Amazing Spider-Man #57: You’re Not the Boss of Me!

Issue #57 of The Amazing Spider-Man seems like an epilogue, but I think that’s just a ruse. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until the next issue to find out. But this issue will be MORE than enough to tide you over till then. This is a character-driven issue which honestly, surprised me more than once. Author Nick Spencer dives into the motivation of several characters, and not just for this storyline, for their entire lives. We also find out the details of something that was mentioned off the cuff last issue and they’re pretty intense. The supporting cast gets a couple of pages and in that short time, Spencer makes some big things happen that hopefully gets more attention down the road, because I think there’s an audience for it as well as some great story potential. But, this issue is about Peter and Norman and to a lesser extent, Harry. The normal dynamics are reversed here, and it’s kinda weird but at the same time SUPER entertaining. I never thought I’d see Norman act timid while Peter was the aggressive one. 

Guess what? MARK BAGLEY!!!! This guy could draw the phone book and I’d read it. That doesn’t make any sense at all, but the point is I love Bagley’s art! Also, to find out what a phone book is hit up Google. Here, Bagley shines because one thing he’s excellent at is drawing reactions, even through a mask, and this issue he has plenty of reactions to draw and he’s up to his usual excellence while doing it. The other thing that really stood out to me artistically was the way he drew Norman. Norman’s a different man now, and it really shows. Before he carried a sense of arrogance. We all know a Norman Osborne kind of guy, become wealthy and “successful” by stepping on the backs of his employees and anyone else as long as there’s something in it for him. But now that Norman is a “good guy” Bagley changes so much about him without actually changing anything about him. It’s more body language than anything, but it totally works.