Peter is still wrestling with the news of a cousin that he never knew existed. On top of that, said cousin knows his secret identity of Spider-Man. What will life be like now that this new family member has made his way into Aunt May’s life…?
Creative Team
Joe Kelly (Writer), Ed McGuinness (Artist), Mark Farmer (Inker), Marcio Menyz (Colorist),
VC’s Joe Caramagna (Letterer)
Jay Bowen (Designer), Kaitlyn Lindtvedt (Assistant Editor), Tom Groneman (Associate Editor), Nick Lowe (Editor), C.B. Cebulski (Editor-in-Chief)
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Family Tension
Issue thirty-three of The Amazing Spider-Man (ASM) continues the story of a newly discovered cousin (Cormac), the child of Aunt May and Uncle Ben that seemingly never was. But there is still a lot that is left to the unknown in terms of Cormac. There are too many factors at play with him waltzing into Aunt May’s life, and the timing is not so pleasant for Peter. Being the only “child” that Aunt May raised because of the death of his parents, Peter is hit with all kinds of feelings about his new cousin.
Peter is still working at fixing the relationships that diminished when he was off planet while his clone (Ben Riley) was filling in. One of the most important relationships that needs fixing is the one with Aunt May. But this is nothing new to the Spider-Man storyline. Let’s face it, Peter is not the best “son” towards Aunt May. Does he try? Of course.
Within this issue readers will see the turmoil within Peter as he witnesses Aunt May and Cormac (her biological son) get closer as Peter fades into the shadows. This is very evident within the first couple pages of this issue. Peter witnesses the staggering lengths that Cormac is willing to go to “earn” the beginning stages of affection from Aunt May. Readers will see an even larger sentiment from Cormac later on in the issue.
This arc of ASM is a bit on the emotional side, but not without some amazing action scenes. This issue shows off some swinging action with the covers. Spider-Man takes on a familiar foe while getting some help from New York’s new task force. This is somewhat welcoming to Spider-Man, especially after the leader of the task force gives praise to Spider-Man for all that he has done for the city. Going as far as to claim that Spider-Man has done more for New York than the Avengers!
The Writing
Joe Kelly’s writing of this new family dynamic really makes you feel two different emotions. You feel remorse for Peter as well as a feeling of “you deserve this.” The writing of Cormac gives off very different emotions than Peter’s. Readers will get a sense of “awe how sweet” with a little mixture of “what is he up to?” Which adds to the ever-building tension between Peter and Cormac. The dialogue and narration provide sorrow, surprise, joy and edification. All of those combined makes this a very entertaining read!
The Artwork
The art from Ed McGuinness, Mark Farmer and Marcio Menyz brings out the best and worst of Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Yes, the writing tells the story, but it is the art that portrays the story! The amazing pencilwork captures the emotional baggage that Peter is carrying when he sees Conrad mingling with Aunt May. While also seeing a somber joy come off of Spider-Man when he receives a compliment from an officer. The coloration does an amazing job of capturing the tone of the various sections of this story. Darker tones fill the panels when Peter is feeling down. While brighter vibrant colors take center stage during the pages featuring Spider-Man doing Spidey things! Astonishing job!
Variant Covers
Final Thoughts
Joe continues to play with readers’ emotions with each new issue release of this series. Providing amazing plot with great character development throughout all of the characters. The art work continues to be stunning giving the writing of this story life. I highly recommend this series and issue to Spider-Man fans who enjoy seeing a more vulnerable side to Peter. Get your copy of The Amazing Spider-Man today!
Overall Grade: 10/10
Links
Comic Book Reviews & Entertainment News: Nerd Initiative
Previous ASM Review: The Amazing Spider-Man #32 – Coping Skills
Travis’ NI Portfolio: TravisComicHaven – Nerd Initiative
Travis’ Personal Content: Travis’ Comic Haven
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