After the excellent cliffhanger of Ultimate Spider-Man #12, fans are dying to know what has happened to Peter Parker. How does his suit pretend to be him with Peter Parker, who is mysteriously kidnapped? We find that out and more in one of the most tense issues of the series yet.
As usual for this series, writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Marco Checchetto remixed familiar Spider-Man canon to feel fresh and new. A case in point is the opening of the issue, which features a black-suit Spider-Man swinging through the city. Spider-Man fans will immediately assume there’s a symbiote being revealed, only for the reader to discover it’s Peter’s picotech suit with Richard Parker underneath. In one fell swoop, we’ve got a symbiote homage and a new Spider-Boy!
Excitement for the fan service aside, this issue further develops what Kraven has been up to. We also learn Peter has been kidnapped for two months, with Kraven torturing both Peter and Harry Osborn to figure out their weaknesses before he lets them loose to hunt them.
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s…
Credit: Marvel
This issue opens up who he is, with new character work on Moleman and Mysterio. These are villains who have clearly been largely untested, which adds a new wrinkle to them. Throw in the reveal of an Ultimate Universe location, and it’s a pretty cool villain exploration.
Outside of the villains, the cliffhanger adds a fascinating wrinkle, further linking Spider-Man’s family to his exploits. The skies are the limit with this series, and it seems Hickman is truly going to make this series a family affair.
If you’re wondering about Peter Parker, he also gets to shine in the issue. There’s a tough situation he’s put in, along with dinosaurs. Checchetto puts in some of his best work in these scenes, with great action and atmosphere in a jungle setting. Props to him for giving the black Spider-Man suit a slightly different feel, with the webs on the suit looking a bit more chaotic and the eyes having a nice whisp. Consider for a moment the picotech suit isn’t human, and yet Checchetto makes it feel like a warm father figure to Richard, and you start to see the subtle genius at work.
If there were any negatives to this issue, and it’s very few, it’s the ongoing monthly format. The missing weeks in between issues leave one wanting. The gaps feel like they’re missing important story elements, leaving you feeling like you’ve missed out.
Ultimate Spider-Man #13 continues the series’ streak of excellence, blending fan-service moments with fresh storytelling to create a thrilling, high-stakes issue. Hickman’s inventive remix of Spider-Man’s canon and Checchetto’s masterful art make this chapter both exciting and emotional, though the monthly format slightly hinders the narrative’s pacing. Regardless, this issue solidifies the series as a standout, offering a must-read experience for fans.
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