Amazing Spider-Man #24: Carnage Rules, Torment Drools

Death Spiral has been a great deal of fun, but it has lacked a strong emotional core to elevate it beyond the confines of convention. Marketing would have you believe that the reunion between Peter and MJ was the main reason to get invested in yet another symbiote slop fest, but The Amazing Spider-Man #24 finally tears off the mask and shines an overdue light on Eddie Brock as he begins to unravel the anguish that the last few years of stories have left him with. I was genuinely surprised by just how emotionally impactful this issue turned out to be, as it finally presents the true beating heart of this story.

Alongside Joe Kelly, Charles Soule and Jesús Saíz jump back into the fray with this issue. The deeply personal writing of Brock is proof enough of their contributions, but Saíz specifically elevates the script with his brilliant panel pacing. When Eddie stumbles upon Torment looming over the body of his now-dead father, the rush of bittersweet rage that hits him is rendered beautifully. Later in the issue, during a standoff between Eddie and Torment, there are a few excellent beats that genuinely raise the stakes in a way the book has lacked thus far. Death Spiral has been consistently fun and satisfying as it works to pay off the last two years of storytelling, but this issue marks the moment where I became fully invested in the arcs and well-being of the main cast.

Peter and MJ continue to share strong moments as they race after Eddie, picking up the pieces of a rampage that leads to the very thing he has been fighting against since Eddie Brock: Carnage #1. Although his style isn’t always conducive to the kind of high-flying, stylized action these characters are known for, Saíz still excels at capturing both the acrobatic fluidity of Spider-Man and the hulking weight of Venom. This is further enhanced by the coloring work, which establishes a grittier, more grounded tone that allows the story’s emotional weight to land. There are still plenty of questions left unanswered, leaving the back half of this crossover feeling intriguing—and I, for one, can’t wait to see where it goes.