REVIEW: ‘Amazing Spider-Man,’ Issue #79

Amazing Spider-Man #79 is written by Cody Ziglar, illustrated by Michael Dowling, colored by Jesus Aburtov, and lettered by VC’s Joe Caramagna. It is published by Marvel Comics. Following his bout with Morbius, Ben Reilly is back as Spider-Man and ready to swing into action with the help of the Beyond Corporation. However, his return may be short-lived as he comes face to face with Kraven the Hunter, who intends to launch his greatest hunt of all!

This issue marks Ziglar’s first full comic book writing gig, following backup stories in Miles Morales: Spider-Man and the beginning of the Beyond Saga. His script focuses on Ben’s attempts to balance his crime-fighting duties with some personal time off, which includes a visit to the still-comatose Peter Parker where he pours out his soul. He also starts to question Beyond’s commitment to the greater good, which makes sense given that his costume allows them to track him and he’s on a strict schedule. This character work definitely bodes well for the upcoming She-Hulk show, as Ziglar is also a writer on this series.

Ziglar is joined by Dowling, who’s no stranger to the Spider-Verse himself as he’s served as an artist on Black Cat. Dowling’s art has a glossy sheen to it that makes his characters feel like real people; little details such as Ben’s stubble or the gap in a little girl’s tooth stand out. Dowling also draws an impressive two-page spread that features Ben leaping around an armored truck, webbing up the inhabitants, and even yanking one rider out. Even Caramagna’s lettering seems to literally leap off the page, with a scream extending from one panel to the next and a truck crashing into a wall with a shuddering “kerrassh” noise.

Rounding out the artistic team is Aburtov, and his colors are what make this artwork sing. Assistant editor Kaeden McGahey says on the final page that everything Aburtov touches ends up shining, and he isn’t joking. Golden rays of sunlight bounce off of windows and illuminate locations. The opening scene is set in a nightclub, which turns into a kaleidoscope of vibrant violet lights. And a fiery orange explosion covers an entire page as if flames are literally leaping out at the reader.

The one element of the issue that gives me pause is Kraven. After the masterpiece that was Kraven’s Last Hunt, many stories featuring the Hunter have paled in comparison. I hope that something new is done with Kraven during this era because the character has promise, and his talk of putting Deadpool and Wolverine through similar experiences promises an exciting story (and a terrifying experience for Ben.) Hopefully, incoming issues live up to that promise.

Amazing Spider-Man #79 launches a new story arc, featuring the first full issue written by Cody Ziglar and the return of a classic Spidey villain. The fun of the Beyond Saga is that it allows different creators to add their own flair to an ongoing story, and I look forward to what Ziglar, Dowling, and Aburtov do in the next issue.

Amazing Spider-Man #79 is available wherever comics are sold.