REVIEW: ‘Spine-tingling Spider-Man’ Issue #1

Spine-Tingling Spider-Man #1 is published by Marvel, written by Saladin Ahmed, art and colors by Juan Ferrerya, and letters by Joe Caramagna. Spider-Man wakes up in a world that appears to have forgotten who he is, leaving him to walk through New York like a ghost.

This first issue introduces an interesting concept, putting a twist on the Christmas Carol story and turning it into a horror comic. The comic very swiftly moves on from a seemingly lightly connected cold open, flipping Peter’s life upside down and plummeting him into a nightmare. For much of the comic, the tone is one of confusion. The world has been changed entirely due to the lack of Spider-Man, and the pacing allows for the severity of the situation to sink in. It’s disturbing but not quite terrifying.

That terror is kept under wraps until it is unleashed with a few pages to go. It is there that the horror of the comic really comes alive. Ahmed is still not ready to provide answers, but the questions are countless. It could be argued that the sudden escalation happens too late, but everything that happens lays crucial groundwork. It eradicates any chance of safety, eliminating all possible options to demonstrate that Peter is truly alone.

Spine-Tingling Spider-Man #1 leans heavily on the main character and his narration, even more so than usual. With so much changing so early in the book, Peter is left to monologue a lot. Those recognisable mainstays are very different. What starts to build the atmosphere in the comic is the oppressive tone that comes from everywhere and everyone. Ahmed doesn’t just erase the life of Peter Parker; those he loves are actively angry and malicious towards him. The tension continues to spike and increases the isolation that he feels. There is a brilliant simplicity to the captions. It describes what’s happening, with some added emphasis when needed. 

The art is fantastic, adapting and evolving as rapidly as the script. The cold open is a demonstration of the crazy carnage, but for most of the book, Ferrerya creates a New York that is steeped in normality. It’s emptier, which is used to disturb and unnerve, and the glimpses of something sinister underlying the scenes are always present. The way that Ferreyra twists the usually friendly faces into snarls and grimaces are early signs of how wrong things have gone.

This issue does not feature much of Spider-Man for reasons pertaining to the story. So even in the most energetic and action-packed moments, Peter is stuck with his costume. This results in reactions being far more palpable as the facial expressions are visible. The last part of the comic is a visceral horror story, introducing terrifying figures that emerge all of a sudden. The first appearance is a large close-up that details Ferreyra’s incredible art style. It’s a horrifying portrait that changes the course of the comic. From there, the imagery only gets more disturbing, with contorting faces and an almost entirely different look. It becomes claustrophobic and as nightmarish as a comic can get.

The colors are fascinating. The opening is overly colorful, filling the page with red. That doesn’t last long, as a more naturalistic set of shades takes over. The light is intensely bright, washing out the backgrounds and clearing New York of many details. This makes the place look inhuman and less like home to Peter. The final part of the issue flips, turning darker and shadowy. The most prominent color in the last pages is the streaks of red that appear on the new characters’ faces. The letter evolves from being the regular Spider-Man font to a scarier, more dramatic typeface.

Spine-tingling Spider-Man #1 is a terrifying start. This a comic that evolves within its own story, always adapting and taking Peter even further into an unknown version of the world he knows so well. The isolation amplifies the character’s voice, especially when so much of what fills his supporting cast and identity is stripped away. The plot is impossible to predict because of how quickly it can divert and erupt into chaos.

Spine-Tingling Spider-Man #1 is available where comics are sold.