Black Cat #5 Review

 

Writer: G Willow Wilson

Artist: Gleb Melnikov

Colorist: Brian Reber

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Adam Hughes; Ben Oliver; Rogê Antônio & Marcelo Maiolo; Olivier Coipel

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: December 17, 2025

 

Sometimes, one person really can change everything. That's what happens when Spider-Man starts sending perps to the hospital. His refusal to discuss his epiphany with Felicia Hardy shocks her. Worse, it sends a tremor through the streets of New York City. Suddenly, criminals like Shocker and his Aftershocks are playing for keeps. Felicia is so off her game that she gets in a needless tussle with the Lizard, and younger pickpockets get the jump on her.

 

With everything up in the air, Felicia tries to convert her star power as a glamorous thief into a protector of New Yorkers with money to spend. Can she get her world spinning aright after Spider-Man knocked it off its axis? And how will Felicia Hardy react when the new kingpin of New York tarnishes her image? Let’s sharpen our claws, leap into Black Cat #5, and see!

 

Story

Tombstone captured Felicia and locked her away. As she sought a means of escape, she overheard him discussing Spider-Man's descent into villainy with a subordinate. Believing she could still save her web-friend, Felicia connived a means of escape. Then she rushed to the location Tombstone mentioned to convince Spider-Man to mend his ways. Instead, Felicia discovered that Tombstone had set her up, and someone she thought she could manipulate had manipulated her instead.

 

When cops surround her, Felicia is so flummoxed that she plays for pity. But Detective Shari Sebbens isn't beguiled by Felicia’s poor kitty routine. Shari has had a tough time lately. She came up empty while investigating a rash of robberies at fashion stores. Nor could she prevent someone from abducting a military drone from Rand Enterprises, causing significant property damage and endangering New Yorkers. So, the police detective plays it by the book in Black Cat #5. With her city becoming a war zone, at least Shari took one criminal off the streets.

 

Pursuing a career as a master thief meant hiding in the shadows. As Boris, her man in the chair, warned her, being a hero requires a different skill set. Felicia has ridden the highs of the internet and news media stardom. In Black Cat #5, Felicia discovers the fleeting nature of fame and that people cheer when their heroes stumble on their feet of clay.

 

 

 

 

Art

As Felicia clasps her hands behind her head, the white fur falling from her arms merges with her white hair to form a blunted star. Gleb Melnikov contrasts Felicia’s appeals with Shari’s resistance to her charms with close-ups. A splash page shows the crowd of journalists anxious to record her capture with their phones and cameras. Felicia looks shaken and doesn't turn away from the camera as she protests her innocence. But her fear turns to anger when J Jonah Jameson gives her the pity she sought from Shari Sebbins. Her angry response makes clear that Felicia doesn't appreciate his I told you so expression.

 

Brian Reber dresses the staunch newsmaker in a brown trenchcoat, evoking the days he converted trees into defamatory Spider-Man headlines on newsprint. As a preserver of society, Shari Sebbens wears an amber coat. After the police pull her away from the crowd gathered before orange-and-red buildings, they cage Felicia with some of the criminals she has recently foiled. While some sport bright colors, others share her black and white dress sense. But when a friend comes to her aid, Felicia contemplates her journey in a red-and-orange setting that evokes a train car in Black Cat #5.

 

 

 

 

Joe Caramagna shows Felicia’s thoughts as white uppercase letters in black boxes. Black uppercase dialogue fills white balloons, while Felicia’s interpretation of a fellow prisoner’s responses accompanies a cat symbol in a box. The letters grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered voices. Sound effects accompany fighting and dismay as Felicia’s streetcar pulls into a station named Deliberation, freeing Black Cat to contemplate where she will travel next. Thanks to Marvel Comics and Comic Book Dispatch for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Felicia Hardy has always pursued the next shiny prize over preserving the relationships that give life meaning. But when she’s down and out, the friend she played a terrible trick on lends Felicia the support she doesn’t deserve in Black Cat #5.

 

Rating 9.6/10

Amazing Spider-Man #12 Review

 

Writer: Joe Kelly

Penciler: Ed McGuinness

Inkers: Cliff Rathburn & Ed McGuinness

Colorists: Marcio Menyz & Erick Arciniega

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

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

Designer: Jay Bowen

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

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: September 17, 2025

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Story

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Art

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

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

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

 

Rating 9/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #33 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Marco Renna

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Neeraj Menon; Logan Lubera & Rachelle Rosenberg; Taurin Clarke; Rogê Antônio & Marcelo Maiolo

Designer: Gabriel Mata

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

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: May 14, 2025

 

Kwaku Anansi has been silent and alone for too long. So he dubs Miles Morales his herald and explores life in Brooklyn. But Ares, the God of War, takes umbrage at Anansi's pact with Miles. He enlists Zip Zephyr and upgrades Agent Gao to War-Cry to prevent Anansi from breaking ancient pacts. When Anansi senses Ares' meddling in his new story, the spider-god enlists Thor's and Hercules' aid. Will Brooklyn play host to a battle of the gods? Let's offer sacrifices to our lords above, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #33, and find out!

 

Story

After living in fear of others, Shift braves a life above ground in New York. Miles gives him a new name, and Mayor Cage finds him a school. But Jaime finds gaining acceptance among people he doesn’t know more difficult than posing as Miles at Brooklyn Visions Academy. After achieving the seemingly impossible in overturning Fisk’s Law, perhaps Luke Cage selected the Eastside Academy of the Arts for a reason. Where other students see an insecure, swole dude, one person welcomes a new friend.

 

When Ares requests an Agon in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #33, Anansi readily accepts. The rules of the formal confrontation specify two four-person teams. Even though Miles doesn’t know who fights for Ares besides Zip Zephyr and War-Cry, Miles must choose who will fight with him and Hercules. Forced to decide which of his friends may die, Miles again battles the stress that has often threatened to overwhelm him. But like Ghostbuster Ray Stantz, whether Miles wants to choose anyone or not, his spider-god summons the people Miles thinks of.

 

Cody Ziglar’s story concerns how we regard surprise. Do we look for unexpected challenges or dread them? Do we welcome new experiences or seek a pattern to define our days? While each god wields trickery to gain an advantage, Ares seeks revenge for past slights. Anansi welcomes a contest that will inspire heroes in the future. After struggling to manage his stress, Miles must decide if he trusts the god who endangers his friends in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #33. 

 

 

 

Art

When Jaime approaches carrying his tray and sporting a smile, two boys wearing hoodies abandon the table, leaning forward. As his smile flees, Jaime hunches forward, showing less delight in his food than when he ate with Ganke and Miles’ friends. But when someone wearing a gleaming leather jacket and a confident expression joins him, Jaime relaxes, and his smile returns in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #33.

 

Compared with Jaime and Jade's reunion, a tense confrontation occurs outside Brooklyn Visions Academy. While Thor, Hercules, War-Cry, and Zip Zephyr prepare for battle, Ares looks self-assured. Miles seems poised for a nervous breakdown. 

 

 

Kwaku Anansi may not wear the rich blues and golds of Ares’ team. Nor does he wear a uniform as colorful as Miles' red, black, and purple Wakandan spider-suit. Yet a smile never lingers far from Anansi's face. Adorned in black fabric and beads, with bright blue and orange body-paint and feathered-mask, Anansi radiates a love for life and gratitude for every new situation.

 

As Bryan Valenza lavishes a bright color palette on Marco Renna's appealing characters, a tense confrontation, and a climactic fight, Cory Petit thwips uppercase letters into dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Miles' thoughts appear as white letters in red narrative boxes, while white block letters introduce the singers of Anansi’s new song. Two others join Zip's diagonal-lettered chorus. The dialogue grows bold for intonation, enlarges for volume, and never shrinks. Sound effects help us hear resounding thunder, teleportation, and a world-traveling axe that puts Phileas Fogg to shame. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

 

Final Thoughts

His active lifestyle and battle with stress blind Miles to others' struggles. Like Peter Parker, his friends must spell out their difficulties for him. But when circumstances force him to endanger the people in his life, Miles discovers that someone whose life seems perfect also faces daily struggles in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #33.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Deadpool #14 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Rogê Antônio

Colorist: Guru-eFX

Letterer: Joe Sabino

Cover Artists: Taurin Clarke; Pasqual Ferry & Chris Sotomayor; Todd Nauck & Rachelle Rosenberg

Graphic Designer: Kat Walkington

Editors: Cy Pedro Beltran, Mark Basso, & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: May 7, 2025

 

While Death Grip slaughters his followers to give them a gift, the Muramasa Blade cuts through his soul, slicing his consciousness to shreds. Each act leads him further down a path beyond death. Death Grip doesn’t know where it leads, but his army is growing.

 

Deadpool traded pain and wanton violence to see where Death Grip was squatting. He's brought Ellie, Princess, Taskmaster, and a godslaying sword to Death Grip's newest temple. Can Deadpool use the Harpē to kill a zombie leader possessed by dark magic? Let's grab our emotional support kunai, leap into Deadpool #14, and find out!

 

Story

This series began in pain and darkness. Valentine Vuong left Deadpool with eternal life and nothing to fill it with. Wade felt like a terrible father to his Carnage canine daughter. He couldn’t even complete his mission and kill Hēnry Lapontē, a tech guy, mad scientist, or mutant, as Death Grip got to Hēnry first. Agent Gao offered Deadpool a chance to belong to another family. Instead, Wade decided to form a team, hoping against hope that he could forge something more satisfying.

 

As Wade storms Death Grip's stronghold in Deadpool #14, he doesn't enter feeling like a failure. Princess has a human sister in Ellie. Taskmaster has stood by them, even if he never collected double or quadruple overtime. And back at the office, Doug waits, wishing he could help the people he cares about. Wade even receives a warm welcome from Death Grip, as Wade taught him how to transcend death.

 

As Cody Ziglar's story nears its zenith, Wade surprises Death Grip again. The blade Deadpool stole from Agent Gao teaches Death Grip that he doesn't know everything about the intersection of life and death. Death Grip's lessons have come at a price. He struggles to retain a hold on his consciousness as he fights. And while Wade has taught him what he wished to learn about death, Death Grip fails to discern what Wade values in his new life. 

 

 

 

Art

Rogê Antônio launches Deadpool #14 with Death Grip and his undead acolytes charging their guests. The fighting never slows from its running start, blowing through panels while Deadpool breaks the fourth wall and chides Princess to be careful what she eats. Explosive splash pages in Death Grip's temple juxtapose with Doug's quandary at headquarters. While the office rat proves as energetic as ever, it demonstrates quick thinking and loyalty in Deadpool #14.

 

Guru-eFX pits red mercenaries against green zombies in a purple temple crackling with blue-white energy. As Death Grip and his followers weave blue-white power with their hands, they suggest a link with Ellie's glowing portals. Taskmaster calls Death Grip a nerd as he presses a red button on a gaming controller. Deadpool's green office links with the zombie's robes, reminiscent of the decay he and Princess found when they established their enterprise. But the yellow light streaming from the upraised Harpē suggests the dawning of a new day for Deadpool & Daughters LLC.

 

White and yellow balloons feature uppercase black text, while Joe Sabino fills red ones with Princess's white dialogue. The Touch utter symbols and stutter explosive purple words. Words shrink for lowered or distant voices and grow bold for inflection. Sound effects help us hear Deadpool surprise Death Grip, the office rat make someone a plonker, and Death Grip multiplying his handiwork in Deadpool #14. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

While Wade has forged the connections that helped him value life again, Death Grip is letting go as he journeys toward transcendence. But a surprising development makes us question all we know about Death Grip and The Touch in Deadpool #14.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Deadpool #13 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Rogê Antônio

Colorist: Guru-eFX

Letterer: Joe Sabino

Cover Artists: Taurin Clarke; David Baldeón & Jesus Aburtov; Jessica Fong (Ellie Deadpool); Sean “Cheeks” Galloway (April Pool’s Day)

Graphic Designer: Kat Walkington

Editors: Cy Pedro Beltran, Mark Basso & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: April 2, 2025

 

Deadpool broke his code of not killing superheroes. In return, he got an adventure, battled new villains, and fought shoulder-to-shoulder with Spider-Man. Shift may not forgive Deadpool for shooting him. Still, Miles Morales called him Bro.

 

Now, Wade has a weapon that might solve his Death Grip problem. Ellie can teleport him to his appointment with Destiny but needs coordinates. Can Deadpool find Death Grip’s new lair? And how will the writers pay off Agent Gao's classic flash-bang? Let's grab our Hephaestus-forged weapons, leap into Deadpool #13, and find out!

 

Story

When you kill people for money and five-star reviews, it's easy to lose your moral compass. After taking a job from Agent Gao, Deadpool isn't judging anyone. Still, he wants to know who he can count on in an emergency, even if it’s only to stand on the sidelines. Wolverine isn’t squeamish about inflicting pain on his degenerate friend now and then. Still, Wolverine professes innocence with Wade's recent dance with death. When Wolverine gives him a lead, Deadpool postpones judgment day.

 

If Deadpool is a man on a mission, Solem luxuriates in his pleasure dome. Wolverine may have Adamantium bones, but Solem has indestructible alloy skin. The Arakkii mutant lives for pleasure. When Death Grip came calling, Solem gave him the Muramasa Blade. All the mutant asked for in return was to hear how Death Grip used it. But the leader of The Touch reneged on his bargain. So, in Deadpool #13, Solem offers to give the Merc With A Mouth Death Grip’s location. But this time, he won’t accept credit.

 

If Deadpool worries about not being around for Ellie, Death Grip grapples with who he has become. Death Grip was a cult leader who taught his followers to worship death. When he ingested the Muramasa Blade, Death Grip merged with death, allowing him to return from the afterlife and murder Deadpool. Death Grip has become a poster boy for Thanos in Cody Ziglar’s story. But when you are half dead and half alive, which part of you is in control? Are you even a person anymore?

 

Art

Rogê Antônio portrays The Touch running between blue columns. The green-robed priests stumble as white smoke separates bodies and appendages. A blue-green mist hangs in the forest as Deadpool visits Wolverine. Deadpool cloaks his red costume in a gray parka as the living weapons talk. A purple shadow underlines the link between Wolverine and Death Grip. Guru-eFX paints the briefing room blue as Doug presents a slide show to his Chief Financial Officer. The red, pink, and orange slide suggests Wade and Ellie belong more to Death Grip’s chaotic world than Taskmaster’s practical one.

 

Yellow smoke rises from bronze braziers that match the symbol dominating the wall. Solem sits amid gold-masked attendants and writhing flesh tones in Deadpool #13. The gold masks make it as hard for Solem to identify servants as for crime bosses to recognize Madame Masque. But the red cushions filling the pleasure dome suggest that Solem has more in common with Deadpool, Ellie, and Princess than any of them realize. 

 

White and yellow balloons feature uppercase black text, while Joe Sabino fills red ones with Princess's white dialogue. Magenta words in blue boxes represent Death Grip’s inner turmoil. Words shrink for lowered or distant voices and grow bold for inflection. Giant red words and musical notes promise that someone will get spanked. Sound effects help us hear Death Grip lose control, blades snap against Tron-like skin, and Deadpool proves he's a lumberjack (and he's okay) in Deadpool #13. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

As Ellie demonstrates she's growing up, Princess proves a capable strategist, their father falls in love, and Taskmaster bills Wade for quadruple overtime in  Deadpool #13.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Deadpool #8 Review

 

Deadpool #8 Review

Writer: Cody Ziglar & Alexis Quasarano

Artist: Rogê Antônio

Colorist: Guru-eFX

Letterer: Joe Sabino

Cover Artists: Taurin Clarke; Derrick Chew; Ema Lupacchino & Dave McCaig; Cory Smith & Edgar Delgado

Graphic Designer: Kat Walkington

Editors: Drew Baumgartner & Cy Pedro Beltran; Mark Basso; CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 13, 2024

 

Taskmaster wants to hack Chemocorp’s bank accounts, so he suggests they create a diversion so someone can slip inside. Instead, Ellie and Princess opt for a frontal assault on the Z-List shell company. "Taskzaddy" tries to talk "Cutie-Pool and Wagsly" into descending to the data center, but Princess pursues a familiar scent. Will Deadpool's symbiote-canine daughter ascend to a happy reunion? Or will Ellie and Princess discover someone more deadly than the robots on the ground floor? Let's leap into Deadpool #8 and find out!

 

Story

Taskmaster wanted to dig Deadpool & Daughters, LLC out of a financial hole. His plan was simple but elegant: slip in, steal the data, and leave without anyone noticing. But Ellie is angry. As she can't attack Deathgrip, Ellie hurts other villains. Instead, she discovers that robots guard Chemocorp. Energy weapons sprout from their hands, and they shoot lasers with their eyes. Still, at least one employee of the biochem research company is Human (even if the leaders of Orchis might disagree). Her name is Valentine Vuong, and hypodermic needles adorn her fingers.

 

Although it was likely foreordained, Cody Ziglar & Alexis Quasarano reveal why Deadpool and Valentine parted ways in Deadpool #8. It’s a familiar story about juggling schedules and interests while making time for those we love. What surprises Ellie is how stoically Valentine takes the news of her former paramour's death. But then, Deadpool traded in death while Valentine experiments with life.

 

Wade Wilson may be dead, but his body doesn’t decay. He was killed by a man who swallowed a magic sword and returned from the dead. Ellie assumes that a combination of magic and science can heal her father. While Valentine echoes Taskmaster’s insistence that Alchemy isn’t real, this proto-science aided people for centuries and built the foundation for Valentine’s modern scientific methods. In Deadpool #8, Ellie wants Valentine to overcome her assumptions and try to save the mercenary who loved her so much that he stopped eating noodles.

 

 

 

Art

When Taskmaster pleads with Doug for good news, Doug offers him a graph. Old Skull-face is so depressed by their falling income that when the office rat claims a can from the kiddie pool cooling Wade's severed body, Taskmaster relinquishes the drink to cover his face. When a short Deadpool imposter attacks an evil scientist, and they halt with knives and needles poised at each other's throats, Ellie opts to resolve their differences with conversation rather than blood. Despite her appearance of calm, Valentine turns away when she learns of Wade’s death. Then she embraces Princess and scratches her snout.

 

Guru-eFX lavishes a loaded palette on Rogê Antônio’s art in Deadpool #8. While red, pink, and lavender dominate Valentine’s memories, greens and blues ground the fighting. Red lightsabers color their surroundings pink, and green eyes signal an overwhelming blast of yellow, orange, and red. Like Thanos, Valentine’s employer sports purple and yellow. The pink and lavender laser beams he fires prove more destructive than those of his robot employees.

 

White balloons feature uppercase black text, while Joe Sabino fills red ones with Princesses’ white dialogue. Words occasionally shrink and rarely grow bold, while Wade’s comments fill yellow balloons in Valentine’s story. Colorful sound effects help us hear wailing alarms, laser fire, clashing lightsabers, explosions, malfunctioning Terminators, and Princess' snapping tail, while enlarged dialogue accompanies a gout of oil. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Alchemy was a science written in codes and practiced in secret. In Deadpool #8, robots guard a biochem company, and Human employees who sign an NDA discover that leaving their employment (with the company's secrets) activates a termination clause.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

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

Amazing Spider-Man #57 Review

 

Writers: Zeb Wells

Penciler: John Romita Jr

Inker: Scott Hanna

Colorist: Marcio Menyz

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Editors: Kaeden McGahey, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski

Cover Artists: John Romita Jr, Scott Hanna & Morry Hollowell; Rogê Antônio & Marcelo Maiolo; Chris Campana & Edgar Delgado; Ryan Meinerding; Claudio Sciarrone

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: September 11, 2024

 

Spider-Man caged the bear. Now he pokes him. As Spider-Man rejoices, Tombstone regards him from the other side of the glass partition. Will Tombstone become the new Kingpin of Ryker’s Island? Or does Lonnie Lincoln have another card to play? Let's thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #57 and find out!

 

Main Story

Spider-Man's victory proves short-lived. Alice may be in chains, but Tombstone makes bail. Peter Parker confronts Lonnie's lawyer later. "You are so cute when you're angry," Michele says. "What'd you do?" Peter Parker asks. "My job," she responds. Perhaps Michele might have shuffled her feet on Lonnie's release had Peter been a better friend to her. But he arrived late for dinner after Randy and Janice’s wedding ended in tragedy. Worse, Peter refused to acknowledge the validity of Michele’s views. Worst of all, he told her that Tombstone was a villain when her client was on life-support. (The Green Goblin’s meddling didn’t de-ice their relationship either).

 

While Michele ensures the law protects everyone, Luke Cage, She-Hulk, and Spider-Man work to circumvent the criminal justice system. Randy Robinson may have campaigned to overthrow Fisk’s Law, but Luke, Jen, and Peter blatantly disregarded it during the Gang War. They even joined forces with Lonnie Lincoln amid the chaos, only to see Lonnie change his tune and become the new Kingpin of New York. In Amazing Spider-Man #57, Spider-Man contemplates the need to make the laws he wants to live by. Then Spider-Man argues that he should decide who does what in his city. But someone would inevitably ascend to Wilson Fisk’s throne. Shouldn’t Mayor Cage, She-Hulk, and Spider-Man regard Tombstone’s criminal leadership as preferable to mob bosses like Hammerhead and Madame Masque?

 

Peter, Luke, and Jen huddle in Gracie Mansion until Luke calls the play. Then, they work together to ensure they gain all ten yards in Amazing Spider-Man #57. Yet at Ryker’s Island, Lonnie stated that Spider-Man hadn't learned what he tried to teach him. Despite Janice's familial and criminal experience, Lonnie outfoxed his daughter in the Gang War. How accurately can Luke Cage, Jennifer Walters, Peter Parker, and Janice Lincoln predict Tombstone’s actions?

 

 

 

Art

John Romita Jr and Scott Hanna’s bars, overhead lights, cubicles, viewing windows, counters, and diagonal mesh grills reinforce Tombstone’s rigid surroundings. The lines on Lonnie’s face, neck, and arms show how a life of crime has aged him. When he realizes Spider-Man convinced Janice to testify against him, irregular fractures appear on his white forehead. Yet when Lonnie hangs up the phone, rises, and walks away, a smile creases his face. On the other side of the glass, red lines radiate from Spider-Man’s head. He slams his fist into the counter, creating a web of broken laminate. Outside the courthouse, Michele’s determined expression relaxes when Peter accosts her. Then, she emulates Tombstone and walks away. If not for Marcio Menyz’s flesh tones, Peter’s expression would evoke Tombstone’s when backed into a corner.

 

Sunlight casts a diagonal shadow across the covered front porch of Gracie Mansion. Luke's gold shirt, She-Hulk's green skin and purple costume, and Spider-Man's red-and-blue outfit glow with vitality against the softened colors of Luke's comfortable office. White Rabbit's cell phone illuminates her face while overhead lights make her attire gleam in the darkened room. An armored vehicle races down the street when the moon projects white rings toward the glowing New York skyline. The vehicle's headlights project white circles, while those lining the top glow red and blue. As Spider-Man crouches on the roof, surrounded by circles of red and blue light, perhaps he contemplates a patriotic victory like the revolutionary soldiers at the Battle of Saratoga.

 

Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase lettering into dialogue balloons and narrative boxes in Amazing Spider-Man #57. The fonts grow bold for inflection, swell and change color for increased volume, and shrink for lowered voices. Colored and transparent sound effects announce the end of a conversation, a woman’s desperate act to save her beloved, Lady Octopus giving her arms a workout, and Tombstone acting to preserve his power. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Kingpin makes a play for his daughter. Heroes and villains wield the American justice system in their best interests. And Digger has a spectacularly uplifting experience in Amazing Spider-Man #57.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

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

Deadpool #4 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Pencilers: Rogê Antônio & Eric Gapstur

Inkers: Jonas Trindade & Eric Gapstur

Colorist: Guru-eFX

Letterer: Joe Sabino

Cover Artists: Taurin Clarke; Jan Bazaldua & Federico Blee; Greg Land & Frank D’Armata

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 3, 2024

 

Ellie wants to be a partner in her dad’s business venture. Deadpool’s new mercenary team already acts like a family, even if Doug lacks superpowers, Taskmaster wants extra pay for fieldwork, and Wade's symbiote alien-canine daughter Princess wants to eat negative reviewers. (Ouch!) At least the rat in the water cooler seems content. Will Ellie emulate the rat? Or, like Kirk's little rascals on Sigma Iotia II, will Ellie demand a piece of the action? Let's leap into Deadpool #4 and find out!

 

Story

Deadpool’s life is dangerous. If Ellie won’t return to Terry and Emily's home in Arizona, Taskmaster insists Wade’s Human daughter learn to protect herself. Ellie works hard in Taskmaster’s lessons, but success doesn’t come easy. Still, faster than Harry Potter turned the tables on Professor Snape during their Occlumency lessons, Ellie surprises Taskmaster. Blame it on her hyperactive neurons!

 

Deadpool is proud of his Human daughter. She can learn to protect herself, and her super-healing ability insulates her from danger. But that doesn't mean he wants her to seek it out. Nor does he want her to go around killing people. Ellie sought him out because she wanted to participate in his life. So, in Deadpool #4, the Merc With A Mouth wonders how to shield his Human daughter from danger while encouraging her interests and nurturing her abilities.

 

 

 

Cody Ziglar doesn't let Deadpool dwell on his problems for long. Instead, he offers Wade Wilson a new one. Everyone loves a party, but Deadpool isn't wild about Death Grip's invitation. Sure, he'd like to stop the psychotic martial artist from hurling convention wreckers like Crossbones at him. Still, who can resist a rematch?

 

Deadpool #4 is a descent into brutality. Taskmaster's method of training Ellie involves seeing what he can break. Death Grip took the Muramasa blade from Solem, but instead of wielding it, the master of magic and martial arts became a sword-swallower. Now, a sword forged from the dark portions of the Human soul inhabits the leader of a death cult. Can the leader of The Touch kill the unkillable Deadpool? Or will the joke be on Death Grip?

 

 

Art

Rogê Antônio, Jonas Trindade, and Eric Gapstur pool their talents to portray Team Deadpool’s homelife. Princess looks on as Ellie battles sword-wielding Taskmaster in a boxing ring. A multiple exposure shot reveals when Tasky’s lessons hit home, and Ellie forces Taskmaster to drop his beverage can. Yet her vulnerability shows when she sits before her father at the dinner table.

 

Guru-eFX lavishes a loaded palette of appealing colors on the action and drama in Deadpool #4. As Deadpool and Taskmaster watch the fighting projected on the big screen, a shot from behind colors the two men light blue against an inked background. The sores covering Wade’s head blend with his costume, even when red hearts cover his eyes. A nearly Black and White invitation leads to gray-robed warriors in a pink and lavender lobby. Orange surrounds Wade’s head, a blue-white glow suffuses Taskmaster’s beloved weapon, and the background turns Deep Purple as Deadpool and Tasky reenact their version of Thor and Loki’s Get Help. Honestly! Who’d be a Soldier Of Fortune?

 

Joe Sabino stabs white and colored dialogue balloons and narrative boxes with black uppercase lettering in Deadpool #4. The font shrinks for lowered voices, emboldens for inflection, and swells for increased volume. Sound effects help us hear Taskmaster emulate Captain America, Ellie slams into a corner post, and gunfire rings out in The Touch's temple. A scream accompanies a panel of the inflamed pain centers of Deadpool's brain. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

Final Thoughts

When Death Grip offers Deadpool a deal he can’t refuse, the Merc With A Mouth discovers pain like he's never experienced and feels an emotion he's not used to in Deadpool #4.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

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