The Amazing Spider-Man [2022] #5 - Marvel Comics

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN No. 5, September 2022

Ending “the first arc of this historic new volume” of “The Amazing Spider-Man”, this twenty-page periodical arguably still proved something of a good jumping on issue for those Wall-crawling fans unsure of Zeb Wells’ pedigree writing “one of the most popular and iconic comic book superheroes of all time.” Indeed, courtesy of its narrative exclusively focusing upon the fall-out of Web-head single-handedly destroying the Rose’s criminal organisation, this particular edition actually makes quite an enjoyable stand-a-lone instalment of the ongoing series.

For openers, the American author rather enchantingly uses the green-skinned villain Vegas Thirteen as an intriguing, and somewhat tongue-in-cheek, bookend, who not only helps illustrate just how disastrously far Richard Fisk has fallen from power. But also suggests at the end that perhaps the Schemer’s sole-surviving henchman may still be in a position to win back some of his boss’ lost turf before he’s been released from police custody; “Digger found us! We got nothing that can stop him! We’re losing everything!”

Similarly as proficiently penned is arguably the “Robot Chicken” director’s depiction of the forimably-powerful criminal Maggia, with a victorious Tombstone still being unwilling to risk the wrath of his surviving peers if they ever get wind of his ‘close relationship’ with Peter Parker’s alter-ego. In fact, despite this sadly somewhat short-lived meeting of the marvel Universe's mafia almost being suffocated out amidst some much more action-packed sequences, the ‘sword of Damocles’ it creates above Alonzo Lincoln’s head remains in play for the rest of the comic - especially towards its end when Spider-man surprisingly appears at the albino’s home and threatens to reveal all to the likes of Madame Masque.

Definitely providing the brutally battered titular character with some disturbingly visible facial bruising is artist John Romita Junior, who manages to help sell a good deal of this book’s tension with just a look in each character’s eyes. Furthermore, the Eisner Award-winner does a very good job in illustrating both Digger’s pent-up anger and frustration, as well as the hoodlum’s concern that the Rose will “hunt me to the ends of the Earth when he gets out”, even when it’s done via the “Gamma-irritated being” humorously tossing a half-eaten ice cream cone out of a car before his employer sees him.

Writer: Zeb Wells, Penciler: John Romita JR., and Inker: Scott Hanna