Amazing Spider-Man #1
Recap
Peter Parker is the Amazing Spider-Man! That's all you need to know in this great jumping-on point!
Review
On paper, this book doesn’t click at all. The lighter, bombastic, humorous, writing style of author Zeb Wells meets the dark, shadowy, moody pencils of artist John Romita, Jr.? Can they coexist? Let’s take a look…
Author Zeb Wells plays it a little heavier this issue than he normally does, but there are definitely characters that are lighter in tone than most, and those characters really stand out in this crowd. I’m willing to bet that Wells started with an ending and worked backward to tell this story, because for the first few pages, the reader has zero clue as to just what is going on in Peter’s life, but thankfully by the end of the issue, it’s becoming more clear. This story is very entertaining, and I’m willing to bet that by the end of this first storyline, nothing we know is going to stay the same. It’s obvious that time has passed since the last volume ended, so Wells uses some great dialogue to clue us in on the events that we’ve “missed,” while still doing a great job at keeping us out of the loop. Wells never turns us to confusion, the book is always entertaining, and by the end of the issue, you’re right back in the thick of things with Spider-Man and,,, well, his amazing friends.
Welcome back John Romita, Jr.!!! Wow, it’s great to have you back! JRJR’s art is top-notch, all the way. He’s updated his style, just a tad, and everything appears a little softer than before. It’s not a huge change, but it’s definitely noticeable. Somehow the art clicks with Well’s story, and it brings out some of the points that might’ve gotten overlooked by a different artist. Another thing that I liked is that he’s drawing real people here, no overexaggerated physiques, and even villains that are over-the-top characters are drawn to look like they could be as real as you or me. Just that little touch makes a world of difference, giving the book one of the most believable looks that it’s had in a while.
Final Thoughts
A great way to start things off! Zeb Wells' exhilarating story is only made better by John Romita Jr's new, slightly softer style. Get in on the ground floor with this one, folks!!
ADVANCED REVIEW! Amazing Spider-Man #1: How Long Must I Dream? (Spoiler-Free!)
- Writing - 9.5/109.5/10
- Storyline - 9/109/10
- Art - 9.5/109.5/10
- Color - 9/109/10
- Cover Art - 9/109/10