The issue earns a 5, because there's nothing missing and above all, there are some added bonuses that really make it work as a story arc finale. If you're a Spider-Man fan, this issue is simply spectacular. I hear the next few will be as well, so this is certainly one to read. Read Full Review

An awesome conclusion to an awesome story arc. This is one of the best arcs in Amazing Spider-Man in recent years – even better than Ends of the Earth, in fact. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Peter Parker's out of the REAL danger zone just yet; his troubles just might be starting to get extremely deadly. Bring on Doctor Octopus's (or perhaps Parker's?) Dying Wish! Read Full Review

Amazing Spider-Man #697 is a fine ending to this particular point in the life of Peter Parker… but it's the next three issues that will supposedly have everyone talking. As for this issue, I'll have to give it a 9.5/10. What keeps it from being a perfect 10 is that the ending felt a tad rushed and even a bit unresolved. Still… a good story is a good story. Nicely done, sirs! Read Full Review

The dialogue (presumably Gage's) is convincingly Slott-esque too, and has the characters' voices down perfectly. It's a little less quippy than Slott alone tends to be, but still casual and convincing. It's not at all jarring to have a guest-creator on board, and Gage helps maintain the book's consistency. Indeed, that consistency can sometimes work against it, making it easy to forget that the general quality of "Amazing Spider-Man" has been very high of late. If this is what Marvel organizes for a normal month, readers can't help but look forward to the upcoming grand finale. Read Full Review

Amazing Spider-Man #697 is an excellent finish to this outstanding jaunt, but it's the ominous plot threads for #698 that will have fans gleefully talking and speculating. Recommended. Read Full Review

The issue was entertaining, if less than stellar. I especially liked the Hobgoblin fight, because it was colorful and unique. Usually we just see Spider-Man fighting his bad guys, but anything that shakes up that old dynamic is always fun. Especially since I'm such a big fan of Phil. Read Full Review

Giuseppe Camuncoli does a great job with the art in this issue, especially the fight sequence between the two Hobgoblins. I'm surprised that Dan Slott hasn't run out of ideas for the issue. Read Full Review

Another arc comes to a conclusion, and there's now only one more between us and the end of Amazing Spider-Man as we know it. Dying Wish is on the way, and everything we know is going to change. Again. In the meantime, Danger Zone has been refreshing after the dismal Alpha arc, and has cleansed the palette of the bad taste that it left. If Dying Wish is meant to be as life-altering as it's been hyped up to be, then I say bring it on. Read Full Review

Thank you, Dan Slott!  Norman Osborn belongs in a Spider-Man comic, hassling Spider-Man!  Not going toe-to-toe with the freaking Avengers(Bendis!!)!!!  If Norman IS indeed up and about(which would make sense as we roll towards #700), I'm glad it looks like he'll be back where he belongs.  As for this issue, it was good.  It wasn't great, probably because I'm so amped up for the next few issues leading into Spidey #700, that I just wanted this storyline to conclude.  But yeah, with this story out of the way, all roads now lead to issue #700, and it should be a hell of a great trip! Read Full Review

I've been unimpressed with this series since the end of Spider-Island, Slott's last great story. When I was done reading this issue, it made me think back to other Spider-Man stories that touched me: Joe Kelly's Endangered Species, Best of Enemies by J.M. DeMatteis, and Spider-Man No More by Stan Lee (all of which can be found on IGN's list of the 25 Greatest Spider-Man Stories). When I think about the past dozen or so issues of The Amazing Spider-Man, all I can think of is how issue #700 better be worth reading them. Read Full Review

The Amazing Spider-Man has been far from perfect. Spidey is arguably Marvels flagship character–or he was before The Avengers movie–and he doesnt deserve this treatment, especially when his book is about to end. Dan Slott and Marvel should be ashamed of themselves. Read Full Review

This issue has some basic Spidey fun as we watch the Hobgoblins taking turns fighting with each other and trying to kill Peter and Max. Of course, Peter is a little hamstrung because he doesn't want to divulge his secret identity to Max. But, since Max knows that Peter is designing tech for Spidey, Peter can use all the Spidey equipment as Peter. It isn't really clever, but it is kinda clever. However, this concept also shows some of the weakness of the issue: We've seen this sort of thing before, so no matter how well you do it, it'll have a hard time being GREAT. Read Full Review

After trying to kill him for the past two issues, Kingsley decides to let Phil Urich live and continue operating as The Hobgoblin as long as he forwards him a cut of all his profits. After Kingsley had been ranting about how Phil was sullying the “legacy” of the Goblins he flips on the issue and changes his mind because, well, the plot needs him to.Then it's revealed what Kingsley had been up to before reappearing in New York. Apparently, he'd been posing as differentsuper-villainsacross the globe, with Russia seemingly as his next destination. Kingsley leaves, Phil Urich keeps being The Hobgoblin, Norah Winters is saved and everything is fine again. C'mon, Slott. Seriously? Read Full Review