REVIEW: ‘Amazing Spider-Man,’ Issue #40

Amazing Spider-Man #40 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Zeb Wells, pencils by John Romita Jr., inks by Scott Hanna, colors by Marcio Menyz, and letters by Joe Caramagna. This is part of the Gang War crossover. Spider-Man teams up with Tombstone to take out more of the factions warring across New York.

The issue delves deeper into this city-wide chess match, bringing more weird and wonderful groups into the fray. Some of them aren’t even on the map at the opening of every book, showing more depth and cameos than might be expected. What is fascinating about the story of this event is the concept of so many parts moving simultaneously. The pacing and the structure make the book easy to follow, even as all of the moving parts traverse forward. One of Spider-Man’s oldest foes is now an uneasy ally, and the ramifications of Tombstone joining forces with Spidey could be huge. The fight scenes are extremely fun, with various enemies constantly throwing surprises.
The comic has a real menace and power, with some dark and dangerous movements being made. But there is also a sense of humor fueled by the ridiculous characters. The comic is moving quickly, even if it isn’t immediately obvious. Significant figures and institutions within the criminal underworld of New York are being wiped off the map with ease and nonchalance, making way for new challenges to the thrones. But there has also been room for enormous faces to return, as demonstrated by the massive revelation on the final page.

The characters and the dialogue are interesting, especially with the huge cast inside Amazing Spider-Man #40. At the center is Spider-Man, who has been quite dull. He’s sulky and miserable, lacking the humor and spark that immediately provides a comic with energy. As mentioned in the review for the latest Miles Morales: Spider-Man issue, Miles is doing a much better job at the quips than Peter is. But it also lacks the darkness that would give the character more grit if that was what Wells aimed for. Spider-Man is backed up for much of the book by She-Hulk, who is much funnier and enjoyable. Her attitude is amazing.
What gives the comic its personality is the villains. Tombstone is not a hero; he only sides with Spider-Man to protect his daughter, Janice (Beetle). Doing so has caused great sacrifice and reputational damage. Janice is trying to establish herself as one of the biggest names in the Gang War, but that will put her against extremely dangerous villains. Madame Masque, a long-standing villain, has already demolished Hammerhead and is looking for more huge names to demonstrate how serious her claim to power is. All of this creates tension, and kings and queens are knocked down.

The art is fantastic—so much changes with each issue throughout the city. Tombstone looks brutal. He looks ill, displaying that he literally just got out of a hospital bed and straight into action. There are individual specks of hair that cause him to look rougher, twinned with the marks on his face. Beetle develops a new look, trying to make herself more intimidating, and the design is brilliant. Hammerhead is still alive, but his face has been bashed to a grotesque, horrifying degree. When there is a fight between factions, it’s a superb mess of bodies in what must have been a nightmare to illustrate. Faces old and new appear, all looking spectacular under the pens of Romita and Hanna.

The colors are vibrant, with the prominent costumes brought to life. The use of lighting is incredible. There are times for moments inside warehouses and other locations where there will be a cone of light. Around that cone is just pure black, creating a completely different image. That understanding of the difference between lights and shadows is phenomenal throughout the entire issue. The lettering is perfectly clear. Tombstone’s text is smaller than that of the other characters, again highlighting how weak he is.

Amazing Spider-Man #40 keeps moving fast. The scramble for power within New York is dragging criminals out of the woodwork, and seeing the tussle between the groups is amazing fun. The villains rule the book, with so many voices and cameos that dig into the history of Marvel’s street level, like an archaeological dig of villains. The art matches the scrappy, brutal nature of the comic and the superhero element. What is letting it down is the main character, who feels like a passenger and does not match everyone else’s energy during the event.

Amazing Spider-Man #40 is available now wherever comics are sold.