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. 

All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #2 Review

 

Writer: Stephanie Phillips

Artist: Paolo Villanelli

Colorist: Matt Milla

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Cover Artists: David Marquez & Marte Gracia; Alex Ross; David Baldeón & Israel Silva; Meghan Hetrick

Logo Designer: Stacie Zucker

Production Designer: Kat Walkington

Editors: Emerald Bensadoun, Martin Biro, Jordan D White & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: September 24, 2025

 

Earth-65’s Gwen Stacy has often defined herself by what others took away from her. Fighting to regain what she lost meant adapting to changes in her powers and her life. Eventually, the Cosmic Cube cost Gwen her world.

 

So, Gwen has dug her feet in. She used the Cosmic Cube to reclaim her father and Fabian LaMuerto. Gwen is remaking her life on Earth-616. She has shrugged off the symbiote she never wanted and reclaimed her original powers. But as hard as she tries, Gwen can’t make cake grow on trees. Her romance with Fabian is fizzling, and she has lost a promising guitarist before she could form another band. Can Gwen discover who killed the roguishly handsome Wes? And what else will others take away from her this time? Let’s thwip into All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #2 and see!

 

Story

Cindy Moon of Earth-65 stole Gwen's original powers. But Cindy Moon of Earth-616 is her friend. She helped Gwen adapt to her new surroundings when Ouroborus from the Time Variance Authority relocated her to the Earth. When Gwen wanted to start a new band to fill the void left by The Mary Janes’ departure, Cindy was there for her. But after someone killed Wes in the room where they had their jam session, they tracked Cindy to her apartment and attacked her in All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #2.

 

Thankfully, Cindy Moon boasts fighting skills from her superhero career as Silk. Still, the attack sends Cindy to the hospital. Gwen could have written off Wes’ murder as somehow related to the guitarist’s past. But the attack on Cindy forms a disturbing pattern. Her dad doesn’t want Gwen to investigate either crime. But Gwen is tired of losing the people and things she loves. No one and nothing will stop Gwen from finding Silk's attacker in All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #2.

 

Once again, donning the costume costs a spider-hero happiness. Gwen’s father wants to protect her. But Gwen burns with anger at injustice. As Gwen pursues Wes’ killer and Cindy’s attacker, Stephanie Phillips’ story addresses how anger both empowers and limits us. The man found in the practice room covered in blood was frustrated with his lot in life. And like Gwen, that made him vulnerable to something that fed upon the anger and rage he fought so hard to repress.

 

 

 

 

 

Art

When Silk climbs through the window of her apartment, she staggers past scattered books, cushions, and a pizza box before sinking into her sofa. Just as she is falling asleep, a sound rocks her awake. Silk approaches an open window. Like Carlos LaMuerto, her reflection seems to judge her. Then spears pierce the air. Given her love of reading and learning, Silk fights the invader before her wall of bookcases. Yet she does not emerge the victor.

 

As Paolo Villanelli infuses All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #2 with drama and energy, Matt Milla contrasts Gwen’s battle between the light and the darkness with vibrant colors. A red paramedic’s truck outside the hospital forms a link with Silk’s injury. The blue, purple, pink, and green that filled Silk’s apartment invade the shades of coral in her hospital room when Gwen burns with anger. As during Silk’s night-fight, silhouettes return amid confrontations. Yet a starburst forms around Gwen’s face. Rays of yellow and white eventually turn pink and threaten to overcome a page. The starburst reminds us of the power Gwen wielded with the Cosmic Cube.

 

Ariana Maher thwips uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons and red letters into turquoise-outlined boxes with conventional arrows. A thick line of turquoise underlines the words that locate us in time and space. The text grows bold and enlarges for intonation. Sound effects herald danger and accompany battles, while a door plate grounds its occupants in this story about treasuring the people in our lives. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Sometimes, when we seek to control our lives, we forget that the greatest blessings can come about through serendipity. As Gwen Stacy tries to reclaim what she has lost, she ignores the fact that she never chose to be bitten by a radioactive spider. Yet while vowing to protect the “ghosts” often overlooked by others, Gwen abandons the alien who once helped her reclaim everything she lost in All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #2.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

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. 

 

All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #1 Review

 

Writer: Stephanie Phillips

Artist: Paolo Villanelli

Colorist: Matt Milla

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Cover Artists: David Marquez & Marte Gracia; Matteo Lolli; Nogi San; J Scott Campbell; Simone Di Meo

Production Designer: Kat Walkington

Editors: Emerald Bensadoun, Martin Biro, Jordan D White & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: August 20, 2025

 

Granted the power of a god, Gwen Stacy used the Cosmic Cube to visit King Loki’s world. She saw how King Loki abandoned his subjects and how jealousy consumed him. So instead of gifting King Loki her powers, Gwen used the Cosmic Cube to craft an ending for the trickster-god, redress some wrongs, and write a new beginning for herself.

 

Now, Gwen Stacy is starting over. She's made a new home on Earth-616. She shares an apartment with her father instead of living alone in an unfurnished apartment. Carlos LaMuerto has moved into the Big House, but his son Fabian also gets a second chance. How will Gwen tackle crime without a Cosmic Cube or a symbiote? Will Gwen put on her Cyclops Was Right T-shirt again? And will King Loki ever swim with sharks? We’re going to need a bigger comic, so let’s leap into the twenty-six-page All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #1 and see!

 

 

 

Story

When Gwen Stacy looks back on her life, what she has lost looms large. She gained superpowers but lost Peter Parker. Blamed for his death, Gwen became a fugitive in her world. Then, Cindy Moon took away the powers granted by a radioactive spider. Even though she gained venom superpowers, Gwen eventually lost everything: her father, the Mary Janes, and Earth-65. When TVA agent Ouroborous brought her to Earth-616, Carlos LaMuerto and his agents bounced Gwen around like a Ping-Pong ball. Ultimately, King Loki's cosmic tour led Gwen to destroy Solara Prime, a world she only wanted to help.

 

In All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #1, she has used the Cosmic Cube's energy to regain her original spider-powers. Gwen lives with her father in New York City on Earth-616. The police no longer hunt her for grand theft auto, defacing buildings, and stealing children's ice cream cones. (That's a good thing, as her father works for the police). She resurrected Fabian and is training him to be her sidekick.

 

Unfortunately, as Fabian points out, every action has consequences. Newton’s third rule ripples through Gwen's life, as Stephanie Phillips reveals changes in her friends' behavior. Irony and frustration accompany Gwen's new life on Earth-616. Yet she gains the sense of belonging she has lacked since the Cosmic Cube unleashed an apocalypse on Earth-65. As she fine-tunes her present, the universe strikes back. Gwen doesn’t encounter a Kobayashi Maru in All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #1. Neither does she get a total win/win.

 

 

 

Art

Paolo Villanelli fills this new chapter in Gwen’s life with fraught action and emotional intensity. Despite all the changes Gwen has made, her expression often reveals unhappiness, concern, hurt, and anger. A paper that could enhance her future crinkles in her hand. When George Stacy hesitates to face her, Gwen sees his face and body struggle with rage.

 

All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #1 begins with red. It covers a garment, Gwen's drum kit, a frantic man's hands, and a still body. Matt Milla fills panels with vivid colors and backgrounds that radiate energy. Yet despite the absence of ravens, black accompanies the abundant colors. 

 

 

 

Black streaks the sky and backgrounds. It seems more dominant on her new costume, and envelops characters. Yet when Gwen meets a new friend and pursues her passion, she shines with pink energy bolstered by green and blue.

 

Ariana Maher thwips uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons and boxes using conventional arrows. The turquoise bordering the narrative boxes increases when Gwen pursues her passion. The text grows bold for intonation and shrinks for lowered voices. Shouts threaten to pop dialogue balloons. Sound effects accompany Gwen’s experimentation, a pretend fight that is also real, and a storm that destroys everything in its path. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

The spider-totems seem destined to be more reactive than proactive. As Gwen Stacy starts over on Earth-616, she's in the catbird's seat. But as Peter Parker believed he could live the dream until Hellgate's arrival, an unexpected force will Whack-A-Spider in All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #1.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

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 #5 Review

 

Writer: Joe Kelly

Artist: Pepe Larraz

Colorist: Marte Gracia

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Pepe Larraz & Marte Gracia; Joëlle Jones & Rachelle Rosenberg; John Romita Sr, John Romita Jr & Morry Hollowell; Mark Bagley & Edgar Delgado; Peach Momoko; Luciano Vecchio

Designer: Jay Bowen

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

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: June 4, 2025

 

Peter’s school chum Brian Nehring got him a job at Rand Industries. But before Peter can impress his new boss, Dr Maira Osmani-Milton, Rhino has a heart attack. Then someone roofies Peter, twisting his past and fears into a bad trip. When Peter’s investigation into hallucinatory drugs takes him to the Queen’s Cola facility, he finds Hobgoblin guarding the factory.

 

Before Peter can apprehend the villain, Hobgoblin flies away while Itsy Bitsy puts him in a tizzy. Will Brian and Maira be the latest casualties of the Cola Wars? Can Peter prevent Roderick Kingsley from making his office look even more like Easter Island? Let's grab a can of Queen’s Cola, leap into Amazing Spider-Man #5, and see!

 

Story

Before Hobgoblin left, Itsy Bitsy told him that someone from Rand informed the Justice Department about his exciting new range of anxiety drinks. Hobgoblin’s drugs have made Peter fear losing the people he loves. As he leaves the Queen’s Cola plant like Bruce Banner left a bottling factory in Rio de Janeiro, Peter gives Brian a call. But Peter’s too late. Hobgoblin’s already yucking his murder yum at Rand Industries.

 

Joe Kelly's story alternates between Peter, Dr. Maira Osmani-Milton, and Brian Nehring as Hobgoblin attempts to protect his industrial secrets with extreme prejudice. Maira shines as a mother, an easy-going boss, and a caring employer. 

 

 

 

After all the people he failed at Ravencroft, Spider-Man gives his all to ensure no additional deaths weigh on his conscience. While Brian may not impress immediately, he earns his place at Rand (and reader’s hearts) in Amazing Spider-Man #5.

 

Hobgoblin’s spectacular entrance suggests an Ultron-level tragedy, but the characters work together more effectively than the Avengers on the SHIELD helicarrier. Peter demonstrates his ability to think while thwipping and quipping. Amid all the fighting, this fast-paced action thriller is about the importance of protecting the people we care about and never pushing them away. 

 

 

 

Art

Pepe Larraz begins Amazing Spider-Man #5 with Rand Enterprises in flames. Hobgoblin descends into the plant-and-tree-filled atrium, driving away workers like the angel sent to guard Eden. Brian clutches his notebook to his chest, cognizant of the secrets he guards. Although wide-eyed, Dr Maira Osmani-Milton never loses her cool, facing down Hobgoblin even as he strangles her.

 

Marte Gracia surrounds Spider-Man with yellow, orange, and red as he crashes through the skylights. After sheathing his yellow flaming sword, bluish-white energy crackles from Hobgoblin’s hands and red eyes in Amazing Spider-Man #5. Past merges with present as gray characters frame colorful scenes and yellow fire washes across Peter's Black and White memories. 

 

 

 

Amid frantic panels, splash pages, double-page spreads, and a raging contest between Black and White, limited color schemes, and loaded palettes, Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase black lettering into dialogue balloons. Words grow bold for inflection, swell, change color, and rarely shrink. Texting with emojis turns narrative boxes blue amid glaring red lights. Sound effects include web-thwipping, glass shattering, and Brian bonking Hobgoblin. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Amazing Spider-Man #5 pulses with MCU-level action and drama as Peter draws a line in the sand and Hobgoblin tries to capitalize on people’s inclination to destroy their lives. Hey, if they’re going to worry about things they can’t control, why not make money off their lack of mindfulness?

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.