The Spider has been broken. After his encounter with Hellgate, Peter Parker vanished. The encounter left Spidey in a very bad space. This left a hole in New York City. Both Ben Reilly and Norman Osborn have stepped in to fill his void. Neither would believe where Parker is currently residing.
Everyone’s favorite neighborhood wall-crawler is in space!
His displacement has led him to Xanto Starblood. Looking to get stronger for his rematch, Parker forges a deal with the alien. In the process, some truths come to light. Starblood has experimented on sentient life. This doesn’t set well for Parker, who leads a revolt.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #13 by Joe Kelly, Pepe Larraz, Marte Gracia, Erick Arciniega & Joe Caramagna sees the web-head leading a new crusade?
Let’s take a closer look at what’s unfolding now.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #13 by Joe Kelly, Pepe Larraz, Marte Gracia, Erick Arciniega & Joe Caramagna (Marvel Comics)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Kelly has really moved Parker out of his comfort zone with this chapter. Having him lead a motely crew of captured aliens makes for a unique dynamic. Seeing Rocket Raccoon’s sharp wit battle with Parker’s logic is a fun read. This moves events enough to circle back to their original dilemma. Starblood is captive to this group. What is his fate? The answer harkens back to the Spider’s DNA.
Readers watch as the debate rages on. The writing pleads a few different looks before deciding. It leads into a present day problem. In dealing with The Black Order, readers see how this “team” is in over their heads. Pacing does jump a bit during these moments. It doesn’t hamper the experience but backs up Parker’s stance. The conclusion teases a more traditional finish. Readers where this story could go. However, Kelly does throw in a sudden change with the final page. Seeing where this choice goes will be enjoyable to follow.
Larraz has quickly mastered how to do Spider-Man action scenes. The opening battle is electrified with a spectacular full page image. Seeing the eclectic group on the attack should be a crowd pleaser. This gives way to the past decision about Starblood. The art shows how certain characters have a strong reaction to his fate. It also provides some comical moments via Rocket. His mannerisms are show stealing.
The action images will be the ones most talked about. Readers will be impressed with Raelith as she fights. A full page shot nails the landing as the fight grows. This momentum carries into the main event portion. Larraz and company welcome in Black Dwarf via near full page. This speeds events up as Spidey takes the fight into his own hands. There’s plenty of fast-paced panels to maneuver through strikes. It leads to a shocking image that ends the conflict. The closing pages tie up loose ends before the end panel shakes things up. A lone image with few words drives home how this story is far from over.
OVERALL GRADE: 8.8
The space escapades of Peter Parker takes a dramatic turn in this latest chapter. Kelly weaves the self-doubt in-between the chaos with the writing. Larraz and the art team shine with their beaming panel pieces. The last panel will shake up the stat quo further as this run continues to impress.
Let me know your thoughts on Amazing Spider-Man #13 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!