The Amazing Spider-Man #45
Marvel Comics
Written by Nick Spencer
Art by Mark Bagley
Inks by John Dell and Andy Owens
Colors by David Curiel
Letters by Joe Caramagna
The Rundown: Two people with ties to Spider-Man will find themselves becoming connected in the web being woven by Kindred.
Peter Parker is spending an evening in the city alone. Something that was not his original plan. As he contemplates the circumstances that seem to be keeping him and Mary Jane apart, the intervention of Overdrive and a police chase will force Peter to spring into action.
When he catches up to the criminal, he discovers that Overdrive isn’t running from the police. He’s running from something much worse, the Sin Eater. When Spider-Man confronts the once dead villain, he discovers that Sin Eater isn’t there for him, but Spidey is the reason he’s back from Hell.
Later, another person with a personal connection to the wall-crawler will make a dark and dangerous discovery.
The Story: There is a serious tone to this issue and Nick Spencer strikes the right balance with both Peter’s personal and professional challenges. The dark cloud hanging over the character continues to grow and the story does a great job of relaying the character’s feelings of isolation. The story is paced brilliantly and there is an intensity to the characters that is engaging. I really enjoyed the plot of this issue and how its twists and turns connect to the people in Spider-Man’s life past and present.
The Art: Mark Bagley delivers some beautiful art in this issue from start to finish. The human moments are filled with great detail in the character expressions and panel progression and the action is thrilling and tense.