Welcome back to modern life and the third issue of Joe Kelly’s Spider-Man run! 1963 was nice, except for Vulture’s Staten Island lair, of course.
Writer: Joe Kelly
Artists: Pepe Larraz, Marte Gracia
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Solicitation: PUMPKIN BOMB PROBLEMS! Past and present collide sending Spider-Man spinning OUT OF CONTROL — just when an old foe obsessed with him gets the sword-stabbing on Peter and his main squeeze, Shay Marken! Can the last remaining ally still in Spidey’s corner, the GREEN GOBLIN, Norman Osborn, cure Peter before his entire life implodes?!
First off, the cover. I grabbed the main cover issue by Marte Gracia, and it’s quite the piece with Spider-Man fighting the ephemeral in a sticky situation. The different hues of warm colors behind Spider-Man give the impression of an explosion out of focus. As a collector of “floppies” (single-issue comic books), the covers are a huge attraction compared to trade paperbacks and larger collected editions. However, the price savings from collected editions offer cost-conscious consumers access to the Marvel multiverse while looking great on bookshelves.
Spider-Man’s drug-induced hallucinations have not yet taken him out of the fight. Pepe Larraz gives us several action-packed spreads as Peter protects Shay and the Rhino from an assailant. It is increasingly clear from this issue that the writers seem focused on an elder Gen Z/ millennial audience, touching on therapy humor and experiences common to the younger generations. This stands in contrast to the current Ultimate Spider-Man run by John Hickman, where Peter Parker settled down with Mary Jane and had children before receiving the radioactive spider bite. A YouTube search for reviews on this series will show a plethora of creators lamenting how Amazing Spider-Man has gone downhill, with some valid criticisms. Decreasing sales provide evidence of some major consumer choice trends at hand. Simply, Peter Parker is not growing up with the increasingly aged crowd that you might find at the comic book shop every week. The most reactionary criticisms I have seen of this run of Amazing Spider-Man focus on Peter’s interracial relationship with Shay and the representation of contemporary dating culture. I would argue that an important way to attract new readers from younger generations is to make a character that readers can see themselves in. Peter Parker has always been relatable to a fault. A culturally WASP-y Peter Parker continuously breaking up with Mary Jane makes a less compelling narrative than introducing new love and life into his storyline. I appreciate both interpretations of Peter Parker quite well, though you may be advised to try out the Hickman run to see how married life treats Peter if the overtly progressive and youthful Peter is not for you. Age does wonders for the psyche.
As mentioned previously, I love this vibrant art style offered by Larraz and Gracia. The writing is beginning to connect more plot threads as we sail through towards the end of the first arc, and I remain excited to pick up the ASM run by Joe Kelly.
Rating: READ
