The Amazing Spider-Man #68: Shattered Webs

“Eight Deaths of Spider-Man” has fluctuated in pacing since the start, but in the last few issues, it’s become evident that the arc has been treading water. With predictability and sluggish pacing looming over every turn, we’re now suddenly barreling toward a conclusion that fails to match the promise this arc initially kicked off with.

Regardless of the arc’s overall trajectory, this issue carries a classic feel that hits all the right notes on a broader scale. It’s always a joy to see Spider-Man swinging into action alongside the X-Men—his complex relationship with them remains an understated yet important part of the Marvel Universe. Unfortunately, this dynamic isn’t explored as effectively as it could have been. The X-Men are mainly here out of obligation to Juggernaut’s ‘Cyttorak Connection,’ but at the very least, the chapter earns some points for maintaining consistent, if uninspired, crossover antics.

However, the weak exploration of Peter’s heel-turn over the past few issues actively undermines the satisfaction of seeing him back on the ‘superhero horse,’ despite Justina Ireland’s consistently stellar voice for the character. Even though I’m coming down on the arc as a whole, I’ve been swooned by Ireland’s overall voice for the Web-Head and that’s still present in this issue.

Teaming up with the X-Men should feel grand and exhilarating, and the arrival of the Blight and Peter’s supposed “death” should carry real weight. But with so much wasted page space in previous issues and a continual avoidance of deeper, more complex questions, these major moments are crammed into a single issue with no room to breathe. The back half of this arc has suffered significantly from poor pacing, and the half-baked plot conveniences used to justify the arc’s title only make the disappointment that much harder to swallow.

Andrea Broccardo continues on main art duties in this issue and his style fell flat for me in comparison to previous issues. While his work can definitely sell the grounded side of this story, it struggles to truly make the action sequences explode of the page in the way they should. His work is strong, just not quite the right fit for an issue all about big, dumb, ‘hype’ moments.