There’s a new Spider-Man in town and he’s actually one of Spider-Man’s greatest nemesis under the mask! That is the case if you haven’t read a comic in a couple of years, since a certain goblin is actually good now, and one of Spider-Man’s closest friends. But, with Spider-Man off-world, somebody has to take up the mantle to ensure the public is safe. The thing is, with vigilante heroism, there isn’t a union to check in with, and in Amazing Spider-Man #12, spider-characters come calling.
Swinging in for art duties this week is Ed McGuinness, who positively stunned on many issues under Zeb Wells’ run on the series. He doesn’t disappoint here either. The issue opens with J. Johna Jameson’s podcast, as he interviews a man who has a conspiracy theory about parallel worlds, and McGuinness does a great job capturing the annoying face of the conspiracy theorist and the rage of Jameson. This leads to an excellent double-page layout of Spider-Man, aka Norman Osborn, doing the day-to-day work. As the art beautifully zigzags across the two pages, the hand-written lettering in the captions draws you into Norman’s honest monologuing.
Before getting to the main event, namely Spider-Man vs. every Spider-Man in New York, this issue efficiently bounces around Spider-Man’s life, from his work with Ben in the role of Peter to Norman’s recent legal battles. Writer Joe Kelly deftly keeps you interested in the character melodramas, with hints of conflict coming very shortly.
Time to battle!
Credit: Marvel
A whopping twelve pages are devoted to Spider-Man facing off against Miles, Spider-Boy, Silk, and Spider-Girl. They want answers as to why Spider-Man is severely hurting bad guys, and who is under the mask. Sure, the misunderstanding fight is a trope we’ve seen done over and over, but the fact that Norman is under the mask complicates things in a way that makes the fight believable. Kelly also smartly loops Norman’s internal monologue in via captions to convey how he could beat any of these Spider-Men. The fight ends with a face-to-face that is believable and pretty darn messy. Oh, and the art is glorious and worth the price of admission.
It’s also worth noting that Kelly also weaves in Norman memories from his childhood, and with a key Spider-Man character, connecting his emotional baggage and humanity to events. This has worked when writing Peter in previous issues, and it works here.
By the end of the issue, between the drama of Norman trying to be Spider-Man and having a hard time at it, and the cliffhanger, the story arc is building towards an interesting look at filling Spider-Man’s shoes. While Superior Spider-Man did it with Doc Ock, here we see a man riddled with guilt trying to be the good man Peter sees in him. Can he continue being as good as Spider-Man, or will he falter when push comes to shove?
Amazing Spider-Man #12 strikes a strong balance between action and character depth, showcasing Norman’s struggle to live up to the Spider-Man mantle while hinting at the cracks beneath the surface. With Joe Kelly’s writing and Ed McGuinness’ art firing on all cylinders, it’s a story that feels both big and personal. By the last page, one thing is clear: Norman Osborn as Spider-Man is a powder keg waiting to blow.
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