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.

Amazing Spider-Man #60 Review: Main Story

 

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

 

Spider-Man convinced Janice Lincoln to put her father in prison. So Lonnie Lincoln tried to take his daughter out of play. Things got rough in the subway. Lonnie nearly killed Janice. Spider-Man and Lonnie nearly killed each other. But in the end, Janice got away. How will Lonnie’s brutal, public clash with Spider-Man and his daughter affect his upcoming trial? Let's thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #60 and find out!

 

Main Story

Lonnie Lincoln, aka Tombstone, didn’t start the Gang War. Still, he used it to become the new underworld kingpin of New York City. Mayor Cage, Jennifer Walters, and Peter Parker fast-tracked  Lonnie Lincoln’s case through the legal system to prove that crime doesn’t pay. Yet they underestimated Lonnie’s desire to remain in power. They had the prosecutor ask the judge for permission to parade their chief witness before their client as part of the discovery process. So when Michele Le bailed Lonnie out of prison, he went after Janice. But Janice isn’t cut from the same cloth as her father. She’s an opportunist. Janice might take her father’s operation away from him while he’s in a coma, but she’s no match for him once Lonnie is back on his feet.

 

In Amazing Spider-Man #60, Peter Parker, Jennifer Walters, and Mayor Cage prove they are no match for Tombstone. Whether they like it or not, Lonnie Lincoln has devoted his life to building a criminal empire. He has worked hard and channeled his long-term vision to achieve his ambition. Lonnie understands how to motivate people to obtain the desired result. He pays a price for his success in loneliness. But considering Lonnie’s origins, it’s a safer choice than giving people the power to hurt him.

 

Like Lonnie, bullies assailed William Baker in his youth. But William lacks Lonnie's vision and can't decide who he wants to be. So, he vacillates between taking the hard, honest road and opting for the "easier" path. Thus, his short-term accomplishments yield no lasting results.

 

In Amazing Spider-Man #60, Zeb Wells reminds us who Peter Parker is. Like Flint Marko, Peter takes things a day at a time. His best-laid plans often crumble, yet he keeps fighting to protect the person on the street. While Spider-Man told Lonnie in the subway, "You have to stop," begging, psychological manipulation, and legal maneuvering cannot force someone to change their lives any more than Mary Jane's Aunt Anna could persuade William Baker to become a hero.

 

 

 

Art

John Romita Jr and Scott Hanna’s art captures the low-key vibe of Zeb Wells’ story. Yet it packs plenty of nuance, such as Lonnie’s eyepatch-harness that evokes Spider-Man's mask. As the prosecutor wears reading glasses low on her nose, the judge lowers his glasses to address his colleague. When the gavel falls, Peter rises. Jen places a hand on Peter's shoulder outside, and he leans toward her as Tombstone nears. Yellow stars on a nearby sign surround Lonnie's head amid their conversation, a reminder of the stars surrounding him amid the battle in the dark subway.

 

After brightening the courtroom with Jennifer Walter’s green skin, Marcio Menyz gives a volunteer at the FEAST Center a green blazer and Aunt May a turquoise blouse. Red and blue circles surround racing police cars, suggesting an imminent need for Spider-Man, while Peter Parker's mustard-yellow jacket pairs well with the yellow-brown sand. Flint's green shirt, Jen's green skin, and the FEAST volunteers' jacket and blouse seem reminders of the difference between temporary and lasting measures.

 

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

 

Amazing Spider-Man #60 also included several short stories from Zeb Wells, plus a preview story from incoming writer Joe Kelly. Check back tomorrow for my review for all those stories, the lettering, final thoughts and rating!

Amazing Spider-Man #59 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 & Marcio Menyz; Carmen Carnero & Alejandro Sánchez; Giada Perissinotto; Rickie Yagawa & Alex Sinclair

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: October 9, 2024

 

Spider-Man convinced Janice Lincoln to send her father to the Big House. Lonnie Lincoln's lawyer, Michele, bailed him out of Rikers. Instead of preparing his legal defense, Lonnie made a beeline for his daughter. When Spider-Man tried to stop Lonnie from killing Janice, their fight roamed from Janice's apartment to an upper-level office in an adjacent building. As Lonnie Lincoln, aka Tombstone, grabs Spider-Man and crashes through a window, he asks Spider-Man if he wants to get crazy. But what could be crazier than a father trying to kill his daughter? Let's thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #59 and find out!

 

Story

Janice flees her father and her tragic life. While growing up, her father rarely saw her to insulate her from his business. But her future with Randy derailed when Shotgun blew up their wedding and sent Tombstone to the hospital. She took up her father’s business, and it consumed her. Despite her love for Lonnie and Randy, Janice pushed them out of her life. So, her dad gave Janice her life back by kicking her out of his business. Then, when she rekindles her romance with Randy, Spider-Man gives Janice a chance to usurp Lonnie again.

 

Janice may be the Beetle, but she's also a moth to the flame of her father's organization. Tombstone sees the monster lurking inside. Janice will retake his empire and push away everything good in her life. So, in Amazing Spider-Man #59, when he catches Janice in a subway car, Lonnie treats her like a monster. He wanted this to be as clean as breaking her wings in the Battle Of Central Park. But that’s not how you slay monsters.

 

Spider-Man distinguishes between villains and monsters. He never thwips Tombstone. But Spider-Man lacks the baseball bat he wielded at the Monster Metropolis. So, he wrenches a light pole out of the pavement, follows Tombstone into the subway, and beats him with it. In Zeb Wells' story, Spider-Man tells Lonnie that it’s over. But for Lonnie, the threats to his survival will never cease. Life forced him to become a monster to ward off continual attacks during childhood. Wilson Fisk warned Lonnie that Madame Masque threatened everything he built to protect himself against the monsters. Janice has become another bully who made his childhood miserable. Given the opportunity, she will force Lonnie to battle monsters in Rikers until they finish him off. So, as Spider-Man fights Lonnie to protect the man against the creature inside him, Lonnie battles Spider-Man to ward off the monsters. 

 

 

 

Art

John Romita Jr and Scott Hanna’s detailed art catches every moment of Lonnie's desperate fight for survival. Spider-Man's battle with Tombstone relegates Wilson Fisk's tension-relieving fight with Lonnie to a minor scuffle. The combatants use everything at their disposal, even passing subway trains, to beat the other senseless. The vicious fighting suggests that Spider-Man may kill Lonnie to save him. Yet, it’s equally sad to see Janice leap into the subway car in a mix of street clothes and her Beetle costume. Unlike Tombstone and Spider-Man, she tried to fit into both worlds but belonged to neither. 

 

Tombstone and Spider-Man hurtle through blue night air toward a yellow-lit city. Their impact creates a blaze of yellow in Amazing Spider-Man #59. Glowing yellow streetlamps reveal Janice's descent into the subway. The brutality of the fight summons white and yellow spider stars around both men. Overhead lights blaze like suns as Spider-Man slams the metal pole into Lonnie's back. The yellow station light and the headlamps of oncoming trains illuminate Marcio Menyz’s vibrant combatants as they fight amid the brown dirt and gray rails. Yet the blood covering the horizontal wrinkles in Lonnie's white skin and Janice's vertical fingernail scratches that reveal red facial muscles suggest a link with the man who covers his features with a black web of lines and a red mask. Then, a red Hang Loose sign appears on the back of Tombstone's black blazer when Spider-Man's words make Lonnie reconsider the situation.

 

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 #59. Colored and transparent sound effects enhance the broken cartilage and ligaments, the train drivers' ire, a time-lapse of Spider-Man and Tombstone wrestling, Tombstone flinging dirt at his opponent as in the Battle Of Central Park, and an act that threatens to cut short Peter Parker’s attempt to control his life and ensure a future with someone as wonderful as Shay Marken. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

Final Thoughts

Attacked by his allies, family, and society, Tombstone unleashes his monster to survive. So, in Amazing Spider-Man #59, Spider-Man reminds Lonnie Lincoln that he doesn’t have to be a monster to thrive.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

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

Amazing Spider-Man #58 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;Chris Allen & Frank D’Armata; Giuseppe Camuncoli & Ramulo Fajardo Jr; Ryan Meinerding; Leonardo Romero

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: September 25, 2024

 

When Lonnie Lincoln lay on life support, Janice took his crime syndicate away from him. Lonnie teamed with Spider-Man in the Gang War because he didn’t want his daughter to become like him. Then he stripped Janice of her Beetle wings at The Battle Of Central Park, abandoned Spider-Man’s coalition in the fight against Madame Masque, and boogied home with White Rabbit and his gang. After his lawyer arranged bail, Lonnie sent White Rabbit after his would-be son-in-law and murdered the police outside his daughter’s apartment. Will Lonnie kill Janice to prevent his daughter from sending him back to Ryker’s Island? Let's thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #58 and find out!

 

Story

When Spider-Man admitted he convinced Janice to testify against her father, Lonnie Lincoln told Spider-Man, “You have no idea what you’ve done.” When Michele got Lonnie out of Ryker’s, Peter Parker asked Lonnie's lawyer, “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” No one expected Lonnie to attack his daughter in her apartment. They assumed Janice would be safe. But Janice is the key to locking her father behind bars, and as Lonnie once told her, "Whoever wins today will own everything and will have to be a monster to keep it."

 

 

 

Perhaps Shotgun’s indictment still rings in Lonnie’s ears. The government didn’t view him as a long-term threat and sent Shotgun to assassinate his daughter. But when Janice reminds Lonnie of his paternal relationship in Zeb Wells’ story, her father says, “Not anymore.” Lonnie once told Wilson Fisk, “It’s Tombstone when I’m working.” Intriguingly, whether wearing street clothes or his costume, Peter Parker never uttered Tombstone’s name when he tried to cage the crime lord in Amazing Spider-Man #57. But when he interrupts the family squeezefest in Amazing Spider-Man #58 and Tombstone races outside after his daughter, Spider-Man never utters Lonnie's moniker. Instead, Spider-Man repeats the crime lord’s name in the fading hope that part of the man doesn’t want to be a monster.

 

 

 

Art

When Tombstone took out the police guarding her apartment, Janice heard three shots. Yet when Tombstone enters her apartment, he replaces the magazine in his semiautomatic with a fresh one. As she dives behind the bed, crawls into the bathroom, and dons her costume, Tombstone sprays the apartment with bullets. When Janice knocks the gun from his hand with a laser blast, Tombstone tosses an EMP grenade that chokes the room with smoke. As Janice goes for his throat with both hands, Tombstone grabs one of her arms, hurls her to the floor, and squeezes the life out of Janice with his free hand. John Romita Jr and Scott Hanna respect page boundaries while delivering an average of four to six panels per page. The exception is a double-page spread with inset panels when Spider-Man makes a spectacular entrance in Amazing Spider-Man #58.

 

 

 

Marcio Menyz surrounds Janice's chocolate features with mauve-brown walls. When Tombstone points his gun at her, orange fills the background and illuminates her face. Tombstone's stony features and white skin suggest Frankenstein's monster as he relentlessly pursues his daughter. His purple vest echoes his daughter's Beetle costume. Tombstone's choice of shirt seems deliberate, as it links him with the other person determined to rob him of his empire in Amazing Spider-Man #58. 

 

 

 

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. While colored and transparent sound effects enhance the nonstop battle and chase, red dominates with gunshots and enlarged dialogue that often disrespects balloon boundaries like Madame Masque, Spider-Man, Janice Lincoln, and the US government have disrespected Lonnie Lincoln. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Janice Lincoln doesn’t want Spider-Man to rescue her. Lonnie Lincoln doesn’t want Spider-Man to prevent him from killing his daughter. As Tombstone, Lonnie always put business over family. But then Spider-Man found Tombstone’s weak spot. So, in Amazing Spider-Man #58, Tombstone seeks to eliminate it before his weakness destroys what he values most.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

Preview the interior art in 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.

Amazing Spider-Man #56 Review

 

Writers: Zeb Wells & Lee Gatlin

Penciler: John Romita Jr

Inker: Scott Hanna

Artists: Andrés Genolet, Ramon Rosanas & Lee Gatlin

Colorists: Marcio Menyz, Rachelle Rosenberg & Lee Gatlin

Letterers: Joe Caramagna & Lee Gatlin

Editors: Kaeden McGahey, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski

Cover Artists: John Romita Jr, Scott Hanna & Marcio Menyz; Rafael Albuquerque; Joëlle Jones & Rachelle Rosenberg; Paco Medina & Jesus Aburtov; Pablo Villalobos

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $7.99

Release Date: August 28, 2024

 

Lonnie Lincoln once worked for Wilson Fisk. On a hunting trip, Wilson recognized Lonnie’s potential. So, he taught the new boy what it means to take power and retain it. During the Gang War, Wilson showed that he had changed. The former Kingpin was putting family before power. Now, Lonnie controls the criminal underworld of New York. Lonnie stripped his daughter of her wings. What else will he do to stay on top, and how will his actions affect Spider-Man? Let's thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #56 and find out!

 

Main Story

Peter’s life is a mess, but he doesn’t want it to be. He lost Mary Jane and Felicia Hardy. Now he’s got a chance with Shay Marken, and he doesn’t want to blow it. But that means getting his life under control. That’s not easy, given his responsibilities as Spider-Man. Creditors may no longer hound him, but neither does he have a job. A visit to the Daily Bugle knocks that possibility off Peter’s list.

 

Often, people who struggle in personal relationships throw themselves into work. Peter is better at being Spider-Man than he is at being Peter Parker. But if he’s such a great Spider-Man, why couldn’t he prevent Randy from getting shot? Nearly losing his friend plagues Peter, so Spider-Man takes his anger and frustration out on criminals. If he’s not hassling dodgy real estate agents, he’s making Tombstone look like a crook that other crooks can’t trust. Peter has good reasons to hurt Lonnie, Kareem, and White Rabbit’s reputations. But his actions not only make them look bad. Spider-Man’s duplicity could get them killed.

 

Lonnie Lincoln recognizes this. Like any leader, he knows his position is tenuous. If Spider-Man contemplates loose threads in Zeb Wells' main story, so does Tombstone. After he won the Gang War back in ASM #44, Tombstone told White Rabbit he'd have to kill Spider-Man. But like the new-and-improved Wilson Fisk, Lonnie has been holding back. In Amazing Spider-Man #56, Spider-Man wants to take down Tombstone. Tombstone needs to take down Spidey. But unlike Peter Parker, Lonnie Lincoln gets no pleasure from it. It’s just something he has to do.

 

Art

Peter’s eyes glow, and he smiles wide as Randy walks on crutches. His smile fades, and Peter's eyes narrow when Randy asks him to leave. Spider-Man looks like he's addressing flies from atop the villains’ van. Then he yanks the back doors open, filling the air with their blood. Spider-Man thwips the crate of guns away and rides atop Kareem's car. Then he thwips away, leaving a locator beacon on the roof. Lonnie dines alone in a restaurant while bodyguards wait nearby. He wipes his mouth with a cloth napkin as he studies photos of Peter Parker. Do Tombstone's thoughts return to Fisk's object lesson in Africa?

 

Marcio Menyz tinges John Romita Jr and Scott Hanna’s Daily Bugle newsroom with yellow. While Robbie Robertson’s head glows, the overhead florescent lights cast light diagonally into Robbie’s darker office. But they’re no match for the streetlight that shines over the silhouette of Janice on the sidewalk, casting shadows across her eyes and shoulders as she sniffs red roses. Light streaks the window and the mirror as Tombstone adjusts his tie. He wants to look his best when he rolls down the green window of his black limo and tells Peter to get out of the rain.

 

 

 

Proxy: Story

Spider-Man requests that She-Hulk meet him at Pigeon Coffee And Donuts. He wants to discuss building a case against Lonnie Lincoln, but Bulldozer gets in the way. She-Hulk helps Spidey take Bulldozer down, but she’s upset. She’s on her way to Ned Leeds’ hearing, and the brawl with Bulldozer ruined her favorite blazer. With so much going on in his life, Spider-Man forgot about Ned’s hearing. He wants to be there for his friend. But while She-Hulk heads directly to the courthouse, Spider-Man arrives late.

 

Ned is unhappy with Peter in Amazing Spider-Man #56. Like Randy Robinson and many in Peter’s life, Ned feels that Peter hasn’t stood by him like a friend should. In Proxy, Spider-Man may win, but Peter Parker loses.

 

Art

Like Jaws in Moonraker, Rhino consumes his side of a booth, while his date requires little. As they glimpse the fight on the street through the streaked coffee shop window, their guarded expressions relax, and they exchange smiles. Spider-Man thwips a car. She-Hulk rips a streetlight off the curb. Sparking electric cables cast a yellow glow on the rising smoke as She-Hulk throttles Bulldozer with the streetlight. As the villain lays face down on cracked concrete, She-Hulk doesn’t look at Spider-Man. Instead, she inspects her torn shoulder seam and ripped sleeve.

 

Rachelle Rosenberg paints Andrés Genolet’s courtroom in gray, beige, and brown. While She-Hulk dominates the room in her purple blazer, Ned echoes her color with his V-neck sweater. Bettie and her child wear light blue. The red, white, and blue American flag hangs next to her in the adjacent panel. Peter’s presence offers a weak glow, but his gray clothes diminish him as he pursues Bettie, Ned, and She-Hulk past brown wood and white marble walls. The overhead lights and the sunlight streaming in through the windows behind them give She-Hulk an angelic appearance, while Peter casts a black spider and a Spider-Man standing before a spider-web on the wall. 

 

 

 

Responsibilities: Story

Peter visits Mary Jane and Paul one night. Before he thwips away for an evening of crime fighting, he thanks them for Paul's delicious Chicken Korma. The time Paul took to learn how to make the Indian curry is another reminder of how Paul cares for MJ. But Paul's concern for others isn't limited to the woman he loves. In Zeb Wells' story, Paul is a visitor from another universe. Yet Paul made a list of people injured by his profit-driven focus before he traveled here. He can't help the people who died or still suffer there, so he helps their counterparts on Earth-616. The affecting story makes you wonder. What kind of Spider-Man might Paul become?

 

Art

Paul and Mary Jane’s apartment is a showroom of straight lines and rectangles. The panel doors, kitchen cabinets, wood floor, kitchen tile, picture frames, and the sleek couch exude ordered calm. When Paul ventures outside into the sea of humanity, he gives a street vendor money, even though he doesn't buy anything. Yet when Paul ventures into the apartment building of a person in trouble, the lines go askew. The building has fallen into disrepair, and the stark lighting creates drama.

 

Rachelle Rosenberg lavishes a loaded palette of appealing colors on Ramon Rosanas’ art in Amazing Spider-Man #56. The subdued colors of Paul and Mary Jane's apartment make it a beacon of light. The next day, Paul travels past beige buildings, vibrant foliage, and passersby dressed in colorful attire. Paul's memories of his business career reinforce Paul's former indifference to his world, while the warm greens and browns of the apartment he visits suggest the occupant's connection. By the time Paul leaves, the sky has turned gray, and rain pelts down, a final reminder that Paul's form of caring means investing time in others. 

 

 

 

Stark Kraven Mad

In Lee Gatlin's delightful cartoon, Kraven sits on one of the stone statues outside the New York Public Library when Spider-Man thwips into view. The soft green foliage surrounding Kraven evokes the jungle. Is the stone lion Patience or Fortitude? Given Spidey's antics, I can make an educated guess.

 

Aside from Lee Gatlin’s one-page story, Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase lettering into dialogue balloons and narrative boxes in Amazing Spider-Man #56. The fonts grow bold for inflection, swell and change color for increased volume, and shrink for lowered voices. Colored and transparent sound effects heighten thwipping, headbanging, gavel-banging, a car crash, police sirens, and a brutal brawl. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Mary Jane has her life in order. Randy Robertson and Ned Leeds are making progress. But Peter is more lost than ever. He wants to start something good with Shay Marken but doesn't even have a job. So he’s putting Spider-Man’s house in order in Amazing Spider-Man #56. But will becoming a more controlling Spider-Man create more problems than it solves?

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

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