Amazing Spider-Man #22 marks the end of multiple story arcs as the series changes gears for Death Spiral next issue. Can Joe Kelly and three guest artists pull off so many finishes, or will this finish feel rushed with double-shipping, making it hard on everyone? It’s an issue with endings, that’s for sure.
It’s safe to say Amazing Spider-Man #22 is not a perfect issue. The artists switching doesn’t help, and it’s also abundantly clear there aren’t enough pages to deliver in-issue conflicts and resolutions on top of the heavy lift of wrapping up Norman, Peter, and Ben’s stories. At the end of the day, this is a sprint to get Peter back on Earth and back to being Spider-Man, with Kelly doing his best to instill humor and satisfying moments.
So what works? Spider-Man’s living suit Glitch continues to be a fun deadpan character, with Raelith’s bubbly cheer adding to the crew dynamic. Kelly delivers at least one laugh-out-loud moment involving Glitch and Symbie, for instance, and a running gag about ice cream keeps Raelith pertinent to the story.
Readers wondering about the new character Captain Kintsugi should definitely not miss this issue. Kelly gives away key details, and these details will matter a lot more going forward, likely after Death Spiral.
Time to wrap things up.
Credit: Marvel
Ben Reilly also appears in this issue, which is a relief since it seemed like he exited the story a few issues ago. Instead, Peter and Ben get to hash things out, albeit in an all-too-overdone trope of them fighting. Every superhero comic needs some fighting, but unfortunately, Peter comes off as a hot-headed jerk, so as to get them punching and jumping as quickly as possible. That said, Ben’s wife, Hallow’s Eve, has a cool mask to try out, and Ben does make a solid point.
What doesn’t work is how clunky and slow some scenes can be. Take, for instance, the opening, with Peter talking to Rocket, then Nial, then Xanto. Kelly has to have Peter say goodbye and provide some kind of resolution to Xanto’s role as a kidnapper and jailer before Peter says goodbye, all on one page. A scene with Maira Osmani-Milton has a similar problem, from reminding us what happened to Peter’s friend in the lab, to establishing her busy life and her son. In another one-pager, Norman basically tells us what he’s up to next, and teasing us about his new series with Miles and Spider-Man’s friends.
Closing out the issue gives Peter’s manic search for Aunt May some finality. One could call this a satisfying wrap-up of the central plot of the issue, although I don’t think anyone was questioning Aunt May’s health, so it’s no big surprise or relief. Although Aunt May seems to forgive Peter too quickly, she is family, and it’s a nice moment for Peter.
Amazing Spider-Man #22 feels like a necessary closure more than a triumphant finale, hustling Peter back to Earth while wrapping multiple character arcs in limited space. Kelly injects humor and warmth where he can, especially through Glitch and Raelith, and plants meaningful seeds for Captain Kintsugi and the post–Death Spiral landscape. Still, the compressed pacing and rotating artists make several resolutions feel abrupt. The issue succeeds in repositioning the board, but the rush keeps it from landing with full emotional weight.
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