Fire & Ice: When Hell Freezes Over #6

 

 

How far would you go for someone you love? And would you doom one loved one to rescue another? While Fire and Ice's choices may trap them in Hell, things are getting more confusing by the minute in Smallville. Will Superman return and help sort out this Freakier Friday? And how will L-Ron do as the latest hair stylist at The Mane Event? 

Here's all the info from DC Connect on this series that's all about friendship, love, and accountability:

 

Fire & Ice: When Hell Freezes Over #6

Writer: Joanne Starer

Artist: Stephen Byrne

Cover Artists: Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson; Todd Nauck

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Series Length: 6 Issues

Price: $3.99/$4.99 (Cardstock)

Release Date: September 10, 2025

 

Breaking into Hell is one thing—clawing you way back out is another thing entirely. But Ice already escaped Hell’s clutches once before, and it might not be so eager to let her go again…

 

Now, let's take a look inside: 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

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. 

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #34 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Marco Renna

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Rachelle Rosenberg; Logan Lubera & Rachelle Rosenberg; Geoff Shaw & Romulo Fajardo Jr; Todd Nauck & Rachelle Rosenberg

Designer: Gabriel Mata

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

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 25, 2025

 

Miles was supposed to be at Brooklyn Visions Academy. Gust was easing Shift through his first day at Eastside Academy of the Arts. Dr Keisha Kwan was pouring herself a cup of coffee in her comfortable office. Then, Kwaku Anansi pulled them into his song. Along with Hercules, Ares transported them to Mount Olympus. There, Anansi's champions face off against Ares' champions: Zip Zephyr, War-Cry, Pyrrha, and Philomelus.

 

Can the spider god's champions defeat the God of War's divine Defenders? And will anyone steal the books from Gust's open school locker? Let's offer sacrifices to our lords above, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #34, and find out!

 

Story

Keisha enjoyed working in the office, but Dr Sasquatch nudged her out of her comfort zone. Instead of video counseling, she has met with Miles. But when Ares transports her to Mount Olympus and forces her to fight Philomelus, Keisha reveals the trauma she’s worked to hide. Like Bruce Banner and Dr Sasquatch, gamma radiation has changed Keisha. So, the mild-mannered psychiatrist gives the ancient tiller of the soil a WWF therapy session in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #34.

 

Shift's origins as a pawn in someone else's game still traumatize him. Agent Gao forced Gust to fight on her Cape Killers squad. Once again, others control Shift and Gust in Cody Ziglar's story. Both feel overwhelmed by being drafted to fight gods in an Agon. Agent Gao (or War-Cry) has told Zip Zephyr that superpowered individuals are dangerous because they often hide in plain sight. Whether they like it or not, Mount Olympus reveals that Gust and Keisha are more powerful than they realize in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #34.

 

Miles may not know what Anansi wants from the contest, but Ares and his followers crave power. Ares and his champions believe they are entitled to positions of status and haven't gotten the respect they deserve. While Ares grants Agent Gao an upgrade by becoming his avatar, it's unclear what he can offer the others. But even if they help him win the Agon, it's hard to believe they'll ever win Ares' respect. 

 

 

 

Art

Keisha's muscles bulge as she tosses Philomelus his plow. Then, Keisha shows the Greek god she doesn't need weapons to win her fights. While her actions shake Zip and Pyrrha and irritate Ares, Agent Gao seems unmoved. But then, after losing the Harpe to Deadpool, perhaps "War-Cry" prefers to remain in the background. Throughout Miles Morales: Spider-Man #34, Anansi is in his element. While Hercules cheers on his team, Marco Renna shows Anansi crossing his arms over his chest, swelling like Ant-Man, or perching atop a broken pillar like Simeon Stylites. And all the while, the spider-god smiles, plays cat’s cradle with webbing, or shoots the air with finger guns.

 

The yellow and orange sky gives Mount Olympus an otherworldly feel. Keisha and Philomelus kick up the reddish dirt amid the pinkish-white stone pillars, pediments, battered temples, and empty stadium. Ares' helmet and Pyrrha's armor radiate a golden sheen, while Zip Zephyr's bluish-white cyclones complement Pyrrha's white and blue water jets. 

 

 

 

Bryan Valenza's nuanced palette grounds the otherworldly confrontations. Pyrrha's striking red hair and skirt foretell a later challenge that forces Ares to press his hands against his head. But then, Shift's body language suggests what Miles, Keisha, and Gust must feel: that The Gods Must Be Crazy!

 

Cory Petit thwips uppercase letters into dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. White block letters introduce the singers of Anansi’s latest hit single. Ares, Zip, Philomelus, and Pyrrha utter diagonal letters, but Zip never gets the colored balloon borders that his high-born status deserves. The words grow bold for intonation, enlarge for volume, and shrink for lowered voices. Sound effects enliven challenges that sadden Keisha, enrage Ares, and perhaps hint at why Miles thinks of Ms. Marvel more often than Starling. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy. 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Ares has an axe to grind. Instead of battling Kwaku Anansi, he fights through intermediaries. While Ares belittles his followers and inflicts pain, Anansi preaches the value of togetherness. And once again, the spider-god reminds us that force and brutality are not the only way to achieve victory in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #34.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Deadpool #12 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Andrea Di Vito

Colorist: Guru-eFX

Letterer: Joe Sabino

Cover Artists: Taurin Clarke; Rogé Antônio & GURU-eFX; Todd Nauck & Rachelle Rosenberg

Production Designer: Sarah Spadaccini

Editors: Mark Basso, Tom Groneman, Cy Pedro Beltran, Kaitlyn Lindtvedt & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 12, 2025

 

Deadpool needs weapons to murder the guy who killed him as revenge for slicing and dicing him into the heavenly home for mercs with mouths. When Agent Gao offers a high-paying job, Wade Wilson figures the world can survive with one fewer Spider-Man. But Ellie frowns on killing heroes who thwip responsibly. So, Deadpool & Daughter dispenses marvelous first aid after shooting Shift by mistake.

 

Now, Wade has a new plan. But can Wade hand Shift over to Agent Gao, grab the cash, and then rescue Miles' brother without Agent Gao sending Midas and Generic Gun Guy after him? Let's leap into Deadpool #12 and find out!

 

Story

Agent Gao is disillusioned. After Mayor Cage overturned Fisk’s Law and shut down her Cape Killers squad, Julia Gao refused to recognize the legality of self-appointed costume heroes. She offered Wade a position in her new anti-vigilante vigilante squad. Now, as she hides from her former police family, Agent Gao meets a stranger in a dark alley. He offers her a gift. She may not understand his reference to Miles’ relationship with Kwaku Anansi, but Agent Gao knows a helping hand when she sees one.

 

In Deadpool #12, Princess finds Miles' new suit hard on the canines. Brooklyn's Spider-Man bonded with Ellie through their Latin heritage and complex family dynamics. But that doesn’t mean Princess has to like the man who shorted out her sister’s shock-daggers and fried Ellie’s teleporting phone.

 

In Cody Ziglar's story, Agent Gao's recruits see through Deadpool's cunning plan and welcome him with fists of fury. Like Queen Victoria, Wade's relabeling fails to amuse Output. Midas reveals a superpower that would make a medieval alchemist drool. Wade has his back against a wall with the threat of Death Grip’s return. He is also at a romantic low point. After reuniting with Valentine Vuong, she walked out the door again. If only Midas wouldn't try to kill him! But then, murder runs in the family in Deadpool #12.

 

 

 

Art

Guru-eFX opens with a blue, purple, and pink assault from screaming squad cars. Clad in her blue jacket, Agent Gao leans against a red-brick wall with faded, peeling stucco. The vibrant yellow-and-orange graffiti adorning the wall evokes Miles’ adeptness with a bag of spray paints. A stranger wearing a grey coat and hat glows yellow when he withdraws a wicked weapon in the green alley.

 

Andrea Di Vito shows Midas and Output's excitement as Deadpool pulls Shift in a child's wagon. Shift’s bundled features evoke Deadpool’s appearance when Ellie, Task Daddy, and Doug strapped his severed sections into an office chair. Midas’ formfitting gold-and-white candy stick suit, her deftness with tonfas, and her yellow explosions make Deadpool go weak at the knees. Output, clad in red and blue, summons white-hot suns from his hands. As time-lapse photography struggles to capture Deadpool's attack, Shift's blurring left arm appears four times in one panel in Deadpool #12.

 

White balloons feature uppercase black text, while Joe Sabino fills red ones with Princess's white dialogue. Black words in green narrative boxes reveal Agent Gao’s thoughts. Words shrink for lowered voices and grow bold for inflection while Ellie’s thoughts fill pink narrative boxes. Colorful sound effects help us hear the Midas Touch, bones snapping, arcing energy, and thwipping, while Ellie’s reprimand in a spiky balloon makes Princess’s eyes and ears droop. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

As the winds of alchemy and science breathe life into his rebirth, Wade Wilson seeks love and big guns in all the wrong places. So, after Ellie and Wade lose some of their healing factors, it doesn’t help that opponents get a level-up. Amid the humorous fighting and violent witticisms, Shift steals hearts (and perhaps minds) in Deadpool #12.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #27 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Daniele Di Nicuolo

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Erick Arciniega; Stefano Caselli & Jesus Aburtov; Todd Nauck & Rachelle Rosenberg

Design: Jay Bowen

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

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: December 5, 2024

 

The Black Panther gave Miles Morales a Vibranium spider-suit. While his venom energy keeps Blade's (or Varnae’s) vampiric infection at bay, the new suit channels that energy. But can Miles resist his thirst for blood until Black Panther can cure him? Let's pack an overnight bag, board a flight to Wakanda, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #27, and find out!

 

Story

Wakanda should be Black Panther's home. But he no longer belongs there, and this pains him. He and Miles are unwanted visitors, and T’Challa doesn’t want to draw anyone’s attention. But Wakanda is new to Miles. So Black Panther gives him a moment to appreciate the glamor of the bustling city before urging Miles on.

 

In Miles Morales: Spider-Man #27, Black Panther takes Miles to see his friend N’Yobi Umaru. T’Challa tells Miles he needs a key to unlock the path to Bast's realm. But trouble is afoot, and the Black Panther relies on Miles to resolve it.

 

While Miles is in Wakanda, his brother Shift takes his place at school. The shapeshifting clone attends classes, but Ganke notices something is off. Ganke takes “Miles” for a quick confab in the boys’ room. Unlike Mötley Crüe, they don’t use tobacco to relax. But Shift needs a breather. Like forcing himself into a suit that’s too small, assuming Miles’ form and appearance takes work. Miles has recently introduced Shift to his family and friends, and Ganke takes Shift under his protection. Still, as with Tiana, Miles is now on Ganke’s list.

 

As Black Panther takes Miles to meet with Bast, his biggest concern is Miles’ readiness. As T’Challa says, “Riddles and doublespeak are the favorite pastime of the gods.” But jetlag and being undead have put Miles in a bad mood. Black Panther does his best to prepare Miles to meet Bast in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #27. But to be cured, Miles must calm his mind, control his bloodlust, and welcome whatever Bast throws at him.

 

 

 

Art

After Daniele Di Nicuolo tilts the camera angle outside Brooklyn Visions Academy, Ganke tilts his head and studies his friend. Sweat trickles down “Miles” face as he hunches forward, his arms resting on his desk. A worm-eye view makes the teacher loom over “Miles.” But as Ganke pulls “Miles” from his chair and walks him to the men’s room, his friend’s condition is as plain as the message on Ganke’s shirt. Another distorted camera angle tilts the walls and stalls away from the men. After a shadow falls on Ganke, he juts his chin out as the imposter bulges. But later, Ganke cringes and sweats as Shift finds a way to take his mind off his troubles.

 

Miles’ purple, red, and black costume shines against the yellow, tan, and bronze backdrop of Birnin T’Chaka. Bryan Valenza enhances these less whimsical Wakandan scenes with a stately gloss. Subdued reds, browns, and bright blue accents make the lawyer's apartment a relaxing haven in the skyscraper-filled city. Valenza colors what Miles sees through his spider-sense in blue and white. After Miles and Black Panther leave the yellow, orange, and bronze city, they enter a pastoral realm dominated by vibrant green and purple in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #27.

 

Cory Petit thwips black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons and shares Miles' thoughts with white letters in red narrative boxes. The delicate font emboldens for inflection and swells or shrinks for volume. Sound effects enhance shapeshifting, humming, a sizzling barrier, and a savage roar. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a copy for review. 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

The Black Panther takes pride in tradition. He is acutely aware that he no longer belongs in his community. While T’Challa worries that Wakanda’s gods will reject Miles, Ganke worries that Shift is taking on more than he can handle in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #27.

 

Rating 9/10

 

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

Spider-Boy #13 Review

 

Spider-Boy #13 Review

Writers: Dan Slott

Artists: Paco Medina

Colorist: Erick Arciniega

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Paco Medina & Edgar Delgado; Chrissie Zulo (The Thing); Josemaria Casanova (Kraven); Michael Cho (Design); Todd Nauck & Rachelle Rosenberg

Designer: Adam Del Re

Editors: MR Daniel, Kaeden McGahey, Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Ellie Pyle, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: November 27, 2024

 

Tabitha Briggs let her son don his costume to bask in the adoration of his fans. But Daredevil ruined Spider-Boy Day by demanding Bailey return a Hellfire Club trophy. Spider-Boy’s mentor didn’t realize he was being followed until Bullseye and Spider-Girl attacked. Can Spider-Boy and Daredevil reclaim the legendary Golden Fang of the Gaping Maw from Bullseye and Spider-Girl? And who is this young girl who knows that Bailey is Spider-Boy? Let's book a flight to Madripoor, thwip into Spider-Boy #13, and find out!

 

Story

Bailey's disobedience got him into hot water with Daredevil three years ago. Spider-Boy owes his mentor for training him to fight and control the sensory information flooding his brain from his additional spider-eyes. So, when Daredevil tells him the world's fate hangs on retrieving the Golden Fang that Bailey won by crashing a cage match, Spider-Boy climbs into the cargo compartment of a jumbo jet for the nineteen-hour flight to Madripoor.

 

Like Bailey Briggs, Makawalu Akana once led a very different life. But when her abilities manifested, she wanted to push her limits. Maka drew Bullseye's attention by displaying skills that most people train for years to master. Bullseye promised the Hawaiian girl the biggest challenge of her life if she helped him defeat Spider-Boy. But that was before everyone forgot about Spider-Boy. After Spider-Man restored Bailey to the Web Of Life And Destiny, Maka and Bullseye remember why they got together. They’re making up for lost time in Spider-Boy #13.

 

As in most Spidey stories, Bailey must choose between his everyday life and his superhero career. Worse, his mother feels guilty over abandoning him for years. While Tabitha Briggs allows him to be a superhero, she won't be happy about Bailey spending more days away from school. Bailey fears she will ground him for life for his unsanctioned flight, but he accompanies his mentor anyway. Unlike Bailey, Spider-Girl exhibits little concern for others in Dan Slott's story. Her ability to master any skill effortlessly insulates her from the need to connect with others. All Maka cares about is winning.

 

 

 

Art

Paco Medina compares the lives of those who work at the expense of others with those who work on behalf of others. Bulleye tilts his champagne flute to the flight attendant, and Spider-Girl listens to tunes while eating shrimp kabobs and a strawberry sundae in Spider-Boy #13. By contrast, Daredevil and Spider-Boy sit on the floor between storage containers, with no food service or in-flight movies. As a crowd surrounds Koa Iona with adoration and cellphones, the sports champion smiles at the ladies but frowns when Maka offers him a pen and notepad. Later, she raises a trophy above her head, evoking Spider-Boy when he grabs the legendary Golden Fang of the Gaping Maw in the Hellfire Club.

 

 

 

Erick Arciniega keeps red and blue foremost of Spider-Boy #13, as the dominant red of Spider-Boy's suit seems an homage to his mentor. Yet Bullseye and Spider-Girl's first meeting seems a nod to their target, as Maka wears a red swimsuit, and Bullseye wears a blue shirt adorned with his signature target logo. The yellow of Spider-Boy's visors makes its presence felt in Maka's business suit, the flight attendants' scarves, and the famous relic displayed in Bullseye's private jet. Even an airplane's landing gear produces yellow fire, which finds its partners in a torchlit fight club. Yet green dominates the arena as the master of ceremonies and the members of the Gaping Maw gather around the green receptacle of Bullseye and Spider-Girl's Golden Fang.

 

 

 

While Erick Arciniega lavishes a loaded palette on Paco Medina's attractive characters, costumes, and settings, Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase black lettering into white dialogue balloons. Words shrink for distant or lowered voices, embolden for intonation, and swell for volume. Giant, colored dialogue expresses an airport worker’s anger and Daredevil’s concern for his charge. Sound effects help us hear a cheering crowd and enliven Spider-Boy's fight with a young green-skinned protégé. Mahalo to Marvel Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Spider-Boy #13 introduces a young Hawaiian mutant and several more superpowered youngsters. While Bailey doesn't learn how it could affect world events, he discovers the Golden Fang of the Gaping Maw's immediate purpose. After risking Tabitha Briggs' wrath, Daredevil must do something that goes against his sense of honor. Still, it's Madripoor, Daredevil. “When you’re here, anything goes!”

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

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

 

 

Amazing Spider-Man #60 Review: Five Short Stories

 

Writers: Zeb Wells & Joe Kelly

Pencilers: John Romita Jr & Ed McGuinness

Inkers: Scott Hanna & Mark Farmer

Artists: Todd Nauck, Paolo Rivera, Patrick Gleason & Mark Buckingham

Colorists: Marcio Menyz, Rachelle Rosenberg & Edgar Delgado

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

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

Cover Artists: John Romita Jr, Scott Hanna & Marcio Menyz; Adam Hughes; Stephen Platt & Dave McCaig; Alessandro Cappuccio & Mattia Iacono; Patrick Gleason & Marcio Menyz

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $7.99

Release Date: October 30, 2024 

 

Doctor’s Orders: Story

The Green Goblin impaled Rek-Rap with his glider. So, in Amazing Spider-Man #60, Spider-Man takes Rek-Rap to assess the damage. When the doctor looks down on Rek-Rap, Spider-Man doesn't stand up for the demon he inspired to become a hero. Thankfully, Rek-Rap doesn't need affirmation or credentials to know he is a hero. Once again, Zeb Wells distinguishes between those awarded the power and authority to help people and those who use it to benefit themselves.

 

Doctor’s Orders: Art

In the hospital examination room, Spider-Man perches against the wall. While Spider-Man's gesture suggests his embarrassment, the doctor removes his stethoscope and frowns. Ed McGuinness and Mark Farmer reveal Rek-Rap’s exuberance as he makes the exam table look like an ottoman. Marcio Menyz makes the Web-Whangers glow in their blue-and-red costumes against the green and blue interior.

 

 

 

Team-Up: Part Two: Story

When the Die-Chromator attacks a music festival, Spider-Man and Jackpot team up to stop him. After Zeb Wells brings back an obsessive guardian of lights and colors, the drama shines in this satisfying story about the give-and-take relationships demand. Becoming Jackpot gives Mary Jane a different perspective on Peter's life as Spider-Man. Despite his role in taking Mary Jane away from Peter, Paul demonstrates his willingness to be Peter’s friend and the concern for others he exemplified in Wells’ ASM #56 short story “Responsibilities.”

 

Team-Up: Part Two: Art

Todd Nauck portrays the Die-Chromator as a larger-than-life villain. Jackpot shows she can stand alongside Spider-Man any day of the week. But in Team-Up: Part Two, Jackpot stands before five Spider-Men as she faces down the colorful villain. Todd Nauck throws in a glimpse of a character who will reappear in a later story and shows J Jonah Jameson channeling his anger. Mary Jane's expression mirrors Peter's as they change into street clothes. She exudes happiness and incomprehension as Peter's sacrifice finally hits her.

 

Rachelle Rosenberg lavishes a loaded palette on Todd Nauck’s art in Amazing Spider-Man #60. The Die-Chromator’s technicolor (dream) cloak is iridescent, and each panel packs a colorful punch. Heroes and villains shine amid darkness, enhancing their power and appeal.

 

 

 

Bubs: Story

Before Dr Benjamin Rabin became the Emissary and wrecked Peter's relationship with Mary Jane, Spider-Man and Wolverine rescued him from Mayan warriors. So, when Wolverine faces a difficult time, Spider-Man stands by him. Logan may not be as effusive as Mary Jane. Still, he shows his appreciation. Like Doctor's Orders, superheroes help each other through their difficulties in another Zeb Wells' short.

 

Bubs: Art

Paolo Rivera's muted colors and art style give this story in Amazing Spider-Man #60 a classic appeal. Bubs also shows the characters' exhaustion as Spider-Man remains by Wolverine's side. The second page reveals things hinted at on the first page, while the weather outside is another reminder of the heroes' fight with the Mayans in the snow.

 

 

 

 

 

Mirrors/Same Spider-Channel: Story

This story marks Zeb Wells' final contribution to ASM for now. Yet Mirrors (or Same Spider-Channel) fits chronologically before Team-Up: Part Two. Chasm uses his experience to help Spider-Man take down Bushwacker. "Mirrors" reminds us of Ben's journey from the Scarlet Spider to the Beyond Corporation's Spider-Man to Chasm. It also reminds us of how difficult it can be to accept all you have if you don't own what you crave.

 

Art

Patrick Gleason kicks off this story on a sunny day in Central Park. Peter isn’t battling Madame Masque’s horde. Still, Bushwacker proves hard to apprehend. After the villain unleashes a gun that would make Rocket Raccoon drool, the Spider-Men confront each other. What Chasm grips suggests that he should have the life he wants. But to paraphrase Lonnie Lincoln, that's not how the world works.

 

After delivering vibrant colors in the park, Edgar Delgado reminds us of the Spider-Men's genetic makeup. Peter's mustard-yellow shirt matches the jacket he wore when protecting Aunt May from Sandman, while Ben’s blue coat and reserved manner evoke his namesake. A page of stunning color links the story with Team-Up: Part Two, while the final panel evokes Saladin Ahmed and Juan Ferreyra’s Spine-Tingling Spider-Man series.

 

 

 

Ride’s Over

In Joe Kelly’s contribution to Amazing Spider-Man #60, Spider-Man attacks the Night Bank. Perhaps he should be going after the people who run it. Instead, Spider-Man attacks the man who broke into the villains' headquarters. Joe Kelly’s story is a reminder that the world economy can be hacked and manipulated. But while Spider-Man protects everyone's money, someone watches him and reflects on why he often succeeds despite overwhelming odds.

 

Art

Mark Buckingham opens with a high-energy battle between police helicopters and laser-toting soldiers. Spider-Man crashes through a skylight, leaps among the descending glass shards, and wields webs like netting. He channels Ethan Hunt, evading high-tech traps designed to guard the computer banks inside a vault. Then Spider-Man faces off against Override. The villain wears a Robocop suit and wields Tron-like powers. Edgar Delgado's subdued red, greens, and blues suggest someone glimpsing the action from afar.

 

Lettering

Joe Caramagna’s uppercase black lettering in dialogue balloons and narrative boxes grows bold for inflection, swells and changes color for increased volume, and shrinks for lowered voices. Enlarged and colored dialogue threatens to burst dialogue balloons in Amazing Spider-Man #60. Colored and transparent sound effects amplify Spider-Man’s battle with Sandman, Rek-Rap having a blast, Mary Jane striking it lucky, Ben enjoying his coffee, and Spider-Man earning his Ramen. Yet the sound that lingers is the gavel slamming down in this era-ending issue. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

While criminals work outside the law, so do costumed superheroes. In Amazing Spider-Man #60, Zeb Wells resets the game board by drawing on classic characters and situations to remind us who Peter Parker is and why he usually wins battles, even if he loses the wars. Additional stories remind us of Spider-Man’s past and forecast his deadly future.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

Curious about the main story in ASM #60? Check out my review from yesterday!

 

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