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Amazing Spider-Man #31 Review
Marvel

Comic Books

Amazing Spider-Man #31 Review

By the end, you get a little of everything when it comes to Spidey.

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I marveled at how Nick Spencer and Ryan Ottley carried forward their Kindred storyline while also tying into Absolute Carnage with Amazing Spider-Man #30, and that weaving of stories continues this week. Kindred is still spitting truth at Norman in a scene prior to Norman becoming Carnage-ized, while Peter desperately attempts to save two children. How can he stop a massacre if he’s down for the count? Find out here.

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So what’s it about?

Read the preview.

Why does this matter?

Spencer has been doing a great job weaving in flashbacks of Peter’s time around Norman when he was a teenager. This issue continues that.

Fine, you have my attention. What’s good about it?

Amazing Spider-Man #31 Review

A spider looks on.
Credit: Marvel Comics

This issue opens with Spider-Man looking on at Harry Osborn, who is very sick. He attempts to visit, but Harry’s father Norman aka the Green Goblin is in a rage and wants Spider-Man gone. That rage is used quite well to transition to Norman, literally inches from murdering Spider-Man, who is knocked out. As the story carries forward we relive the pain Peter and his friends were going through around Harry and Norman, which adds a lot of emotional weight to the story.

Weaved in with this is Kindred speaking to Norman in an insane asylum prior to him being controlled by Carnage. We learn a new detail about the characters and also a good reason for why this scene is required for the battle taking place in Absolute Carnage. It helps add purpose to this tie-in.

Added to this is another iconic moment for Spider-Man, who must yet again draw all his strength to fight against all odds. It’s a great moment that is tied in with the Symbiote well. It’s pretty clear Spencer understands this character backwards and forwards by the end and it’s a treat to see subtle details used throughout that feel true to characters like Norman and Peter.

The art by Ottley is out of this world good, but what else is new? Spatters of blood and tendrils of Symbiote all look really good and once again Spider-Man’s eyes in the mask are shattered. How many masks do you think he owns? There is also a showstopper full-page splash with Peter triumphant and quite angry that you won’t want to miss.

Amazing Spider-Man #31 Review

Uh oh!
Credit: Marvel Comics

It can’t be perfect, can it?

Maybe it’s overall exhaustion around Kindred, but how long can we possibly hint at and carry forward the mystery of who this character is without losing all interest? I’m certainly getting tired of the hints from characters who annoyingly know who he is but won’t say.

Is it good?

A very well crafted and plotted second part of a story that weaves in three different timelines very well. By the end, you get a little of everything when it comes to Spidey.

Amazing Spider-Man #31 Review
Amazing Spider-Man #31
Is it good?
A very well crafted and plotted second part of a story that weaves in three different timelines very well. By the end you get a little of everything when it comes to Spidey.
A strong weaving of three timelines
Pretty much has it all as far as Spidey tropes we love
Fabulous art
Kindred's identity keeps just dragging out frustratingly
9
Great

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