Story By: Gerry Conway
Artist: Carlo Barberi
Cover Art: Arthur Adams/ Sonia Oback
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Since it was announced way back in early October last year. That, legendary Spider-Man writer Gerry Conway, was set to return to the book where he made his name as a writer. I've been racking my brains over what the story might intail.
Subsequent announcements, were released stating that the story was to be five part mini series, set after the events of Spider-Verse. An old fashioned Spidey story wrapped around a Gang War, that would see the return of old luminaries such as Tombstone, Hammerhead, Mister Negative and newest crime boss to New York City The Black Cat.
For the first time in Forty Years. we were told that Conway would be helming a Spider-Man story in the flagship title. So was the wait worth the hype? were my dreams of reliving my childhood in the guise of reading a new Conway Amazing Spider-Man arc realised.
I'm here to tell you that yes they were. Infact for me there are only two pepole who are capable of constructing a Spider-Man story better than Gerry Conway, those two are in fact Stan Lee and Roger Stern. and with this first part of Spiral, that certainly remains the case in my mind.
The start of this storyline, which is set to run for five issues, is beautiful in it's simplicity, it feels like the start of a Spidey tale of yesteryear with the pacing and set up's crafted in a slow boiling manner, before the inevitable joys of action take over.
The story starts of with Spider-Man, contemplating his life direction after the events of Spider-Verse how he matches up with the differing Spider-Men/Women/Pigs/Cats/Wolf's he's encountered, when he comes across a seige taken place at a construction site and a stand off between Tombstone and New York's finest.
Spider-Man, overhears a conversation between police Captain Watanabe, and Detective Rangel, and offers to step in to take Tombstone down. The Captain informs him that the New Bureau chief wants things handled by the book.
A shoot-out soon occurs when, one of Tombstone's men gets a little edgy, which results in Tombstone ordering that everyone dies. It's at this moment that Spider-Man intervenes and with one puch sends Tombstone into the river, ending the siege.
The fallout being, Detective Rangel is shot and taken to hospital where he falls into a coma, whilst at the arraignment for Tombstone, the Judge presiding determines that the warrant to search the construction site, was not obtained legally resulting in him dismissing the case and releasing Tombstone.
Back at the hospital, Peter Parker, conveniently bumps into Captain Watanabe as she's visiting Detective Rangel, during a conversation she lets slip that, recently there are signs of an impending Gang War on the horizon, since the Kingpin fled the country to Europe and the other crime families in New York have, set up to battle each other for overall control of the city's crime empire.Whilst this discussion is taking place Detective Rangel suffers a major heart attack.
It's at his funeral that Captain Watanabe, is approached by Mister Negative who has incriminating pictures of the Judge who let Tombstone go free. Being supplied a substance from one of Tombstone's henchmen. Watanabe shows these pictures to the Bureau Chief, however she decides that the pictures are nothing more than circumstantial and demands real evidence of corruption by the Judge.
This leads to Watanabe, resuming her vigilante guise of the Wraith, she she infiltrates the constuction site base of Tombstone to discover the evidence she needs. whilst there Spider-Man, arrives to give her assistance. the pair manage to acquire what The Wraith was after before she leaves, leaving Spider-Man, to contemplate what they are getting into.
I really got into this first issue, there was quite a lot of set up going on and players being manoeuvred, into position for the forthcoming parts, but that is to be expected by a first part, the trick for any writer is to keep the reader compelled and interested in what they're reading. This issue does just that and I'm look forward to the next issue.
I'm going to give this issue an solid 7.5 as a rating, because it sets the story off on strong foundations and I can't wait to see where this is all going to lead .
Thanks for reading.
Subsequent announcements, were released stating that the story was to be five part mini series, set after the events of Spider-Verse. An old fashioned Spidey story wrapped around a Gang War, that would see the return of old luminaries such as Tombstone, Hammerhead, Mister Negative and newest crime boss to New York City The Black Cat.
For the first time in Forty Years. we were told that Conway would be helming a Spider-Man story in the flagship title. So was the wait worth the hype? were my dreams of reliving my childhood in the guise of reading a new Conway Amazing Spider-Man arc realised.
I'm here to tell you that yes they were. Infact for me there are only two pepole who are capable of constructing a Spider-Man story better than Gerry Conway, those two are in fact Stan Lee and Roger Stern. and with this first part of Spiral, that certainly remains the case in my mind.
The start of this storyline, which is set to run for five issues, is beautiful in it's simplicity, it feels like the start of a Spidey tale of yesteryear with the pacing and set up's crafted in a slow boiling manner, before the inevitable joys of action take over.
The story starts of with Spider-Man, contemplating his life direction after the events of Spider-Verse how he matches up with the differing Spider-Men/Women/Pigs/Cats/Wolf's he's encountered, when he comes across a seige taken place at a construction site and a stand off between Tombstone and New York's finest.
Spider-Man, overhears a conversation between police Captain Watanabe, and Detective Rangel, and offers to step in to take Tombstone down. The Captain informs him that the New Bureau chief wants things handled by the book.
A shoot-out soon occurs when, one of Tombstone's men gets a little edgy, which results in Tombstone ordering that everyone dies. It's at this moment that Spider-Man intervenes and with one puch sends Tombstone into the river, ending the siege.
The fallout being, Detective Rangel is shot and taken to hospital where he falls into a coma, whilst at the arraignment for Tombstone, the Judge presiding determines that the warrant to search the construction site, was not obtained legally resulting in him dismissing the case and releasing Tombstone.
Back at the hospital, Peter Parker, conveniently bumps into Captain Watanabe as she's visiting Detective Rangel, during a conversation she lets slip that, recently there are signs of an impending Gang War on the horizon, since the Kingpin fled the country to Europe and the other crime families in New York have, set up to battle each other for overall control of the city's crime empire.Whilst this discussion is taking place Detective Rangel suffers a major heart attack.
It's at his funeral that Captain Watanabe, is approached by Mister Negative who has incriminating pictures of the Judge who let Tombstone go free. Being supplied a substance from one of Tombstone's henchmen. Watanabe shows these pictures to the Bureau Chief, however she decides that the pictures are nothing more than circumstantial and demands real evidence of corruption by the Judge.
This leads to Watanabe, resuming her vigilante guise of the Wraith, she she infiltrates the constuction site base of Tombstone to discover the evidence she needs. whilst there Spider-Man, arrives to give her assistance. the pair manage to acquire what The Wraith was after before she leaves, leaving Spider-Man, to contemplate what they are getting into.
I really got into this first issue, there was quite a lot of set up going on and players being manoeuvred, into position for the forthcoming parts, but that is to be expected by a first part, the trick for any writer is to keep the reader compelled and interested in what they're reading. This issue does just that and I'm look forward to the next issue.
I'm going to give this issue an solid 7.5 as a rating, because it sets the story off on strong foundations and I can't wait to see where this is all going to lead .
So
i hope you've enjoyed reading my views on this issue have you read this
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