Part 2 of “The Eight Deaths of Spider-Man” continues this week in Amazing Spider-Man #62, and Spidey has already died once! The story arc has Spider-Man wearing a new magical suit provided by Doctor Doom as he battles the eight scions of Cyttorak. The stakes? Just the entire world!
Part 2 of “The Eight Deaths of Spider-Man” is titled “Out of Space,” which is apt given what it takes for Spider-Man to beat the second scion. Before that battle, however, Spider-Man and Black Cat need to pull off a heist. The issue opens with them breaking into Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum so Peter can bone up on spells, which makes for an action-packed opening.
There’s some important setup in this issue, as well as a few check-ins before the second scion battle. That includes the appearance of Norman Osborn, a better understanding of how the scions interact and what they want, and another example of Peter being really bad with women. The latter is an interaction Spider-Man has with Black Cat, and the ghost of Doctor Strange is pretty startled by how bad he is at saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.
Got a heist? Call Black Cat!
Credit: Marvel
As far as the scions, writer Joe Kelly adds some nuance to the family we simply did not have before this issue. It’s a brief two-page scene at the Crimson Cosmos, but given their origins with the X-Men, it’s no surprise that the X-Men will be popping up in a few short months. That said, the stakes feel lessened by the villains bickering, not to mention how easy it seems for Spider-Man to win these battles.
The meatiest portion of this issue is the fight scene with the second scion, and it’s a fun battle. The two face off in a baseball stadium, and the second scion has some nifty teleportation powers that push Spider-Man to the brink. We’re talking about a fighting method where parts of Spider-Man are sent to other places. It’s the kind of fight only a trippy, magic-using character could handle.
This fight looks great thanks to Ed McGuinness’s dynamic, in-your-face style, which draws out the slicing and dicing of teleporting powers. Marvel’s cosmic side is always vast, and McGuinness pulls it off at certain moments. The smaller, more emotional character beats work, too, like when Norman and Peter have a heart-to-heart.
The real fun comes in the form of physics. It’s cool to see Kelly show how Peter Parker, the kid smarty pants, thinks outside the box. You get the sense only Spider-Man could have beaten the scion as he does here. Throw in that there’s real science involved in Spider-Man’s tactic with a new spin on it, and it’s a fun resolution.
The toll of dying continues to be an element of the story, although this issue doesn’t lean into it as much as the first. There’s a moment where Peter is lost in his experience, but the actual death is glazed over more than hyper-focused on like the last issue.
Part 2 of “The Eight Deaths of Spider-Man” delivers an exciting blend of action, clever science-based tactics, and heartfelt character moments, making it a solid continuation of this unique magical story arc.
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