Okay folks, here we go. The big one, Amazing Spider-Man 1000, the first Marvel title to legit hit the number (well it took some triple shipping for a bit and the books had multiple relaunches but close enough).
Given that Spider-Man is Marvel’s flagship character and this is a book with a deep history, you would have thought that the company would have brought out all the stops. Let’s see how they did.
Story 1– Ravaged
Writer: Joe Kelly
Artist: Pepe Larraz
Colors: Federico Blee
So this is our main story which is a continuation of the main story involving Peter’s cousin. To no one’s surprise, he turns out to be eeeeeevil and can manipulate reality or memories or something. After seemingly taking May’s memories, he looks to take Peter’s for his own and they fight. This villain is called Ravage by the way if you care, which is kinda hard to.
Look, the story is fine and in the 1000th issue of Amazing, that’s its biggest crime. They go with the strategy of Amazing 300 (new villain) and Amazing 100/500 (greatest moments montage) but doesn’t do either nearly as well.
Ravage is an underwhelming and obvious villain who is not well defined. He lacks the impact of menace of Venom from his 300th issue debut and looks 90’s as hell. It’s all a bit…average. I kept wanting more and never got it.
It’s just a fine Amazing story, the latest chapter in the arc. The story doesn’t even get completed and leads into 1001. Nothing offensive, but just…fine.
Art by Pepe Larraz is very good but Marvel’s current art portfolio is very weak and Larraz is one of their many very competent but unmemorable european artist they seem to have come out of factories to all largely look the same so no book looks distinct. This story is on the upper level of those.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 Web Cartridges.
Foggy: I agree 100%. I was super underwhelmed with this. From the beginning of the introduction of Peter’s cousin, this book has been cliche. Unknown child returns. Oh no, switched at birth. He is too good to be true. Mae really starts to like him. He moves in on Peter’s territory. Turns out, he is a bad guy and wants to eliminate Peter from Mae’s life. Ridiculous. Not only can he hang with Peter in terms of fighting but can also wipe memories. Whatever. Generic and uninspiring. I sure hope Kelly has a plan to make this interesting. Maybe Peter should go back to space. That was awesome. I did enjoy the art from Larraz. He is very capable of handling a story….even if it’s lame.
Rating: 2 out of 5 Web Cartridges
Story 2 – Still Standing
Writer: Noah Hawley
Art: Patrick Gleason
Colors: Marcio Menyz
Glenn: This is kinda a story that looks at a Peter Parker whoa ged in real time and this is his literal 1000th issue. He not only has a kid but a grandkid and is now retired in an old folks home. He gets a new occupant with a familiar look and name but not all is what it seems as an old enemy is seeking revenge.
This story is by Hollywood writer Noah Hawley, and it is very good. It’s an emotional story with some great images with a lovely ending. With the preview pages, I know a lot of Spidey fans got annoyed (say it ain’t so!) that Marvel was doing their old ‘Gwen is the one’ bit. Now, I think the point of Gwen is that it isn’t Peter loved her more than MJ, or whomever, but his regret over what her loss represents. I think this story, particularly its ending, really captures that.
Excellent art by Patrick Gleason who seems to be rejoining the Amazing art team after some time away. He does a great job, specifically with the costume of the current Spidey. I’m glad he’s back in the book.
Rating – 4 web cartridges
Foggy: This was probably my favorite story of the bunch. I have never been a big fan of Mysterio, but this brought a humanity to him that I really enjoyed. Bested by Spidey for years made him angry, want revenge, but here as old men, they find common ground and put the past behind them. A really touching story where Gwen was the focus, but the payoff was for Mysterio.
I have loved Patrick Gleason since his days on Green Lanter Corps and Batman and Robin. He is consistently able to draw action as well as the quieter moments. Here he nails our fellas as old men.
Rating – 4.5 web cartridges
Story 3– Requiem for a Goblin
Writer: J.M. DeMatteis
Art: Humberto Ramos and Victor Olazaba
Colors: Edgar Delgado
Glenn: Legendary writer J.M DeMatteis returns once again to Spider-Man and delivers a banger. It’s odd that this story is in essence an epilogue to another Spidey title (Spectacular 200), but I don’t care; it’s great. No matter when he does it or what story he is telling, DeMatteis delivers in spades. This story of Harry’s funeral where Peter wrestles his guilt and ‘speaks’ to the ghosts of his fallen friend and greatest enemy is brilliant.
Humburto Ramos is always brilliant and delivers here on the book he was the long time artist on. He draws a hell of a Goblin since his first Spidey story way back on Peter Parker Spider-Man with Paul Jenkin’s. His depiction of the Peter seeing the vision of Harry turning into the Goblin and grabbing him from the casket is suitably creepy.
Effective and impactful.
Rating: 5 Webs Cartridges
Foggy: I really liked the conversation that Peter had in his head with Harry and Norman. It is such an obvious emotion- Peter tries to reconcile Harry’s death and somehow find a silver lining. He settles on Harry making the right choice at the end. Due to his guilt, he’s not sure if it’s just a one time right decision or if he had changed. For his own good, he believes Harry truly changed and was his friend to the end.
This one holds some emotional weight, like the Mysterio story. Some writers, DeMatteis included, know how to deal with all the baggage that comes with being Peter Parker. Second favorite story in the book.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Web Cartridges
Story 4– Tears of the Spider-Queen
Writer: Frank Miller
Artist: Peach Momoko
Glenn: Time to get weird folks. It’s a big deal to have Frank Miller here as he’s a legend, but he almost has no association with Spider-Man. He’s also not delivered a decent story for decades. However this one is mostly fine but…strange. It’s Spidey defending a little girl who is a mutant spider thing from the Hand that worships her. Yup, that’s what this is. It’s just…weird.
Art is stunning. Peach Momoko is of the few artists Marvel has that definitely stands out and moves books. Largely she draws for herself and does her own thing which tends to be on the weirder side so this odd story fits with that vibe perfectly.
Rating: 2.5 Web Cartridges
Foggy: I really didn’t like this story. There wasn’t anything to grab onto, and I didn’t feel any kind of connection to the character. I think this was just a chance for Miller to work with the Hand again. The bright spot, however, was Momoko. Her style isn’t for everyone, but I love it. She reminds me a bit of Dustin Nguyen and manga. She handles action really well, with her loose pencils and frenetic action. Her water color wash appearance adds to the loose nature of the art. Superb storytelling.
Rating: 2 out of 5 Web Cartridges
Story 5– The Big Night
Writer: Triple H
Artist: Ed McGuinness and Mark Farmer
Colors: Matthew Wilson
Glenn: Very simple but effective story about Peter and Uncle Ben bonding over their trip to watch wrestling. There’s lovely stuff between the pair and is in the same spirit of the brilliant Mets issue by Paul Jenkins and Mark Buckingham over on Peter Parker back in the day.
This story is co written by Triple H and Rob Fee which is surreal for me as I was a big wrestling fan during the former’s prime. I think given this is his first comic work, he does a very good job.
It doesn’t hurt that this is drawn by Ed McGuinness who has been drawing Amazing for a while now. He does an excellent job as always. Minor continuity hiccup with Crusher Hogan at the end where he is very much retired as shown in the classic ‘Whatever Happened To Crusher Hogan?’ but I can accept this is his son or a relative with the same gimmick.
Web Cartridges: 3.5 out of 5 Web Cartridges
Story 6– The Gesture
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Stuart Immonen
Colors: Marte Gracia
Glenn: Former creative team on Ultimate Spider-Man pay tribute to the original. We see Spidey get an awful looking award in celebration of his first appearance by Captain America on behalf of the superhero community. It’s a great story despite the terrible statue.
Bendis is slowly coming back to Marvel and he’s always had a soft spot for Spidey and it shows. His long time art partner, Stuart Immonen drew Amazing for a bit and delivers in spades as usual. Excellent story, terrible statue.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Web Cartridges
Foggy: I really enjoyed this one. I loved Ultimate Spider-Man back in the day. Bendis was at his best and he was accompanied by great artists: Mark Bagley, Immonen, Sara Pacheli, David Lafuente. It is nice to see these two back together. I haven’t really enjoyed Bendis’ recent work, and I definitely don’t enjoy his team work as much. But when it comes to writing Spidey, he gets it. I would not be upset if he had his own book right now. He has always had a knack for dialog. It is on display here with Cap and Peter. Lots of heart and self deprecating humor.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Web Cartridges
Story 7– Of Webs and Six-Guns
Writer: Larry Leiber
Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli and Klaus Janson
Colors: Rachelle Rosenberg
Glenn: This is an odd pseudo time story that reads very dated. Writer Larry Lieber is Stan’s brother, so he’s here cause the first Spidey writer can’t be. I understand that, I respect and appreciate that. Stan’s writing in more of his later work was dated too, but it was still charming whether this was just…dated.
I’ve read worse, but it reads like a story from 60 years ago which maybe was the point? I don’t know. The saving grace is the art by the always excellent Giuseppe Camuncoli who drew Amazing for an extended period. He’s great because he always is and really lifts this story higher than the story would otherwise land.
Rating: 2 out of 5 Web Cartridges
Foggy: Glenn, you said it all. This didn’t feel like an anniversary story.
Rating: 1 out of 5 Web Cartridges
Story 8– I Can Never Rest
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Marcos Martin
Colors: Muntsa Vicente
Glenn: So this story would be 20 webs if I could. Former writer Dan Slott returns to Spider-Man once more with artistic master Marcos Martin to tell the story of the officer who tried to catch the burglar Spider-Man didn’t help.
There’s a few continuity hiccups, but the story is so great I didn’t care. It’s brilliantly framed, perfectly drawn from this cop’s perspective. Spider-Man isn’t even ever fully shown and the last page and its message is note perfect.
Stunning story to finish out the issue.
Rating: 5 out of 5 Web Cartridges.
Foggy: The story did feel unnecessary as we all know the story. I did, however, like the angle that we are seeing it more from the perspective of the police officer. But really, I was excited for Marcos Martin that the story didn’t matter a whole lot. There is no one who draws like Marcos. He is a bit of a throw back to Ditko in terms of style. He makes really great choices in terms of layout and composition. He uses close ups, partial shots, birds eye, worms eye, etc. The story really bursts with originality. Great stuff!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Web Cartridges- loss of half a point for story
Spider-Man 1000 Wrap up
Glenn: This is a book largely saved by its back ups. There’s two all timers here and the rest range with a weak main story that should have been more than it was. Despite the two all timers I kind of expected more but I liked it for what it was. I think again, the fact that it was partly underwhelming is a comment on how Marvel is overall than this book specifically.
Rating: 3.5 and some change
Foggy: Overall, this was not a $10 book. The main story was subpar and a few others were non-starters. Where this book shined was in the few stories with heart that really got into the psyche of Peter. Sadly, it was too hit and miss here.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Check back here for more comics reviews. Maybe we can get Glenn to come back more often.
