Amazing Spider-Man #38: Jackpot!

I don’t think this book could slow down if it wanted to. Another super-fast-paced issue by author Nick Spencer. In fact, this one might be a little too fast-paced for its own good.  This issue rolls on from last issues story with J. Jonah Jameson starting work at a brand-new news website, but it turns out to be a little more (or less) than he bargained for. Spencer continues to deliver thrills, cliffhangers and at least three different storylines running concurrently. But it doesn’t ever get too clumsy or jumbled for the reader, no, it’s got a really nice flow to it and manages to get several points across all in the same issue. My one complaint about this issue is that it reads in about five minutes. Not to say that there’s not a lot of dialogue or that it’s all pictures, it’s just a very, very quick read.

This issue stands out as my favorite in a while simply because of the artwork. Artist Iban Coello is fantastic on this book!! His action segments are incredible, so kinetic that they seem to be moving faster than the eye can follow. Add to that, the few pages of “casual” action that are in the book,  like scenes in an office, or other indoor places look absolutely fascinating. Most impressive is his overall style. It’s very comic-friendly, with certain things slightly exaggerated and some great too impossible to be real poses and a unique view of New York City that only a comic artist can give.

This might be the first issue of Amazing Spider-Man that I’ve reviewed that I haven’t completely enjoyed, and that’s because it’s just so quick. It’s over before you know it. I think that maybe there needs to be a little more meat on the bone than there is.