Things are back to Amazing, well kind of!
Good
Well after the “amazing” conclusion to last month’s issue I knew I was going to be happy with this book and I’m glad to say that it was an enjoyable read over all.
Obviously with the Goblin Nation in full flow Peter had a lot on his plate, and this book does an excellent job at showing how “Superior” he is at dealing with threats. The way he quickly dispatches Goblin minions and Spider Slayers is extremely satisfying especially considering how low Pete’s been brought over the last few months. Tying into this point is Spidey explaining his recent behaviour; I loved the way that people just accepted it plainly especially considering the world that these superheroes inhabit.
Of course we have the final reveal of the Goblin in this issue and it’s an interesting one, the clues were there and it was a solvable puzzle. Unlike other Slott mysteries where the answer to a problem seemingly appears out of nowhere, here it was hinted at. The answer to who’s behind the mask is the one many fans wanted, to have another behind that emerald mask would have been disappointing and robbed the story of some of its power so I’m glad at the choice Slott made. The Goblins final fate is an intriguing one and really ramps the tension up, especially as it’s quite a bold choice. Normally it’d worry me but Slott’s proven that he’s perhaps one of the greatest Spider-Man writers with this series.
Spock was a funny character but not in the same Way that Pete is. Spock was funny in an awkward way. Pete’s genuinely funny. I actually guffawed at the “manbag line” and the goblins realisation gave me chills, especially when he seemed so perturbed at dealing with the one true original Spidey. Actually there were a few excellent moments where people realised that it wasn’t Spock they were dealing and it was satisfying every time.
One final comment, Giuseppe Camuncoli has gone from my least favourite Spidey artists to easily my favourite I hope he stays on the book!
Bad
I don’t want to go on too long with this point because strictly speaking it’s not relevant. I should review what I read not what I wanted t read. I still can’t help but think that t would have been nice to have at least one Spock vs Goblin fight. The final fight here is a good one and Pete deals with the threat in an exciting and dramatic way but the tension dissolved slightly for me that it was Pete in charge. Had it been Spock still in this issue the tension would still be there. I worry that we may be returning to more formulaic stories, which would be a shame considering the bold direction this series tried to take.
Another issue with this issue was the pacing. It just felt off, I can’t say it was rushed but so much happened in a single issue that everything felt strange to me. Also did anyone else notice the discrepancy with Carlie’s eyes? Ok that was an unfair nitpick.
Verdict
Overall this was a good issue, and a fine ending to what I’m sure will be considered a classic story line in the years to come. Slott leaves some interesting thread dangling which I’m sure will lead into some fantastic stories in the future. All that said Slott’s pacing continues to be strange and
