Review: Amazing Spider-Man #1
Another month and another pointless Marvel re-numbering. Voices of speculation will no doubt bang on about how the newness of a number 1 issue of one comic-doms most recognisable and bankable characters in Spider-Man will drive people into stores. Of course, starting books over is so common place nowadays that is there any real uniqueness left in the whole idea? Do people still just buy books because of a single digit? Really?
Amazing Spider-Man is practically a set up book, in which the status quo is once again set, ready for new writer Nick Spencer to chip away. Spencer took some flak for actually trying something new with Captain America, so there may be the assumption that he is a little gun-shy. Spencer goes for a little discrediting, yet it is not Spidey that is the main focus; Peter and the problems of once being superior, come back to haunt him.
Spencer goes someway to try to imbue the book with a level of humour that people may enjoy. For me, it was just a little bit to slapstick, a little bit to Marvel Cinema universe. It’s not that is not funny, I did smile early in the book, but the constant funnies just ended up being to wearing. The ramifications of Peter’s non fraud do engender a couple of surprises, one being that Aunt May is still alive? Surely, she must have an Infinity Stone in an old Uncle Ben necklace! Spencer does work to give something back to the Spider-Man mythos, which was probably the only real surprise and welcome addition. I do worry as too how long this will last.
Ryan Otley’s art is spidery enough to warrant being on the book. Elbows and knees are utilized to give Spidey the type of look that we expect. There is a touch of McFarlane to the eyes on the costume, which I have to say I didn’t mind. Otley remains on brand for Peter and a few of the cast. However, I am glad that Spencer let me know that was Randy Robertson and that was Peter Quill, which are both examples of how the art differs from that which went before. I didn’t mind the art although it did feel like that there was too much in your face stuff happening. The colors by Laura Martin work well within the remit of what a Marvel book needs to look like. nowadays.
Ironically, the book is hitting stores not to long after the news of the death of Spider-Man’s co-creator Steve Ditko had been announced. As I have said before, as kid, I didn’t realize the genius of Ditko at the time, having it pointed out to me by my father. Spider-Man has had many a good run, with top notch creators taking up the webs. Have any been up to the magic of Ditko? That is a matter of opinion and it is unfair to lay that question on this newest of reiterations. Instead, enjoy the book for what it is, a chance to start again, to get back to basics and to rebuild on that which was once lost.
Writing 3 Stars
Art – 3 Stars
Colors – 3.5 Stars
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Written by; Nick Spencer
Art by; Ryan Otley with Cliff Rathburn
Colors by; Laura Martin
Published by; Marvel Worldwide Inc.
Author Profile
- I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow
Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network
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