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The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) (Collected Editions)
The Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 2: The New Sinister
It’s Spider-Man’s 60th Anniversary — and Marvel is pulling out all the stops! Someone from Spidey’s past has captured the Sinister Six and used them to create the truly terrifying…Sinister Adaptoid! Can the webbed wonder possibly triumph against the might of an android that boasts the powers of all of Spidey’s deadliest foes? And who is the face behind the Adaptoid’s attack? Brace yourself for one of the biggest adventures in Spider-history — and you won’t believe how it ends! Plus: Norman Osborn is back! But what does he have planned for Spider-Man?! One of the biggest status-quo shake-ups in years will shock you as Spidey dons a new costume with accessories that look vaguely…familiar. Is that — a glider?!
Collecting AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (2022) #6-8.
Collecting AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (2022) #6-8.
135 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 22, 2022
About the author
Zeb Wells
732 books74 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 77 reviews
February 27, 2023
"Last question - Why do you do this? You save people everyday. You saved me earlier today. No one's making you. The [Daily] Bugle hates you. It sounds like you don't make any money doing this." -- talk show host Jimmy Kimmel
"No one's actually asked me that before. I can help. So I do." -- Spider-Man
When I reviewed The Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 1: World Without Love two weeks ago I probably all but sounded like I was holding my breath for the subsequent edition, if only to see whether this new series stayed good and true OR hits a brick wall like our favorite wall-crawler suddenly running out of web fluid. Pleasingly, Vol. 2: The New Sinister builds on the solid foundation of the initial book and made for an even slightly better follow-up. There are two big stories this time - the first featuring a reunited villainous 'Sinister Six' - Dr. Octopus, Kraven the Hunter, Mystery, Electro, Vulture, and Sandman . . . although Sandman amusingly stays lukewarm on his 'bad guy' status - and the second featuring just the Vulture, with him acting in an excessively deranged and murderous manner toward our title character. (There was a moment where Spidey was facing a certain death - after Vulture damages his web-shooters and then drops him from the sky - that had me wondering just how he would make it our of this 'cliff-hanger' of a situation.) The volume concludes with three brief tales - 'Save the Date' (perfectly encapsulating Peter Parker's melodramatic teen years . . . in only two pages!) and the more humor-laced 'Better Late Than Never!' (who knew a trip to the public library would produce such comedy?) and 'Spidey Meets Jimmy' (in which Spidey is visiting L.A. and trades punchlines in battling Mysterio and then on an unexpected TV show appearance). I have to give credit to the staff at Marvel - 60 years on and their flagship character is as vigorous as ever.
"No one's actually asked me that before. I can help. So I do." -- Spider-Man
When I reviewed The Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 1: World Without Love two weeks ago I probably all but sounded like I was holding my breath for the subsequent edition, if only to see whether this new series stayed good and true OR hits a brick wall like our favorite wall-crawler suddenly running out of web fluid. Pleasingly, Vol. 2: The New Sinister builds on the solid foundation of the initial book and made for an even slightly better follow-up. There are two big stories this time - the first featuring a reunited villainous 'Sinister Six' - Dr. Octopus, Kraven the Hunter, Mystery, Electro, Vulture, and Sandman . . . although Sandman amusingly stays lukewarm on his 'bad guy' status - and the second featuring just the Vulture, with him acting in an excessively deranged and murderous manner toward our title character. (There was a moment where Spidey was facing a certain death - after Vulture damages his web-shooters and then drops him from the sky - that had me wondering just how he would make it our of this 'cliff-hanger' of a situation.) The volume concludes with three brief tales - 'Save the Date' (perfectly encapsulating Peter Parker's melodramatic teen years . . . in only two pages!) and the more humor-laced 'Better Late Than Never!' (who knew a trip to the public library would produce such comedy?) and 'Spidey Meets Jimmy' (in which Spidey is visiting L.A. and trades punchlines in battling Mysterio and then on an unexpected TV show appearance). I have to give credit to the staff at Marvel - 60 years on and their flagship character is as vigorous as ever.
January 8, 2023
Parker has a run in with the Vulture who's out to kill Spider-Man!
Vulture's granddaughter found out about his crimes and cut ties with him... so to get revenge he wants to get the man responsible... and murder Spider-Man. I'm sure his granddaughter will be pleased.
Vulture's granddaughter found out about his crimes and cut ties with him... so to get revenge he wants to get the man responsible... and murder Spider-Man. I'm sure his granddaughter will be pleased.
July 3, 2023
nope i still hate paul. felicia is fire though, love her.
February 14, 2023
Not what I was expecting
After Volume 1...this veers into a more retro feel....the Sinister (Six) return and an aged Vulture wings his way back threatening Spiderman's life.
In other words....not really a good feeling here
After Volume 1...this veers into a more retro feel....the Sinister (Six) return and an aged Vulture wings his way back threatening Spiderman's life.
In other words....not really a good feeling here
October 4, 2022
Happy Birthday Pete. Thanks for the last forty years. (Sorry I wasn’t there for the first twenty; blame my parents).
June 28, 2023
3.25 stars. Read these 3 issues in singles back when. Going back through this stuff in preparation for the next volumes which I haven’t read. I still feel like issue 6 aka 900 was just ok. Issues 7 and 8 were cool seeing Vulture come at Spider-Man real aggressively really trying his best to kill him.
February 26, 2023
Wow. I GOTTA read more Spiderman, this was amazing! (Pun not intended, but I’m going with it.)
The humor, the artwork, the storylines, all fabulous.
My thanks to my friend Scott who recommended this one. Definitely worth the read!
5, what else is recommended for necessary Spider-Man reading, stars.
The humor, the artwork, the storylines, all fabulous.
My thanks to my friend Scott who recommended this one. Definitely worth the read!
5, what else is recommended for necessary Spider-Man reading, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2022
I don't know. There was something about this that I didn't like. The first issue of this volume had a weird cheesiness to it and I think McGuinness' art didn't help any. It's basically a fill-in issue, showing Spidey battle a bunch of villains while we're reminded that Peter is back to being the "loser" he was back in high-school, which has become tiresome and unbelievable. I also hate the new costume and the crux of the new storyline. So after a strong start this volume fumbles.
June 22, 2023
A more convinced 3* rating than vol.1.
This one is an oversized anniverary issue and a two-parter. As far as anniversary issues go this one is far from the worst I’ve ever read. Non-stop action and humorous dialogues are enhanced by a Ed McGuiness in great shape. Various inkers support him with mixed results ranging from mundane to pretty good.
The two-parter involves a surprisingly threatening Vulture set out to kill Spidey once and for all. The Osborn subplot paves the way for future plots.
JR jr is back on art here. It’s better than last volume but still far from his best.
Seems like we’re on tracks now. Let’s see what’s what with vol.3
This one is an oversized anniverary issue and a two-parter. As far as anniversary issues go this one is far from the worst I’ve ever read. Non-stop action and humorous dialogues are enhanced by a Ed McGuiness in great shape. Various inkers support him with mixed results ranging from mundane to pretty good.
The two-parter involves a surprisingly threatening Vulture set out to kill Spidey once and for all. The Osborn subplot paves the way for future plots.
JR jr is back on art here. It’s better than last volume but still far from his best.
Seems like we’re on tracks now. Let’s see what’s what with vol.3
May 18, 2023
As Zeb Wells solely takes over The Amazing Spider-Man after collaborating with other writers on the excellent Beyond run, it seems like Peter Parker is going down a darker path. From the very first page, in which something traumatic happened to Peter Parker, causing everyone from the Avengers to those closest to him distancing themselves from Peter. With Peter somewhat trying to redeem himself in an attempt to reconnect with everyone else, we still have no word about what the central mystery is, with the worry that Wells might be repeating a similar problem that Nick Spencer did during his not-so-Amazing run.
In the next volume, which is only three issues long, Wells has yet to give answers, but there’s some fun to be had. The oversized issue #6 is the best one that Wells has written, and it actually has nothing to do with the main story. As Peter gets a surprise birthday party that doesn’t start well, Spider-Man is called to duty when he confronts a Super Adaptoid with the abilities of the original Sinister Six, and is controlled by the Ultra Living Brain who is determined to answer the question: “Who is Spider-Man?”
Considering that Spider-Man hasn’t had the best 60th anniversary – though Amazing Fantasy #1000 is ideal reading for any Spidey fan – #6 pays tribute to the classic Stan Lee/Steve Ditko run, with Zells having a lot of fun, with Spidey’s banter with the OG Sinister Six and updates an obscure villain from the 60s, the Living Brain. Along with the stunning art from Ed McGuiness, who balances action and comedy really well, Wells has some fun surprises along the way, from how Spidey resolves the conflict with the Ultra Living Brain, to Peter sharing a kiss with Black Cat. Oh, and Doc Ock’s mechanical arms have a life of their own and they are depicted like an adorable pet.
The next two issues are a return to the main narrative, with Peter approached by his former arch-nemesis, Norman Osborn, who may have cleansed his sins, but is still looking for redemption, such as changing the status quo of his relationship with Peter. As a vengeful Vulture goes after Spidey and demolishes his suit in the process, Peter gets a new suit from Osborn, now with its Spider-Glider. Although I prefer McGuinness’s work, John Romita Jr is faring better with every subsequent issue. Sure, Romita’s characters are always going to look blocky, but he knows how to illustrate action with Spidey and his enemies getting battered up, whilst the Spider-Glider opens the door for more visual ideas.
Concluding the volume are three backup features that were published as part of issue #6, most of which are fun little reads, such as the two-pager by Dan Slott and Marcos Marton, though I would skip the one where Spidey interacts with Jimmy Kimmel. Overall, with fewer issues than before and a central narrative that isn’t quite delivering on its initial pitch, this second volume is still worth reading, largely with how it celebrates the web-slinger's 60th anniversary.
In the next volume, which is only three issues long, Wells has yet to give answers, but there’s some fun to be had. The oversized issue #6 is the best one that Wells has written, and it actually has nothing to do with the main story. As Peter gets a surprise birthday party that doesn’t start well, Spider-Man is called to duty when he confronts a Super Adaptoid with the abilities of the original Sinister Six, and is controlled by the Ultra Living Brain who is determined to answer the question: “Who is Spider-Man?”
Considering that Spider-Man hasn’t had the best 60th anniversary – though Amazing Fantasy #1000 is ideal reading for any Spidey fan – #6 pays tribute to the classic Stan Lee/Steve Ditko run, with Zells having a lot of fun, with Spidey’s banter with the OG Sinister Six and updates an obscure villain from the 60s, the Living Brain. Along with the stunning art from Ed McGuiness, who balances action and comedy really well, Wells has some fun surprises along the way, from how Spidey resolves the conflict with the Ultra Living Brain, to Peter sharing a kiss with Black Cat. Oh, and Doc Ock’s mechanical arms have a life of their own and they are depicted like an adorable pet.
The next two issues are a return to the main narrative, with Peter approached by his former arch-nemesis, Norman Osborn, who may have cleansed his sins, but is still looking for redemption, such as changing the status quo of his relationship with Peter. As a vengeful Vulture goes after Spidey and demolishes his suit in the process, Peter gets a new suit from Osborn, now with its Spider-Glider. Although I prefer McGuinness’s work, John Romita Jr is faring better with every subsequent issue. Sure, Romita’s characters are always going to look blocky, but he knows how to illustrate action with Spidey and his enemies getting battered up, whilst the Spider-Glider opens the door for more visual ideas.
Concluding the volume are three backup features that were published as part of issue #6, most of which are fun little reads, such as the two-pager by Dan Slott and Marcos Marton, though I would skip the one where Spidey interacts with Jimmy Kimmel. Overall, with fewer issues than before and a central narrative that isn’t quite delivering on its initial pitch, this second volume is still worth reading, largely with how it celebrates the web-slinger's 60th anniversary.
October 14, 2022
I like this run so far. But this story seemed just...crammed in.
February 8, 2023
I’m really enjoying this run so far. Good, entertaining comics. I feel like this is building into what promises to be memorable run by Wells and co. Looking forward to volume 3!
June 4, 2023
That Sinister Six adaption was redonkulous
Toomes was on a tear, he actually scared me which I didn’t think Grandpa Feather Boa was capable of.
Toomes was on a tear, he actually scared me which I didn’t think Grandpa Feather Boa was capable of.
August 24, 2024
A bit all over the place. I heard not so great things about the writing of Zeb Wells and I can kinda see why. The art those is great as you would expect from John Romita Jr & Ed McGuinnes.
December 23, 2022
deeply, painfully, horrendously caught in the most frustrating monkey's paw situation comic books have yet delivered upon me. on the one hand, John Romita Jr's art. stunning. wonderful work. the return of one of the all-time greats, and a man partly responsible for two of the greatest eras in The Amazing Spider-Man's entire publication history. it is a joy greater than I can quickly sum up to see JRJR draw Spider-Man and his supporting cast again, all these years later.
the paw curls. the other hand: Zeb Wells. JRJR draws all these characters the way they're meant to be seen. Wells' dialogue gets further from the way they're meant to sound with every page. all the good will and excitement of his first issue is gone. I give up! and even sooner this time than I did with Nick Spencer's run four years ago — for all his drain circling, it at least took me until the issues hit double digits to write off his work as a failure.
still no motion on the Mary Jane situation. Norman Osborn still treated as friend and confidant to the both of them, despite his literally murdering their child, doing Sin's Past, etc. this is the problem: I do not feel as though I'm reading Spider-Man while I read Wells' writing. these characters are not themselves. their world is formless, without stakes, lacking any meaningful ties to the last time any of this was any good. god, this is the best we can get? it's been this way for years. I came back for JRJR, and thank god he's delivering. nothing else is.
the paw curls. the other hand: Zeb Wells. JRJR draws all these characters the way they're meant to be seen. Wells' dialogue gets further from the way they're meant to sound with every page. all the good will and excitement of his first issue is gone. I give up! and even sooner this time than I did with Nick Spencer's run four years ago — for all his drain circling, it at least took me until the issues hit double digits to write off his work as a failure.
still no motion on the Mary Jane situation. Norman Osborn still treated as friend and confidant to the both of them, despite his literally murdering their child, doing Sin's Past, etc. this is the problem: I do not feel as though I'm reading Spider-Man while I read Wells' writing. these characters are not themselves. their world is formless, without stakes, lacking any meaningful ties to the last time any of this was any good. god, this is the best we can get? it's been this way for years. I came back for JRJR, and thank god he's delivering. nothing else is.
January 4, 2023
The oversized issue celebrating Spider-Man’s major milestone is a bit… crap. Nothing of consequence happens and sadly it reads like a cheap way to get all the major Spidey characters featured. The following issues collected here feel like padding until the last page which sees where the series will go.
The art is a mixed bag with the only real highlights being the back up stories.
Given this collection features only 3 issues (1 admittedly ‘oversized’) Marvel could’ve reprinted all the covers as back up.
2/5
The art is a mixed bag with the only real highlights being the back up stories.
Given this collection features only 3 issues (1 admittedly ‘oversized’) Marvel could’ve reprinted all the covers as back up.
2/5
May 22, 2023
The first, long story benefits from artist Ed McGuiness: rather than just the Sinister Six, the villains are the Super-Adaptoid with The Living Brain from waaay back in the Steve Ditko era.
Second two issue/chapters are really why I enjoy this so much: a great collaboration between Wells and artist J. R., Jr. Probably the best Vulture story I can remember...
Oh, the backup short stories: three, that must have come from the anniversary issue (#6 in this volume/#900 Legacy number altogether) with the first long issue/chapter. Charming. Slott's Spider-Man vignette depends on a great collaborator: I would read almost anything drawn by Marcos Martin. Daniel Kibblesmith writes and David Lopez draws one about Peter returning a ream of overdue books to New York Public Library that is a hoot, especially for the librarian involved. I so relate...
Recommended, especially if you are a longtime fan.
Thanks to my local comics shop for one of these issues and my local Fulton County Public Library for this loan.
Second two issue/chapters are really why I enjoy this so much: a great collaboration between Wells and artist J. R., Jr. Probably the best Vulture story I can remember...
Oh, the backup short stories: three, that must have come from the anniversary issue (#6 in this volume/#900 Legacy number altogether) with the first long issue/chapter. Charming. Slott's Spider-Man vignette depends on a great collaborator: I would read almost anything drawn by Marcos Martin. Daniel Kibblesmith writes and David Lopez draws one about Peter returning a ream of overdue books to New York Public Library that is a hoot, especially for the librarian involved. I so relate...
Recommended, especially if you are a longtime fan.
Thanks to my local comics shop for one of these issues and my local Fulton County Public Library for this loan.
January 8, 2025
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: THE NEW SINISTER under Wells is a better story than the previous one and I enjoyed the return of so many gang-related villains. Here, Spider-Man has his birthday and has his friends come to visit him. However, they're interrupted by an insane AI that has also kidnapped the Sinister Six. I really enjoyed this little story and it shows Spider-Man is a merciful and good man no matter what. It also hints that there's a Black Cat and Peter Parker romance hinted at -- which would be fantastic. I love Felicia.
May 20, 2023
Más meh que el otro. Aunque el final es prometedor
Read
April 25, 2025I’m in this one.
March 10, 2023
Review for the first story in this volume.
TL;dr: do not waste your money. Zeb Wells's run causes brain cell loss. Go buy something else. If you really must know what happened, find it at your local library. Try Worldcat https://worldcat.org to find a library that might have it near you.
So, um, yeah. Amazing Spider-Man 6/900 is a thing that happened.
I don't know what to tell you. It's not good. It’s, in fact, highly stupid. It doesn't advance the story. It doesn't answer any of the mysteries that started this run. It wants to be profound about the innate heroism and goodness of Peter Parker but we have no insight into Peter himself. He remains a cypher, his thoughts closed off to us.
ASM 900 is a lot of sound and fury but it signifies nothing. Worse? ASM 900 is outright mediocre. It shits on established characterization, even characterization established by Zeb Wells himself just an issue or two ago. It's actively not funny, relying on hoary slapstick gags that were cliched and tired when the Three Stooges performed them. And it's deliberately misogynist and sexist.
If you are just turning in to my reviews/recaps of Zeb Wells's run on Amazing Spider-Man, welcome, pull up a chair, and get comfy. This may take some time. And if you've read my reviews before, you know what to expect.
If you're not here for the recap in which there be spoilers, then thanks for stopping by and see you later.
Last chance to walk away...
Ok, here we go.
Where to start? This is supposed to be an anniversary issue but it doesn't feel very celebratory or big and doesn't move the series forward. It's just...there.
When we last left Peter, he had achieved a victory of some sorts over Tombstone, mostly by abdicating his sense of responsibility and allowing Tombstone to walk away scot free just like he did with the burglar in Amazing Fantasy 15 but who cares about the inciting incident that led to the creation of a superhero for all time? Not Marvel, Lowe, or Wells, that's for sure.
Peter supposedly did something six months ago so heinous that it put him on the outs with the Avengers, the FF, Aunt May and all his friends. Mary Jane - the love of his life, originally mentioned in Amazing Spider-Man 15, first shown on panel (with her face covered) in ASM 25, first full mention in ASM 42, Peter Parker's wife until a manchild became editor in chief of Marvel Comics and decided Peter had to be one, too - was poised to move in with Peter until a literal deus ex machina showed up and now she's living with two kids, one of which is pretty much a lookalike clone of hers, and a guy named Paul.
Peter made up with Aunt May in the last issue, although we never did learn why they were on the outs. Maybe Peter forgot to mail her tax returns and she never got her refund.
But he should still be on the outs with everyone else, right?
No. Guess Zeb forgot that was a plot point, because here comes almost every single character who has interacted with Peter in the last fifteen years to celebrate Peter's birthday at a surprise party for him. Every single character except Randy - who I guess is good enough to pay for Peter's apartment but not good enough to invite to his birthday party at his own father Robbie's workplace - Norman Osborn, and Mary Jane Watson. But we do get see characters so forgettable I can't remember their names from Slott's run and the BND days because those are the characters readers demand to catch up with in an anniversary issue. *sigh* *double sigh*
So all these characters go to his party, but they are still angry with him because he arrives on time. It’s supposed to be funny but it only comes across as petty. People, it's his birthday! Jonah is the one who is late, be mad at Jonah. This is only the first instance in which the unfunny humor will be heavily forced.
Liz is a bitch to Peter, which makes you wonder why she is even there. She’s a CEO, she has important things to do. And they do not discuss Harry, who died at the end of Nick Spencer's run. Peter does talk to Flash. Now, when Peter last saw Flash, Flash was dying because he sacrificed his life to save Peter's loved ones, and he learned Peter's secret in a touching deathbed scene. Here? An incredibly tepid "Hey Flash glad you're alive" while Flash treats Peter as if he's still Puny Parker.
The worst characterization is saved for Bobbi Morse, who shows up only so Felicia Hardy can be turned into a grade A clingy girlfriend cliche. Like what the hell, Wells?! Felicia and Peter have long agreed they work best as friends who love each other as friends, Felicia gave him a great - and respectful of the pain he was in - pep talk in the last issue - and now she's Catty McCatfight Jealous Ragey Bitchface?!
The party picks up when Jonah arrives, courtesy of being taken for a joy ride by Doc Ock's mechanical arms. The festival of forced humor mixed with misogyny continues as Wells apparently believes making Felicia and Bobbi, two highly competent street fighters, into bimbos who miss and punch Jonah instead is hee hee hee yuk yuk yuk funny. Only Homer Simpson agrees. And if that's not cringe enough, it's followed by Felicia intimidating Bobbi over which one of them is Peter's bodyguard.
Bobbi's and Felicia's fight leads to Jonah and arms being punched through the wall - "women, am I right?" you can hear Wells chortle as he wrote the scene. Peter somehow finds time and a safe space to change out of his Dwight Shrute cosplay mustard-colored short-sleeved shirt and into his longsleeved blues and reds in time to help save Jonah. A lot of pages are wasted on this scene. But then, this is a 72 page main story that could have easily been told in a regular sized issue. To call it extra padded is being nice.
Yadda yadda, flip pages - oh. The arms let Jonah go and attach themselves to Peter. Flip a few more unnecessary pages - okay, Peter finally figures out the arms are Lassie and Ock is in a well. He follows the arms to a mysterious warehouse - it's now night with a moon high up in the sky when just a few pages before it was bright gold day - where he encounters the Living Brain, last seen in a Slott issue (see, this issue just REEKS of Slott). But wait! What dangers lurk in the shadows! It's the...dum dum dum...SINISTER Adaptoid, with all the powers of the Sinister Six!
So, in the Tombstone arc, Tombstone was moving costume paraphenalia belonging to the Sinister Six. I suppose I can be forgiven for thinking that might play into the reveal of who is behind the adaptoid, but BZZZZ! Wrong! That had nothing to do with this story. I guess Electro and Mysterio, et al, are just super careless and leave their costumes and accessories just strewn all over Manhattan for crime bosses to pick up and sell. How convenient and thoughtful of them.
The entity behind the adaptoid is the new Living Brain, which is, like, a ginormous living brain. It created an avatar that can absorb people as input (no, I have no idea how an avatar being puppeted from afar by a huge green brain can do such a thing nor how the avatar absorbing people then feeds the brain from afar, it's so incredibly stupid even for comic books I can't believe I am typing this). The avatar captured the Sinister Six by...who the hell knows...and imprisoned them to create the adaptoid to then fight Spider-Man to death because the Living Brain feels that if cannot answer the question "Who is Spider-Man?" - the original question asked of the original Living Brain - then it is "damned, condemned."
So while Spider-Man is fighting the adaptoid, the avatar kidnaps the motley crew of Felicia, Flash, May, Anna Maria, a pregnant Betty in her sixth trimester, and Robbie. The avatar then monologues pages of exposition giving its backstory...my eyes are glazing over, more unnecessary page filler....oh, here we go, back to the story, and says he kidnapped Spider-Man's loved ones to learn the answer to his question.
They all dissemble and won't give up Spider-Man's identity. Anna Maria is far more interested in knowing if Doc Ock is alive because a gal has to have her backup plan even if he is a middle aged genocidal mass murderer with a bowl haircut who committeed rape by deception by sleeping with her while pretending to be a hot twenty-something journalist/scientist/CEO. Hey Zeb, you can tell us, we won't spill your secret, you had Dan Slott script this, didn't you?
So, the Living Brain is supposed to be, well, a brain. As in smart. Logical. Rational. Yet the literal brainiac couldn't deduce the one person this group all has in common - like maybe the guy whose party it was you crashed to kidnap them in the first place?
Also, let's rewind. The avatar can absorb people for input. Absorb. People. For. Input. But you're telling me the Living Brain is so desperate to know "who is Spider-Man" but it DOESN'T just absorb Spider-Man's friends?! Wouldn't that, like, solve the question? Couldn't the Living Brain have absorbed Doc Ock and learned the answer eons ago?
God, this issue was tedious.
The adaptoid then throws a beaten Spider-Man into the room with the kidnapped guests.
Okay. Let's recap again. Needs to know answer or it will be condemned...absorbs people for input...comatose Spider-Man...oh, and Felicia's and Flash's powers are neutralized.
Why the fuck doesn't the avatar just absorb Spider-Man while he is comatose if ansering the question is all that is driving him!?!?!?
But no, we get more lame dialogue in which the characters are reset to their most basic Silver Age default archetype, and suddenly, oh noes, Spider-Man is AWAKE!!! The Living Brain freaks out!!!!! (no seriously we get a meme-worthy panel of the Living Brian avatar screaming "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!") because it turns out he's afraid of Spider-Man thanks to Spider-Man defeating his predecessor.
And yet didn’t absorb him while the man he’s most afraid of was just lying there, unconscious. I’m declaring a moratorium on comic book writers using hyperintelligent characters unless the comic book writers can prove they can pass a college freshman class in logic.
Cue adaptoid fight round two, while Felicia and Flash get the others to safety. Seriously, I am so bored typing this recap. The Ock arms help out and lead Spidey to where the Sinister Six are being held. They, too, have all been reverted to their Silver Age basic archetypes and speak in Bombastic Villian Declamations like the cartoon characters they are (no, seriously, Zeb, Dan wrote this, right?). Yadda yadda yadda, Spidey teams up with them to take down the adaptoid, which is tricked into fighting itself just like the robot in The Incredibles by triggering all the adaptoid's competing egos of the Sinister Six, then the real life Sinister Six bicker amongst themselves only to come out of it by focusing on Spidey as their common enemy, then they switch their focus to destroying the Living Brain, and when Spidey says no, they have to go through him to get to the Living Brain, the Living Brain decides the answer to his question is Spider-Man is a good guy and he magicks the Sinister Six back to wherever he found them. Spidey then unplugs the Living Brain (and without making a backup first, that's not computer best practices, Petey-pie) (as Felicia calls him) (gag).
Guys: it turns out the real treasure was the friends we made along the way. Or something like that. Yeah, Spidey is a stand up guy, who knew. Not the reader, who STILL doesn't know what the fuck Peter did six months ago or why Mary Jane is acting like a Stepford Wife with clone children because Zeb Wells thought it more important to tell this incredibly padded story over 72 pages about the magic of being kind to others.
Oh, but lucky Spidey does strike gold because when Felicia Hardy shows up - she apparently had to go home and change into her costume because I guess she didn't want to ruin her party dress by joining the fight earlier. Gotta love Felicia for having her priorities straight. And at least Felicia does show up, Flash apparently decided it was more important to go beat up on some high school kids because he’s been reverted to his Silver Age persona.
And anyway, it turns out the only reason why Wells wrote Felicia to be there is so she can be a present for his birthday, because why stop the sexist representation of women now? Apparently his boy scout loyalty turns her on so she goes full on tonsil hockey in the alley. Oh, and Felicia will take the Living Brain to her gang because allowing your larcenous ex-/maybe current girlfriend and her gang of thieves to have a supercomputer that knows your secret identity is super smart, but that's Peter Parker, supposed boy genius, for ya.
Felicia is not the only one whose gears are greased by the paragon of heroism that is Peter Parker. Doc Ock's arms were apparently left behind when Ock was magicked away and the arms are a bit of a Peeping Tom. One erectly watches Peter and Felicia kiss while little cartoon hearts fly around its "head."
The end. Thankfully, because there's only so much shitty writing one can recap.
The art is fine, if cartoony to match the prose and relying on splash pages and big panels just to eat the page count. People complained about the multiple inkers but it didn't bother me, probably because I was so bored with the story I flipped pages as fast as I could to get this issue over with.
The backups are an ad for the NYPL, which is a good reminder to get your library card, everyone, libraries are cool, even if the humor relies on Fifty Shades of Grey jokes. Maybe use that library card to find more current references. Then there's a harmless Silver Age joke by Slott, and a completely superfluous and unnecessary attempt to win internal brownie points for engaging in Disney synergy and to maybe get free publicity from Jimmy Kimmel.
The entire issue is almost 90 pages long and there is not a single sighting, mention or reference to Mary Jane Watson. Not a one. Not even a cameo on the street watching the Jonah octoarms battle. Not even a reference when Mysterio and Peter meet up in LA, even though Mary Jane starred in Mysterio's movie.
But every single female character who is in the issue was given a sexist makeover. Every female character's thoughts revolved around the men in their lives and they did not have a single other care in their pretty little empty heads, even Aunt May was only there to prop up Peter, even Liz the bitch could only speak about Jonah, of all people. It’s good MJ escaped the misogyny. But bad overall.
TL;dr: do not waste your money. Zeb Wells's run causes brain cell loss. Go buy something else. If you really must know what happened, find it at your local library. Try Worldcat https://worldcat.org to find a library that might have it near you.
So, um, yeah. Amazing Spider-Man 6/900 is a thing that happened.
I don't know what to tell you. It's not good. It’s, in fact, highly stupid. It doesn't advance the story. It doesn't answer any of the mysteries that started this run. It wants to be profound about the innate heroism and goodness of Peter Parker but we have no insight into Peter himself. He remains a cypher, his thoughts closed off to us.
ASM 900 is a lot of sound and fury but it signifies nothing. Worse? ASM 900 is outright mediocre. It shits on established characterization, even characterization established by Zeb Wells himself just an issue or two ago. It's actively not funny, relying on hoary slapstick gags that were cliched and tired when the Three Stooges performed them. And it's deliberately misogynist and sexist.
If you are just turning in to my reviews/recaps of Zeb Wells's run on Amazing Spider-Man, welcome, pull up a chair, and get comfy. This may take some time. And if you've read my reviews before, you know what to expect.
If you're not here for the recap in which there be spoilers, then thanks for stopping by and see you later.
Last chance to walk away...
Ok, here we go.
Where to start? This is supposed to be an anniversary issue but it doesn't feel very celebratory or big and doesn't move the series forward. It's just...there.
When we last left Peter, he had achieved a victory of some sorts over Tombstone, mostly by abdicating his sense of responsibility and allowing Tombstone to walk away scot free just like he did with the burglar in Amazing Fantasy 15 but who cares about the inciting incident that led to the creation of a superhero for all time? Not Marvel, Lowe, or Wells, that's for sure.
Peter supposedly did something six months ago so heinous that it put him on the outs with the Avengers, the FF, Aunt May and all his friends. Mary Jane - the love of his life, originally mentioned in Amazing Spider-Man 15, first shown on panel (with her face covered) in ASM 25, first full mention in ASM 42, Peter Parker's wife until a manchild became editor in chief of Marvel Comics and decided Peter had to be one, too - was poised to move in with Peter until a literal deus ex machina showed up and now she's living with two kids, one of which is pretty much a lookalike clone of hers, and a guy named Paul.
Peter made up with Aunt May in the last issue, although we never did learn why they were on the outs. Maybe Peter forgot to mail her tax returns and she never got her refund.
But he should still be on the outs with everyone else, right?
No. Guess Zeb forgot that was a plot point, because here comes almost every single character who has interacted with Peter in the last fifteen years to celebrate Peter's birthday at a surprise party for him. Every single character except Randy - who I guess is good enough to pay for Peter's apartment but not good enough to invite to his birthday party at his own father Robbie's workplace - Norman Osborn, and Mary Jane Watson. But we do get see characters so forgettable I can't remember their names from Slott's run and the BND days because those are the characters readers demand to catch up with in an anniversary issue. *sigh* *double sigh*
So all these characters go to his party, but they are still angry with him because he arrives on time. It’s supposed to be funny but it only comes across as petty. People, it's his birthday! Jonah is the one who is late, be mad at Jonah. This is only the first instance in which the unfunny humor will be heavily forced.
Liz is a bitch to Peter, which makes you wonder why she is even there. She’s a CEO, she has important things to do. And they do not discuss Harry, who died at the end of Nick Spencer's run. Peter does talk to Flash. Now, when Peter last saw Flash, Flash was dying because he sacrificed his life to save Peter's loved ones, and he learned Peter's secret in a touching deathbed scene. Here? An incredibly tepid "Hey Flash glad you're alive" while Flash treats Peter as if he's still Puny Parker.
The worst characterization is saved for Bobbi Morse, who shows up only so Felicia Hardy can be turned into a grade A clingy girlfriend cliche. Like what the hell, Wells?! Felicia and Peter have long agreed they work best as friends who love each other as friends, Felicia gave him a great - and respectful of the pain he was in - pep talk in the last issue - and now she's Catty McCatfight Jealous Ragey Bitchface?!
The party picks up when Jonah arrives, courtesy of being taken for a joy ride by Doc Ock's mechanical arms. The festival of forced humor mixed with misogyny continues as Wells apparently believes making Felicia and Bobbi, two highly competent street fighters, into bimbos who miss and punch Jonah instead is hee hee hee yuk yuk yuk funny. Only Homer Simpson agrees. And if that's not cringe enough, it's followed by Felicia intimidating Bobbi over which one of them is Peter's bodyguard.
Bobbi's and Felicia's fight leads to Jonah and arms being punched through the wall - "women, am I right?" you can hear Wells chortle as he wrote the scene. Peter somehow finds time and a safe space to change out of his Dwight Shrute cosplay mustard-colored short-sleeved shirt and into his longsleeved blues and reds in time to help save Jonah. A lot of pages are wasted on this scene. But then, this is a 72 page main story that could have easily been told in a regular sized issue. To call it extra padded is being nice.
Yadda yadda, flip pages - oh. The arms let Jonah go and attach themselves to Peter. Flip a few more unnecessary pages - okay, Peter finally figures out the arms are Lassie and Ock is in a well. He follows the arms to a mysterious warehouse - it's now night with a moon high up in the sky when just a few pages before it was bright gold day - where he encounters the Living Brain, last seen in a Slott issue (see, this issue just REEKS of Slott). But wait! What dangers lurk in the shadows! It's the...dum dum dum...SINISTER Adaptoid, with all the powers of the Sinister Six!
So, in the Tombstone arc, Tombstone was moving costume paraphenalia belonging to the Sinister Six. I suppose I can be forgiven for thinking that might play into the reveal of who is behind the adaptoid, but BZZZZ! Wrong! That had nothing to do with this story. I guess Electro and Mysterio, et al, are just super careless and leave their costumes and accessories just strewn all over Manhattan for crime bosses to pick up and sell. How convenient and thoughtful of them.
The entity behind the adaptoid is the new Living Brain, which is, like, a ginormous living brain. It created an avatar that can absorb people as input (no, I have no idea how an avatar being puppeted from afar by a huge green brain can do such a thing nor how the avatar absorbing people then feeds the brain from afar, it's so incredibly stupid even for comic books I can't believe I am typing this). The avatar captured the Sinister Six by...who the hell knows...and imprisoned them to create the adaptoid to then fight Spider-Man to death because the Living Brain feels that if cannot answer the question "Who is Spider-Man?" - the original question asked of the original Living Brain - then it is "damned, condemned."
So while Spider-Man is fighting the adaptoid, the avatar kidnaps the motley crew of Felicia, Flash, May, Anna Maria, a pregnant Betty in her sixth trimester, and Robbie. The avatar then monologues pages of exposition giving its backstory...my eyes are glazing over, more unnecessary page filler....oh, here we go, back to the story, and says he kidnapped Spider-Man's loved ones to learn the answer to his question.
They all dissemble and won't give up Spider-Man's identity. Anna Maria is far more interested in knowing if Doc Ock is alive because a gal has to have her backup plan even if he is a middle aged genocidal mass murderer with a bowl haircut who committeed rape by deception by sleeping with her while pretending to be a hot twenty-something journalist/scientist/CEO. Hey Zeb, you can tell us, we won't spill your secret, you had Dan Slott script this, didn't you?
So, the Living Brain is supposed to be, well, a brain. As in smart. Logical. Rational. Yet the literal brainiac couldn't deduce the one person this group all has in common - like maybe the guy whose party it was you crashed to kidnap them in the first place?
Also, let's rewind. The avatar can absorb people for input. Absorb. People. For. Input. But you're telling me the Living Brain is so desperate to know "who is Spider-Man" but it DOESN'T just absorb Spider-Man's friends?! Wouldn't that, like, solve the question? Couldn't the Living Brain have absorbed Doc Ock and learned the answer eons ago?
God, this issue was tedious.
The adaptoid then throws a beaten Spider-Man into the room with the kidnapped guests.
Okay. Let's recap again. Needs to know answer or it will be condemned...absorbs people for input...comatose Spider-Man...oh, and Felicia's and Flash's powers are neutralized.
Why the fuck doesn't the avatar just absorb Spider-Man while he is comatose if ansering the question is all that is driving him!?!?!?
But no, we get more lame dialogue in which the characters are reset to their most basic Silver Age default archetype, and suddenly, oh noes, Spider-Man is AWAKE!!! The Living Brain freaks out!!!!! (no seriously we get a meme-worthy panel of the Living Brian avatar screaming "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!") because it turns out he's afraid of Spider-Man thanks to Spider-Man defeating his predecessor.
And yet didn’t absorb him while the man he’s most afraid of was just lying there, unconscious. I’m declaring a moratorium on comic book writers using hyperintelligent characters unless the comic book writers can prove they can pass a college freshman class in logic.
Cue adaptoid fight round two, while Felicia and Flash get the others to safety. Seriously, I am so bored typing this recap. The Ock arms help out and lead Spidey to where the Sinister Six are being held. They, too, have all been reverted to their Silver Age basic archetypes and speak in Bombastic Villian Declamations like the cartoon characters they are (no, seriously, Zeb, Dan wrote this, right?). Yadda yadda yadda, Spidey teams up with them to take down the adaptoid, which is tricked into fighting itself just like the robot in The Incredibles by triggering all the adaptoid's competing egos of the Sinister Six, then the real life Sinister Six bicker amongst themselves only to come out of it by focusing on Spidey as their common enemy, then they switch their focus to destroying the Living Brain, and when Spidey says no, they have to go through him to get to the Living Brain, the Living Brain decides the answer to his question is Spider-Man is a good guy and he magicks the Sinister Six back to wherever he found them. Spidey then unplugs the Living Brain (and without making a backup first, that's not computer best practices, Petey-pie) (as Felicia calls him) (gag).
Guys: it turns out the real treasure was the friends we made along the way. Or something like that. Yeah, Spidey is a stand up guy, who knew. Not the reader, who STILL doesn't know what the fuck Peter did six months ago or why Mary Jane is acting like a Stepford Wife with clone children because Zeb Wells thought it more important to tell this incredibly padded story over 72 pages about the magic of being kind to others.
Oh, but lucky Spidey does strike gold because when Felicia Hardy shows up - she apparently had to go home and change into her costume because I guess she didn't want to ruin her party dress by joining the fight earlier. Gotta love Felicia for having her priorities straight. And at least Felicia does show up, Flash apparently decided it was more important to go beat up on some high school kids because he’s been reverted to his Silver Age persona.
And anyway, it turns out the only reason why Wells wrote Felicia to be there is so she can be a present for his birthday, because why stop the sexist representation of women now? Apparently his boy scout loyalty turns her on so she goes full on tonsil hockey in the alley. Oh, and Felicia will take the Living Brain to her gang because allowing your larcenous ex-/maybe current girlfriend and her gang of thieves to have a supercomputer that knows your secret identity is super smart, but that's Peter Parker, supposed boy genius, for ya.
Felicia is not the only one whose gears are greased by the paragon of heroism that is Peter Parker. Doc Ock's arms were apparently left behind when Ock was magicked away and the arms are a bit of a Peeping Tom. One erectly watches Peter and Felicia kiss while little cartoon hearts fly around its "head."
The end. Thankfully, because there's only so much shitty writing one can recap.
The art is fine, if cartoony to match the prose and relying on splash pages and big panels just to eat the page count. People complained about the multiple inkers but it didn't bother me, probably because I was so bored with the story I flipped pages as fast as I could to get this issue over with.
The backups are an ad for the NYPL, which is a good reminder to get your library card, everyone, libraries are cool, even if the humor relies on Fifty Shades of Grey jokes. Maybe use that library card to find more current references. Then there's a harmless Silver Age joke by Slott, and a completely superfluous and unnecessary attempt to win internal brownie points for engaging in Disney synergy and to maybe get free publicity from Jimmy Kimmel.
The entire issue is almost 90 pages long and there is not a single sighting, mention or reference to Mary Jane Watson. Not a one. Not even a cameo on the street watching the Jonah octoarms battle. Not even a reference when Mysterio and Peter meet up in LA, even though Mary Jane starred in Mysterio's movie.
But every single female character who is in the issue was given a sexist makeover. Every female character's thoughts revolved around the men in their lives and they did not have a single other care in their pretty little empty heads, even Aunt May was only there to prop up Peter, even Liz the bitch could only speak about Jonah, of all people. It’s good MJ escaped the misogyny. But bad overall.
September 2, 2024
why is Jimmy Kimmel cannon to the marvel universe
January 19, 2023
Way to kill any momentum in this series by volume 2. I think there's less than a third of the book continuing the main narrative. The rest are a bunch of vignettes and what is, at best a mediocre annual story that felt aimed at a very young audience and somewhat at odds with this series so far. It's basically the kind of stock material publishers used to keep for when deadlines were slipping and really has no place in this collection. It should have been a separate optional volume where readers could have chosen whether they wanted the filler material. What we get is the worst option where you are stuck having to buy the volume for the handful of issues relating to the ongoing story which is essentially the vulture tale and Norman Osborne segments.
A positive? The artwork is excellent throughout even for the filler material so it is at least nice to look at
A positive? The artwork is excellent throughout even for the filler material so it is at least nice to look at
May 18, 2023
Peter’s birthday party is interrupted by Doc Ock…’s robot arms. But where’s the Doc? And when Adrian Toomes’ granddaughter finds out about her granddad’s supervillain past and disowns him, he suspects Spidey’s involvement - and the Vulture sets out to get revenge.
The second book in Zeb Wells’ Amazing Spider-Man run is light on the more layered and substantial content that made the first book stand out and a tad heavy on the action but it’s a decent entry in the series.
It’s mostly taken up by the bumper 86 page Amazing Spider-Man #6 (or #900 in the overall numbering) which reveals the mysterious figure holding Doc Ock hostage in the first book. It’s not a bad story but it feels a bit stretched out to make the page length - it’s basically one long action sequence featuring the Sinister Six. I like that the villain is not entirely villainous - that ambiguity in the characterisation is something I’m noticing about Wells’ writing generally in this series and it’s a really good feature - and Ed McGuinness’ art is as solid as ever. It’s a fine story for this celebratory issue.
Also included are some shorts where Peter returns some old library books, Spidey meets Jimmy Kimmel and something about prom, all of which were forgettable additions.
The book improves noticeably once Wells and John Romita Jr get back to the regular-sized issues. The Vulture storyline has the same problem that 99.9% of superhero stories have, which is that rather than talking to someone about a misunderstanding, they launch straight into fighting and only later figure out that they didn’t need to. At least the comic references this trope so it's aware of what it's doing.
That said, the Spidey/Vulture fight was the most intense and compelling fight sequence I’ve read in some time. Vulture goes hard and the action is varied and entertaining the whole time - you really get to see what a threat Toomes can be when he wants. And of course JRJR’s art helps put that across on every page - top work from this artist again. There’s an interesting development with Peter’s professional life as he decides to go into business with Norman Osborn and a new Goblin-inspired Spidey outfit is debuted.
Amazing Spider-Man, Volume 2: The New Sinister is a bit much on the action front for my taste but when it’s good, it’s really good, and the art in general can’t be faulted - a fine follow-up overall. Now that the 900th issue and its accompanying bells and whistles have been acknowledged, hopefully we’ll get back to the more nuanced storytelling in the next one that made the first book so strong.
The second book in Zeb Wells’ Amazing Spider-Man run is light on the more layered and substantial content that made the first book stand out and a tad heavy on the action but it’s a decent entry in the series.
It’s mostly taken up by the bumper 86 page Amazing Spider-Man #6 (or #900 in the overall numbering) which reveals the mysterious figure holding Doc Ock hostage in the first book. It’s not a bad story but it feels a bit stretched out to make the page length - it’s basically one long action sequence featuring the Sinister Six. I like that the villain is not entirely villainous - that ambiguity in the characterisation is something I’m noticing about Wells’ writing generally in this series and it’s a really good feature - and Ed McGuinness’ art is as solid as ever. It’s a fine story for this celebratory issue.
Also included are some shorts where Peter returns some old library books, Spidey meets Jimmy Kimmel and something about prom, all of which were forgettable additions.
The book improves noticeably once Wells and John Romita Jr get back to the regular-sized issues. The Vulture storyline has the same problem that 99.9% of superhero stories have, which is that rather than talking to someone about a misunderstanding, they launch straight into fighting and only later figure out that they didn’t need to. At least the comic references this trope so it's aware of what it's doing.
That said, the Spidey/Vulture fight was the most intense and compelling fight sequence I’ve read in some time. Vulture goes hard and the action is varied and entertaining the whole time - you really get to see what a threat Toomes can be when he wants. And of course JRJR’s art helps put that across on every page - top work from this artist again. There’s an interesting development with Peter’s professional life as he decides to go into business with Norman Osborn and a new Goblin-inspired Spidey outfit is debuted.
Amazing Spider-Man, Volume 2: The New Sinister is a bit much on the action front for my taste but when it’s good, it’s really good, and the art in general can’t be faulted - a fine follow-up overall. Now that the 900th issue and its accompanying bells and whistles have been acknowledged, hopefully we’ll get back to the more nuanced storytelling in the next one that made the first book so strong.
June 27, 2023
Not as bad as the first volume, but still pretty horrible.
The giant sized anniversary issue (which is #6 of this run but #900 overall) involved Peters birthday where everyone acts out of character. Especially Flash Thompson. This is the first time Flash and Peter have interacted since Flash came back to life, and its just Flash reverting to his bully persona and Peter making jokes. The party is interrupted by Doctor Octopus's arms, which now act like a pet dog, and its asking for Peters help to free its master.
The big bad is the Living Brain, which is now an actual giant brain because reasons. The Brian has become obsessed with finding out who Spider-Man really is due to that being the question it was created for waaay back in Amazing Spider-Man (1962) #8. As it turns out, it's evolved to not want to know Spider-Man's identity anymore, but instead it wants to know what makes him who he is. To this end, he has a Super Adaptoid containing the powers of the Sinister Six battle Spider-Man (the actual Sinister Six are prisoners of the Living Brain). No MJ in the anniversary issue, but considering how Zeb Wells is writing her, that's probably a good thing.
The anniversary issue seems non-sensical, rushed, and the dialogue is way off. After this, there is a 2 issue story where the Vulture is once again looking to kill Spider-Man. To help battle the Vulture, Peter's new best friend, Norman Osborn, creates a new Spider-Man suit complete with goblin gadgets. I couldn't forgive and befriend a man who murdered my first love and then my unborn child, but maybe that's just me.
Throughout this book, there is a new romance with Spider-Man getting back together with the Black Cat. The mystery from volume 1 surrounding what Peter did that got everyone mad with him seems to be forgotten in this volume. We get a brief scene with the infuriating storyline with Mary Jane and Paul, but thankfully its short and they are barely in this volume. All in all, a very generous 2 stars.
The giant sized anniversary issue (which is #6 of this run but #900 overall) involved Peters birthday where everyone acts out of character. Especially Flash Thompson. This is the first time Flash and Peter have interacted since Flash came back to life, and its just Flash reverting to his bully persona and Peter making jokes. The party is interrupted by Doctor Octopus's arms, which now act like a pet dog, and its asking for Peters help to free its master.
The big bad is the Living Brain, which is now an actual giant brain because reasons. The Brian has become obsessed with finding out who Spider-Man really is due to that being the question it was created for waaay back in Amazing Spider-Man (1962) #8. As it turns out, it's evolved to not want to know Spider-Man's identity anymore, but instead it wants to know what makes him who he is. To this end, he has a Super Adaptoid containing the powers of the Sinister Six battle Spider-Man (the actual Sinister Six are prisoners of the Living Brain). No MJ in the anniversary issue, but considering how Zeb Wells is writing her, that's probably a good thing.
The anniversary issue seems non-sensical, rushed, and the dialogue is way off. After this, there is a 2 issue story where the Vulture is once again looking to kill Spider-Man. To help battle the Vulture, Peter's new best friend, Norman Osborn, creates a new Spider-Man suit complete with goblin gadgets. I couldn't forgive and befriend a man who murdered my first love and then my unborn child, but maybe that's just me.
Throughout this book, there is a new romance with Spider-Man getting back together with the Black Cat. The mystery from volume 1 surrounding what Peter did that got everyone mad with him seems to be forgotten in this volume. We get a brief scene with the infuriating storyline with Mary Jane and Paul, but thankfully its short and they are barely in this volume. All in all, a very generous 2 stars.
August 15, 2024
"I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I'M CURRENTLY ENEMIES WITH SPIDER-MAN. I WAS A BEACH A COUPLE MONTHS AGO..."
- Flint "Sandman" Marko clearly had more fun as a beach than I did reading this book.
EVERYBODY STILL HATES PETER! (except for doc Ock's mechanical arms)
Seeing The Living Brain lifted out of a landfill was actually a cool opener to this story. However, inevitable disappointment followed. "The new Living Brain looks nothing like Brainiac," said no one who read this story.
This entire volume felt like a botched school paper. Like somebody who wanted to write about Mexico. Visited dozens of times, family from Mexico, speaks Spanish, studied Mexican history, but the teacher gave them Iceland. That's how this feels. Like they had their heart set on one thing but git something else, so they just faked 5#!+ out of it.
McGuinness' art was a fresh departure from JRJ, not that I dislike Romita's work AT ALL. Mixing it up now and again keeps the reader on their toes. The guest artists packed in their few pages with plenty of good stuff.
The dialog was so awkward. Even clunky. Sometimes, it didn't even fit the illustration. OR the word choice looked like it's from a non-native speaker. Makes an already hard-to-read story even more so. If there were any jokes, spidey's signature one-liners, they fell so flat they're unrecognizable as humor. Except for the Jimmy Kimmel bit. Those jokes landed... like a helicopter full of bricks, piloted by a family of possums.
It's still just "okay." I can't give it more than two stars.
- Flint "Sandman" Marko clearly had more fun as a beach than I did reading this book.
EVERYBODY STILL HATES PETER! (except for doc Ock's mechanical arms)
Seeing The Living Brain lifted out of a landfill was actually a cool opener to this story. However, inevitable disappointment followed. "The new Living Brain looks nothing like Brainiac," said no one who read this story.
This entire volume felt like a botched school paper. Like somebody who wanted to write about Mexico. Visited dozens of times, family from Mexico, speaks Spanish, studied Mexican history, but the teacher gave them Iceland. That's how this feels. Like they had their heart set on one thing but git something else, so they just faked 5#!+ out of it.
McGuinness' art was a fresh departure from JRJ, not that I dislike Romita's work AT ALL. Mixing it up now and again keeps the reader on their toes. The guest artists packed in their few pages with plenty of good stuff.
The dialog was so awkward. Even clunky. Sometimes, it didn't even fit the illustration. OR the word choice looked like it's from a non-native speaker. Makes an already hard-to-read story even more so. If there were any jokes, spidey's signature one-liners, they fell so flat they're unrecognizable as humor. Except for the Jimmy Kimmel bit. Those jokes landed... like a helicopter full of bricks, piloted by a family of possums.
It's still just "okay." I can't give it more than two stars.
August 31, 2025
1.5 stars. This story is all over the place. First, there's a party with a bunch of characters from Parker Industries whom haven't been seen since Slott's run, but no one from Spencer's run. Second, in Volume 1, all of Peter's friends were pissed at him, b/c he basically ghosted them (for reasons I'm still unclear on, see * below). Yet people he hasn't talked to in literal years are throwing him a Bday party. Third, Otto's arms are sentient now? Yet the evil super brain can't shut them off or keep them from escaping, so why do they need to get Peter? Couldn't the arms have found a way to break Otto (or Sandman/Electro for that matter) free of his restraints? Finally, if the new Living Brain knows Spidey's secret identity, why did it need to track Otto's arms to Pete's friends? If Evil Brain knows Peter's identity & have vast amounts of data on him, he could easily track down Aunt MAY et al w/o the arms' help.
* I've now read Vol 2 once & Vol. 1 twice (and maybe still missed something) and I'm so confused as to when this run is supposed to be occurring. Storyline wise, it feels like it's continuing from where Spencer left off. Yet, the character dev is all tied to Slott's run. And, the new plot is being revealed too slowly. Like, how much time passed between the Kindred finale and the start of this series? It seems like days to weeks, yet Mary Jane is married with 2 kids? Plus, what happened to her acting career/the blockbuster she shot (including her own mini series) with Mysterio?
* I've now read Vol 2 once & Vol. 1 twice (and maybe still missed something) and I'm so confused as to when this run is supposed to be occurring. Storyline wise, it feels like it's continuing from where Spencer left off. Yet, the character dev is all tied to Slott's run. And, the new plot is being revealed too slowly. Like, how much time passed between the Kindred finale and the start of this series? It seems like days to weeks, yet Mary Jane is married with 2 kids? Plus, what happened to her acting career/the blockbuster she shot (including her own mini series) with Mysterio?
January 30, 2023
WOW! This Volume was so good, I don't even care that they didn't answer any of my questions from the previous one. Action packed and with heart as well.
Highlights/Summaries:
Story 1: The Living Brain (I know this is an old Spider-Man villain and story, but I seem to remember it coming up on the 90's animated series, though not to this extent.) resurrects himself with one motive; "Who is Spider-Man?" Capturing the Sinister Six (Doc Ock, Vulture, Kraven, Mysterio, Sandman, and Electro), Brain uses a Super-Adaptoid to mesh their powers together and take Peter down. Though he does end up freeing the Sinister Six for team up, he ends up fighting against them when they want to kill the Living Brain. THIS is Spider-Man: a man who would give his life to protect anyone, even his enemies, because they can't protect themselves (or something along those lines). Peter shuts him down for his own good.
Story 2: One part Vulture wanting to kill Peter for turning his granddaughter against him, the other part learning to work with Norman Osborn against (after the Sin-Eater incident) him. Peter ends with a new job at Oscorp AND a new suit, which has a glider/jetpack and spider-bombs.
Explosive read! Can't wait to see what happens with these new developments. I really hope Peter can trust Norman this time...
Strong recommend.
Highlights/Summaries:
Story 1: The Living Brain (I know this is an old Spider-Man villain and story, but I seem to remember it coming up on the 90's animated series, though not to this extent.) resurrects himself with one motive; "Who is Spider-Man?" Capturing the Sinister Six (Doc Ock, Vulture, Kraven, Mysterio, Sandman, and Electro), Brain uses a Super-Adaptoid to mesh their powers together and take Peter down. Though he does end up freeing the Sinister Six for team up, he ends up fighting against them when they want to kill the Living Brain. THIS is Spider-Man: a man who would give his life to protect anyone, even his enemies, because they can't protect themselves (or something along those lines). Peter shuts him down for his own good.
Story 2: One part Vulture wanting to kill Peter for turning his granddaughter against him, the other part learning to work with Norman Osborn against (after the Sin-Eater incident) him. Peter ends with a new job at Oscorp AND a new suit, which has a glider/jetpack and spider-bombs.
Explosive read! Can't wait to see what happens with these new developments. I really hope Peter can trust Norman this time...
Strong recommend.
March 12, 2023
This run has been weird but this volume was pretty fun like that story with "Who is spider-man" and this living brain comes in and creates a Sinister adaptoid thus an android with the power of sinister six and captures them and also Spider-man's supporting cast and thus Spidey has to fight the robot and rescue them all meanwhile we get the answer to the above question and its quite fun, you get to see who Spidey is, a man who despite his bad luck will fight for others and do right and I love the answers by his supporting cast and shows why he has the best supporting cast, also that moment between Felicia and Bobbi was fun haha! And then the whole fight plays out well and the team up villains was so worth it! I loved that issue and a new/old love interest here!
Meanwhile the next arc is Vulture and I love why he fights Spidey and then new suits, new powers and everything for Peter here in a way and team up with Osborne too maybe?!
Its a volume which does well to embrace and give a tribute to the stories that have come before and setting up new love interest and status quo for Peter which is kinda exciting and like a breath of fresh air! But yeah knowing whats come till now, it may be not that good but hey I am an optimist so! As for the art its okay, and not JRJR's best work, but hoping it gets better!
Meanwhile the next arc is Vulture and I love why he fights Spidey and then new suits, new powers and everything for Peter here in a way and team up with Osborne too maybe?!
Its a volume which does well to embrace and give a tribute to the stories that have come before and setting up new love interest and status quo for Peter which is kinda exciting and like a breath of fresh air! But yeah knowing whats come till now, it may be not that good but hey I am an optimist so! As for the art its okay, and not JRJR's best work, but hoping it gets better!
November 18, 2023
I read this as individual issues.
Issue #6 - I thought this issue was a lot of fun to read. I keep seeing reviews of long time Spider-Man fans absolutely hating this run, but for someone like me who is relatively new to the character, I'm trying to just take it for what it is. The Living Brain was a neat character (villain?) and it was fun to see the Sinister Six battle with Spidey for a bit. Also, 900 issues for this title alone is an incredible run. Wow.
Issue #7 - Wow, there is some tension in this issue. First with Vulture's granddaughter walking out on him and Vulture swearing vengeance, then with Peter and Norman, and then Peter, Paul and MJ! Vulture really gives Spidey a run for his money at the end. Of all the comics I've been reading lately, this series feels like the most... fun. Just simple fun. Nothing too deep or dark or thought provoking. Just fun.
Issue #8 - A battle in the skies with Vulture
The battle with Vulture takes up a lot of this issue, and it's quite a fight. It leads to Spidey getting a glider and a new suit from Oscorp, both of which I'm digging. The tiny spider robots were a neat touch, too. All of this leads to Peter accepting a job with… Norman Osborn? Even a relatively new Spider-fan like me knows that's a big moment. Looking forward to more!
Issue #6 - I thought this issue was a lot of fun to read. I keep seeing reviews of long time Spider-Man fans absolutely hating this run, but for someone like me who is relatively new to the character, I'm trying to just take it for what it is. The Living Brain was a neat character (villain?) and it was fun to see the Sinister Six battle with Spidey for a bit. Also, 900 issues for this title alone is an incredible run. Wow.
Issue #7 - Wow, there is some tension in this issue. First with Vulture's granddaughter walking out on him and Vulture swearing vengeance, then with Peter and Norman, and then Peter, Paul and MJ! Vulture really gives Spidey a run for his money at the end. Of all the comics I've been reading lately, this series feels like the most... fun. Just simple fun. Nothing too deep or dark or thought provoking. Just fun.
Issue #8 - A battle in the skies with Vulture
The battle with Vulture takes up a lot of this issue, and it's quite a fight. It leads to Spidey getting a glider and a new suit from Oscorp, both of which I'm digging. The tiny spider robots were a neat touch, too. All of this leads to Peter accepting a job with… Norman Osborn? Even a relatively new Spider-fan like me knows that's a big moment. Looking forward to more!
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