Comic Review: Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man: King’s Ransom #1

Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man #1

Marvel Comics

Writer: Nick Spencer

Artists: Roge Antonio, Carlos Gomez, Ze Carlos

I tend to react positively towards Nick Spencer’s Amazing Spider-Man, but I’ve had significant issues with it in the past year. Primarily, the focus on the Kindred/Harry story was dragging the book way down. For me, this run shines when it focuses on Peter and his interpersonal struggles with his supporting cast, which is exactly where this issue shines. Its stakes are not through the roof; they’re close to the ground and easily within reach.

What I find so appealing about this book is how it reminds me of comics of old. The classic structure of a comic book run has long been lost in the modern era, but ever since #1, Spencer has been adhering to that long-lost method of comics writing. There is, generally speaking, an A, B, and C plot. Arc after arc, Spencer rotates which plot becomes A, which becomes B, etc. This allows for the tension to be strengthened over long periods of time, without ever letting the background plots become forgotten or stale. Of course, this method only works if all three plots are compelling, which they are, but they aren’t equally compelling. For instance, it could be argued that as of late the Kindred story has become the A-plot. Unfortunately, that happens to be the weakest part of the run. So, the book is constantly rotating between a fantastic B plot, an exciting C plot, and an underwhelming A plot. This makes for a story that is incredibly fun about 66% of the time, and less than that for 33%.

That said, this issue doesn’t focus on Kindred, and as a result, it turns out to be a wonderful issue. It’s oversized, but it certainly doesn’t overstay its welcome. There is a lot that happens, but it feels natural and well seeded in past stories, making for a satisfying culmination. All of the best Spidey tropes are on display here, with callbacks to the Ditko/Romita era, as well as a respectful extension of Spencer’s own run on Superior Foes of Spider-Man. I find myself enjoying most of what I read in these issues, though I never feel like I know what the overall vision is. I view it in snapshots, and those snapshots are almost always worth the purchase.

The art duties are covered by Roge Antonio, Carlos Gomez, and Ze Carlos. I’ll admit, I’m not overly familiar with any of them. No style is overtly distinct from another and I couldn’t exactly pinpoint who drew each section, but in a way, this works to the issue’s advantage. At no point in reading this oversized issue was I distracted by a shift in style, and a consistent-looking issue comes out of it. There’s nothing art-wise that absolutely blew me away, but the cooperation of the art team is enough to impress me. It’s a good-looking book.

Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man #1: King’s Ransom, despite its mouthful of a title, is a precisely executed issue that successfully wraps up this story. It leans into what makes the book work, and away from what doesn’t. The art, despite consisting of three artists, is consistently pleasant to look at. This is a worthy addition to a lengthy run of comics with plenty of ups and downs. Ultimately, this kind of long-form storytelling is rare these days, and I love the nostalgic feeling it evokes.