The penultimate issue of Ultimate Spider-Man aims to set up a fight brewing from the beginning: Kingpin versus Spider-Man. There’s also plenty of loose ends worth exploring, even if Ultimate Endgame will likely continue narratives. We’re talking Richard and Black Cat’s romance, Doc Ock mucking around in the background, and Mr. Negative making his final move.
Ultimate Spider-Man #23 is aided by the chase to save Richard, who has run off on an errand that Doc Ock influenced him to go on, which might get him killed. MJ and Peter are obviously livid, which sets in motion a ticking clock to save Richard, whether that means Spider-Man going through Kingpin or not. The scenes with Richard and Spider-Man add ample fight scenes, with heroic and triumphant moments we’ve come to expect from a Spider-Man comic.
Writer Jonathan Hickman continues to carry subplots forward as well, from Jameson and Uncle Ben getting the truth out to Mr. Negative getting his sweet revenge. Even Richard’s interest in Black Cat is plucked at, though not much time is devoted to any one of these plots. Given there is only one issue left and this universe is going to end, many of these developments feel surface-level at best, though it’s exciting to know some finality will come soon.
Kinda funny you can see MJ in his glasses.
Credit: Marvel
This issue features art by Marco Checchetto and David Messina, with their work swapping throughout. Generally, it’s hard to tell who is drawing what, which is a good thing, though Messina’s somewhat less detailed, flatter style is noticeable. If I were to guess, Messina draws the scenes with Richard, with Checchetto taking over the Spider-Man versus Kingpin bits. That isn’t to say Messina’s art is bad; it’s great, leaning into superhero suit action and the like. There’s a lot of visual bang for your buck in this issue, with cinematic punches, epic Spider-Man swings through New York, and even a visual joke involving an army of Bullseyes.
As far as the best bits of the issue, those lie with Spider-Man taking on Kingpin with months of experience to level the playing field. It’s also nice to see Mole Man get a moment of relaxation before the war with The Maker. Kingpin’s place in the New Yorker’s minds is also in danger, adding some finality to his storyline.
The weakest aspect of this issue lies with Green Goblin and Mysterio, as we haven’t seen much from them since the explosion. Mysterio is quite weird, making her current relationship with Harry a mystery. Meanwhile, Harry is being influenced by the voice in his head, which never gets the attention or time it deserves to feel earned. Given the monthly jumps, it’s unclear what they’re after, and it’s hard to care since they could be going down any path.
Ultimate Spider-Man #23 does exactly what a penultimate issue should: it accelerates toward the finish line with urgency, spectacle, and emotional stakes, even if some lingering subplots still feel uncommitted. The Spider-Man vs. Kingpin showdown finally feels earned, Richard’s danger drives the tension, and Hickman keeps the universe in motion—yet the looming end exposes which story threads may not get the space they deserve before everything comes crashing down in the finale.
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