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The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) (Collected Editions)
The Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 1: World Without Love
Peter Parker is on the outs with the Avengers. He’s on the outs with the Fantastic Four. He’s on the outs with Aunt May! No one wants to see Spider-Man — except for Doctor Octopus. Doc Ock is on Spidey’s tail, and the Master Planner has something truly terrible planned for when he gets his tentacles on Spidey. But what did Spider-Man do that has alienated him from everyone? And what moves is the gangster called Tombstone making? Just in time for Spider-Man’s 60th Anniversary, a new era of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN begins, blockbuster artist John Romita Jr. returns — and 2022 is going to be the biggest year for the wallcrawler ever!
COLLECTING: Amazing Spider-Man (2022) 1-5
COLLECTING: Amazing Spider-Man (2022) 1-5
144 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2022
50 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
Zeb Wells
706 books71 followersZeb Wells is an American comic book writer known for his work at Marvel Comics, as well as his work on the animated TV series Robot Chicken.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
February 13, 2023
3.75 stars
"I gotta go. Can I offer you some 'thwip-thwip' before I leave?" -- the scrappy Spider-Man, snaring the super-villainess White Rabbit with his webbing
Color me cautiously and curiously optimistic about this new and aggressively physical-seeming The Amazing Spider-Man series. (Also, may we take a brief moment and recognize that Marvel's flagship character just celebrated his 60th birthday several months ago? Now THAT is some staying power!) As our story opens, Peter Parker's - and, by obvious association, Spider-Man's - life is in shambles due to recent past events. Trouble quickly develops with a brewing violent street war - spearheaded by the quietly vicious Tombstone - between New York City's rival organized crime factions. Spidey jumps in to prevent the bloodshed of innocent folks and - in some very visceral scenes set on an abandoned subway tunnel line - is captured and then brutally tortured / beaten by Tombstone for this interference. However - yet amazingly (wink-wink) - our title character comes swinging through with flying colors to save the day. I have the feeling that Parker has to be reciting the earnest lyrics to the Yolanda Adams song Still I Rise before donning his signature red & blue every damn day.
"I gotta go. Can I offer you some 'thwip-thwip' before I leave?" -- the scrappy Spider-Man, snaring the super-villainess White Rabbit with his webbing
Color me cautiously and curiously optimistic about this new and aggressively physical-seeming The Amazing Spider-Man series. (Also, may we take a brief moment and recognize that Marvel's flagship character just celebrated his 60th birthday several months ago? Now THAT is some staying power!) As our story opens, Peter Parker's - and, by obvious association, Spider-Man's - life is in shambles due to recent past events. Trouble quickly develops with a brewing violent street war - spearheaded by the quietly vicious Tombstone - between New York City's rival organized crime factions. Spidey jumps in to prevent the bloodshed of innocent folks and - in some very visceral scenes set on an abandoned subway tunnel line - is captured and then brutally tortured / beaten by Tombstone for this interference. However - yet amazingly (wink-wink) - our title character comes swinging through with flying colors to save the day. I have the feeling that Parker has to be reciting the earnest lyrics to the Yolanda Adams song Still I Rise before donning his signature red & blue every damn day.
December 10, 2022
This was a pretty solid start from Wells as he shows Spidey vs Tombstone here and does great work at rounding out the character and showing why he is one of the best threats Spidey has faced. Giving him a solid backstory and then also the way they battle and bringing the element of street crime and all and how it involves The Rose and Crime-master and that was awesome and him manipulating Spidey and that made for some interesting drama and stories so yeah a pretty solid read on that front!
I really am not a big fan of Romita's art style, it takes getting used to nowadays but still solid for the story and so yeah overall a fun story which challenges Spidey in a different way and big changes for Randy and Janice and I like how he continues Spencer's big story like that!
So I highly recommend it for sure and there is a mystery which I think will be revealed in future volumes that will keep you hooked!
I really am not a big fan of Romita's art style, it takes getting used to nowadays but still solid for the story and so yeah overall a fun story which challenges Spidey in a different way and big changes for Randy and Janice and I like how he continues Spencer's big story like that!
So I highly recommend it for sure and there is a mystery which I think will be revealed in future volumes that will keep you hooked!
July 3, 2023
what the hell is this art style? and PAUL?! who the fuck is paul?!
February 2, 2023
We find out more about Tombstone.
MJ and Kids!?!
MJ and Kids!?!
January 8, 2023
I like JRJR but his latest work shows he's basically just treading water at this point. It's not the best artwork by a long shot, especially all the weird faces. Wells scripts a fast-paced fun story featuring some classic Spider-Man villains. It just all feels too familiar. Shouldn't the main "Amazing" Spider-Man title push the narrative along?
Here Tombstone tricks Parker and gets him into a life-and-death situation.
Here Tombstone tricks Parker and gets him into a life-and-death situation.
July 12, 2022
Wells can (and should) do much, much better than this.
Romita's art is not really helping, though.
Romita's art is not really helping, though.
June 27, 2023
I know I wasn’t giving the best ratings to this way back when I was pulling this monthly, but a year later, reading it again straight thru…… I’m liking it. 🤷🏾♂️ Maybe I drug my frustrations from the previous run over to this one at first? I like how this was like a crime book, with the Rose and Tombstone getting into it about to go to war and Tombstone tricking Peter to get in the middle of it. Ended up being a real solid arc. I’m actually looking forward to the next volume as I get into the stuff I haven’t read yet. After issue #6 aka 900 and issue 7 of course.
June 27, 2023
What a weird introductory volume.
References are made to some catastrophe of 6 months earlier with huge consequences for Peter (who acts as a smug ass most of the book). Mary Jane being the happy mother of two kids that aren’t Peter’s probably gets the cake.
The core plot revolves around Spidey involved in a gang war driven by an impressively manipulative Tombstone. For once he seems like a real threat and that’s pretty cool. This part is really good.
But too much mystery kinda kills the mystery and the way Wells dealt with the "event" didn’t suit me. Too many or too few but this part felt way too unbalanced with the rest for me.
I’m sad to say art is a deception. It's Romita Jr on auto-pilot with some huge problems of proportions to boot. A regular A.45 looks like an oversize .429 Desert Eagle (actually it looks like a big rectangular box shape stuck on the fist of the shooter, the reference is for size comparison). As for the kids in Tombstone’s flashback they look like balloons planted on sticks. JR Jr was never very good drawing kids but here they're deformed. Gravity simply wouldn’t let them stand up.
So, the Tombstone/gang war part is an easy 4* bumped down for a whole * for poor subplot management and disappointing art.
References are made to some catastrophe of 6 months earlier with huge consequences for Peter (who acts as a smug ass most of the book). Mary Jane being the happy mother of two kids that aren’t Peter’s probably gets the cake.
The core plot revolves around Spidey involved in a gang war driven by an impressively manipulative Tombstone. For once he seems like a real threat and that’s pretty cool. This part is really good.
But too much mystery kinda kills the mystery and the way Wells dealt with the "event" didn’t suit me. Too many or too few but this part felt way too unbalanced with the rest for me.
I’m sad to say art is a deception. It's Romita Jr on auto-pilot with some huge problems of proportions to boot. A regular A.45 looks like an oversize .429 Desert Eagle (actually it looks like a big rectangular box shape stuck on the fist of the shooter, the reference is for size comparison). As for the kids in Tombstone’s flashback they look like balloons planted on sticks. JR Jr was never very good drawing kids but here they're deformed. Gravity simply wouldn’t let them stand up.
So, the Tombstone/gang war part is an easy 4* bumped down for a whole * for poor subplot management and disappointing art.
May 27, 2023
با نخوندن و نادیده گرفتن ۱۸ شماره قبلی سعی کردم با این نویسنده جدید یه شروع تازه داشته باشم
نکته مثبتش این بود که عملا حس نکردم با نخوندن ۱۸ شماره چیزی از دست دادم
نکته منفیش این بود که کلا حس نمیکنم چیزی از دست بدم با نخوندن بقیش هم چون به معنای واقعی همه چی تو یه سطح عجیبی از بی اهمیتی به سر میبره تو داستان که واقعا واسه مهم نیست چی میشه
نکته مثبتش این بود که عملا حس نکردم با نخوندن ۱۸ شماره چیزی از دست دادم
نکته منفیش این بود که کلا حس نمیکنم چیزی از دست بدم با نخوندن بقیش هم چون به معنای واقعی همه چی تو یه سطح عجیبی از بی اهمیتی به سر میبره تو داستان که واقعا واسه مهم نیست چی میشه
February 24, 2024
When Paul appears the book goes from an 8 to a 4.
September 7, 2024
Everyone hates Peter and it looks like he and MJ are divorced (?). I haven't read the main run in a while so I'm not sure what happened before. He's being hounded by a hospital debt collector, MJ doesn't want him to call, and he's lying to Aunt May.
But Spider-Man still has a job to do and he ends up involved in a gang war between Wilson Fisk's son and Tombstone, trying his best to stop it from spilling out into the streets. Things don't quite go to plan.
This is one of the "down and nearly out" Spider-Man stories, as opposed to my preferred "friendly neighborhood Spider-Man". But I'm encouraged by the fact that characters in the story tell Peter he's at his best when he's having fun, so we're probably not staying down in the dumps for long.
John Romita Jr's art took a bit for me to get used to - the lines are all a little stiff - but ultimately I came away from this a fan. This was likewise my first read of something by Zeb Wells and I'm interested to read more.
But Spider-Man still has a job to do and he ends up involved in a gang war between Wilson Fisk's son and Tombstone, trying his best to stop it from spilling out into the streets. Things don't quite go to plan.
This is one of the "down and nearly out" Spider-Man stories, as opposed to my preferred "friendly neighborhood Spider-Man". But I'm encouraged by the fact that characters in the story tell Peter he's at his best when he's having fun, so we're probably not staying down in the dumps for long.
John Romita Jr's art took a bit for me to get used to - the lines are all a little stiff - but ultimately I came away from this a fan. This was likewise my first read of something by Zeb Wells and I'm interested to read more.
May 8, 2023
I'm really enjoying this run scripted by Zeb Wells, largely due to the return of art by JR JR after, what, 20 years? There is a case that what Curt Swan was to Superman, JR Jr. is to Spidey, except that leaves his father, Romita Senior out of the equation. Anyway, with inks by longtime collaborator Scott Hanna, the art is tops. Peter Parker's face, y'all.
Recommended.
Thanks to my local comics shop for back issues and to Fulton County Library system for the loan.
Recommended.
Thanks to my local comics shop for back issues and to Fulton County Library system for the loan.
June 25, 2023
This is certainly a change from what was happening in the "Beyond" story arc. We aren't given all of the information either, which is okay. The JRJ art works for me here where it didn't when he was doing work on Superman. This is probably a 3.5 overall, but I rounded up because I'm intrigued.
August 2, 2024
I hadn't read a current Spider-man title in decades, but with Wells and Romita Jr. together, I couldn't resist. This trade was fun to read and a good relaunch point. I am looking forward to continuing the series.
January 12, 2023
A new start with a mystery box for Peter Parker. Honestly I get the critism for this current arc, but it's Spider-Man drawn by JRJr, I like it...
January 19, 2023
2022 marks the 60th anniversary of Spider-Man and this year started off really well with the continuation and eventual conclusion of the Beyond storyline, which changed the status quo in an exciting new direction. Amongst the multiple writers involved in that run was Zeb Wells, who has written Spider-Man on-and-off over the years, and now collaborating with artist John Romita Jr, someone has also tackled the character on-and-off, it seems everyone’s favourite wall-crawler is going down a darker path.
From the very first page, something traumatic happened to Peter Parker outside of York, Pennsylvania. Six months later, Peter is on the outs with the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, even Aunt May is tired of the lies from her nephew. As for Mary Jane, who has stuck by him, ever since rekindling their romance during the Nick Spencer run, she doesn’t want to see Peter, due to being a relationship with someone else and suddenly being a mother of two children. With this six-month time-skip, Wells is playing up the mystery with none of the questions answered in this volume.
As for Peter himself, he is purposefully being distant, especially when characters like Johnny Storm and Black Cat tried to confront or comfort him. There are times when he is acting a bit dickish, and that’s not even when it comes to his Spidey quips. Along with the ongoing mystery, Wells is playing the long game with Peter trying to reconnect with those around him.
In terms of the actual storyline from this volume, this is more street-level Spidey as our hero finds himself in the middle of a gang war between Tombstone and the Rose AKA Wilson Fisk’s son, Richard. In classic Spidey storytelling, Peter���s personal life gets intermingled with his superhero life as his former roommate Randy Robertson wants to propose to Tombstone’s daughter, Janine. There is some fun stuff along the way, including a recurring appearance of White Rabbit, while a henchman having second thoughts on killing Spidey after the web-slinger saved his life.
Known for his blocky-looking character designs, I have often been mixed about John Romita Jr’s art-style. His work at DC has not been great, so returning to Marvel feels a comfort zone, where he works best when drawing street-based characters, as oppose to the cosmic. Having drawn Spider-Man over the years, you can see his art evolving and based on his post-Kick-Ass phase, his style fits just fine in this current storyline, which is gangsters, albeit some of which are super-powered.
Overall, this is an okay start for this new era of The Amazing Spider-Man, where the mystery hopefully gets unveiled as that is what caught my initial excitement about this run.
From the very first page, something traumatic happened to Peter Parker outside of York, Pennsylvania. Six months later, Peter is on the outs with the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, even Aunt May is tired of the lies from her nephew. As for Mary Jane, who has stuck by him, ever since rekindling their romance during the Nick Spencer run, she doesn’t want to see Peter, due to being a relationship with someone else and suddenly being a mother of two children. With this six-month time-skip, Wells is playing up the mystery with none of the questions answered in this volume.
As for Peter himself, he is purposefully being distant, especially when characters like Johnny Storm and Black Cat tried to confront or comfort him. There are times when he is acting a bit dickish, and that’s not even when it comes to his Spidey quips. Along with the ongoing mystery, Wells is playing the long game with Peter trying to reconnect with those around him.
In terms of the actual storyline from this volume, this is more street-level Spidey as our hero finds himself in the middle of a gang war between Tombstone and the Rose AKA Wilson Fisk’s son, Richard. In classic Spidey storytelling, Peter���s personal life gets intermingled with his superhero life as his former roommate Randy Robertson wants to propose to Tombstone’s daughter, Janine. There is some fun stuff along the way, including a recurring appearance of White Rabbit, while a henchman having second thoughts on killing Spidey after the web-slinger saved his life.
Known for his blocky-looking character designs, I have often been mixed about John Romita Jr’s art-style. His work at DC has not been great, so returning to Marvel feels a comfort zone, where he works best when drawing street-based characters, as oppose to the cosmic. Having drawn Spider-Man over the years, you can see his art evolving and based on his post-Kick-Ass phase, his style fits just fine in this current storyline, which is gangsters, albeit some of which are super-powered.
Overall, this is an okay start for this new era of The Amazing Spider-Man, where the mystery hopefully gets unveiled as that is what caught my initial excitement about this run.
July 13, 2022
this is the strongest and most enjoyably written Peter Parker has been since before Dan Slott. that could all change, of course; I was psychotically positive on the beginning of Nick Spencer's run before it revealed itself as empty wheel-spinning and a disastrous waste of money. I don't want a repeat of that experience. my little heart can't take it. but, hey; this is pretty darn good...
though, I'm gonna need some development on this MJ stuff soon. consider my interest piqued. as long as it can stick a landing, it's better than what I just had to deal with for four years.
JRJR is unmatched. he's better than he's ever been, and he's been great for over four decades. every Spider-Man story is improved by his work.
though, I'm gonna need some development on this MJ stuff soon. consider my interest piqued. as long as it can stick a landing, it's better than what I just had to deal with for four years.
JRJR is unmatched. he's better than he's ever been, and he's been great for over four decades. every Spider-Man story is improved by his work.
October 15, 2022
A good, engaging storyline.
February 8, 2023
I enjoyed the heck out of this. The rating reflects my enjoyment. So there!
March 10, 2023
Look, there are spoilers here but the entire issue is floating on the web for anyone who stumbles across it so...
Proceed at your own caution, I guess? I don't feel like hiding the review. You're big people. You can stop reading and walk away if you really want to.
But do you?
I said, do you?
Good, because here comes Zeb Wells's lackluster follow up to his lackluster Beyond arc (written by several writers, true, but he's been credited as the "mastermind") in which the Spider-Office wasted a lot of pages without any real story to speak of just to turn Ben Reilly into a silly 90s-era style edgelord complete with ridiculous supervillain name ("Fear...THE CHASM!!! 😂) and Green Goblin-reminescent colors because apparently Marvel color codes their villains now. I guess it helps the heroes know if they are fighting someone from their own book or not. 🤷
(If you are interested in Beyond, the only issue of any real note is Jed MacKay's Mary Jane and Black Cat one shot. That's a really fun, super smart and witty comic. Or if you must, pick up the issues written by Pat Gleason and MacKay - they're decent reads, with good characterization, action and dialogue - it's just a shame about the overall story. Avoid the others. You'll thank me.)
So, when we last saw our titular hero, he was about to move in with Mary Jane - alas, Nick Spencer, we hardly knew ye and the engagement ring you introduced - hopefully Gog didn't eat it) - only for a literal deus ex machina to show up and mumble something about rivers of blood (side note: don't you HATE it when rivers turn to blood? Like, so much red and it's so sticky. Ew). The deus ex machina does its best Arnold impersonation about coming with him- although, had Peter and MJ known Wells was about to boot them backwards to the misery status of Brand New Day (an egregious dark chapter in Spider-Man history Wells happened to be part of; never has a "brain trust" been more hysterically mislabeled), Peter and MJ would have told the deus ex machina to take his glowing ectoplasm and fuck off.
ASM Volume who the hell can keep track #1: The Money Grab starts with Peter screaming in the middle of a crater of what remains of York, Pennsylvania. What happened? Was anyone hurt? Why is Peter's costume torn? Who the hell knows? Certainly not the reader, because this is also ASM Volume who the hell can keep track #1: The Mystery Box Because The Writer Can't Be Arsed To Tell A Story And Has To Rely On Cheap Narrative Sleight Of Hand to Keep the Reader Engaged.
(I don't think JJ Abrams is as terrible a storyteller as people like to make him out to be - I find his obsession with light flares far more annoying than his rather paint by numbers plotting - but the dude deserves all the shit he gets and more for making the mystery box the default storytelling crutch for a certain subset of writers - usually male authors of a certain generation who work on SF/F franchises. Stop it, male authors of a certain generation who work on SF/F franchises. It's a lazy way to manufacture suspense. And it usually bites you in the ass because you aren't as clever you think you are, so you keep putting off opening the mystery box, digging the story in deeper and deeper until you run out of room and are forced to finally lift the lid - and nothing but dead moths fall out.)
So, one page of Peter screaming followed by two black pages that proclaim: SIX MONTHS LATER. I'm sure readers who paid for this book will be happy to know that's where some of their story money went.
(Now, do we know when the explosion took place? No. For all we know, the explosion took place ten years after deus ex machina dude showed up. All we know - because this issue is nothing but one giant and wholly contrived Mystery Box - is that the events that are about to unfold took place six months after the explosion.)
Peter has a meal with Aunt May, who is upset with her beloved nephew for lying to her (yeah, no duh May, he's been lying to you since he was 15, I'm glad you found out - oh. Wait. She still doesn't know? This is a new lie? Okie-dokie). Apparently, this new lie was so heinous that May was forced to move to a smaller apartment. Why did Peter's lie make her move, when it was Spider-Man who blew up York, Pennsylvania? Who the hell knows --
--Wait, again. Peter knows. May knows. The only one who doesn't know is the reader. Because this is the extreme lazy version of the Mystery Box, the one where the characters have all the answers but they purposefully (via authorial control, of course) keep the information from the reader. Ugh. This is such a dishonest literary device, I can't even.
Peter then runs into Randy - remember Randy? He and Fred aka Boomerang were Peter's roommates? Remember Fred? Good, because apparently Peter and Randy don't. Fred is pushing up daisies and Randy and Peter couldn't care less. Randy, after questioning Peter about *can't tell you! Mystery Box!* announces he is about to propose to Janice Lincoln, aka the Beetle, aka Tombstone's daughter. He wants Peter to check in on his dinner to ask for her hand to make sure her scary daddy doesn't make him swim with the fishes.
Peter agrees, not at all thinking, "Gee, I was meant to propose, too" (DAMN EDITORIAL MEDDLING) even though this would have been the perfect place for that thought, and goes to sulk in the apartment that apparently Randy is still paying for because Randy really needs to learn how to set boundaries with deadbeat friends. We earlier learned that Peter is in deep to debt collectors who are harrassing May, and May apparently has no money either (is this because of Peter's big lie or because Peter burned through May's money due to Slott writing him as an irresponsible manchild who lost her investment in his company? WHO KNOWS - oh, wait, I forgot. Peter knows, but the reader is forced to be a mushroom, sitting in the dark).
Peter decides to wander around - he doesn't feel like patrolling, because MYSTERY BOX - but Johnny Storm comes by for no reason but to drop a load of exposition. See, Peter apparently stole from FF and that made Reed and Sue mad/sad so Peter can't go over to Johnny's house to play now. Johnny expositions that Peter wanted to screw up his life and the FF were trying to stop him. Peter basically says, "Nah bra" and leaves Johnny flaming in the sky by his lonesome. *Sniff* Sucks to be this Peter Parker's friend.
Meanwhile, there's a gang war brewing around some item Tombstone has and the Rose wants but Tombstone makes fun of the Rose so the Rose brings in gamma-irridated Digger as his muscle, leading to Tombstone agreeing to meet but on his territoy. Then he runs off to meet Randy. Their dinner goes well, because Janice is going to do what Janice is going to do and they both know and love that about her. Nice to have an acknowledgement in ASM that a strong romantic partner is an asset - but only for rarely used supporting characters.
Peter looks in on the meeting, sees that Randy is holding his own, turns to leave -- but wait!!! Hey, he knows those costumed goons! He puts on his underoos and hitches a ride, showing up to the Big Gang Meet where the White Rabbit is selling a Goblin Glider - gee, I guess Amazon isn't the Everything Store after all. Or maybe the Glider doesn't quality for One Day Prime Shipping. Spidey calls attention to himself, which is a mistake because he triggers Digger, who is very unhappy Spidey killed him the last time they met - plus there's the fact Spidey just broke off his fingers (can you get cancer from breaking off irridated fingers if you yourself are irritated from a spider bite? Telemedicine visits with your doctor in the Marvel U must be fun). Pow! Bam! Thwip! Spidey webs up White Rabbit but Digger and co. gets away.
And Peter goes home to sleep. I mean, he says he tried to find Digger, but Peter apparently has zero sense of responsibility now - stiffs his roommate on rent, avoids his friends, lies to May - so he's pretty much an unreliable narrator (not to mention, dude won't tell us what's in the Mystery Box even though he knows perfectly well what he did which also makes him annoying).
Oh, but the phone rings! It's MJ! Hiding in a closet (since when does MJ hide in closets?! Screw you, Wells. And the scene implies she's also lying/hiding from the people in her life. Screw you twice, Wells). She tells him to never call her again. Boy, you make one offer to move in together, a deus ex machina shows up, and a new/old writer decides to assassinate your character and undo all the good will of the previous writer just for the lulz. Sounds about Marvel.
Cut to: a Tombstone wearing Hugh Hefner's finest indulging in a glass of wine with his kitty companion (awww, gotta love a gangster with a cat). Hammerhead is bitching in his ear about Spider-Man wrecking the deal, to which Tombstone replies Spider-Man falls under force majuere (which I have to admit made me laugh). He hangs up on Hammerhead, and *sniff* Uh oh.
Digger blows up Tombstone's mansion, and eats the rose that was supposed to be left as a calling card (also made me laugh).
The cat survives. Oh, and so does Tombstone, but did anyone really worry? No. Concern about animals always come first. Anyway, kitty is angry but doesn't even looked scorched. Tombstone is both.
Peter wakes up and goes full on sad sack. Like, he makes the "Spider-Man No More!" Peter look happy and optimistic when that dude was a histrionic mess. He makes "I AM THE SPIDER" Peter seem well-adjusted and mentally healthy, and he was a grade A asshole of unmitigated misery.
Peter can't even muscle up the will to go web-swinging, which has always been his refuge. I'd care, except that Wells put Peter's motivations in the Mystery Box and they are completely opaque. So instead, we get to watch Mopey McMoperson Boatface wander around New York like the deadbeat Randy really needs to cut out of his life (or at least, out of his wallet. C'mon, Randy, grow some self-respect). So much fun. There's another portion of your storytelling dollars you're never getting back.
Peter wanders and wanders and wanders...and ends up in front of MJ's place, because apparently Peter is now a grade A stalker of ex-wives - I mean, girlfriends. No, fuck it, I mean wives because Mephisto didn't wipe MY memory, Marvel, you adorable little misogynists you.
But guess who just happens to by driving MJ's place? No, not Fred, Fred is dead. No, not Harry, Harry 1 and 2 are dead. (I think. Those last Kindred issues were convoluted, man. DAMN EDITORIAL MEDDLING.) No, not Flash, everyone just thinks he's dead, and he's the only one the cast mourned. Go figure.
It's everyone's favorite nearly barbequed gangster, Tombstone! Who apparently was stalking Peter while Peter was stalking MJ. Peter gets in the car and the two banter adorably, because Peter is back to sounding like an asshat (Alas, Slott, we did know ye. You can stay gone). No wonder MJ wants him out of her life: no grown adult wants a whiny manbaby around. Tombstone was stalking him to get a message to Spider-Man: there's a gang war coming and it's all HIS fault (which kinda seems unfair and irrational because Digger and his boss the Rose are the active aggressors here, but asking for characters to use their brains is apparently really pushing the envelope at Marvel these days).
Peter is now excited because he has a job (newsflash: no, you don't, Peter, honey. Not the kind you need, the kind that pays money). After another longing look at MJ's apartment, he leaves.
Cut to the interior of said apartment and guess is looking forlonly out the window, just as the knuckleheaded numbskulls at Marvel used to claim was why her character was so one note: MJ.
GAH. Look, you feckless farts, characters do what the writers make them do. DON'T FUCKING WRITE HER MOPING BY THE WINDOW AND THEN TURN AROUND AND SAY, SEE? THAT'S ALL SHE'S GOOD FOR. If the issue made me angry at all - and it didn't, it was boring and lacked a reason for me to care because Wells was too busy trying to keep the lid of the mystery box closed that he forgot to give the characters motivations - it was this scene. It's so reductive and cliched and insulting - and yes, I'm going to go there and call it sexist as well. Because it is.
Anyway, MJ moons over Peter 🤬 🤬 🤬 as he walks away. A nice professorial-looking guy named Paul comes into the room and asks if she is okay. She says yes, and he says good, because he can't hold them back any more.
And here come two adorable plot moppets running toward MJ, screaming "Mommy!" and flinging themselves into her arms. They seem to be around, I dunno, seven and five years old? Or eight and six? The boy is the oldest and he had dark hair; his skin tone is more golden than the girl, who has red hair and dimples and a cleft chin just like MJ.
Paul asks if MJ needs more time, but MJ, with the kids in her arms, says everything is great. The end.
Only not the end, because there is a two page epilogue with Doc Ock bloviating on a futuristic torture rack, being questioned by some dude with an elongated head who speaks in the Ultimate Universe's font and wants Doc Ock's plans to destroy "him." Three guesses as to who "him" is, and I doubt it's Paul. Who honestly seems like a very nice guy.
Art is JRJR at his usual. Great use of panels, fight scenes are dynamic, he draws a great Spidey, but his faces appear to have no bone structure, as always. I miss Patrick Gleason, but there's something comforting about JRJR's art - or maybe that's just nostalgia from the JMS era.
And there you have it. The gang war stuff is fun if nothing new - but that's okay! It doesn't have to aim for groundbreaking all the time! A fun story is good! Aim for fun, Marvel, not this ridiculous MYSTERY BOX shit! And not the asinine soap opera twists, becaused I know soap operas, soap operas are very good friends of mine, and this, Marvel, is not good soap. It's a troll and you know it. Shame on you.
A star for making me laugh a few times and a star for saving the cat (Blake Synder would be so proud!).
But is this going on my pull list? BWA HA HA HA HA. No way in Mephisto's corner of hell. I'm OVER Mystery Box being used instead of storytelling. In fact, the best parts of the issue were those had nothing to do with Mystery Box - the gang fight and Tombstone and Randy. And I'm sorry, but I refuse to support another run of Peter the incompent manchild. Nope. Nuh huh. That's Slott's bastardized version - he didn't exist before Slott got his fingers on the character. That's not Peter Parker.
MJ and the kids? SUCH a troll, you can see the lulz from space. Look, if the best Wells can do with her is make her mope by the window (AND HE DID THE EXACT SAME THING WITH HER IN BEYOND 🤬) then fine, saddle her with children and a nice partner and get her the hell out of the book until Quesada and Brevoort finally turn in their Marvel access badges and there are new faces in the Spider-office whose brains have evolved enough to understand female characters can serve more purpose than standing around imitating sad window curtains and being mommies 🙄 😡. But then, this being Wells, MJ and Paul will probably cook the kids and eat them. Wells has a strange fetish for killing children, from Curt Connors eating his own young son in Shed to rotting baby and child corpses and destroying Kwannon's chance to have her daughter back in Hellions.
Proceed at your own caution, I guess? I don't feel like hiding the review. You're big people. You can stop reading and walk away if you really want to.
But do you?
I said, do you?
Good, because here comes Zeb Wells's lackluster follow up to his lackluster Beyond arc (written by several writers, true, but he's been credited as the "mastermind") in which the Spider-Office wasted a lot of pages without any real story to speak of just to turn Ben Reilly into a silly 90s-era style edgelord complete with ridiculous supervillain name ("Fear...THE CHASM!!! 😂) and Green Goblin-reminescent colors because apparently Marvel color codes their villains now. I guess it helps the heroes know if they are fighting someone from their own book or not. 🤷
(If you are interested in Beyond, the only issue of any real note is Jed MacKay's Mary Jane and Black Cat one shot. That's a really fun, super smart and witty comic. Or if you must, pick up the issues written by Pat Gleason and MacKay - they're decent reads, with good characterization, action and dialogue - it's just a shame about the overall story. Avoid the others. You'll thank me.)
So, when we last saw our titular hero, he was about to move in with Mary Jane - alas, Nick Spencer, we hardly knew ye and the engagement ring you introduced - hopefully Gog didn't eat it) - only for a literal deus ex machina to show up and mumble something about rivers of blood (side note: don't you HATE it when rivers turn to blood? Like, so much red and it's so sticky. Ew). The deus ex machina does its best Arnold impersonation about coming with him- although, had Peter and MJ known Wells was about to boot them backwards to the misery status of Brand New Day (an egregious dark chapter in Spider-Man history Wells happened to be part of; never has a "brain trust" been more hysterically mislabeled), Peter and MJ would have told the deus ex machina to take his glowing ectoplasm and fuck off.
ASM Volume who the hell can keep track #1: The Money Grab starts with Peter screaming in the middle of a crater of what remains of York, Pennsylvania. What happened? Was anyone hurt? Why is Peter's costume torn? Who the hell knows? Certainly not the reader, because this is also ASM Volume who the hell can keep track #1: The Mystery Box Because The Writer Can't Be Arsed To Tell A Story And Has To Rely On Cheap Narrative Sleight Of Hand to Keep the Reader Engaged.
(I don't think JJ Abrams is as terrible a storyteller as people like to make him out to be - I find his obsession with light flares far more annoying than his rather paint by numbers plotting - but the dude deserves all the shit he gets and more for making the mystery box the default storytelling crutch for a certain subset of writers - usually male authors of a certain generation who work on SF/F franchises. Stop it, male authors of a certain generation who work on SF/F franchises. It's a lazy way to manufacture suspense. And it usually bites you in the ass because you aren't as clever you think you are, so you keep putting off opening the mystery box, digging the story in deeper and deeper until you run out of room and are forced to finally lift the lid - and nothing but dead moths fall out.)
So, one page of Peter screaming followed by two black pages that proclaim: SIX MONTHS LATER. I'm sure readers who paid for this book will be happy to know that's where some of their story money went.
(Now, do we know when the explosion took place? No. For all we know, the explosion took place ten years after deus ex machina dude showed up. All we know - because this issue is nothing but one giant and wholly contrived Mystery Box - is that the events that are about to unfold took place six months after the explosion.)
Peter has a meal with Aunt May, who is upset with her beloved nephew for lying to her (yeah, no duh May, he's been lying to you since he was 15, I'm glad you found out - oh. Wait. She still doesn't know? This is a new lie? Okie-dokie). Apparently, this new lie was so heinous that May was forced to move to a smaller apartment. Why did Peter's lie make her move, when it was Spider-Man who blew up York, Pennsylvania? Who the hell knows --
--Wait, again. Peter knows. May knows. The only one who doesn't know is the reader. Because this is the extreme lazy version of the Mystery Box, the one where the characters have all the answers but they purposefully (via authorial control, of course) keep the information from the reader. Ugh. This is such a dishonest literary device, I can't even.
Peter then runs into Randy - remember Randy? He and Fred aka Boomerang were Peter's roommates? Remember Fred? Good, because apparently Peter and Randy don't. Fred is pushing up daisies and Randy and Peter couldn't care less. Randy, after questioning Peter about *can't tell you! Mystery Box!* announces he is about to propose to Janice Lincoln, aka the Beetle, aka Tombstone's daughter. He wants Peter to check in on his dinner to ask for her hand to make sure her scary daddy doesn't make him swim with the fishes.
Peter agrees, not at all thinking, "Gee, I was meant to propose, too" (DAMN EDITORIAL MEDDLING) even though this would have been the perfect place for that thought, and goes to sulk in the apartment that apparently Randy is still paying for because Randy really needs to learn how to set boundaries with deadbeat friends. We earlier learned that Peter is in deep to debt collectors who are harrassing May, and May apparently has no money either (is this because of Peter's big lie or because Peter burned through May's money due to Slott writing him as an irresponsible manchild who lost her investment in his company? WHO KNOWS - oh, wait, I forgot. Peter knows, but the reader is forced to be a mushroom, sitting in the dark).
Peter decides to wander around - he doesn't feel like patrolling, because MYSTERY BOX - but Johnny Storm comes by for no reason but to drop a load of exposition. See, Peter apparently stole from FF and that made Reed and Sue mad/sad so Peter can't go over to Johnny's house to play now. Johnny expositions that Peter wanted to screw up his life and the FF were trying to stop him. Peter basically says, "Nah bra" and leaves Johnny flaming in the sky by his lonesome. *Sniff* Sucks to be this Peter Parker's friend.
Meanwhile, there's a gang war brewing around some item Tombstone has and the Rose wants but Tombstone makes fun of the Rose so the Rose brings in gamma-irridated Digger as his muscle, leading to Tombstone agreeing to meet but on his territoy. Then he runs off to meet Randy. Their dinner goes well, because Janice is going to do what Janice is going to do and they both know and love that about her. Nice to have an acknowledgement in ASM that a strong romantic partner is an asset - but only for rarely used supporting characters.
Peter looks in on the meeting, sees that Randy is holding his own, turns to leave -- but wait!!! Hey, he knows those costumed goons! He puts on his underoos and hitches a ride, showing up to the Big Gang Meet where the White Rabbit is selling a Goblin Glider - gee, I guess Amazon isn't the Everything Store after all. Or maybe the Glider doesn't quality for One Day Prime Shipping. Spidey calls attention to himself, which is a mistake because he triggers Digger, who is very unhappy Spidey killed him the last time they met - plus there's the fact Spidey just broke off his fingers (can you get cancer from breaking off irridated fingers if you yourself are irritated from a spider bite? Telemedicine visits with your doctor in the Marvel U must be fun). Pow! Bam! Thwip! Spidey webs up White Rabbit but Digger and co. gets away.
And Peter goes home to sleep. I mean, he says he tried to find Digger, but Peter apparently has zero sense of responsibility now - stiffs his roommate on rent, avoids his friends, lies to May - so he's pretty much an unreliable narrator (not to mention, dude won't tell us what's in the Mystery Box even though he knows perfectly well what he did which also makes him annoying).
Oh, but the phone rings! It's MJ! Hiding in a closet (since when does MJ hide in closets?! Screw you, Wells. And the scene implies she's also lying/hiding from the people in her life. Screw you twice, Wells). She tells him to never call her again. Boy, you make one offer to move in together, a deus ex machina shows up, and a new/old writer decides to assassinate your character and undo all the good will of the previous writer just for the lulz. Sounds about Marvel.
Cut to: a Tombstone wearing Hugh Hefner's finest indulging in a glass of wine with his kitty companion (awww, gotta love a gangster with a cat). Hammerhead is bitching in his ear about Spider-Man wrecking the deal, to which Tombstone replies Spider-Man falls under force majuere (which I have to admit made me laugh). He hangs up on Hammerhead, and *sniff* Uh oh.
Digger blows up Tombstone's mansion, and eats the rose that was supposed to be left as a calling card (also made me laugh).
The cat survives. Oh, and so does Tombstone, but did anyone really worry? No. Concern about animals always come first. Anyway, kitty is angry but doesn't even looked scorched. Tombstone is both.
Peter wakes up and goes full on sad sack. Like, he makes the "Spider-Man No More!" Peter look happy and optimistic when that dude was a histrionic mess. He makes "I AM THE SPIDER" Peter seem well-adjusted and mentally healthy, and he was a grade A asshole of unmitigated misery.
Peter can't even muscle up the will to go web-swinging, which has always been his refuge. I'd care, except that Wells put Peter's motivations in the Mystery Box and they are completely opaque. So instead, we get to watch Mopey McMoperson Boatface wander around New York like the deadbeat Randy really needs to cut out of his life (or at least, out of his wallet. C'mon, Randy, grow some self-respect). So much fun. There's another portion of your storytelling dollars you're never getting back.
Peter wanders and wanders and wanders...and ends up in front of MJ's place, because apparently Peter is now a grade A stalker of ex-wives - I mean, girlfriends. No, fuck it, I mean wives because Mephisto didn't wipe MY memory, Marvel, you adorable little misogynists you.
But guess who just happens to by driving MJ's place? No, not Fred, Fred is dead. No, not Harry, Harry 1 and 2 are dead. (I think. Those last Kindred issues were convoluted, man. DAMN EDITORIAL MEDDLING.) No, not Flash, everyone just thinks he's dead, and he's the only one the cast mourned. Go figure.
It's everyone's favorite nearly barbequed gangster, Tombstone! Who apparently was stalking Peter while Peter was stalking MJ. Peter gets in the car and the two banter adorably, because Peter is back to sounding like an asshat (Alas, Slott, we did know ye. You can stay gone). No wonder MJ wants him out of her life: no grown adult wants a whiny manbaby around. Tombstone was stalking him to get a message to Spider-Man: there's a gang war coming and it's all HIS fault (which kinda seems unfair and irrational because Digger and his boss the Rose are the active aggressors here, but asking for characters to use their brains is apparently really pushing the envelope at Marvel these days).
Peter is now excited because he has a job (newsflash: no, you don't, Peter, honey. Not the kind you need, the kind that pays money). After another longing look at MJ's apartment, he leaves.
Cut to the interior of said apartment and guess is looking forlonly out the window, just as the knuckleheaded numbskulls at Marvel used to claim was why her character was so one note: MJ.
GAH. Look, you feckless farts, characters do what the writers make them do. DON'T FUCKING WRITE HER MOPING BY THE WINDOW AND THEN TURN AROUND AND SAY, SEE? THAT'S ALL SHE'S GOOD FOR. If the issue made me angry at all - and it didn't, it was boring and lacked a reason for me to care because Wells was too busy trying to keep the lid of the mystery box closed that he forgot to give the characters motivations - it was this scene. It's so reductive and cliched and insulting - and yes, I'm going to go there and call it sexist as well. Because it is.
Anyway, MJ moons over Peter 🤬 🤬 🤬 as he walks away. A nice professorial-looking guy named Paul comes into the room and asks if she is okay. She says yes, and he says good, because he can't hold them back any more.
And here come two adorable plot moppets running toward MJ, screaming "Mommy!" and flinging themselves into her arms. They seem to be around, I dunno, seven and five years old? Or eight and six? The boy is the oldest and he had dark hair; his skin tone is more golden than the girl, who has red hair and dimples and a cleft chin just like MJ.
Paul asks if MJ needs more time, but MJ, with the kids in her arms, says everything is great. The end.
Only not the end, because there is a two page epilogue with Doc Ock bloviating on a futuristic torture rack, being questioned by some dude with an elongated head who speaks in the Ultimate Universe's font and wants Doc Ock's plans to destroy "him." Three guesses as to who "him" is, and I doubt it's Paul. Who honestly seems like a very nice guy.
Art is JRJR at his usual. Great use of panels, fight scenes are dynamic, he draws a great Spidey, but his faces appear to have no bone structure, as always. I miss Patrick Gleason, but there's something comforting about JRJR's art - or maybe that's just nostalgia from the JMS era.
And there you have it. The gang war stuff is fun if nothing new - but that's okay! It doesn't have to aim for groundbreaking all the time! A fun story is good! Aim for fun, Marvel, not this ridiculous MYSTERY BOX shit! And not the asinine soap opera twists, becaused I know soap operas, soap operas are very good friends of mine, and this, Marvel, is not good soap. It's a troll and you know it. Shame on you.
A star for making me laugh a few times and a star for saving the cat (Blake Synder would be so proud!).
But is this going on my pull list? BWA HA HA HA HA. No way in Mephisto's corner of hell. I'm OVER Mystery Box being used instead of storytelling. In fact, the best parts of the issue were those had nothing to do with Mystery Box - the gang fight and Tombstone and Randy. And I'm sorry, but I refuse to support another run of Peter the incompent manchild. Nope. Nuh huh. That's Slott's bastardized version - he didn't exist before Slott got his fingers on the character. That's not Peter Parker.
MJ and the kids? SUCH a troll, you can see the lulz from space. Look, if the best Wells can do with her is make her mope by the window (AND HE DID THE EXACT SAME THING WITH HER IN BEYOND 🤬) then fine, saddle her with children and a nice partner and get her the hell out of the book until Quesada and Brevoort finally turn in their Marvel access badges and there are new faces in the Spider-office whose brains have evolved enough to understand female characters can serve more purpose than standing around imitating sad window curtains and being mommies 🙄 😡. But then, this being Wells, MJ and Paul will probably cook the kids and eat them. Wells has a strange fetish for killing children, from Curt Connors eating his own young son in Shed to rotting baby and child corpses and destroying Kwannon's chance to have her daughter back in Hellions.
May 29, 2023
Well that was a Spidey comic.
Zeb Wells comes with a serious pedigree of comedy, lowbrow and bizarre and wacky. Or at least that’s what I was ready to believe that got me so excited to see him take over Spidey.
And there were some quips and stuff - but what a depressing story this first book kicks off with.
At least he does a good Tombstone. Black Cat was passable, and Aunt May is passable as Peter’s universe (even if she seemed to only make cameo appearances).
Hoping this gets better soon.
Zeb Wells comes with a serious pedigree of comedy, lowbrow and bizarre and wacky. Or at least that’s what I was ready to believe that got me so excited to see him take over Spidey.
And there were some quips and stuff - but what a depressing story this first book kicks off with.
At least he does a good Tombstone. Black Cat was passable, and Aunt May is passable as Peter’s universe (even if she seemed to only make cameo appearances).
Hoping this gets better soon.
February 16, 2024
A nice, quick read about a crime war that Tombstone is having with The Rose. Peter Parker is not getting along with Aunt May or the Fantastic Four and even with Randy Robertson. On top of that Mary Jane is no longer with Peter nor is she talking to him. On top of all that, Spoder-Man has to stop this crime war.
Zeb Well does a nice job writing the story. Anytime I can read a Spider-Man story drawn by the incomparable John Romita Jr, I'm there as well.
Zeb Well does a nice job writing the story. Anytime I can read a Spider-Man story drawn by the incomparable John Romita Jr, I'm there as well.
January 3, 2023
A story being built up putting Peter back on a street level? Sold.
Romita JR’s art? Not my favourite. It’s fine when characters are already wearing masks or odd looking but when they’re not? Yikes.
3/5.
Romita JR’s art? Not my favourite. It’s fine when characters are already wearing masks or odd looking but when they’re not? Yikes.
3/5.
December 16, 2022
Did not finish. Artwork was so bad it made me not want to care about the plot.
May 20, 2023
Meh. Te plantea algo que al chile ni tiene relevancia luego y se siente medio dioquis y nunca hay tensión con la pregunta que plantea ñ. Es como si no existiera
August 10, 2023
I'm not sure what is going on with Spider-Man here. It seems like he's out of sorts. Where's the fun?
This is not a great jumping-on point. There are a bunch of side characters I didn't recognize and references to things that happened previously that I wasn't familiar with.
Maybe this is part of a larger arc, but there's not much of an arc in this book. It might get better if you kept reading this series. I would not recommend this on its own, and I don't think I'll read further.
This is not a great jumping-on point. There are a bunch of side characters I didn't recognize and references to things that happened previously that I wasn't familiar with.
Maybe this is part of a larger arc, but there's not much of an arc in this book. It might get better if you kept reading this series. I would not recommend this on its own, and I don't think I'll read further.
July 7, 2022
Quite good story with awful art
March 9, 2023
This wasn’t nearly as bad as everyone else says it is.
Granted that isn’t a stirring endorsement but I genuinely enjoyed this first volume. Zeb Wells get Peter’s voice down pat and understands it well and that was a breath of fresh air after some of the more recent comics and movies. This is a Peter who’s very angry at the moment and I love an angry Spider-Man, after all that’s how he was in the Ditko era. But this Peter has done some shit and we aren’t told what it is. I think that’s my main issue with this book.
It opens with him with his costume torn, laying in a crater as he screams in agony. It’s five issues of Aunt May is done with him, Mary Jane is sick of him calling her like a creep, Peter stole from the Fantastic Four and he isn’t welcome in the Baxter building, he ignores and disregards all his friends seemingly out of nowhere and MJ is a mom now (and Peter isn’t the dad).
On a side note, can Marvel just let Peter and MJ get together again? For gods sake these books haven’t been as good since One More Day, you fucks.
Anyways. I hear that we haven’t been told what he’s done until issue 25 or something and maybe not even then. Tbh it got tiring by issue 5 so idk if I want to keep moving forward with this mystery box given the last ongoing Spidey comic I read where Kindred didn’t do shit for over half the series and then it’s the most underwhelming reveal you could think of. So we’ll see.
I know I’ve been complaining a lot but that whole mystery isn’t the main focus of this book, so if it doesn’t bother you, you’ll be fine. Back to the positives.
John Romita Jr’s art is better than ever, and this book acc managed to get more than a few laughs out of me aided by the fantastic dialogue. Especially in the last issue. That final conversation between Spidey & Tombstone was awesome. Plus I finally understand why Tombstone is a threat to Spidey and if this book can maintain a consistent quality, I’ll be happy to rate and review the others.
Overall I quite enjoyed this, it’s kind of a throwback to 80s era Spider-Man with all the anger, darkness and fights against gangsters that I found genuinely compelling. Just drop the JJ Abrams mystery box and let Pete & MJ get back together. A marriage and maturity isn’t a bad thing Marvel. Get that through your head please. It’s been 15 years. If you are willing to retcon Gwen getting banged by the Goblin, you can recton the worst editorial mistake you’ve ever made. But yeah, no I know I spent a lot of time harping on it, but this was good. I recommend it.
Granted that isn’t a stirring endorsement but I genuinely enjoyed this first volume. Zeb Wells get Peter’s voice down pat and understands it well and that was a breath of fresh air after some of the more recent comics and movies. This is a Peter who’s very angry at the moment and I love an angry Spider-Man, after all that’s how he was in the Ditko era. But this Peter has done some shit and we aren’t told what it is. I think that’s my main issue with this book.
It opens with him with his costume torn, laying in a crater as he screams in agony. It’s five issues of Aunt May is done with him, Mary Jane is sick of him calling her like a creep, Peter stole from the Fantastic Four and he isn’t welcome in the Baxter building, he ignores and disregards all his friends seemingly out of nowhere and MJ is a mom now (and Peter isn’t the dad).
On a side note, can Marvel just let Peter and MJ get together again? For gods sake these books haven’t been as good since One More Day, you fucks.
Anyways. I hear that we haven’t been told what he’s done until issue 25 or something and maybe not even then. Tbh it got tiring by issue 5 so idk if I want to keep moving forward with this mystery box given the last ongoing Spidey comic I read where Kindred didn’t do shit for over half the series and then it’s the most underwhelming reveal you could think of. So we’ll see.
I know I’ve been complaining a lot but that whole mystery isn’t the main focus of this book, so if it doesn’t bother you, you’ll be fine. Back to the positives.
John Romita Jr’s art is better than ever, and this book acc managed to get more than a few laughs out of me aided by the fantastic dialogue. Especially in the last issue. That final conversation between Spidey & Tombstone was awesome. Plus I finally understand why Tombstone is a threat to Spidey and if this book can maintain a consistent quality, I’ll be happy to rate and review the others.
Overall I quite enjoyed this, it’s kind of a throwback to 80s era Spider-Man with all the anger, darkness and fights against gangsters that I found genuinely compelling. Just drop the JJ Abrams mystery box and let Pete & MJ get back together. A marriage and maturity isn’t a bad thing Marvel. Get that through your head please. It’s been 15 years. If you are willing to retcon Gwen getting banged by the Goblin, you can recton the worst editorial mistake you’ve ever made. But yeah, no I know I spent a lot of time harping on it, but this was good. I recommend it.
October 11, 2022
The first thing you need to remember in a Spider-Man story is how to to start things off.
You can't have it just continue from the previous story. Nope. Make things dramatic. Throw a time jump in there. Minimum of 6 months should do it, longer if you REALLY want to confuse the readers. Do that and you're on your way to a great story arc.
----------------
This is an interesting start, and I'm curious how it's all going to play out. After having such a big and bold adventure, previously, it's definitely time we reset the issue # back to 1. We've watched the 'Beyond' era Spider-Man times fall apart. Ben Reilly has had his problems. Peter was in the hospital and almost died...again. This 'Amazing' restart jumps at LEAST 6 months past all that. Things happened (things they aren't telling us YET).
Everybody still has it in for Peter. He has bills to pay, Aunt May is fed up, his friends think he's even gone 'deadbeat'. It's not a good time for Peter (but when is it EVER really going well for long?). Oh. Almost forgot the best part. MJ is dating/married(?) to a guy with two kids. She's moved on from it all.
For flavor, in this arc, we get a little aftermath from 'Devil's Reign' with the resurrected Rose pushing in on Tombstone's territory. This is probably the most we've gone into Tombstone history since the late 90s, I think. So much chess being played here. People are lying to the liars and it's building towards....something.
Bonus: Digger! (still talking about the 'green door' from Immortal Hulk issues)
Bonus Bonus: bets on Felicia Hardy taking MJ's place in the short term for Parker's affections?
You can't have it just continue from the previous story. Nope. Make things dramatic. Throw a time jump in there. Minimum of 6 months should do it, longer if you REALLY want to confuse the readers. Do that and you're on your way to a great story arc.
----------------
This is an interesting start, and I'm curious how it's all going to play out. After having such a big and bold adventure, previously, it's definitely time we reset the issue # back to 1. We've watched the 'Beyond' era Spider-Man times fall apart. Ben Reilly has had his problems. Peter was in the hospital and almost died...again. This 'Amazing' restart jumps at LEAST 6 months past all that. Things happened (things they aren't telling us YET).
Everybody still has it in for Peter. He has bills to pay, Aunt May is fed up, his friends think he's even gone 'deadbeat'. It's not a good time for Peter (but when is it EVER really going well for long?). Oh. Almost forgot the best part. MJ is dating/married(?) to a guy with two kids. She's moved on from it all.
For flavor, in this arc, we get a little aftermath from 'Devil's Reign' with the resurrected Rose pushing in on Tombstone's territory. This is probably the most we've gone into Tombstone history since the late 90s, I think. So much chess being played here. People are lying to the liars and it's building towards....something.
Bonus: Digger! (still talking about the 'green door' from Immortal Hulk issues)
Bonus Bonus: bets on Felicia Hardy taking MJ's place in the short term for Parker's affections?
Read
January 23, 2023"I'm hearing some crazy stories. Want to make sure things aren't...bad again."
"When's the last time they were good?"
And therein lies the problem. This kicks off yet another Spidey run by a writer for whom I have warm feelings largely thanks to their previous work on comics about idiots making a darkly hilarious mess of their life through their persistent terrible decisions. And yet when they end up with Peter Parker, a character where even a small child here can justly note "you're so smart it makes you dumb", the laughs evaporate and it's just miserable. Wells doesn't even kick off with brighter, funnier stuff like Slott and Spencer did - he's straight into gang wars, impossible decisions, Spidey getting played like a chump. All of this against a background of the lead having done something terrible which everyone takes pains never actually to specify, just like the current Fantastic Four run, and aren't editors supposed to ensure the comics avoid that kind of overlap? Granted, this was first, but against that, I have much more default interest in the FF than Parker, so I think this is the point where I save myself from another however many issues of him kicking himself in the balls. And to think we could have had more Hellions instead of this.
"When's the last time they were good?"
And therein lies the problem. This kicks off yet another Spidey run by a writer for whom I have warm feelings largely thanks to their previous work on comics about idiots making a darkly hilarious mess of their life through their persistent terrible decisions. And yet when they end up with Peter Parker, a character where even a small child here can justly note "you're so smart it makes you dumb", the laughs evaporate and it's just miserable. Wells doesn't even kick off with brighter, funnier stuff like Slott and Spencer did - he's straight into gang wars, impossible decisions, Spidey getting played like a chump. All of this against a background of the lead having done something terrible which everyone takes pains never actually to specify, just like the current Fantastic Four run, and aren't editors supposed to ensure the comics avoid that kind of overlap? Granted, this was first, but against that, I have much more default interest in the FF than Parker, so I think this is the point where I save myself from another however many issues of him kicking himself in the balls. And to think we could have had more Hellions instead of this.
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