Marvel’s “Gang War” crossover event had its most important chapters take place in Amazing Spider-Man #39-44, which is now collected and out in comic shops this week. The story revealed how gang unrest kicked off a full-fledged war, and the heroes were left to pick up the pieces and try to keep people safe. The most important players reveal their plots and plans in this collection, but it’s hard to recommend picking it up unless you’re a collector who needs it all.
Amazing Spider-Man #39 opens six hours into the war after it officially started. Things aren’t looking good, with Ringmaster coming out of the gate, taking over minds and using citizens as his soldiers. Enter Peter Parker, She-Hulk, Miles Morales, Spider-Woman, and Daredevil, who aren’t going to sit on their hands while innocent people get hurt.
The opening issue does a good job of showing how our heroes are so outmatched due to the sheer number of enemies at odds in this war. It also juggles the action with key moments as gangsters make moves and others rise. By the end of the issue, it’s obvious the heroes have the advantage in battle, but they’re up against too many foes to do much damage. Eventually, the heroes must split up, and it makes sense, given how many gangsters are out there doing damage.
Writer Zeb Wells also brings in the comedic side of Peter Parker, with a few winning funny moments. When he stands behind She-Hulk and professes he’s doing no such thing, you can’t help but chuckle. However, if there were a lead in this issue, it’d be Tombstone. He’s been down for the count since his daughter’s wedding when he got holes put in him, but he’s awake now and seeing the landscape for what it is. Given the time spent with him and his daughter, it’s pretty clear Wells is building up Beetle to be a major player who will earn her role as a head gangster.
I like how Romita takes care to show the different sizes and shapes of these characters.
Credit: Marvel
Things escalate in the second issue of the collection with Tombstone’s kid, The Rose, and a surprise return for a major villain on the final page. These moves are sprinkled across the issue, mostly packed with fight scenes. Due to being outmatched, Spider-Man and She-Hulk team up with Tombstone, and Madame Masque makes a statement.
The very next issue slows things way down as it’s one fight scene. Romita Jr. hammers home the brutality of Tombstone and Kingpin who go at it in a cramped room. The fight scene adequately shows how Spidey and She-Hulk are pulled away, allowing Kingpin and Tombstone to go at it as viciously as possible. The way Romita Jr. has Kingpin rip Tombstone’s teeth out with his head is a sight to see.
Writer Zeb Wells throws in some fun character wrinkles, like Typhoid Mary freaking Spidey out or She-Hulk being a total badass while she holds back. Beetle’s all-women crew tussle a bit, and White Rabbit has a few cool lines. Wells also writes She-Hulk well, as she’s got a chip on her shoulder, but she is also aware of her power.
An ongoing problem with this collection, and really the entire “Gang War” event, is the lack of plot progression and, more importantly, high stakes. Aside from a slight scare for heroes here or there, none of these characters seem to be in that much danger. They’re mostly facing common thugs who work for crime bosses. Kingpin and Tombstone are nearly invulnerable when they fight, and there’s always the lingering question of why heroes from across the globe aren’t just going to New York to clean up the streets. It doesn’t help that a bunch of these gangs are headed by villains from B or C.
It all leads to a war like the Revolutionary War, with heroes on one side and villains on the other. It’s a bit too ridiculous to take seriously, given they’re fighting in broad daylight in the park. A few last-second moments lead to key characters taking bullets for others and a wedding being delayed indefinitely, which connects to Peter’s personal life somewhat, but the final page isn’t all that interesting. Frankly, the end of this crossover leaves us pretty much where we started when Wells took over.
I wanted to love Amazing Spider-Man by Zeb Wells Vol. 9: Gang War, but the stakes never seemed too high, the focus was on mostly B or C list villains, and the decompression hurt the pace of the story. It’s a story arc that works on paper, but once you put it down you’ll be wondering why you bothered at all.
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
You must be logged in to post a comment.