Writer Dan Slott returns to writing his signature character, Otto Octavius, for another satisfying and tantalizing prelude to "The Clone Conspiracy." Meanwhile, the art team, led by R.B. Silva, delivers an absolutely stunning issue that should define the look of a modern ongoing Spider-Man comic. Read Full Review

A bit of exposition in the front and a couple of flat facial images here and there doesn't stop THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #18 from being everything one wants ina Spider-Man comic. It's got action, humor and drama wrapped in a neat package while setting up plot details that tie into an ever-expanding series of story arcs"essentially your typical Dan Slott fare. There's no telling how Otto Octavius will tie into New U and the latest major storyline, but it should be fun to find out. Read Full Review

There is not much forward progress in this issue, but what it does an excellent job of is recapping Otto's current predicament for anyone who hasn't consistently read Spider-Man comics over the last few years. The art by Giuseppe Camuncoli continues to be some of my favorite at Marvel with his action scenes always a treat to look at. Read Full Review

The issue is a solid one. There's a bit of a classic mad-scientist/monster movie feel to it and Slott gives us more than “must fight Spider-Man” as motivation for action. Doc Ock even comes off a bit sympathetic at times. It's a fun issue, though not necessarily a vital one. It will catch up new readers as to some key goings on though. But even for long time readers, the issue still has more than enough to make it a fun read. Read Full Review

Clone Conspiracy has a tall order to fill if it's going to surpass Dan Slott's previous Spider-Man crossovers. But at least Slott is giving himself plenty of compelling material to work with as he sets the stage for that event. As much as Amazing Spider-Man #18 is weighed down by exposition at times, it also offers a compelling look at the return of an iconic Spider-Man villain. Read Full Review

There has been a lot of debate over Slott runs as a whole, but the buildup to Dead No More continues to be solid. Read Full Review

Superior Spider-Man fans must read this issue. It captures the voice of Doc Ock incredibly well and sets into motion events that feel like the continuation of where we left off with that series. Overall it feels like a false start though as it doesn't push a new story forward so much as introduce it. Read Full Review

Dan Slott has not been given an easy situation to work with here. Marvel has pushed the reset button on ASM more times than a 90s kid who spilled Surge on his Nintendo 64. Read Full Review

Amazing Spider-Man #18 did not help build my excitement in the upcoming Clone Conspiracy event. Instead I was left disappointed with how Doc Ock was written given Dan Slott's history of excellent character development for this iconic Spider-Man villain. While Doc Ock's arc turned out to be a disappointment there were a few things to enjoy for Superior Spider-Man fans, Anna's enjoyable arc in particular was long overdue. That said, Amazing Spider-Man #18 is an issue that did not live up to its potential due to its less than stellar execution. Read Full Review

Good issue. Otto is back. Superior Spider Man returns!!!!

Lots of recap and a small step in the next direction. A satisfying-enough episode in a long-running serial.