REVIEW: ‘Amazing Spider-Man,’ Issue #16

Amazing Spider-Man #16 is published by Marvel, written by Zeb Wells, pencils by Ed McGuinness, inks by Cliff Rathburn, colours by Marcio Menyz, and letters by Joe Caramagna. This is the next part of the Dark Web crossover. Ben Reilly continues to attack Peter Parker, getting revenge for tampered memories, and with leverage against Spider-Man, he might have the upper hand. 

This issue largely consists of a fight between Ben and Peter as manipulations throw them together. The other chapters of Dark Web before this one have contained a broader scaler, depicting the Hell that New York is now under. This time, it is much more self-enclosed, focusing on the Spider-Men. The fight is violent and intense whilst keeping the comical nature of the crossover intact. The battle is free-flowing and doesn’t let up for ages. The story is part of something larger, yet it is structured in a way to tell several viewpoints at the same time. Amazing Spider-Man seems to be the pivotal book, but it will also offer a glimpse of what is about to happen in other comics.

For example, a couple of pages are dedicated to what is about to occur in Venom. It sets up excitement without detracting fully from the story that is unfolding in Amazing Spider-Man #16. After that interlude, the plot changes slightly as Ben reveals a trump card. It’s a sign of the manipulations and trickery that the heroes are going to face in Dark Web. The end of the issue changes the situation completely, moving Spider-Man into unfamiliar territory.

This is a great character issue because it is so focused on Peter and Ben. It provides more of a clue on how Ben has turned evil so badly, with help from Madelyne Pryor. And as a villain, Chasm is truly terrifying. He has developed different powers that give him an edge over Peter. He has a smug arrogance that in his mind places him above others. But Peter brings more experience. The dialogue between the two is filled with familiarity, mixed with one-sided confusion as Spider-Man is thrown into a gauntlet run by someone he considered family.

The art is glorious. McGuinness is a legend at this point, with iconic and fantastic character proportions that are close to exclusive to his own style. Superheroes look strong and awesome when drawn by McGuinness. The fight between Spider-Man and Chasm is incredible. It’s such a frantic and scrappy brawl with both men being hit hard. Chasm’s new abilities make things very interesting, bringing fresh ideas to the table.

The inking is terrific, especially in a comic where the shadows can move and the details really matter. Rathburn’s lines are also crucial in panels where depth perception becomes necessary, the subtle changes in line-weight meaning that objects can be “in front” of each other without being too hard to understand. The fight between the two is interesting as they are so similar in their movements, broad costume design, and abilities, which is why it was probably necessary to change Ben for this crossover. The Chasm suit is phenomenal, another superb contribution by Rathburn.

The colours are amazing. I really like the colour scheme of Ben Reilly’s costume, the purple and a mystical green are unusual and gravitating. And elsewhere the backgrounds of panels are unnatural but stunning, with a variety of tones and shades. There are times when the actually inking lines of objects have different colours, which can increase a sense of glowing within these panels. The lettering has some exciting custom word balloons and SFX that intensifies the chaos.

Amazing Spider-Man #16 is a deeply personal book within a larger context. As Limbo bleeds into Earth, this is essentially a grudge match. The issue is incredibly fast-paced and fun to read, with the fantastic fight scene featuring masterful artwork. But there is substance and power within the energy, with the story being transformed entirely by the end of the comic.

Amazing Spider-Man #16 is available where comics are sold.