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Written by: Zeb Wells
Art by: John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna
Colors by: Marcio Menyz
Letters by: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover art by: John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna, Marcio Menyz
Cover price: $7.99
Release date: August 28, 2024
Amazing Spider-Man #56, by Marvel Comics on 8/28/24, finds Tombstone ready to make an example of Spider-Man to cement his reputation, starting with a very messy murder of Peter Parker.
Is Amazing Spider-Man #56 Good?
Amazing Spider-Man #56 is a return to form for the one part of Zeb Well’s run that worked well – the personal conflict with Tombstone. If Wells can finish the rest of his tenure with issues as strong as this one, his run won’t be a total loss.
When last we left Petr Parker in Amazing Spider-Man #55, Peter went on a date with a nurse he met at Ravencroft. That’s it. Let’s just agree to never mention that issue again.
Later, Peter heads to the Daily Bugle to meet with Robbie Robertson, assuming Robbie wants to offer Peter a job after the Gang War business and the return of Green Goblin(?). In truth, Robbie wanted to meet with Peter to let him know Janice was back in Randy’s life. Rather than wait for the worst possible outcome, Spider-Man decides to pay Janice a visit.
Despite the abject failure that marks Zeb Wells’s time on ASM, the first arc that centered on Tombstone remains a bright spot, so repeating what works is not a bad approach. Peter appears to be in a tough spot when he has no choice but to enter the limo, but he softens what will be a dangerous beat down by handing Randy a card with a phone number before getting into the vehicle.
The issue ends with unexpected help arriving before Peter gets completely pummeled, a Court hearing, and a surprising witness.
Backup #1: Proxy
In a flashback, backup prequel to the story you just read, Spider-Man contacts She-Hulk for help arranging the legal trap he wants to snap on Tombstone. She-Hulk says no prosecutor will talk to him, so he needs to send a “proxy” to talk for him. Enter Peter Parker who rushes to get the courthouse to witness Ned Leeds exonerated for his recent Hobgoblin activities by proving he was brainwashed by the Winkler device.
Backup #2: Responsibilities
We catch up with the most hated man in Marvel comic, Paul Rabin, as he works his way through an apology list of people who were harmed by his father’s madness while becoming the avatar/host of Wayep. Today, Paul visits Cale Naughton, a manager who worked at the lab where his father learned the power of symbology. Without giving Cale many details, Paul secretly offers to pay for all of Cale’s medical expenses before moving on to the next name on his list.
Final Thoughts
Amazing Spider-Man #56 is a tentative return to form when Tombstone decides to reassert his dominance in NYC by killing Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Zeb Wells creates a tense, dramatic main story, but the backups are not much more than irritating filler. Is this issue worth the bloated cover price as a “milestone?” No, but it’s better than most of Wells’s run, so take the crumbs that you can.
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