AMAZING SPIDER-MAN may have ended its ongoing run, but fans of the Peter Parker variety of friendly neighborhood hero can enjoy a five-issue flashback miniseries, numbered in decimals tacked onto #700. The first and second installments are brought to us by David Morrell and Klaus Janson, with other teams and stories appearing in the remaining three.
The Good
It's an immediately familiar story; the Peter Parker we're used to is present right away, and the book is completely on-tone. Peter saves the day, again and again, but is angsty about never being able to do enough. He has a tough time balancing his daily life with his Spidey-life, and finds himself awkwardly defending his own alter ego to a Spider-skeptical J Jonah Jameson. There's nothing particularly revelatory going on, but I'm not sure that anyone's looking for that in a flashback miniseries (bonus: the relatively baseline story is also extremely accessible to new readers who might only have a movie or two for context).
The story isn't the only aspect of ASM #700.1 that feels classic. Klaus Janson's art is timeless, and Steve Buccellato's colors are just right. Everything is visually clean; there's enough texture and interesting lighting to avoid blandness, but nothing gets in the way of Janson's linework. It's welcoming, and easy to look at. If the point of these 700._ issues is to conjure up sweet nostalgia for AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, it's definitely doing that on the visual and storytelling fronts.
I've always enjoyed stories that explore the nature of a superhero's powers, and while "Frost" doesn't dive too deep, Peter's musings on the weakness/exhaustion of spiders in winter are interesting. Seeing Spider-Man in (effective) hibernation is a cold reminder of what a city looks like without its heroes, and pulling Aunt May into the danger zone makes it pointedly about New York without Peter in the Spidey-suit.
The Bad
#700.1 is only the first issue of a two-part arc, so I'll chalk quite a bit of this up to impatience, but I was hoping to see a hint of a big bad. It's hard to tell if Peter will get to face off against a supervillain in "Frost," or if this is a smaller-scale flashback centered on Peter/Spidey and the city and people he loves. (Alas, the solicits aren't much help!) I'm hoping for some big action, just because a bland story doesn't entirely suit a "comeback."
The Verdict
Peter Parker's return to current Marvel comics (alas, not in ongoing format for now) feels very comfortable and classic, and "Frost" sets up a charmingly familiar-feeling story that's great for ASM fans and Spidey novices alike. There's nothing bombastic going on here; just Spider-Man doing his thing, looking out for Aunt May and the city of New York, and trying his best to be a hero during a winter slump. It's a nice winter read; cozy and familiar, and perfect for chilly weather and Peter Parker nostalgia.