Review: ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ #54 Takes An Iconic Villain Off The Board… For Good
by Tony Thornley
Most of Marvel’s heroes have an iconic arch-enemy. Spider-Man has many. In Amazing Spider-Man #54, one of them may be redeemed forever.
Zeb Wells, Ed McGuinness, Mark Farmer, Mark Morales, Wade von Grawbadger, Marcio Menyz, and Joe Caramagna bring one of this volume’s major stories to an end.
The Green Goblin identity has its grip on both Peter Parker and Norman Osborn. Now the two men must battle their deadliest enemy and inner demon. It’s a fight that neither men may be able to win, and that not everyone will walk away from.
I’ve said that two plots in this volume of Amazing Spider-Man really worked for me. The first is the Tombstone/Gang War story the volume is going to conclude with. But the second is this relationship between Peter and Norman. Even with all the fantastical trappings of everything surrounding them, this story has been about one deeply broken man seeking redemption from the young man he’s wronged more than anyone else. And that’s where this story works.
Sure, the Goblin persona essentially transforming into an actual demon- including the ability to possess people- is a bit of a leap. Some of the dialogue is a little clunky. But overall this story is an actually poignant ending to this phase of their relationship we’ve seen all through the last couple of years, and for the time being takes the Goblin off the board in an interesting way.
McGuinness makes everything that happens here big and bombastic. HIs chunky style shouldn’t work so well with this story, but it does. The characters’ amplified emotions are brought to life, while the action is laid out extremely well. The pacing doesn’t let up, and all four inkers make the story works while providing continuity.
Normally four inkers- including the penciller himself- creates a jarring and disjointed visual style, but all of them know McGuinness’s style so well that it never reaches that point. Menys also does really good work, making it all very bright and comic booky, while still feeling very polished.
Amazing Spider-Man #54 is available now from Marvel Comics.
Overview
I’m pretty sad to see it all go. The creative team is setting up an ending that will have the right emotional stakes and a Spider-Man thrill ride that hits all the beats it needs to have a satisfying conclusion.
