Amazing Spider-Man #63
Recap
Review
Even though it’s not billed as such, this issue starts a brand-new storyline in The Amazing Spider-Man… except it doesn’t. But writer Nick Spencer really makes you feel that way. The past couple of issues have been all about setting up the new status quo for Spidey. New suit, new job, new….other stuff. Now that that stuff is out of the way, we can roll up our sleeves and get right to the nitty-gritty of where the story is headed at this particular time. Once again, Spencer takes a background storyline that really seems like it’s just gonna sit there and take care of itself and thrusts it into the main focus, involving Spidey in a very natural, organic way. Spencer’s idea board must get a lot of work. While things are rolling along for almost everyone in the book, he still manages to touch on things that you thought were over, and leaves out things that regular readers are almost screaming for. He’s a master of the long-form story and in this age of getting everything immediately, he’s got a phenomenal talent for making you love to wait. As little as twenty years ago, you couldn’t pick up your phone and find out what happens in the next three issues of your favorite comic before the comic store opened. Spencer has a way of feeding you enough so that you’re not hungry, yet teasing you with that great big reward that’s waiting at the end of the line. And have I mentioned that the Marvel mega-crossover King in Black hasn’t even touched this current story? Pretty impressive if you ask me. This issue may focus on two characters that some may consider “C-list,” but Spencer writes them as if they’re the stars of the book.
Artist Federico Vicentni is the artist for this issue, and he does a pretty great job of illustrating this book and conveying all the emotion that’s needed to hit the reader right in the face. Characters, tech, and locations are all very well done, and even during the pages and pages of dialogue that should be boring, he finds a way to convey suspense and excitement. He really knows his way around a comic page. The one criticism I have is very minor, but it’s something that bothers me a little. Instead of having a different artist draw each issue, can we get one artist to draw each for to six-issue arc? It’s been done countless times before and I think it would help the reader a great deal with transitioning from one arc to the other. Just think, if you read a story drawn by one artist, you’re gonna KNOW that things are switching gears and that the narrative is changing if all of a sudden the book has a totally different art style and artist on it. Again, this is by no means a deal-breaker, but it would really make everyone’s enjoyment of the book that much more.
Final Thoughts
This issue is the before dinner drinks to a huge feast that's coming in this title. Every single summer there's a big Spidey event and this year's really gets rolling with this issue. You aren't gonna want to miss this one!
Amazing Spider-Man #63: Round and Round
- Writing - 8.5/108.5/10
- Storyline - 9/109/10
- Art - 8/108/10
- Color - 9/109/10
- Cover Art - 7/107/10