Amazing Spider-Man #52.LR: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

We get ANOTHER issue of Amazing Spider-Man this week! What is this, Christmas? Not quite, but it might as well be. Not only do we get two issues of Spidey this week, but they’re also both really good. Continuing the story taking place in the “Last Remains” story, these “.LR” issues tell the story of the Spider-Man supporting cast while Spidey’s fighting Kindred. In this issue, author Matthew Rosenberg uses a common-sense story device that I wish that more comic authors would use because it really explained away something that could’ve taken me way out of this story if it would’ve been just left in there.

We get more of the great dynamic between Dr. Strange & Black Cat, and we get some catching up with Norman Osborn and Mary Jane who just happened to come back into town are just about the worst time she could’ve chosen. But, with all the good, there has to be a little bad. The bad this issue: Morlun. Yeah, Morlun. Who in the hell demanded him? Seriously, who? Come at me, bro. We don’t have to put with too much of him this issue, but it looks like we might in the near future. Maybe there’ll be a sudden change of heart by editorial and they’ll throw that part of the story out and replace it with Spider-Ham.

Once again we have artist Fredrico Vicentini! And once again, he knocks this one outta the park. What I’ve come to notice is that he doesn’t draw all scenes in his style, he changes his style depending on what the scene calls for, and that’s both unusual and so rewarding for the reader. When the story gets darker, so does the art. Now, I should mention that he wouldn’t be able to do this if it wasn’t for colorists Marcio Menyz & Erick Arciniega because, in a lot of those scenes, they do most of the heavy lifting. Not to mention they do a great job throughout the rest of the book. All said and done, this is one book that’s as much fun to look at as it is to read.