Creative Team:
Writer: Joe Kelly Penciller: Pepe Larraz, John Romita Jr.
Tanner here, back with a look at the second issue of The Amazing Spider-Man (2025), which is issue #966 in legacy numbering, covering the total series since 1963. I got the Paolo Rivera cover variant featuring our friendly neighborhood superhero with a beautiful backdrop of Earth-616’s New York City skyline. Peter is not focused on the view, of course, because his Spider-sense is tingling! I’m excited to add this issue to my collection and pick up with Peter’s return to employment.
We discover Peter is a victim of a plot that seems to bear little consequences to the story (so far), and I do not yet see how this issue adds to the overall storytelling beyond connecting events and making editorial references to previous runs. I dislike these editorial quips in off-colored text boxes due to accessibility, almost assuming access to Marvel Unlimited, the subscription-based comic reader app. While it is an easy solution to read the references, not all newcomers will be inclined. Nick Spencer’s run, again, seems to be the intended modern starting point. Still, I will give Joe Kelly his deserved chance to craft his first story arc, and he has shown a deep understanding of what makes Spider-Man a deeply beloved character.
However, this issue truly showcases great art and visual storytelling by Pepe Larraz and John Romita Jr. Action shots featuring a spiked Spider-Man fending off a mob of villains manages also to encapsulate his altered state of mind and the passage of time in a cohesive form, allowing insight into the deluge of Peter Parker’s mental state. The art in this book cannot be understated, providing rich visual storytelling if you prefer comic books with less dialogue and more visual expression. While this issue lacks a central villain or much action to gaze at, we are introduced to a long-time Spidey villain from Joe Kelly’s previous engagements with the character that seems important to the current story arc. Longtime Spider-Man fans might know what this entails, but I remain ignorant and excited.
Overall, the writing in this issue suggests merit as content to be read, but featuring no major narrative or thematic high points to classify it as a “KEEP” for most comic book readers. Pepe Larraz’s art remains a high-selling point for this series, so I look forward to the next issue. However, for those readers who dislike “floppies” (single-issue comics) and prefer to store them on a bookshelf, the trade paperback covering the first story arc will be released in December 2025 and will be significantly cheaper to collect.
Rating: READ
