The Amazing Spider-Man #21 (Marvel Comics)
Hello there! Padawan J here, the resident Star Wars expert from the ODPH! This week I'm going to be reviewing the 21st issue of The Amazing Spider-Man from Marvel Comics!
Peter Parker is still missing! He’s been sent away from Earth & to another part of the galaxy. In Peter’s absence none other than Norman Osborne has stepped up to fill in the role of Spider-Man! So just how will Norman & the other Spiders handle Hobgoblin? Let’s jump into it!
Credit: Marvel Comics // The Amazing Spider-Man #21 by Joe Kelly (Writer), John Romita Jr (Pencils), John Romita Jr (Pencils & Cover), Todd Nuack (Pencils & Ink), Scott Hanna (Ink & Cover), Marcio Menyz (Ink & Cover), Marte Garcia & Erick Arciniega (Color Artists), VC’s Joe Caramanga (Letterer) is an action packed issue that will have you questioning everything you think you know about Norman Osborn.
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
The Story
Firstly, I want to say that I was SO READY to take a victory lap with this issue but we’re not there yet. If you’ve read my reviews of The Amazing Spider-Man, you know I’m not a firm believer that the Green Goblin is permanently gone. I’m a firm believer that he is going to come back at some point, and it appears we might be getting closer to that point. Joe Kelly really took the intensity up a couple of notches with this issue and it works out tremendously.
Norman and the rest of the spider family are in a knockdown drag out fight that feels like one of the classic Spider-Man stories from over the years. All the meanwhile Norman is having an internal crisis about his life and everything that’s going on in the moment.
The fight is tremendous and takes up the majority of the issue, but there is a few moments in the middle of the battle that play out very well. I always like it when a battle in a comic book includes folks who are connected to the story in some way and what they’re doing in that moment because it adds a sense of realism to it that benefits the story overall.
Of course there is the ending, and it’s definitely a highly anticipated one. Although it’s one that isn’t unexpected if you’ve read Spider-Man Annual 2026 #1. It set’s up nicely for the next issue and what’s sure to be a VERY interesting story from Joe Kelly.
The Artwork
The incredible folks who worked on the artwork for this issue did an incredible job with that artwork. The action sequences were top notch, and had a classic feel to them. I really liked the way the battle was drawn, because while it had a chaotic feel to it there was still a dynamic feel to it.
FINAL POINT: It’s a good issue that has a great battle, and some intrigue for the future of the storyline. Together with tremendous artwork, this is an issue that delivers on all fronts.
Overall Grade: 8/10
Thank you for taking the time to check out my review. Be sure to reach out to me on Twitter, and let me know what you thought of the issue!
