Tag Archives: Nick Spencer

Amazing Spider-Man #64 Review

21 Wednesday Apr 2021

Posted by in All, Marvel Comics

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The Amazing Spider-Man #64 Review

Review by Paul Bowler

The Amazing Spider-Man #64 finds Tombstone and Robbie Robertson at loggerheads yet again and Spider-Man’s life is getting trashed in the crossfire as a result! Mind you with Pete and his roommate Fred Myers (AKA. Reformed super villain  Boomerang), teaming up with Spidey to keep the pieces of the all-powerful Lifeline tablet out of the Kingpin’s clutches, and Peter’s other roommate Randy Robertson dating Tombstone’s daughter, Janice Lincoln (the Beetle), its little wonder Spider-Man’s life is a tad chaotic right now!

Nick Spencer continues to steer the series back towards a more scattershot, back-to-basics and fun approach to Spider-Man’s world that was so indicative of the early stages of his run. The first half of “King’s Ransom Part Two” is a frenetically paced blend of recap and cliff-hanger fallout after Madame Masque and Crime Master ambushed Randy and Janice back at Pete’s apartment — which was interrupted when Peter and Fred suddenly returned home. The ensuing fight details how Spider-Man managed to enter the fray — with Peter cleverly managing to protect his secret identity — while safely sidelining Fred but also failing to prevent Randy and Janice being kidnapped. 

Amazing Spider-Man #64 features slick artwork from Federico Vicentini, with Alex Sinclair on colors and lettering by Joe Caramagna. The pace of the action hardly lets up for a moment. Every page is dynamically structured, vibrantly illustrated and accentuated with a striking  pallet of color. Spidey’s battle with Madame Masque and Crime Master in the apartment offers further insight into the abilities of Spider-Man’s new high-tech suit (courtesy of JJJ’s Threats & Menaces podcast). The suit enhances Spider-Man’s strength, agility, web shooters, and also enables TNM’s subscribers to livestream Spidey’s adventures — at his discretion of course — and this quirky modern twist on Peter’s old job selling photos of Spidey to the Bugle has boosted Spider-Man popularity in NYC (much to the Kingpin’s annoyance) and sent JJJ’s channel subscribers though the roof!  I quite like the new costume, although I’m not overly fond of the Social Media slant to it all that much. Mark Bagley’s cover impressively showcases the current story line, however, it features Spidey in his classic suit, which seems a bit strange given all the time Marvel spent building hype about the new suit — guess this cover was commissioned before the new suit was revealed or decide on? 

The one thing I’ve really like about Spencer’s time on Spider-Man is the humour peppered throughout the dialogue and the fun dynamic between all the characters and situations they stumble into. This issue is no exception to that rule. The bromance between Peter and Fred has  also been a real highlight, and there are some especially moving moments this issue as Fred decides to take matters into his own hands against the Kingpin’s plans. Given all the years of bad blood between them, having Robbie and Tombstone set aide their differences — for now anyway — also leads to some fun hijinks as they try to track down Randy and Janice – as for the happy couple, well, as you’d expect there’re still bickering like crazy and testing their captors patience to the limit!

If all that wasn’t enough we also have the Kingpin’s scheme to assemble villains to send against Boomerang and Spider-Man, along with sinister machinations involving Kindred and Baron Mordo behind the scenes, and an ominous hint towards the Sinister War that’s coming in July thrown into the mix as well. While this issues not the best jumping on point, it does bring a lot of longstanding plot threads together, and sets up some intriguing possibilities. If you’ve stuck with Spencer’s run this long you’ll find plenty to enjoy here, while newcomers will find Amazing Spider-Man #64 crams in a hell of a lot but still manages to be a fun and enjoyable — if somewhat overwhelming — read nevertheless.

Publisher Marvel Comics

Writer Nick Spencer / Artist Federico Vicentini

Colorist Alex Sinclair / Lettere VC’s Joe Caramanga

Cover Mark Bagley, John Dell, and Edgar Delgado

About The Author

Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook

Amazing Spider-Man #55 Review

30 Wednesday Dec 2020

Posted by in All, Marvel Comics

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The Amazing Spider-Man #55

Review by Paul Bowler.

Last Remains concludes in Amazing Spider-Man #55 with an epic showdown between Spider-Man and Kindred! Its a battle that will shake Peter Parker’s world to the core, but the fallout from Kindred’s diabolical scheme could prove even more devastating for Spider-Man and those he loves…

So, after lurking in the shadows for nearly two yeasr, Kindred’s identity was finally revealed as none other than Norman Osborn’s son, and Peter’s old friend, Harry Osborne! After tormenting his old pal for what Harry perceived as Peter “sins,” namely his inability to stop Norman from causing chaos as the Green Goblin throughout their lives, Kindred beat Spider-Man to a bloody pulp, killing and reviving him over and over until restoring Peter’s life one last time to reveal the endgame of his grand plan — and to Peter’s horror it involves Mary Jane!

Writer Nick Spencer brings the chilling Last Remains storyline to a nerve jangling finale  with Amazing Spider-Man #55 as the final battle unfolds in the crypt at the Osborne family cemetery. Spider-Man’s Spider-Friends, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Woman, Spider-Girl, Miles Morales, and Madame Web have also been captured by Kindred, and Peter can now only watch helplessly as Mary Jane is  inexorably drawn into Kindred’s ghoulish web of vengeance. Events are brought to a cataclysmic head as Peter and Harry’s lifelong friendship is put under the microscope, uncomfortable home truths are finally aired over a grisly last supper, and old wounds get reopened with devastating results for all concerned.

I’ve really enjoyed the work of artist Patrick Gleason and colorist Edgar Delgado on this series and they’ve done a terrific job with this issue as well. Gleason’s art perfectly captures the grim tone of this story. Every page resonates with atmosphere and menace as Kindred’s dark schemes are given centre stage, with dynamic page layouts stylishly conveying the brutal action scenes, while Edgar Delgado’s masterful use of tone and shade accentuates the brooding air of dread, and the tense filled final moments are all brilliantly rendered in such a way that you almost  feel  a part the plight which Peter faces.

The ingenious way that Spencer throws a curveball move from some old foes as well as MJ into the mix for this final chapter of Last Remains is brilliantly done. Rounding everything off with an edge-of-your-seat cliffhanger was also a bold move — especially considering the revelations in this issue — and no doubt this storyline could well have wide reaching ramifications for the wall crawlers future. All in all, after a bit of lull during the recent glut of Marvel’s big comic book events and crossovers, I think Last Remains has really set Nick Spencer’s run on Amazing Spider-Man back on track. I’ve throughly enjoyed it and consider it one of the best comic storylines I’ve read in 2020.

While we await what’s in store for Spider-Man in the aftermath of Last Remains, Marvel have also given fans their first look at Spider-Man’s all new costume that Spidey will wear beginning with March’s Amazing Spider-Man #62 by Nick Spencer and Patrick Gleason and Aprils Amazing Spider-Man #63 — the costume is designed by Dustin Weaver, who also illustrates the variant covers for Amazing Spider-Man #62-#63 and was a collaborative effort with Spencer and Gleason. The new costume has a distinctly sleek, high-tech look to it, and I have a feeling it will be something fans will either love or hate. Personally I don’t mind it, I think its ok, I like the Spider-Noir style eyes, and the color scheme, though somewhat quirky, oddly seems to suit Spider-Man quite well.

Well, there we have it. My final review for 2020, and what a year its been hasn’t it? The Covid 19 pandemic has certainly turned our world upside down, tragically the death toll of this awful virus is still far from over, but the vaccine now offers hope. I’ve found the lockdowns tough, we’re still under almost lockdown conditions here in the UK, and that’s sadly meant that Christmas has been more of series of Zoom chats than the normal family get togethers I look forward to every year. Thank you for being there. Thank you for all your continued support of my blog and everything that I do, it means so much to me, to have this little corner of the internet to ramble on about comic books, films and TV shows like I do, and here’s hoping that 2021 brings better times for a us all. 

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Writer: Nick Spencer / Artist: Patrick Gleason

Colorist: Edgar Delgado / Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramanga

Cover: Patrick Gleason and Edgar Delgado

About The Author

Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook

The Amazing Spider-Man #52 Review

12 Thursday Nov 2020

Posted by in All, Marvel Comics

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The Amazing Spider-Man #52

Review by Paul Bowler.

The darkest, most macabre confrontation imaginable awaits Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man #52 as the wall crawler comes face-to-face with the new villain – Kindred! As Kindred reveals his true power to Spider-Man, horrors past and present are unleashed, and Spidey begins realise the terrible danger he’s in!

Having failed to secure the help of Doctor Strange last issue Spider-Man decided to take the fight directly to Kindred himself, but it’s a decision Peter might come to regret as their showdown unfolds. With a gathering of high profile skeletal remains for Kindred’s ghoulish tea party from hell, including George Stacy, Jean Dewolf, Marla Jamerson, Flash Thompson, Gwen Stacy, and Ben Parker, writer Nick Spencer ramps up the horror quota of Kindred’s vendetta to the max in Spider-Man #52 to such a degree that its positively skin-crawling. The way Kindred taunts and goads Spidey before brutally pummelling him to a pulp is done with almost surgical precision, and its not long before our friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man finds the tables have been horrifically turned on him.

Kindred has been plotting and scheming from the shadows for much of Spencer’s run, having first killed Mendel Stromm and then Mysterio, Kindred went on to resurrect Sin Eater to cleanse criminals of their sins — including Norman Osborne (the Green Goblin). Last Remains kicked off with Kindred sending these collective sins after Spider-Man’s Spider-Friends,  Spider-Gwen, Spider-Woman, Spider-Girl, Miles Morales, and Madame Web, transforming them into twisted demonic version of themselves in order to unleash carnage on Peter and terrorise New York City. It is this demonic version of The Order of the Web that Kindred now uses against Spider-Man in this issue with almost frightening relish, and effetely forces him into a fateful no-win scenario.

Patrick Gleason’s artwork is a perfect fit for The Amazing Spider-Man. Employing a dynamic blend of overlapping page layouts and spectacular two-page spreads to convey the horror and intensity of Spidey’s face-off with Kindred, Gleason renders every moment of raw emotion, grisly horror and bone crunching action to perfection. Every scene is packed with detail   and colourist Edgar Delgado enhances the action with a glorious use of vivid color, rich tones, and  sinister shadows.

Everything builds towards a shock cliff-hanger which is brilliantly ambiguous and shockingly chilling. Grim thrills and intense action makes Amazing Spider-Man #52 riveting reading, Nick Spencer is firing on all cylinders here, and Patrick Gleason’s art continues to impress on every level. The creative team on this book are doing a fantastic job and Last Remains is easily one of the most darkly compelling Spider-Man storylines that I’ve enjoyed in a  long while. 

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Writer: Nick Spencer / Artist: Patrick Gleason

Colorist: Edgar Delgado / Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramanga

Cover: Patrick Gleason and Edgar Delgado

About The Author

Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook

The Amazing Spider-Man #50 Review

14 Wednesday Oct 2020

Posted by in All, Marvel Comics

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The Amazing Spider-Man #50

Review by Paul Bowler.

The Amazing Spider-Man #50 marks another landmark issue for Marvel’s friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. LAST REMAINS begins here, the first chapter of a new epic from writer Nick Spencer and artist Patrick Gleason. The mysterious villain Kindred finally enters the fray to strike at Spider-Man. But, having just saved Norman Osborne – director of the Ravencroft Institute for the criminally insane — from the Sin Eater, Spider-Man and his friends, the self styled Order of the Web (Spider-Gwen, Spider-Woman, Spider-Girl, Miles Morales, and Madame Web), are all completely unprepared for the terrifying horror that Kindred is about to unleash! 

Following on directly from the colossal Amazing Spider-Man #49 (or #850 if we go by the legacy numbering), the double-sized Amazing Spider-Man #50  kicks off the LAST REMAINS story-arc with a bang. The scope and scale of events depicted in this issue are mind-blowing and far-reaching as writer Nick Spencer balances the twisting narrative threads into a nerve jangling  web of intrigue, one where every strand is relevant, precisely crafted, and rich with powerful emotional beats for Spider-Man, his friends and even his foes. Furthermore, this issue also spins an uncanny recapping of the battle at Ravencroft, its chilling aftermath, and the brooding set-up for LAST REMAINS into the mix. As such, there’s plenty here for long-term fans to enjoy whilst still providing enough for newcomers to go on to quickly get up to speed with the plot.

After seeing Spider-Man and the Green Goblin fight side-by-side last issue against the Sin Eater, it was inevitable the Goblin would betray him. However, Spidey’s subsequent fit of rage and his decision to leave Norman behind in the ruins of Ravencroft as he escaped with The Order of the Web now pays off big time with the frightening aftermath of what that battle holds for Sin Eater, Norman Osborne and Kindred alike. Throw in a frightening encounter for The Order of the Web, a crushing defeat for Spider-Man, a visit to Doctor Strange, and some rather ominous interludes with Kindred and the stage is set for what might well become one of Spider-Man’s darkest and scariest stories ever. 

Patrick Gleason takes over artistic duties with this issue of Amazing Spider-Man to craft the distinctive tone and style of the saga that is LAST REMAINS. Using a striking mix of overlapping page layouts and bold splash-pages to convey the action, Gleason packs every scene with rich detail and grim atmosphere, which, together with colorist Edgar Delgado’s subtle use of intricate shades and hues, ensures this issue of Amazing Spider-Man is a visual treat. Spider-Man’s frenetic flight from the danger and horror he encounters is also hauntingly portrayed, as is his conversation later with Doctor Strange about the fate of The Order of the Web, Norman Osborne’s sinister encounter in the bowels of Ravencroft is steeped in horrific menace, and Kindred looks absolutely terrifying. Overall I was  really impressed with the style of Patrick Gleason’s work on this issue of Amazing Spider-Man and look forward to seeing more.

Nick Spencer’s run on Spider-Man has had its ups and downs for sure, the early optimism and back to basics approach of the relaunch did go on to get bogged down in a deluge of seemingly unrelated events and crossovers, but for the most part I’ve enjoyed the majority of Spencer’s run and Amazing Spider-Man #50 really sets the series back on a more even keel — more so perhaps than even last issues super-sized 850th extravaganza.

Aside from brining two years’ worth of plotlines to fruition, what really makes Amazing Spider-Man #50 stand out is how Kindred’s gruesome agenda  begins to take shape as this skin-crawlingly disturbing villain steps from the shadows for the first time. Nick Spencer has teased us for a while now as Kindred Spider-Man’s life, watching, waiting and plotting. Amazing Spider-Man #50 is an excellent milestone issue, elements of Spencer’s run begin to slot into place to reveal a much wider picture as Kindred’s identity is uncovered, and its a bombshell of a revelation that is sure to rock Spider-Man’s world to the core! 

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Writer: Nick Spencer / Artist: Patrick Gleason

Colorist: Edgar Delgado / Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramanga

Cover: Patrick Gleason and Morry Hollowell

About The Author

Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook