Spider-Man survived a serial killer, saved his aunt once again, and now he can relax…oh wait, there’s that whole time paradox thing he set up during the “8 Deaths of Spider-Man” story arc! Amazing Spider-Man #28 may be a bottle episode, but it’s a good one as the series decompresses from a crossover event while rekindling key aspects of Joe Kelly’s run. Expect fights, friendships, and a really bad work day for old webhead.
Top to bottom, Amazing Spider-Man #28 is an entertaining issue with a good pace. That pace begins with Spider-Man attempting to get some much-needed rest, but Doctor Strange reminds him that he has to help himself in the past to save Earth. This leads to one headache after another, but would we want it any other way when it comes to Spidey?
Once the story kicks off, Spider-Man is rushing to get to a specific location, only to be knocked in the head by Titania, who is robbing a bank truck with her love, Absorbing Man. It’s a quick two-page scene, but it comes complete with quips and a comical way to beat Absorbing Man.
From there, the story zips off to the Baxter Building, with Spider-Man’s new alien friends hanging out with the FF after the team helped them get over the extremely dirty Earth and all its diseases. Between the refreshing supporting characters like Symbie, Rae, and Glitch and the fast-talking dialogue, it’s a snappy scene.
The meatiest scene comes by way of Kintsugi, who gets a robust scene with Spider-Man, which is saying a lot since he’s mostly been in the background or teased until now. There’s still a “to be continued” hanging over the character, but it advances his meeting with Peter, at the very least.
Gosh darn Parker luck.
Credit: Marvel
The scenes with the most ramifications come through Peter’s work and his old friend, Brian Nehring. There’s nothing new for Spider-Man dealing with work issues, but this scene feels particularly rough. Caught in a bind thanks to Peter’s clone, Kelly writes the possibilities of what happened from Peter’s coworker in a quite harsh way. You’ll feel for him, and ever the martyr, Peter can’t defend himself without revealing his complicated superhero life.
All these scenes are great, and I didn’t even mention the full circle of Spider-Man’s time paradox problem. It’s used in a way to lump even more lumps on Spider-Man’s rough life, although it plays out in a hopeful way that only Spider-Man can inspire.
The art is by Cory Smith with Francesco Manna, with Cory drawing most of the issue. Spider-Man always looks great in the costume, with good character acting when he’s unmasked. Considering I can’t quite tell when Manna takes over, the art is seamless. Somewhat shocking, Rae is a spitting image of how Pepe Larraz draws her, and Symbie has to be the greatest character with no lines or things to do, yet he is funny and endearing as heck.
If you’re looking for gripes, Peter talking to past Peter is a little rougher visually, or at the very least, not the most dynamic of art. As bottle episodes go, it’s also a lot of smaller elements to catch us up to events prior to Death Spiral, and not a big meaty conflict to resolve.
Amazing Spider-Man #28 is a strong breather issue that still manages to move key threads forward. Joe Kelly leans into Peter Parker’s chaotic life, stacking problems across superhero duties, friendships, and work, while keeping the tone sharp and entertaining. The time paradox thread adds intrigue without overwhelming the issue, and the character moments land with real weight. It may not deliver a huge central conflict, but it succeeds as a focused, character-driven chapter.
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