Amazing Spider-Man #37: A Hot Date

Oh man, there are a lot of comics that are getting really good right now, and fortunately for me (and everyone that reads Spidey) that the Amazing Spider-Man is one of them. This is truly a classic told in the Mighty Marvel Manner!

Author Nick Spencer continues to build on past Marvel continuity…you know, like comics used to in the old days. At this point, I have to stop and ask HOW on God’s green earth did Spidey end up being the Marvel book that has no big, unescapable continuity black holes in it? Yeah, yeah, “Clone Saga” whatever. This titles still manages to embrace its history and use that history to tell stories now. Or maybe Spencer’s just that good. I mean, I heard he used to be really popular on the old Twitter machine.

But back to this issue, in particular, not only does Spencer use Spidey’s history, he uses other current events in the Marvel Universe to help get his story where it needs to go. Books that aren’t necessarily tied into Spidey’s world. He manages to cram a ton of story into this issue. He not only tells a great main story, he also sets up some great stories into motion for the supporting cast, along with some trademark humor that’s made this book beloved by millions of readers over the better part of the last 6 decades. We also get some really cool mysteries set in motion, some that I think will be resolved soon and some I think that will go on for quite a while, and that’s fine by me. It seems every issue over the last 6 months has had its fair share of great cliffhangers.

Artist Ryan Ottley is back for another awesome issue. His tendency for literally drawing outside the lines is incredible. Ottley has a great style that’s halfway between comic book art and American animation. It gives his art a life to them that escapes other comic artists. His characters are perpetually in motion and his cityscape backgrounds seem to be alive. There are times his art bears a similarity to Sal Buscema, almost paying tribute to him, but uniquely his own.