What happened to Spider-Man? That is the question looking around the Marvel Universe. After encountering HELLGATE, Peter Parker was left as a broken shell. In the weeks of his absence, criminals are taking advantage. The Shocker and Tombstone have cashed in on the void. Everything was looking great until a familiar sound returned.
The Essentials!
Has Spider-Man become brutal and uncharacteristically cold after his encounter with Hellgate?
What does a darker Spider-Man mean for Peter Parker’s relationships and the larger Marvel Universe?
“Thwip”
The web slinger returned with an all new attitude. There’s nothing very friendly about this wall-crawler.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #10 by Joe Kelly, Michael Dowling, Marte Gracia, Erick Arciniega & Joe Caramagna bring forth an all brutal web-head to the masses.
Taking this review is The G.E.O. himself (Michael) and yours truly (Ken – N.I. Editor-in-Chief). Let’s see how this latest spider return goes!
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
LET’S TALK STORY!
Michael: You gotta love a comeback story, especially one that begins with a heartfelt, family flashback.
But even with the memories of Peter’s childhood kicking things off, this is NOT the Spider-Man of old. This one has taken the gloves off and isn’t pulling punches anymore.
He’s not afraid of anything anymore and he might be running head first into a problem if he doesn’t pull back just a bit.
READ LAST ISSUE’S REVIEW!
Ken: Kelly poses a very puzzling picture to the readers with this chapter. Seeing a more vicious side of Spidey emerge causes a polarizing reaction. This is very clear in the fight with Shocker’s team. Readers watch as Spidey unloads a brutal message. This carries through to his alter ego. No more Mr. Nice Guy. Welcome to a cold Peter Parker.
This new persona become clear when dealing with Tombstone. The dialogue indicates a rash change in Parker. How he carries himself doesn’t seem to fit the norm. Kelly’s writing weaves this attitude in his normal interactions as well. It eaves many questions for readers to decipher. Was there more to Hellgate than we think? In the immediate moment, Spidey serves up another message. This pushes towards a very startling end. It is a final page that will have fans very confused but invested on where this will all lead.
HOW ABOUT ART AND LETTERING?
Michael: Michael Dowling steps in as a guest artist here and continues the gritty feel of this Spider-Man run. Dowling compliments Romita well and even brings a similar style to the series, but obviously with his own stamp on the character.
With such an impactful story, it can be tough to compliment the writing with art that’s got the same gravitas. Dowling does that, especially later in the book when an old friend make an appearance.
Let’s be real, this Spidey is a little unhinged at the moment and the art depicts that perfectly.
Ken: Dowling steps in for art duties for this chapter. Spidey jumps into action with a great full page image. What starts out like a standard Spidey fight quickly amps up a few notches. Once the brutality comes out, it changes the mood of the book. This is very evident when dealing with Tombstone.
Peter’s body language never flinches. Even in the past, there has been instances where he sells the fear. Walking away smugly sets a tone. This aura pushes through the book. Once Shocker comes back for another round, he walks in with a solid near full image. readers may think events are back to normal. This is quickly thwarted.
Spidey does a very violent act. Watching a guest look in his eyes after is a strong panel. It tells the readers that someone isn’t underneath the mask. This jumps into the startling final page. The images there throw many ideas out to complete closing. It’s a great moment to leave fans wanting more on. The fallout looks to be very bright.
OVERALL GRADE: 9.3
Michael: 9.5/10 Well, that was one heck of an issue. The action, the new persona, the drama … all leads to an ending you’d never see coming. I’m not a big spoilers guy, but WTF, give em to me – I NEED to know what the heck is happening here?!?!
Ken: 9/10 Spider-Man is gone. Long live the Spider. Kelly’s writing keeps throwing curves to the readers on its’ direction. Dowling and the art team hone in on the new attitude of Peter Parker and its’ uncharted future. It’s a broken record at this stage but: Spider-Man is back Bay-Bay! CLICK HERE FOR MORE CONTENT FROM KEN
Let us know in the comments below your thoughts on Amazing Spider-Man #10. Thanks for reading!
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