REVIEW: ‘Amazing Spider-Man,’ Issue #65

Amazing Spider-Man #65 is written by Nick Spencer, illustrated by Federico Vicentini and Federico Sabbatini, colored by Alex Sinclair, and lettered by VC’s Joe Caramagna. It is published by Marvel Comics. Part three of the “King’s Ransom” storyline features Spider-Man racing against the clock to save his roommate Randy Robertson and Randy’s girlfriend Janice Lincoln—aka the Beetle—from the clutches of Madame Masque and the Crime-Master. He is helped out by Tombstone and Robbie Robertson, who have put aside their rivalry to save their children. Meanwhile, Norman Osborn and Wilson Fisk come to loggerheads on how to handle Kindred.

With this issue, the artistic team starts bringing “King’s Ransom” to a close and wraps up one of the long-running plots in Spencer’s run. Fisk’s pursuit of the Lifeline Tablet, Boomerang going on the run, Randy’s love life: all of it comes to a head. Spidey himself isn’t shoved to the side, as he manages to continue to make the most of his new costume and job. It’s a testament to Spencer’s skill as a writer that he can balance the big moments, such as Spidey and the Syndicate making a heroic entrance, with the funny ones including Spidey explaining to J. Jonah Jameson the difference between live streaming and actual television.

On the artistic front, I can’t really tell which pages were illustrated by Vicentini and which ones were illustrated by Sabbatini, since both men have a similar art style. I’m not sure how to feel about it, because I do feel their artwork compliments each other but with it being so similar it feels like there should have only been one artist on the title. That non-withstanding, both artists turn in some amazing artwork, made even more eye-catching by Sinclair’s bright colors. A key example is Spidey himself, whose blue and gray armor continues to pulsate with glowing golden light.

The highlight of the issue features a two-page spread with Spidey and the Syndicate doing battle against Madame Masque and Crime-Master’s henchmen. The sequence is a smorgasbord of action, featuring multiple panels with their own unique action. Spidey fires multiple webs (to be honest, it is going to take some getting used to seeing Spidey’s webbing with the “Thwep” sound instead of the trademark “Thwip”). Scorpia’s tail hits multiple foes, Electro blasts criminals with lightning, and Lady Octopus’s tentacles coil and wrap around opponents. Spidey and the Beetle also get to fight Crime-Master and Madame Masque respectively.

The issue also continues to feature Kindred as a recurring threat. Though he’s locked up, the last issue proves that he can still manipulate people, and it’s clear that Fisk is playing a dangerous game by interrogating him. The creative team also continues to make him look immensely creepy, with glowing red eyes and rotting teeth.

Amazing Spider-Man #65 serves as the penultimate entry to the “King’s Ransom” arc, also paying off multiple threads from Nick Spencer’s run. Next week will see a “Giant-Size” one-shot that wraps up the story arc properly, and I’m interested to see how this continues to affect not just Peter Parker’s life but Boomerang’s as well.