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. 

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. 

Amazing Spider-Man #6 Review

 

 

Writer: Joe Kelly

Penciler: John Romita Jr

Inker: Scott Hanna

Colorist: Marcio Menyz

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: John Romita Jr, Scott Hana & Marcio Menyz; Gleb Melnikov & Edgar Delgado; John Romita Jr; Peach Momoko; Damion Scott; Paulo Siqueira & Yen Nitro; Stefano Caselli & Federico Blee; Mark Bagley & Edgar Delgado

Designer: Jay Bowen

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

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: June 18, 2025

 

Peter Parker had an Itsy Bitsy drug habit. So, the Hobgoblin took Peter on a bad trip that made him a serial no-show at his new job. But since he kicked his Queen’s Cola addiction, Peter is raising Aunt May, Shay, and Dr Osmani-Milton’s expectations. Can Peter be a dependable nephew, boyfriend, and employee? Let's play a game of Pickleball on the Rand Enterprises court, leap into Amazing Spider-Man #6, and see!

 

Story

Aunt May sees Peter’s potential. Yet, he still struggles to be dependable. It’s been a long road as a single parent since her husband died. May knows she won’t be around forever. Still, she carries on, encouraging and nurturing, in the hopes of seeing her nephew settle down. But what if she didn’t have to carry that burden alone?

 

 

 

After his failure with Mary Jane, Anna Watson nudged Shay into Peter's orbit. As a nurse at the Ravencroft Institute, Shay spends her days caring for villains in need. She's also seen coworkers die, as when Itsy Bitsy wrecked Rhino's rest day at Ravencroft. So, while she's well-versed in the roadmap of grief, Shay understands what causes it. Like May, she wants to be there for Peter. Just not too close.

 

 

 

After emerging as the head crime boss, Tombstone returns in Amazing Spider-Man #6. Brian Nehring may think it's cool that Peter is Goodfellas with the mob. But Peter knows that Tombstone only uses him to remain the new Kingpin of New York. Peter doesn’t want to prop up a gang lord. But neither does he want rival gangs fighting each other to expand their territories in another Gang War.

 

 

 

Art

Red combats purple when Spider-Man blows up a hoodie convention in a hijacked limousine. Blue dominates the engineering labs of Rand Enterprises Applied Science Division. A folded yellow note from a man wearing a purple shirt in another black limousine portends a nightlife of crime. The bluish-purple hangout promises to enliven Peter’s prospects while awaiting action in Amazing Spider-Man #6.

 

 

 

While Marcio Menyz wields his nuanced palette of colors, John Romita Jr and Scott Hanna focus on Peter's preparations to keep New York safe. They balance his technical know-how with the physical necessities of a stakeout. The artists also show Peter using his webs to create an ad hoc HQ while he monitors crime scenes via remote cameras in Amazing Spider-Man #6.

 

 

 

While crashing through glass like Tombstone, chatting with mushroom-man Brian, walking with Shay at sunset, or hanging out with Black Cat, 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 rarely shrink. Block letters indicate time shifts in Joe Kelly’s nonlinear story, while enlarged colored dialogue and sound effects heighten the action. Yet nothing seems as essentially Peter Parker as when we hear him struggle with a big gulp. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Success in life necessitates multitasking. Succeeding in business requires keeping secrets. Earning the boss’s trust threatens Freaktastic friendships with coworkers. While combating his fears of losing the people he loves, goblins and nurses show Peter Parker the way. Old foes and feline friends enmesh Peter in a web of duplicity in Amazing Spider-Man #6.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

 

Amazing Spider-Man #3 Review

 

Writer: Joe Kelly

Artist: Pepe Larraz

Colorist: Marte Gracia

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Pepe Larraz & Marte Gracia; Alex Maleev; Ed McGuinness & Marcio Menyz; Rose Besch; Ario Anindito

Designer: Jay Bowen

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: May 7, 2025

 

Peter Parker has a new job. Thanks to Brian Nehring’s recommendation, Peter is now the Supervising Engineer of Cooperative Disciplines at Rand Industries. But his boss, Maira Osmani-Milton, ponders Peter's ability to focus on his duties. Peter’s conversation skills suffer as his mind keeps flying back to his childhood. And then there are the villains that relentlessly attack him, even if they look like Korean automobiles to everyone else.

 

Peter's mad rave started in the Rhino’s apartment. So he goes for an after-party chat. But with the Rhino staying in the Ravencroft Institute, Shay Marken wonders if she should let Spider-Man question her horned guest or give the superhero the room next to Doppelganger. Can Peter discover why Rhino went on a rampage before the perpetrators detonate his life like they did the FDA Product Safety building? Let's grab some Narcan, leap into Amazing Spider-Man #3, and see!

 

Story

Spider-Man finds Itsy Bitsy playing Dr Ashley Kafka with the Rhino. But Spidey doesn't want her to scramble Rhino's brain like Queen Goblin tried to clean up Ben Reilly’s muddled mind. So once again, Spider-Man and Itsy Bitsy come to blows. But this time, Spidey doesn’t have Deadpool backing him up.

 

Peter’s recent responsible behavior fuels Aunt May’s hopes. She has invested so much in her nephew, only to see him become the most unemployable scientist in New York. Seeing him get a position at Rand Industries, even if it came via a troublesome childhood pal, gives May a chance to think about finally relaxing that parental responsibility. Riccardo Villanueva volunteers at FEAST. In Amazing Spider-Man #3, she asks Riccardo for help at her apartment. But then Peter shows up, looking every bit the nephew in need of mothering. Again.

 

While Joe Kelly plants characters and situations that bloom with action and drama, Amazing Spider-Man #3 is rooted in guilt. Peter regrets Uncle Ben's death and the way May worries about him. He struggles to avoid recognizing that he is letting Brian Nehring and Dr Osmani-Milton down. Aleksei, aka Rhino, mourns his wife’s death. Norman wishes he hadn’t hurt people as the Green Goblin. Aiding Peter’s crime-fighting assuages his guilt. Perhaps Itsy Bitsy feels guilty over all the trouble she has caused Peter. As Spider-Man investigates how Itsy drugged Rhino, Peter doubtless wishes he could have helped her embrace a better life (and not played a hand in her death). 

 

 

 

Art

Pepe Larraz uses jarring camera angles that reveal Peter's distorted perceptions as he fights Itsy Bitsy. Despite not knowing what he can believe or where he stands with Shay, Peter's first inclination in Amazing Spider-Man #3 is a desperate lunge to save his would-be girlfriend. A meetup on a bridge spanning the Harlem River must provoke more bad memories for Peter. But seeing Peter climb the stairs to her apartment in another man's dripping wet clothes must remind Aunt May of her plea for Spider-Man to leave her nephew alone.

 

Itsy Bitsy's red, black, and blue uniform suggests a funhouse mirror reflection of Spider-Man. Her six arms wield red swords in a hypnotic rhythm like Kali's battle with Sinbad. Black and White memories overlay Marte Gracia's colorful people and places amid the living and the dead. Violet foregrounds in Ravencroft Institute emphasize that Itsy Bitsy’s swords are red for a reason. But when darkness tinges her spider-eyes, mask, and swords with magenta, Itsy forms a powerful connection with Spidey in Amazing Spider-Man #3.

 

Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase black lettering into dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Words grow bold for inflection, swell, change color, and shrink for lowered voices. White letters in edgy black balloons hail a villain's return, while gray dialogue balloons drive daggers into Peter’s heart. Sound effects shatter glass, recall a stormtrooper’s stun beam, and suggest a villain’s fiery temper as Peter’s investigations continue. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Drugs helped Itsy Bitsy cope with life. Illicit chemicals enable Peter to connect the dots in his investigation. But Peter's brainstorm worries his friend Brian, who breeds magic mushrooms for a living. And despite Peter's plea, Norman says, "No more." As Peter struggles to discern reality, the drugs twist his childhood memories into an unending nightmare in Amazing Spider-Man #3.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Amazing Spider-Man #1 Review

 

Writer: Joe Kelly

Artists: Pepe Larraz & John Romita Jr

Inker: Scott Hanna

Colorist: Marte Gracia & Marcio Menyz

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Pepe Larraz & Marte Gracia; Cafu; Gil Kane, Josef Rubinstein & Morry Hollowell; Greg Land & Rachelle Rosenberg; Lee Bermejo; Mark Chiarello; Ryan Stegman & Frank Martin; David Marquez & Jesus Aburtov; Nimit Malavia; Simone Di Meo

Designer: Jay Bowen

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $5.99

Release Date: April 9, 2025

 

Cyra’s endurance test stripped Peter Parker of the will to live. Her brother's attack ripped away his ability to live. A dose of a demigod’s revivifying vitality helped him knock the soul rot from the X-Men and yank the Blight from our world. Peter resolved to never falter in his commitment to others again. As Juggernaut told him, “Don’t think. Just do.”

 

Peter may not miss practicing magic, but he yearns for the security of a regular paycheck. So, Peter hurtles into a Fastball Special interviewing spree while singing “Don’t Stop Me Now” with Freddie Mercury. Doctor Doom made him Earth’s Champion. Cyttorak’s scion Cyra made him the unstoppable Spidernaut. But can Peter Parker land a job? And how are Norman Osborn’s efforts to shut down Oscorp going? Let's update our résumés, leap into Amazing Spider-Man #1, and see!

 

 

 

Story

Forced to choose between Spider-Man and himself, Peter Parker resolved to prioritize his relationship with Shay Marken. Then came his battles with a crime lord and the angry children of a silent god. Peter wants to revive his promises to Shay and make Aunt May proud. But Peter’s past rides before him when he sends out his résumés. His spotty attendance record and association with a supervillain CEO make him as alluring as Sam Witwicky’s medal from Barack Obama.

 

All this begs one question in Joe Kelly’s story. Why does Peter Parker need a job? Peter already has a full-time crime-fighting career. He could claim a check for a hundred grand from First National if he became a Hero For Hire. And that’s just the beginning of his moneymaking options. But he cares more about his friends and loved ones than his happiness. As Peter shields them from recriminations through anonymity, he must take the abuse dispensed by small-minded people holding great corporate power in Amazing Spider-Man #1.

 

As Spider-Man spends his life beating up supervillains, he also looks after their interests. While the Green Goblin rises immediately to mind, the Rhino’s plight comes into focus in Amazing Spider-Man #1. Aleksei may never get over Oksana’s loss, but others, like his rival Screwball, want to help "Vic"  move forward. When Spider-Man tries to understand Rhino’s dilemma, he risks falling under another person's arresting influence.

 

 

 

Art

While Peter dresses for success, he also models what prospective employers want to see. As he shines brightly during interviews, images of his past, his other career, and his everyday failures thwip through his mind. Aunt May looks rejuvenated from the Reeds of Raggadorr. Her nephew's prospects excite her as he hangs a photo. Pepe Larraz shows how Peter’s buoyant attitude during his whirlwind job hunt restores Aunt May’s faith in him. Yet when someone throws her nephew a bone, a childhood memory makes Peter wonder at his abrupt turn of fortune.

 

Marte Gracia reveals the featureless world Peter fights to fit into, with gray, purple, or green interviewers questioning the young aspirant wearing a gray suit. As Peter enters a world of commerce, plate glass windows fill the lobby with light. The highrise windows are so clean that Kenneth McCarry could have cleaned them. Yet their green tinge suggests avarice and corruption and reminds us that Peter’s thoughts are never far from one business leader in Amazing Spider-Man #1.

 

Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase black and blue lettering into dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. The dialogue grows bold for inflection, swells and changes color for volume, and shrinks for lowered voices. A frosty balloon greets an unwelcome reminder. White letters in edgy black balloons signal a villain's return, while one of Peter's remarks fills the air with yellow laughter. Sound effects enhance a persistent phone, someone ringing Spider-Man's bell, and the booming and crashing that busy executives tune out in their pursuit of corporate profits. 

 

 

 

Death To The Tyrant: Story

When Norman Osborn brought him a pizza, Peter took a study break to hear his friend’s plans.

Joe Kelly addresses class conflict in this five-page follow-up. Norman Osborn has much to atone for in Amazing Spider-Man #1. He recognizes he has inflicted great harm upon New York City. Yet Norman jokes about the pain he inflicted on others. The Soul Rot may not have infected Norman Osborn. Yet his resultant anger when another person expresses how Norman injured him suggests that power and wealth have inoculated Norman from empathizing with others.

 

Death To The Tyrant: Art

Marcio Menyz makes the Oscorp sign glow. Overhead lights illuminate the beige press room. Security guards in blue flank Norman as he stands before the brown wooden podium. John Romita Jr and Scott Hanna show a crowd of colorfully dressed seated reporters and standing photographers. More guards stand along the back wall. No one smiles or radiates warmth for Norman. Frantic action pursues painful drama as Marcio Menyz’s vibrant, uniform color explodes.  

 

 

 

Teaser: Story

In the Arizona badlands, scientists argue in Amazing Spider-Man #1. This final four-page story addresses the ongoing battle in science between long-established theories and reinterpretations based on new evidence. One man's controversial idea stands to be validated more rapidly than Alfred Wegener's hypothesis of continental drift.

 

Teaser: Art

Clad in brown, yellow, and green, the surveyors leave their dome tents. They gather before a hoodoo, pointing and photographing the sandstone sculpture. The clouds in the yellow and orange sky reflect the smaller dust clouds floating along the ground amid this painted desert. A man carrying a handheld movie camera and notebook contrasts with another scientist filming with his phone. Their argument serves as the opening notes in a symphony accompanied by bass drums amid colors that conjure the beauty and mysteries of the American Southwest. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

As Peter Parker searches for a new place to spend his days, a strange development brings a mighty villain low. When Spider-Man leaps to meet this new challenge, titans arise to shake New York’s webbed wonders in Amazing Spider-Man #1.

 

Rating 9.3/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.