Review: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #18
Writer: Dan Slott & Christos Gage
Penciler: Humberto Ramos
Inker: Victor Olazaba
Colors: Edgar Delgado
Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos
Publisher: Marvel Comics
As the Marvel Universe prepares for Secret Wars, Spider-Man sees his business life crumbling down around him. Parker Industries is being attacked by cyber terrorist The Ghost. Spider-Man not only has to stop Ghost from destroying his life’s work, but also save everyone trapped inside.
The second story follows Black Cat as she sets out to make a name for herself in the criminal underworld.
What I Liked
Amazing Spider-Man #18 is a two-part story that seamlessly works as one. The ending to the first story transitions to the second.
If I had to pick, I enjoyed the Black Cat story more than the Parker Industries one. She is a character I have wanted to see in the spotlight for many years. Black Cat is out for revenge against those who have wronged her. As she becomes more ruthless, her followers grow.
The Ghost is the perfect villain to use to take down a corporation from the inside. He is a crook-for-hire, nothing more, nothing less.
It was fun to see Clayton Cole (former criminal Clash, who was introduced in the Amazing Spider-Man 1.1-1.5 issues) and Anna-Maria Marconi don some of Spider-Man’s tech and suits to battle Ghost. Thanks to Dan Slott, Anna-Maria has shown herself to be a vital addition to Spider-Man’s supporting cast. She is more than a damsel-in-distress. She uses her brains for problem-solving, which can include helping Spider-Man. Anna-Maria is great at covering for Peter when he’s Spider-Man.
There are some clever camera angles and poses crafted by the art team of Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba, and Edgar Delgado. They always come up with the most contoured images of Spidey in action. Legs and arms are always expressive and drawn to the max. There is a lot to illustrate too, between fires, rubble, and tech powers.
What I Didn’t Like
Peter claims he has learned from his time as a leader during Spider-Verse. That he is going to apply those lessons to running Parker Industries. But actions speak louder than words. If given another chance to rebuild Parker Industries, will history repeat itself?
This is not so much a negative, but as I mentioned earlier, I have always wanted to see Black Cat play a more prominent role in the Spider-Man corner of the Marvel Universe. Now she is, but as a villain. With all the new Spider heroes running around, setting Black Cat up as an antagonist differentiates her from the rest of the pack.
This review is written in partnership with Pop Culture Network. They can be found at their website http://www.popculturenetwork.com/
Timdogg
#ComicBookChronicles @CBChron founder. Editor-in-Chief of @thekliqnation. Comic book reviewer, podcaster #RABBLERABBLE
