The Amazing Spider-Man #32 (Marvel Comics)
Hello there! Padawan J here, the resident Star Wars expert from the ODPH! This week I'm going to be reviewing the 31st issue of The Amazing Spider-Man from Marvel Comics!
Spider-Man is in a really interesting point in his life. He’s learned he has a cousin he didn’t know about and he’s Aunt May’s son. Plus there’s the underground villain fighting ring he’s found and is in the process of breaking up. So let’s jump into it!
Credit: Marvel Comics // The Amazing Spider-Man #32 by Joe Kelly (Writer), Patrick Gleason (Artist), Marcio Menyz & Erick Arciniega (Color Artists), VC’s Joe Caramanga (Letterer), Patrick Gleason & Dean White (Cover Art) // Disability Pride: Mind & Matter: Part 1 by Marieke Nijkamp (Writer), Andrea Di Vito (Artist), Erick Arciniega (Color Artist), VC’s Joe Caramanga (Letterer)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
The Story
Joe Kelly really puts things into an interesting perspective for this issue with Peter & some of the other main characters. It was a change of pace that I was not expecting but given the circumstances it made a lot of sense. So does the issue deliver? Let’s get into it!
The story takes an expected turn with Peter’s personal life, and he has a heart to heart conversation with Cormac Crane about some personal stuff. You also get to see how Aunt May is dealing with it because as big as it is for Peter to learn, it’s just as big for her to learn as well. However there is an interesting moment in Peter’s self reflection about the whole situation that I think points to a larger hint at the direction Joe Kelly might be taking things.
The other side of the story goes back to the Killington House we saw in a recent issue. Spider-Man is going toe to toe with Vulture for the possession of Shocker’s gauntlets and his reason for doing so might surprise you. I thought the battle was great, and the explanation for why he did it. It does ultimately end with an interesting heart to heart moment with Rae and her comrades back in Peter’s apartment. Is it a lesson Peter might finally be learning? Or is it a hint at things to come? Only time will tell.
Then you have the story Mind & Matter: Part 1 at the end of the issue which I thought was very interesting and compelling. We get to see Daredevil & Misty Knight at Kinglsey Tower in Manhattan. It’s an action packed little story that I didn’t know was going to be there before I read the issue, and I really enjoyed it. It tells a very important message and also has a heck of a tease at the end of it. I don’t think they’re going to be showing THAT without a major purpose behind it.
The Artwork
Patrick Gleason, Marcio Menyz & Erick Arciniega are in charge of the artwork for the Spider-Man portion of the issue, and Andrea Di Vito & Erick Arciniega are in charge of the art for the Mind & Matter story in this issue and they all really do a great job with it. Patrick’s artwork is simply spectacular each issue and this one is no exception. Marcio & Erick also does a fantastic job with the color giving it that vibrant feel you’d expect. Also Andrea Di Vito & Erick do a great job with their artwork to match the style of the Spider-Man portion.
Overall Grade: 7/10
A solid issue with some interesting hints towards the future, together with some important messages readers are not going to want to miss.
