Aunt May has a son, and Peter Parker’s world has turned upside down in Amazing Spider-Man #33. Reeling from his mother figure moving on to Cormac Crane, Peter has some complicated emotions to work out. Meanwhile, Spider-Man is still needed to save the day, Peter’s boss’s life comes further into focus, and Damage Control enters the picture!
If it was evident what this latest story arc is building to, the spider-webs written on Robbie Robertson’s Daily Bugle window are a big hint: Who is Cormac Crane? It’s a question readers ponder as we’ve been shown he’s hiding something and is probably gearing up to show his true villainous self. The issue opens with Robbie finding the webbed-up message, which sets the tone and prepares the reader to look for nefarious clues about Cormac.
From there, the issue juggles two plots. One involves Cormac taking Aunt May and her boyfriend Ricardo to his mansion for a spot of lunch. The second involves Damage Control popping in to let Spider-Man know they’re back, complete with supersuits, to help Spidey with villains. Together, these plots supply necessary superhero action, character development, and advancement in character arcs.
Ed McGuinness is back on art, and he does a fabulous job with the awkwardness between Cormac and Peter early on. The two aren’t exactly jiving, and writer Joe Kelly isn’t shy with Cormac casually reminding Peter that he knows he’s Spider-Man. Per usual for Peter, he has to skip lunch to be Spider-Man, and it’s nice to see McGuinness draw Peter quite ripped in a tight sweater.
I love how Cormac throws up the thwip fingers.
Credit: Marvel
The main fight comic event involves Jack O’Lantern, who gets ample dynamic page time as he flies through the air on his odd saucer platform. McGuinness stretches the page, with Spider-Man breaking free of the cutters at one point, or practically using the right side of the page as a wall. It’s yet another reminder McGuinness was born to draw Spider-Man.
For those following Kelly’s run, Peter’s boss Maira gets some ample page time, which loops in her son who moonlights as a hero. The tragic nature of Kintsugi’s cancer, while continuing to want to help others, continues to be a strong, if quiet, subplot. Cormac’s lunch is only a single page, but the creepy vibe meter certainly swings. Maybe it’s how McGuinness draws his smile, or the fact that he’s bribing May with wealth; something isn’t adding up.
Considering Damage Control and a key villain I won’t name pop up, one can see a bit of MCU synergy at work here. Frankly, both are minor enough not to feel stuffed in, and Damage Control could be a nice addition to Spider-Man’s day-to-day.
Amazing Spider-Man #33 keeps Joe Kelly’s central mystery simmering while delivering plenty of superhero action and character-driven drama. Ed McGuinness once again proves he was made to draw Spider-Man, elevating even familiar action beats with energetic layouts and expressive performances. While the issue spends more time moving pieces into place than delivering major reveals, the growing unease surrounding Cormac Crane gives readers plenty to chew on. By the final page, anticipation for what comes next is higher than ever.
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