Hellgate’s dark skin, gold lines flow through Captain Kintsugi’s white suit. Marcio Menyz also uses green to link Peter with some of those in his web of relationships. As he hobbles through his day, Peter’s green slacks link him to a friend on his phone, Mary Jane and Randy’s green jackets, and the soup May cooks in the FEAST center.

 

As block letters locate us in time and space, Peter shares his thoughts in red-edged narrative boxes. Joe Caramagna's black uppercase letters in white balloons grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered voices. Small gray letters in gray balloons share the colorful future Peter once imagined, while the words of a newscast swell as Peter inserts his earbuds. Red and yellow sound effects help us hear the pain and destruction villains inflict while Peter sits on the sidelines. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

While Peter hobbles around on a crutch, his friends worry about him. He seems to have lost his verve. But in Amazing Spider-Man #9, Peter is lying low. He realizes his dream of having it all and living the best life was a lie. So, he settles for what he can do, even if that means he’s quit with quips.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Amazing Spider-Man #8 Review

 

Writer: Joe Kelly

Pencilers: John Romita Jr with Todd Nauck

Inker: Scott Hanna with Todd Nauck

Colorists: Marcio Menyz with Erick Arciniega

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: John Romita Jr, Scott Hanna & Marcio Menyz; Humberto Ramos & Edgar Delgado; Dan Panosian; Gabriele Dell’Otto; Jeff Dekal

Designer: Jay Bowen

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

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: July 23, 2025

 

When the new Kingpin of New York tipped Peter off to an illegal weapons deal, Black Cat decided to tag along. Hellgate arrives mid-transaction and kills the Queen's Cola goons when Spider-Man hesitates to parley. Spider-Man owes his strength more to radioactive spider-venom than gamma radiation, but such slaughter enrages him.

 

Hellgate embarked on an epic quest to confer with the Prince of Spider-Silk. Instead, Spider-Man threatens him. Hellgate relishes testing his mettle against the warrior that Nikodimu sent him to meet. But can the inhabitants of New York City withstand their battle? Or will the Hobgoblin's soldiers be the first casualties in a war of the worlds? Let's thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #8 and see!

 

Story

Peter loved his uncle Ben, even if they often clashed. Still, his uncle's teachings return to Peter as he battles Hellgate. The fighting grows so fraught that Spider-Man struggles to quip. But his every movement is tempered by his uncle's teachings.

 

Hellgate thought he would meet someone who exercised great power. He envisioned an unstoppable Spidernaut who prevented cosmic calamities like the Blight. Instead, he finds a man clad in a close-fitting costume who hesitates to fight and wastes his energy shielding those unworthy of being warriors.

 

In Amazing Spider-Man #8, Joe Kelly reminds us how power swells our self-esteem while diminishing our view of others' importance. His story also reminds us that true power comes from helping those in need. It's a lesson that Peter has taken to heart. As Peter follows his uncle's teachings by protecting New Yorkers, another person senses he is in danger. She should be sharing this battle with him. Instead, fate has taken her on a different course. Ironically, she and her spouse confront the same difficulties Uncle Ben and Aunt May faced when they took in a young boy and raised him as their own.  

 

 

 

Art

John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna, and Todd Nauck reveal the brutality of Spider-Man's battle with Hellgate amid the "insignificant" people infesting this realm. Hellgate's armor evokes the fabled knights of yore and an Asgardian god. Peter’s punches dislodge Hellgate’s helmet and draw blood in Amazing Spider-Man #8. Yet the fire flowing through the volcanic warrior’s cooled and crackling lava-skin, and the flames he unleashes, remind us that Hellgate feeds on conflict, and that anger makes him stronger.

 

Marcio Menyz and Erick Arciniega fill the linear page flow with the colors of a new day. Spider-Man's intense conflict with Hellgate and the heat he radiates softens nearby colors by overexposure. Black And White memories help center Peter. Yet glowing red and blue circles remind him of a time he teamed with Mayor Cage to take the law into his own hands. As buildings turn to rubble, and smoke rises amid the conflict, a silver-clad warrior enters the gray fray in Amazing Spider-Man #8.

 

Block letters locate us in time and space, while narrative boxes remind us how long Peter has battled this warrior from another realm. As Peter shares his thoughts in red-edged narrative boxes, dots flock to Hellgate’s dialogue. Joe Caramagna's black uppercase letters in white balloons grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered voices. The enlarged colored dialogue reminds us that Peter doesn't want to fight, while gray letters in gray balloons tell us why. Sound effects accentuate the collateral damage Peter struggles to prevent as his opponent's movements prophesy his doom. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

While Peter battles a warrior from another realm, the people in his web sense he is in danger. Amazing Spider-Man #8 introduces another potential hero and reminds us how George Washington's fledgling army defeated a superior empire.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

The Avengers in the Veracity Trap Review

 

Story: Chip Kidd

Script: Chip Kidd with Michael Cho

Artist & Colorist: Michael Cho

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Publisher: Abrams ComicArts

Price: $25.99

Release Date: August 5, 2025

 

When the Avengers pursue Loki, their journey takes them to Asgard. Loki commands a legion of monsters. But why has he drawn them from the far reaches of the galaxy? The Hulk advises less contemplation and more smashing. Iron Man agrees and uses his transistor power to attack the monsters. Can Captain America, Iron Man, Giant-Man, the Wasp, and the Hulk breach his defenses? And where did Thor disappear to? Let’s leap into The Avengers in the Veracity Trap and see!

 

Story

After discovering a powerful new realm, Loki establishes a base in an ancient temple on Asgard. There, he builds a transportation device to this other dimension. After Thor breaches the temple, he tries to destroy the portal. But when Mjolnir vanishes, Thor must enter the glowing ball of energy to retrieve it. In Chip Kidd and Michael Cho’s story, Thor returns defeated. Although he carries his beloved hammer, he lacks the will to wield it. Instead of discovering Thanos and a Chitauri battle fleet in this other realm, Thor learned that everything he believed was a lie.

 

Like Kwaku Anansi, others regard Loki as a trickster god. What Loki calls stories, others regard as lies. So Loki builds his Veracity Vortex to trap his brother with a different kind of truth. Thor cannot perceive this truth with his senses or measure it with Shellhead’s scientific equipment. Instead, Thor grapples with the power of belief. In The Avengers in the Veracity Trap, Thor encounters a realm where people believe his world is irrelevant. The people there regard their world as the sole reality. And when they think of Thor and his friends, they view them as cultural artifacts like Santa Claus, best abandoned to meet the demands of adulthood.

 

The Avengers in the Veracity Trap is a fast-paced story that celebrates how comic books contribute to our culture. The book compares the process of creating and producing comics with their impact on us. While reminding us of the importance of ideas, Chip Kidd and Michael Cho’s story also reminds us that stories define us. We can allow others’ stories to limit us. Or we can harness our imaginations to live stories that no one else could ever have imagined.

 

Art

Michael Cho evokes the look of early Marvel comics with Jack Kirby-style monsters. The Avengers and Loki also adopt a historic appearance. While setting the story in the present day, we see Michael Cho drawing at a drafting table. Chip dresses in a timeless style as he studies Michael's latest page of Bristol paper. While the settings on Asgard remain rooted in the 1960s, the design and furnishings in Michael’s studio seem suited to any era. Yet when the creators separate, they communicate via cellphones in The Avengers in the Veracity Trap.

 

Michael Cho also evokes the four-color era as he presents his characters in double-page spreads, splash pages, and multi-panel pages. While generally following a linear flow, he occasionally arranges the story across pages. A rainbow flashes across characters as they lose or regain color as they travel between the Marvel Universe and our own. Yet the circles of color that surround the characters in the vortex remind us of the infinite worlds of the multiverse.

 

Joe Caramagna conjures uppercase black letters into white and ivory dialogue balloons. The words grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and rarely shrink. Every Marvel hero and villain receives a pinup-style splash page with a stylish, colorful introduction. (Except Ulik. Alas, poor Ulik!) Sound effects enhance battles, interdimensional travel, and a giant whose footsteps herald a metal-faced doctor (and a Thurian Age sorcerer). Thanks to Abrams ComicArts and Superfan Promotions for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

People often see the world from their perspective and regard anything that disagrees with their views as a threat. When the Avengers encounter our universe, they discover a realm where they are fictional heroes, controlled by writers and artists. Each protagonist shines when they combine their abilities to escape The Avengers in the Veracity Trap.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my preview of The Avengers in the Veracity Trap. 

Spider-Girl #2 Review

 

Writer: Torunn Grønbekk

Artist: André Risso

Colorist: Java Tartaglia

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Designer: Stacie Zucker

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Cover Artists: David Nakayama; Javier Garrón & Jesus Aburtov; Nogi San; Chad Hardin & Alex Sinclair

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 16, 2025

 

Makawalu Akana, or Maka for short, is making a new start. After traveling around the world to compete in contests with Bullseye, the young Hawaiian is settling down. Maka is joining the Red Snow Dojo in New York City. She wants to demonstrate her indomitability. But her next challenge is to win friends, not trophies.

 

Even as Maka starts her first practice session with Sensei Barker, Dr Tramma paints a bullseye on Spider-Girl. After assaulting her with Vermin and the Squeak Squad, what will Dr Tramma hit the Hawaiian mutant with next? Let’s leap into Spider-Girl #2, and see, Brah!

 

Story

Like Druig, Dr Tramma wants powerful actors she can manipulate. Spider-Girl wasn’t her first choice. But after Hijack resists her chemical control, Dr Tramma fills Vermin with murderous rage and points him at Spider-Girl. Despite how Maka repels her attackers and saves the dojo, another person in the organization thinks Dr Tramma is wrong. So, while Dr Tramma continues to work on Hijack, a mysterious woman investigates Spider-Girl.

 

The world knows her as Ms Matsumoto. But when she dons her costume, the woman goes by another name. As a knife flies past her to stick in her bedroom wall, Maka gazes out the window. Spider-Girl sees the woman clutching more knives on a nearby fire escape. Maka wanted to spend the night on patrol in Spider-Girl #2, so this engraved invitation is too good to miss. But when Maka thwicks out to follow her, Lady Bullseye cuts Spider-Girl’s barbed web with a sword.

 

While Torunn Grønbekk introduces readers to Maka’s family, Spider-Girl meets Lady Bullseye. Lady Bullseye knows the difficulties that accompany enhanced fighting abilities. She may have expressed disdain for Dr Tramma’s judgment, but Lady Bullseye’s interaction with Spider-Girl seems motivated by compassion. She sees her troubled origins in Maka. The young Hawaiian had already failed to realize Bullseye was a villain who meant her harm. Lady Bullseye makes it clear that life as a vigilante will force Maka to choose her friends and allies carefully in Spider-Girl #2. 

 

 

 

Art

Orange cones and yellow police tape warn pedestrians and motorists of the metal barriers circling the broken asphalt destroyed by Vermin and the Squeak Squad. Windows glow gold and peach beneath a purple sky. Java Tartaglia makes the night glow in the city that never sleeps. As Maka enters her family’s shop, green and purple plants occupy a worktable. Then her aunt bustles into a brick room filled with shelves of boxes, trays, and vases.

 

André Risso gives Maka’s mother and aunt the same dark, edgy hair. Maka’s grandmother restrains her gray hair in a tight bun. Tropical leis hang on her bedroom door, while a Hawaiian flag adorns a pillow and a ukulele perches on a dresser. When a knife with a braided leather handle flashes past, Maka ignores the Spider-Man plushie on her bed. As Maka unzips her backpack, the metal teeth emulate Devil Dinosaur as she withdraws her costume in Spider-Girl #2.

 

 

 

While André Risso introduces us to Maka’s homelife, and Java Tartaglia helps the black-and-white villain shine, Joe Caramagna introduces Lady Bullseye with black uppercase letters in yellow narrative boxes. Maka's assessment of Lady Bullseye appears as red uppercase letters in boxes. Uppercase black letters in white dialogue balloons grow bold for intonation and occasionally shrink, such as when Maka whispers to her new friend Beba. Sound effects accompany web-thwicking and sword-swishing, while Lady Bullseye's throwing knives hiss like the shuriken Maka once threw at Spider-Boy and Daredevil. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Maka Akana's mentor has let her down. Lady Bullseye knows the feeling. She doesn't want the young Hawaiian to make the same mistakes she did. Spider-Man ordered Bailey Briggs to relinquish his costume because the ten-year-old had robbed a bank. In Spider-Girl #2, Lady Bullseye delivers a warning. Drop the hero act now before life tempts or forces you to become a villain.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Amazing Spider-Man #7 Review

 

Writer: Joe Kelly

Penciler: John Romita Jr

Inker: Scott Hanna

Colorist: Marcio Menyz with Erick Arciniega

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: John Romita Jr, Scott Hanna & Marcio Menyz; Doaly; Simone Bianchi; Lee Bermejo; Leonardo Romero

Designer: Jay Bowen

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

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: July 2, 2025

 

It’s been so long that he doesn’t recognize it. Then Peter realizes what he is feeling. He’s happy. Aunt May and Shay gently nudge Peter to keep improving, but they like the direction he’s heading in. Black Cat wants to get frisky with him again. Peter’s boss is eying him for promotion. His friend, Brian, is looking out for him. Tombstone is helping Peter prevent another Gang War. And an axe-wielding armor-clad knight just hailed him the Prince of Steelsilk. Say, you don't think that last thing could make Peter unhappy, do you? Let's thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #7 and see!

 

Story

Hellgate explains that he has traveled through mystic realms to reach Spider-Man. Even if he's not a pirate, Hellgate's mistress wants Hellgate to parley with Spider-Man. But Peter is tired of cosmic beings interrupting his duties. Compared with the scions of Cyttorak, the knight seems like an obsessive gamer. Besides, Peter and Felicia have waited hours to apprehend the Queen's Cola goons. So, like the Hollywood agent in Bolt, Peter suggests they put a pin in whatever Hellgate wants.

 

A month ago, Hermes Crenshaw told scientists in Arizona that sandstone formations were petrified tree trunks. While the scientists mused about microbursts of cosmic radiation, Hermes spoke of the heartbeat of a tree. Then a doorway opened, and Hellgate hopped out of the hoodoo. Using his research and the devices he has built, Hermes follows Hellgate. In Amazing Spider-Man #7, Hermes arrives in New York City. With his insights into the beliefs of indigenous peoples, Hermes hopes the superhero community will take him seriously. Perhaps Hermes can even pick up some Shawarma, and prevent Hellgate from giving Iron Man more panic attacks.

 

Joe Kelly intersperses Spider-Man's story with glimpses of what other characters are doing. Some participants are aware of the cosmic event taking place. For others, it seems like another day in New York City. Like many of the great stories of Human literature, Amazing Spider-Man #7 is a tragedy. An unnecessary battle occurs because a hero is fatigued, misjudges a situation, and disrespects someone who comes into his life. It’s a mistake anyone can make when we feel like we’re getting on top of things, that life is finally going our way, and we don’t need to listen to others because we know the score.

 

 

 

Art

Studded armor runs from Hellgate’s helmet to his shoulders. Iron circles his wrists and waist. He carries his notched axes in an X on his back like a ninja. Yellow fire burns through Hellgate’s veins like lava flowing beneath a cooled layer of pahoehoe. This mystic angel of death hurls fire like Han Solo’s blaster and leaves burning destruction in his wake. As Spider-Man bounds across rooftops, John Romita Jr and Scott Hanna show that fire and webbing don’t mix.

 

Dawn creeps into the sky as Hellgate confronts Spider-Man and Black Cat in black, yellow, silver, purple, and blue. Pink and peach creep into the sky as Hellgate unleashes yellow and orange. Marcio Menyz and Erick Arciniega fill the destruction with gray smoke as Peter Parker goes on the offensive in Amazing Spider-Man #7. Soft blues and greens dominate Hermes’ scenes while another yellow and black character sits beneath a purple sky. Yet Peter revisits a place he had hoped to avoid, as orange and yellow suffuse the air above a sea of greenery.

 

Peter shares his thoughts in red-edged narrative boxes. Joe Caramagna's black uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered voices. Block letters indicate time shifts in Joe Kelly’s linear story, while enlarged colored dialogue and sound effects heighten the action. Amid the thwipping, shooting, and explosions, Hellgate's font reminds us that Miles Morales isn't the only Spider-Man fighting the gods. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

We all know appearances can be deceiving. Yet, it's hard to ignore our first impressions. When Peter Parker disrespects Hellgate, he unleashes the catastrophe he was trying to prevent and initiates a conflict between Earth and the mystic realms in Amazing Spider-Man #7.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Spider-Boy #20 Review

 

Writer: Dan Slott

Artist: Paco Medina

Colorist: Erick Arciniega

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Paco Medina & Edgar Delgado; Humberto Ramos & Edgar Delgado; Jason Loo; Todd Nauck & Rachelle Rosenberg

Designer: Adam Del Re

Editors: Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: June 25, 2025

 

Years ago, Mr Negative’s Inner Demons abducted people from the FEAST Center. Madame Monstrosity turned the hijacked Homeless into Humanimals. Mr Negative turned the animalized men into his Inner Demons, while Madame Monstrosity forced the women and children to work at her farm. So, when Bailey unmasks an Inner Demon attacking Christina, he recognizes the Humanimal as a former resident of FEAST.

 

Bailey promised to help Mr Krupke become Human again. When Christina’s Pidgeon Power blossomed, Bailey advised her to use it with restraint. Bailey used his abilities to plan their heist and assured Spider-Man that he had everything covered. Yet when Spider-Man saw Bailey disobeying his rules, he refused to hear Bailey’s explanation. The adult hero told Bailey to shut up and that his plan was stupid. Then Spider-Man took away Bailey's costume. Can Bailey change Spider-Man's mind? Or are his days being Spider-Man's sidekick over? Hellifino! Let's slip on our unstable molecule sneakers, leap into Spider-Boy #20, and find out!

 

Story

Spider-Man took a lot of convincing before he allowed Spider-Boy to be his sidekick. He took heat from others for letting a 10-year-old place himself and others in danger. Spider-Man has watched Spider-Boy go from requesting money from recipients of his aid to helping people without expecting anything in return. But when he realizes that Bailey still commands a group of ninjas, Spider-Man decides that Bailey needs an intervention.

 

 

 

Bailey is Spider-Man's sidekick. Yet Spider-Man didn't train him. And Bailey has had more adventures without Peter than with him. In Spider-Boy #20, Spider-Man approaches the hero who knows Bailey best. When Spider-Man suggests how Bailey could go wrong, Daredevil argues that Bailey has a good head on his shoulders. He urges Spider-Man to trust his sidekick more. But when he learns Spider-Boy still controls the Gaping Maw, Daredevil agrees to help Spider-Man convince Bailey to free them.

 

Dan Slott leavens his story with humor and endearing moments as Spider-Boy tries to wield his immense power and resources responsibly. Those who have influenced Bailey's development reunite for a final battle. But as Spider-Boy weighs complex moral choices with helping others. Still, he takes the time to correct a wrong and ease a character's pain in Spider-Boy #20. 

 

 

 

Art

Paco Medina's layouts stretch across pages as Spider-Man clutches Bailey's uniform before him like an accusation. After refusing to relinquish it, Spider-Man drops Bailey's mask when lightning surrounds his head. Bailey turns his back on his hero and walks away, his features filled with anger and determination. Then he sprawls on his throne, clutching a smoothie as he regards his kowtowing servants.

 

As Erick Arciniega lavishes a loaded palette on Spider-Boy #20, Bailey wears a light green shirt and gray-green shorts. His servants wear green and gold uniforms as they wield their golden bō staffs. A gray Humanimal Shark charges down the street, evoking Jack of Hearts and the dome at Stillwell Farms. Spider-Boy dons a new uniform, replacing some of his familiar red and blue with gray and black. Then Bailey offers a yellow and black uniform to another character, even if what the recipient does isn’t always nice.

 

Characters speak uppercase black letters in dialogue balloons. The words grow bold for intonation, swell for volume, and rarely shrink. Yellow block letters locate us in time and space. Dialogue changes colors for Bailey's pronouncement and his evil laughter. Joe Caramagna’s sound effects help us hear Bailey request his minions’ aid and the hissing that means everything to one man. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Lawyers can use their knowledge of the law to clarify confusing situations or exploit it to encourage lawbreakers. While Daredevil plays both sides with Spider-Man and Bailey, Spider-Boy #20 reminds us how often Bailey has gone it alone and doesn’t need to be anyone’s sidekick.

 

Rating 9.7/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.