Spider-Man is sporting some Doc Ock arms and has seriously had it with Doc Ock messing with his friends at the start of Amazing Spider-Man #30. Now in a relationship with Doc Ock’s retired arms, Spidey must save Norman Osborn before he goes full Green Goblin with a healthy dose of goblin serum in his veins. It’s a rush to save his newly minted hero-friend in a story arc closing issue.
A lot has been invested in Norman being a hero these days, and the race to get to Norman and the fight that ensues once Spider-Man gets there is entertaining. That’s largely thanks to the incredibly dynamic and fun art by Ed McGuinness. The question then is, can art and action satisfy general audiences?
Your interest in this issue will be maintained by Zeb Wells milking Doc Ock’s egomaniacal ways and how Spider-Man gets a bit tainted by the arms. Two things remain true throughout this issue, the first being the fun twist on Peter. The influence of the Doc Ock arms puts Peter into a Doc Ock headspace. Superior Spider-Man vibes are strong with this one, even though Peter’s body was used more than his mind in the previous series. There’s a subtle worry he may break bad, but it’s never explored long enough or too deeply to have much impact.
Maybe run away or plan for an attack instead of talking big, Norman.
Credit: Marvel
The second is the poster-worthy art, with multiple full and double-page splashes that impress. Colors by Marcio Menyz play around with volume well, and it’s neat to see red Doc Ock arms on Spider-Man. The design of the new Doc Ock arms is pretty fun as it can come apart, and each piece can walk around. They’re called Ocktoids and add a certain silliness to Doc Ock that suits him.
As far as the conflict, the stakes never feel all that high. For instance, the cliffhanger from the last issue is resolved relatively early, and much of the fight is over before it starts. Part of the problem is Dock Ock’s plan is pretty simplistic. It’s also never very believable he’d kill Spider-Man. Part of the problem is time and pace, as the story hasn’t built up his motivations. Instead, he’s mostly an egomaniacal villain that’s borderline silly. Considering his main hook for returning is the new arms–a visual design and not much more–you can see little here developing the character.
Something else that doesn’t work is Peter and Norman commiserating about the death of Ms. Marvel. Set up in a previous issue, it feels too little too late to matter, especially since we know she’s alive in X-Men: Hellfire Gala 2023. It’s also difficult to feel for Norman, who shares a decent joke he and Kamala had together but also knows she was there to watch over him. How much did he connect with her? I kept wondering as he looked sad. If anything, she was more of an underling he rarely saw, as we never saw them interact before.
Amazing Spider-Man #30 is a good issue wrapping up Doc Ock’s appearance and overall runs its course as a visual stunner. The story never probes the characters too deeply and instead opts to show Norman the hero for what feels like the 10th time and lean into Doc Ock’s doofus nature.
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