Review — ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ #37 Is Just Silly Fun
by Tony Thornley
One of the craziest plots of the last year and a half of Amazing Spider-Man has been how much the hell realm Limbo has been involved in Peter Parker’s life. Now, as he faces a Limbo-Spider-Man, who’s just trying to do his best. But Rek-rap might be about to make Spider-Man’s life more difficult.
Zeb Wells, Ed McGuinness, Emilio Laiso, Mark Farmer, Wade Von Grawbadger, Marcio Menyz, Erick Arcinega, and Joe Caramagna wrap up some loose ends.
Rek-Rap and the Insiduous Six are still haunting New York, trying to play the roles that Chasm forced them into. Unfortunately for them, the Repossessor is on their trail. And unfortunately for Peter Parker, that might be about to ruin his life as well.
This series has had a few identities. It’s been high stakes cosmic adventure, noir-tinged gang war, and a relationship drama. What we haven’t gotten enough from Well has been what this arc has been so far- a slapstick comedy. Frankly, we need more of this.
Wells makes Rek-Rap annoying without going over the top or unsympathetic. Peter’s long-suffering aggravation is funny, but Wells shows that Peter actually cares, even if he’s barely tolerating him. Every bit of story felt like it had real stakes, despite the absolutely ridiculous situation Peter was in.
McGuinness is a fantastic pick for this plot, and both Farmer and Van Grawbedger both strengthen his lines. His expressive and clear cartooning does a great job at selling comedy, and he’s still a fantastic action artist. He makes Rek-Rap’s every moment feel even more over the top than the script implies. The action is very fun, and he paces it to kep driving the story forward, whether its the quiter moment, the action or the very disturbing body horror.
Menyz keeps proving himself as one of my favorite color artists working right now. He colors the flashbacks with a style that’s a bit of old style flats and little bit pop art. His present day sequences play with the light and how it affects the colors, as also gives the otherworldly characters a little emphasis. Caramagna makes the letters pop without doing anything over the top or distracting.
Amazing Spider-Man #37 is available now from Marvel Comics.
Overview
This run still has its warts, but then it pulls out issues like this. I dig it and hope we get more of it.
