The Amazing Spider-Man #26 (Marvel Comics)
Hello there! Padawan J here, the resident Star Wars expert from the ODPH! This week I'm going to be reviewing the 26th issue of The Amazing Spider-Man from Marvel Comics!
This issue presents to us Part 7 of the 9 part crossover series titled Death Spiral! Things are NOT going well for Peter Parker, to put it mildly. He’s had to team up with Venom & Carnage to hunt down a mysterious killer known as Torment. But now the scales have been tipped in Torment’s favor. Will they be able to stop Torment? Let’s jump into it!
Credit: Marvel Comics // The Amazing Spider-Man #26 by Joe Kelly (Writer), Francesco Mann (Pencils & Ink), Ed McGuinness (Pencils), Mark Farmer (Ink), Marcio Menyz & Erick Arciniega (Colorists), VC’s Joe Caramanga (Letterer), Ryan Stegman & Marte Garcia (Cover Artists) is a fantastic issue that continues to raise the stakes.
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
The Story
The creative team behind this story are really raising the stakes with each iteration and setting up for what’s sure to be an explosive conclusion to the story. This is part 7 out of 9, and you would expect that our heroes would start to figure things out and get it turned back in their favor but that is not the case here. There still feels like so much unresolved with the story that I can’t even begin to fathom just how it’s going to play out.
Kelly has created quite possibly the most deadly villain in the entire Spider-Man mythos. It’s made for some fantastic storytelling and that continues in this issue. I really enjoyed the fact that things are really starting to come undone and fray at the seams. The partnership between Spider-Man, Venom & Carnage was always going to be a tenuous one that was not destined to last. But the way it’s not worked out to the best that it could is astounding. We are talking about 3 beings that if you put them together in a fight against a singular enemy, my money would NOT be on the villain. So the fact that they’re constantly playing catchup is astounding.
It also appears the worst might be yet to come, and it won’t be good. Torment has been targeting members of Peter, Mary Jane & Eddie’s family and he has his sights on one of the biggest members yet. The creative team has not been afraid to make big decisions, and really shock readers with their twists. So could one of the biggest moments in Spider-Man history be on the horizon? Only time will tell.
The Artwork
Francesco Mann, Ed McGuinness, Mark Farmer, Marcio Menyz & Erick Arciniega all did a tremendous job with the artwork for the issue. The way they made Torment look in this issue is stunning and truly shocking to see. Also just how visceral everything is will be sure to leave readers stunned. I also love the tone of the color for the issue again, and it continues to really set the stage for everything else in the issue.
Overall Grade: 9/10
The Death Spiral story is one of the best stories Marvel has told in years. Joe Kelly is penning the best Spider-Man story in the last decade that you cannot miss!
