The sense of danger has never been higher than in Ultimate Spider-Man, which makes issue #14 even more exciting to read this week. Kraven has kidnapped Harry Osborn and Peter Parker…and he knows their secret identities. Now trapped in the Savage Land, the two are being hunted with only the clothes on their backs to protect them. Ultimate Spider-Man #14 is also possibly the biggest turning point of the series.
Ultimate Spider-Man #14 opens with Richard Parker, Peter’s son, fighting Black Cat. It’s where we left off the last issue, and the two are tangling in the misunderstood hero fighting hero. They are both heroes; at least, that’s what Black Cat assures Richard.
They mostly chat in this issue, and it feels like writer Jonathan Hickman is building towards a future relationship. Marco Checchetto also draws Black Cat’s hair in the coolest way. Their scene is four pages in the entire issue and serves as a lighter and more positive element.
The longest sequence of this issue follows Peter and Harry attempting to survive. They’ve been stuck in the Savage Land for weeks, living off dinosaurs. It’s never clear why Kraven is letting them live for so long, but it enhances their hopelessness.
How cool is that costume?
Credit: Marvel
A surprising wrinkle arrives via Moleman, who reveals some in-fighting between the Sinister Six. He and Mysterio play essential parts in this issue and help give Peter and Harry hope.
A few major Spider-Man tropes rear their head in this issue, which will excite longtime fans of the character. One is his spider sense, or at the very least, Peter’s awareness of it. Another is Peter being tested to kill or to choose not to. Another is a major mistake on Peter’s part that harkens back to letting the robber go that killed Uncle Ben. All told, the creative team is solidifying the elements that make Spider-Man who he is in all universes.
Art by Checchetto is as stellar as ever. He gets to show off Spider-Man’s speed and agility in some tense sequences as he dodges Kraven’s attacks. Mysterio enhances the supernatural element in the series, and Checchetto makes you believe he’s far more powerful in this universe. Above all else, Savage Land is distinct with great backgrounds throughout. It’s so richly drawn you might miss it because it’s so immersive.
Ultimate Spider-Man #14 stands out as a thrilling, visually captivating issue that expertly sets the stage for dramatic developments in the series. Those dramatic developments are inherently part of Spider-Man’s DNA and will excite longtime fans.
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