Amazing Spider-man #50 Review
Summary: While there're a few nagging story flaws, the main story of the book keeps on trucking. The main draw of this issue though is the backup stories. They are cute, heartwarming, and remind the reader that Spider-Man doesn't always need to save the world. He just needs to save as may people as he can.
4
He's back!
Background – HE’S BACK!
Writing – Because this is a landmark issue, of course there is a bunch of different “chapters” and side stories to this issue, so we’ll take them in order:
Chapter 1: It had to happen at some point, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sad that Norman is once again the Green Goblin. I know it’s the cyclical nature of comics, but would it have been TOO much to ask to get a few more years out of the Gold Goblin? Peter trying to break the cryptic nature of the Living Brains message works to an extent, but it would have been better delivered if Marvel had kept their previews for the next few issues hidden.
Apparently, Peter never trusted Norman, and that’s why he went to work for him? OK! I don’t really buy that as a plausible reason (at least not entirely.) If there is one thing Peter Parker does more than fight crazy people and animal themed villains, it’s having faith in the goodness of people. To say that he never trusted Norman feels a bit like a cop out, but it does give us a great scene when Peter accidentally stumbles onto the Green Goblin outfit hidden behind a hidden wall (I know that sentence made sound redundant, but it’ll make sense once you see the visual).
The Living Brain being a catalyst for all of this is very out of left field. The Brain has never been a mainstream A-list villain for Spider-Man (heck, it hasn’t been a C-list villain). The fact that this thing is what broke Norman’s charade is weird, but fun. By the end of the chapter, The Living Brain has become “The Walking Brain” (it grew legs and a body).
After all the Norman fun, we get the reveal that Peter… isn’t actually Peter. Not anymore! Don’t worry though, Doc Ock didn’t transfer his mind into his body again. It’s actually much worse than that. For many months and issues, we have seen strange things occur, such as Peter forgetting that he made a date with someone (which we the readers were not privy to) or the Goblin Queen insisting on something being wrong before being cut off. We find out that when Peter had all of Norman’s sins inside his head, he used the Winkler Device and the Goblin in his mind made him forget. Norman speaks a trigger word and Peter absolutely loses his mind and turns into a goblin. Spider-Goblin has returned!
This chapter ends with Kraven The Hunter digging up his “Sin spear” (it doesn’t have a name so I’m calling it that) and realizing that it is empty.
Chapter 2 – “Cat-Nipped”: This is standard Black cat / Spider-man fare. While there is nothing too remarkable about it, it does bring up one interesting point. Black Cat says that Peter isn’t meant to “Swing in the Gray” and she’s right. 99% of the time, Peter is Mr. Moral and that is why he and Cat will never actually work out. He’s not Batman (who lets a lot of what Selina does slide). He just cannot abide stealing.
Chapter 3 – “Time To Make The Doughnuts”: Spider-man offers to get a donuts trucks owner’s mom her medicine. The next few pages consists of the mother telling him about when she saved him and her son from The Scorpion and telling Peter he should really slow down and enjoy life more (which in this case means food). She offers to teach him how to cook and he promises to come back the following day, but he has to go stop some crime right outside the building.
This is what Spider-Man should be. Interacting with people and saving the day. I guess it’s more of a mainstream thing these days, but I miss the one and done Spider-Man adventures. Not everything has to be earth-shattering or depressing. If Ryan North can do it on the Fantastic Four (which is great), somebody should be able to treat Spider-man the same way.
Chapter 4 – “Don’t Thing Thrice, It’s All Right”: This was just ridiculous. Peter interrupts Uuatu’s surprise birthday party because he thought the Thing was the Rhino’s silhouette. The next day, Ben gets ice cream dumped on his head and falls in cement. Peter mistakes him for the Rhino again and webs him up before apologizing. The following day, Ben actually runs into the Rhino robbing a bank. Spider-Man shows up and can’t tell the two apart. It’s all silly stuff and cute, but this could have been cut and saved me a dollar or two on the cover price (or given me more mainstream story)
Chapter 5 – “Secrets” – Peter asks Doctor Strange for help dealing with some Niffleheim Imps he ran into when out with Thor. It’s another sweet story a=that manages to showcase both Stephen’s and Peter’s human side. Even heroes need help sometimes.
Epilogue: The Living Brain, Doctor Curt Connors and his assistant Doug set off to save Spider-Man from the Goblin and himself. Not much to say about this one.
Artwork – Chapter 1: Ed McGuiness continues his run of amazing looking artwork for this series. For the main story, the three standout pages are:
- Peter swinging off to Oscorp. It’s a very heroic picture, with a powerful looking Spider-Man front and center.
- Norman’s reveal: Norman is drawn with his signature grim scowl and those hate filled eyes as the Gold Goblin suit slowly vanishes into the wall as the Goblin suit comes to the fore again.
- The full Norman as Goblin reveal” – Look, I’ve never really been a fan of the Green Goblin (I’ve always been more of a Hobgoblin guy), but for my money this is the best the Green Goblin has ever looked. Explosions happening in the background as the Goblin races towards Peter, crazy and smiling all the way. It’s a glorious two page spread. Everything else is the standard which has been set in the previous issues.
Chapter 2 – “Cat-Nipped”: Watching Black Cat’s bad luck powers kick in and cause a giant 18 wheeler truck crash is extremely well rendered. It says something about Terry Dodson’s skill that we can see EERY spike on the makeshift spike strip.
Chapter 3 – “Time To Make The Doughnuts”: Chrisscross brings an almost 1970’s esq vibe to the story, especially with his page of Spider-man swinging towards his destination. Spider-man even has his armpit webs for this story (something that I sorely miss in the modern interpretation).
Chapter 4 – “Don’t Thing Thrice, It’s All Right”: Lee Gatlin makes all these characters look really adorable, but watching Uuatu walk into the apartment and watching Peter freeze in place just takes the cake.
Chapter 5 – “Secrets” –. I’ve never been one to mix horror and Spider-Man. It normally just doesn’t work for me. However, the art for this story is superb. Peter’s costume is rendered in such bright colors that it perfectly contrasts Stephen’s dark and dank Sanctum. Compared to Peter’s heroic presence, Stephen looks like he’s just been through the worst bender of his life. It
Final Thoughts – Norman’s back in green, and while Peter put up one heck of a fight, he lost in the end. With Spider-man now completely nuts, it’s up to the Walking Brain and a human, Dr. Connor’s to save the day. The heaviness of the main story is offset by the numerous heartwarming and funny stories that follow it. Grab this before it’s gone!
Final score: 4 out of 5
Comic Details
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Zeb Wells
Penciler: Ed McGuiness
Inker: Mark Farmer
Colorists: Marcio Menyz & Erick Arciniega
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Genre: Superhero
Format: Monthly
Release Date: 05/22/2024
About the Author
Matt Fischer Lover of all things nerdy. Reader of Comics for over 25 years. DC encyclopedia. X-Men historian. Spider-Man and Marvel lover. Indie side guy.
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