Mark Ginocchio Comic Reviews

Amazing Spider-Man #19.1 continues to be a well-written story with some interesting character introspection and fun, old-school superhero action. But it also lacks focus, especially when Spider-Man is relegated to a secondary role in his own series.

Amazing Spider-Man #1 (vol. 4) continues Dan Slott's streak of joyfully told opening issues, and Giuseppe Camuncoli's artwork is a perfect match for this brand new status quo. No one should mistake this comic as an Iron Man story, but there are some flaws in how the narrative unfolds that are worth monitoring as the series progresses.

Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 4) #2 continues to be an entertaining, if not vexing read for Spider-Man fans. There's so much that feels unfamiliar and foreign about its premise and themes, but it is undeniably fun and entertaining with a strong art team to back it up.

Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 4) #3 is a fun, self-contained comic that keeps things simple while simultaneously moving some longer-term subplots forward. There are a few hiccups in the comic's narrative structure, and the book's featured antagonist still lacks in the malice-department, but the core Spider-Man book hasn't been this consistent in a while.

Amazing Spider-Man #4 might feature the most true-to-form Peter Parker tale of the new status quo, but the repetitive nature of the narrative is becoming wearisome and the book lacks some of the tech-inspired visual appeal of its predecessors.

Amazing Spider-Man #5 demonstrates how the book's dramatic new status quo continues to lack any dynamism, personality or intrigue. Characters act one way without cause or consequence before changing their tune a few pages later and the book's international flair is sabotaged by dull, non-descript visuals that fail to utilize these unique surroundings.

Amazing Spider-Man #7 lacks any low lows, but also doesn't warrant any high highs. Instead, this is a series that appears to be perfectly content in being average in every way, biding time until the next big event that is certain to polarize readers.

Amazing Spider-Man #8 is a textbook example of no fuss/no muss superhero comic book storytelling. It brings the "Dark Forces" arc to a satisfying conclusion while also setting up the next arc in straightforward fashion.

Amazing Spider-Man #9 gives readers a somewhat familiar story in outer space, but it also captures a lot of the fun and fancy that's been missing from the series for a while.

Amazing Spider-Man #22 definitely addresses some nagging concerns leftover from the end of Clone Conspiracy #3, and the scenes documenting how Ben Reilly ascended to his current position were especially satisfying. However, this arc continues to disappoint when it comes to its central premise and the leaps of faith it expects readers to make regarding how its cast of characters think and feel.

Amazing Spider-Man #24 does the job of tying up some of the loose ends from the Clone Conspiracy while setting the table for more Spider-books in the near future. However, there's nothing about the issue that sells any of these new books as a "must" for readers and the Ben Reilly character remains a mess.

Amazing Spider-Man #25's main story is an effective opening chapter for "The Osborn Identity" and shows off both Dan Slott and Stuart Immomen's varied storytelling talents. However, $9.99 is way too much to pay for a single comic, and nothing found in the backup tales, save one, makes this book feel like it's worth the considerable cost of admission.

ASM #26 certainly presents a new take on the legendary villain (you could even say Osborn is acting more like a Justin Hammer-esque corporate Iron Man villain), but like most of this issue, the otherwise discordant thematic pieces seem to fall into place when it comes to this this current storyline because there's still ample familiarity and fun to be found between Slott's snappy writing and Immonen's stunning artwork.

Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 4) #27 keeps things simple and keeps the engaging "Osborn Identity" storyline moving forward. This is the most consistently compelling this book has been in quite some time.

Amazing Spider-Man #28 concludes one of the most personal and heated Spider-Man/Norman Osborn encounters in years and sets the stage for even bigger confrontations in the future. Meanwhile, Stuart Immonen demonstrates, yet again, how an all-star artist can elevate an already great story to even greater heights.

Amazing Spider-Man #31 is a satisfying end to Spider-Man's Secret Empire tie-in, but as a potential endpoint to the larger Parker Industries storyline of the past two years, it rings somewhat hollow.

After writing Amazing Spider-Man for more than 10 years, Dan Slott finally scripts an Annual issue and it's a fun effort that occasionally gets bogged down by a somewhat silly conspiracy-theory laden plot. Still, Marvel gets points for attaching an A-team level effort to an annual issue.

Amazing Spider-Man #789 is both a throwback to the Spider-Man stories of yesteryear and an incredibly fresh take on the character after years of status quo upheavals. Dan Slott is clearly rejuvenated on this book and Stuart Immonen continues to bring the goods in the art department, even if this was an otherwise character-centric, world-building issue.

Amazing Spider-Man #790 dives deeper into the "fall" of Peter Parker. The issue does a great job of integrating both classic Spider-Man elements with clever twists on these old stories. However, this story could use a compelling villain to really kick it into the next gear.

Amazing Spider-Man #792 and "Venom Inc." have put the simpler, more character-centric storytelling from "The Fall of Parker" in its rearview mirror, and that's not really a good thing. The issue's sloppy storytelling and art that plays it too safe has knocked a book that had been on a steady upswing, back down a few pegs.

Amazing Spider-Man #794 begins the runup to Dan Slott's final arc on the title, but utterly suffers from a lack of urgency and drama in its execution.

The main plot of Amazing Spider-Man #796 is another fun superhero romp, while the Red Goblin subplot keeps building at an appropriate pace. However, the subpar art and a clumsily-handled plot twist involving two main characters near the end of the issue drag the overall score down a few notches.

Dan Slott and Stuart Immonen kick off "Going Down Swinging" and Amazing Spider-Man #797 with the biggest of bangs. It's a terrifyingly suspenseful and beautifully drawn issue that seamlessly taps into what makes for great superhero comic storytelling.

Amazing Spider-Man #799 certainly keeps the drama and tension of the Red Goblin at a fever pitch, but the larger "Going Down Swinging" story gets knocked off track by an overabundance of tertiary characters, exposition and been there/done that plot twists.

It's the end of an era as Dan Slott steps away from scripting Amazing Spider-Man. Combined with Marcos Martin's haunting illustrations, ASM #801 is a quiet, yet emotionally charged finale that reminds us of the enduring qualities of Spider-Man, as well as the significant imprint Slott has had on Marvel's flagship character.

The Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #1 offers a promising beginning to a potentially controversial arc and is one of the more personal Spider-Man stories we've had in years. But can the creative team maintain this momentum?

The Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #2 delivers a well-executed follow-up to the series opener and is filled with moments of hope, warmth, despair and urgency. This may not be the "real" Peter Parker, but the stakes are high in this alternative universe.

The Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #3 demonstrates why the series is getting better with every installment. The comic expertly interweaves classic superhero drama with a mature family/personal drama that has been absent from the Spider-Man Universe for years.

The Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #4 moves away from what was working so well in the first few issues of the series. Rather than delivering a compelling family drama, the creators shift directions suddenly and produce an exposition-heavy story with a weak protagonist. Still, Slott and Kubert have painted a consistent and compelling overarching narrative and setting that should continue to thrill readers.

Venom Inc. Omega mercifully brings this storyline to an end. But despite its contrivances and absurdities, the comic at least suggests better days (and stories) are ahead for its main players.

Carnage #1 is a well-composed opening salvo that shies away from some of the tropes that have long been associated with the titular character and instead takes a more cerebral approach that is visually and thematically inspired from a different era of comic book stories.

Carnage #2 continues to build on its very good debut issue by establishing a mood and aesthetic that is unlike most mainstream comics on the market today. It's only drawback is that the story may be too tight for what is supposed to be an ongoing series.

Who needs the repetitive blood and guts of "Maximum Carnage" when Carnage #3 ignites far more legitimate tension and terror through its slow-burning narrative that depicts the titular villain as perhaps its most sympathetic character?

In Carnage #4, Gerry Conway and Mike Perkins put on a clinic on how to build a monster comic book story, introducing some elements that long-time Carnage fans will love, but doing it with such restraint and attention to pacing that the camp and gore feels warranted rather than forced.

Carnage #5 wraps up the first arc with the same sense of pulpy style and sardonic humor as the previous four issues of the series. Ready or not, this series is officially entering the "ongoing series" zone, so buckle up and try not to get decapitated by a symbiote.

Surprise! Carnage survived long enough to give readers a second arc and Gerry Conway and Mike Perkins don't disappoint in this sixth issue by delivering a well-crafted story with an engaging new character and some visually arresting illustrations.

Carnage #7 is a slow build of a book, as the titular monster takes a backseat to Gerry Conway's intriguing exposition. Mike Perkin's haunting, heavily-contrasted artwork continues to remain a standout amongst Marvel's flashy, low-contrast artistic default.

As if a series about symbiotes, cults and black magic books wasn't crazy enough, Carnage #8 lays the groundwork for a demigod named Chthon. What the book lacks in accessibility, it makes up for with creative risk-taking and fearlessness.

Carnage #9 has some moments of intrigue, but the pacing has gotten progressively more plodding the past few issues and this book is in desperate need of a pick-me-up.

Carnage #10 repeats some storyline beats from earlier issues, but packs enough surprises and character-driven drama to give this series a good push forward to what will presumably be its final arc.

Civil War II: Amazing Spider-Man #1 is a fun read that fits in nicely with the current status quo for Spider-Man. The story suffers a bit from the larger event's weak demonstration of its central thesis, but Spidey fans should be able to mine enough entertaining content to come back for future installments.

Civil War II: The Amazing Spider-Man #2 improves upon the opening issue with a dynamic look at a number of characters both in and out of costume. Christos Gage and Travel Foreman are establishing themselves as a creative pairing that needs an extended opportunity to tell Spider-Man stories.

Civil War II: The Amazing Spider-Man #3 is both action-packed and wonderfully character-driven. That stakes are high and the drama is percolating for next month's' final chapter.

Civil War II: The Amazing Spider-Man #4 tells another worthwhile Spider-Man story " until the narrative unfortunately gets sucked into the mechanics of the larger, and inherently flawed, Civil War II storyline.

If The Clone Conspiracy #3 was a one-page comic and that one-page was its final one, this would be an all-time great issue of Spider-Man with one of the best reveals in recent memory. However, all of the pages leading up to it count too, and those pages continue to demonstrate that this is yet another Dan Slott-scripted event that is an interesting premise on paper, but ultimately struggles in its execution.

Amazing Spider-Man: The Clone Conspiracy #4 has moved the story into its endgame with some well-crafted high stakes drama that is difficult to ignore. But these characters continue to shift and change their motivations from issue-to-issue, or in this case, page-to-page.

Amazing Spider-Man: The Clone Conspiracy #5 marks a successful ending for Marvel's latest Spider-event as both Spider-Man and many members of his supporting cast look great in this high stakes story. However, questions remain about a number of key players in this tale. The outcome of the upcoming "epilogue" issues of this event could potentially bump up the score of this comic if executed properly.

Clone Conspiracy: Omega further wraps up the events of the past six months but doesn't come across as being anything particularly illuminating or even necessary to the larger narrative. But hey, what's another $4.99 between friends?