The Amazing Spider-Man #10 Review

Writer: Nick Spencer
Pencilers: Humberto Ramos and Michele Bandini
Inkers: Victor Olazaba and Michele Bandini
Colorists: Edgar Delgado and Erick Arciniega
Publisher: Marvel Comics

            Nick Spencer’s Amazing Spider-Man is on track to be my favorite Spider-Man run of all time. This arc has taken strides to address some concerns from the first, so with those resolved… the book is pretty much perfect now. Okay, maybe not perfect, but man, do I love it.

            One of the aforementioned concerns was Mary Jane. She wasn’t much of a character in earlier issues; more like just a trophy wife for Peter. With Spencer’s introduction of the Lookups, though, Peter and MJ’s biggest struggle is essentially no more. I was afraid that it was too good to be true, but she gains peace of mind and learns her own value from them. It proves the two of them can work, meaning there’s no reason for them to not be together long term. Unless you count a certain deal made with the devil. Speaking of which, those little hints Spencer’s been dropping in the script to poke at the way things used to be? It’s getting a little less subtle. Those worried Black Cat’s moral compass need no longer worry. Just goes to show that Nick Spencer really knows everything great and not so great about the last ten years of Spider-Man. The only things that didn’t quite work for me in this issue were the Avengers and the Thieves’ Guild itself. The former seems to think Spider-Man is responsible for all their missing gear, but it’s really glossed over. I guess we’re supposed to assume he explained everything and it’s all good now. The confrontation with the latter was anticlimactic as well, but I’ll take a more character driven issue like this most days anyway, and it leaves the door open for them to come back.

            Like I’ve said in previous reviews, Ramos’s art is love it or hate it. This time around…. I’m not as fond of it. I always love is kinetic, flowing forms, but the beaver teeth really kill it for me sometimes. Michele Bandini draws an awesome Mary Jane, and I wish other Spider-Man artists would take note. Everything about her summarizes what makes her who she is in body language and acting. She does an outstanding job with the new villain too! So creepy. I can’t wait to learn more about him. Delgado and Arciniega do some really commendable night time stuff, but I found the scenes with the Thieves’ Guild to look too boring. A lot of grays and browns in there.

            So the art wasn’t totally what I wanted it to be, but this was still a really great issue to me. Issue 8’s cliffhanger had us worried but Spencer handles Felicia gracefully. She’s cool and sexy without being completely ridiculous, and this chapter shows us more of her actual feelings. Always a good thing. And that all applies to Mary Jane, too… Go buy it!