Amazing Spider-Man: The Sins of Norman Osborn #1: Getting the Band Back Together (Spoiler-Free)

I’m gonna give you a heads-up now. Look for writer Nick Spencer and artist Federico Vicentini to be the next break-out creative team. They work at a really high level already and their number of collaborations really aren’t that high as of yet.

Author Nick Spencer knows just what to write to play to Vicentini’s strengths, and this issue is no exception. Spinning straight out of the events in Amazing Spider-Man (which is necessary if you want to get the whole storyline completed) the Spider-Family does it again!! Does what? Yeah, not telling. What I will tell you is that if you miss this book you’re gonna miss out on some really key moments to this story, but please try not to miss it, because it’s a great book. This book calls back a lot of Spider-History without getting us lost or making us feel stupid for not remembering it, the book features tons of guest-stars including most of Spidey’s rogue’s villains and in some cases some other people’s villains. Maybe most important of all, it resets the record straight as to just who Spider-Man’s greatest villain is. Again, I’m not gonna tell you, but let’s just say a former writer of Spider-Man may be having a temper-tantrum on Twitter very soon. But forget all of that, this book is really good. Like A- good. Yeah, it’s an extra part of the story, but it doesn’t matter when the book is this good and actually advances the story!! Pick this one up, Spider-Fans!!

Hey, look!!! I’m not even done yet!! Artist Federico Vicentini is a breath of fresh air in the Spider-Man titles. He’s got a unique style that’s all his own, but it does remind a little bit of Jim Cheung or 1990s Sal Buscema. Two styles I wouldn’t expect to see combined, but it looks awesome. Vicentini guides us through quite a winding story here, holding out hands with you the whole time so that we don’t get lost, and putting up lots of really nice scenery along the way. Vicentini’s art looks to be part of the regular rotation on the Spider-Man books, and let’s hope it stays there. This is a guy who’s work I wouldn’t mind looking at for a long time to come.