Comic Review: Amazing Spider-Man (2018-) #55

Amazing Spider-Man #55

Marvel Comics

Writer: Nick Spencer

Artist: Patrick Gleason

I’m a big fan of Nick Spencer’s ASM. I fell off the wagon during Slott’s run, and Spencer’s unique voice was the perfect gateway for me to jump back into one of my favorite characters. However, with this being the final issue of Last Remains, I can confidently say that this has been a dud of an arc/mini-event. I clung to the hope that it would have a strong ending, but not only is it not a very good end, it hardly qualifies as an ending at all.  

Including the tie-in. LR issues, Last Remains clocks in at eleven issues. That’s A LOT of issues for an arc that ends and reveals next to no new information to the reader. Kindred’s motivations are still only hinted at in the vague ramblings of a zombie with a chip on his shoulder. He’s gotten plenty of dialogue in this arc, yet almost none of it holds any meaning at the moment. Maybe once all is revealed it will all feel meticulous and well thought out, but at the moment it sounds like nonsense. At this point, I wonder if it’s worth continuing with this story at all because while I’ve always thought Kindred was the least interesting part of Spencer’s run, I at least held hope that the reveal of his identity would inject life into the storyline. Unfortunately, it did not, and now this story seems to not only be the focus of this arc but the next one as well. It’s time to put Kindred to rest, it just isn’t working.  

As I hate to be relentlessly negative, it’s more than worth point out Patrick Gleason’s spectacular art. Despite being the new “main” artist on ASM, he seems to have drawn only a handful of issues. Despite that, every issue he is given the opportunity to draw is a gift. I may not much care for the actual events of the story, but Gleason makes the story feel more resonant. His facial acting is second to none, and the action is entirely clear and is easily the most exciting thing about the issue. He elevates the story to a level it likely could not achieve under a lesser artist’s pen.  

I don’t want to throw Spencer completely under the bus, because great characterization has long been the strength of this run, and that still holds true. Peter and MJ in particular are almost perfect, and the recent integration of a very well-written Norman Osborn into the plot has been a welcome shake-up. His Harry could be good, I guess? If he’d just give us a little more to go on in terms of how Harry came to be where he is, perhaps the characterization would work better. Currently, Harry and Kindred are the worst part of a book that has been so strong for so many issues.  

Amazing Spider-Man #55, as well as the entirety of Last Remains, is a disappointment. It’s too dark to the point of being devoid of humor and fun. I find it comparable to the Star Wars sequels, in that there’s so much that is interesting, but it’s so devoid of context that I barely know what I’m seeing and why I should care. Kindred has long been the least compelling part of Spencer’s run, and this new focus on him is unwelcome. It seems this story plans to continue even past this arc, and in my opinion, that’s a mistake. The Boomerang shenanigans were fun, let’s get back to that.  

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