Comic Review: Amazing Spider-Man #9

Spider-Verse is a story that seems like it’s been going on for a while already. There’s been no shortage of build-up to it in the pages of Spidey’s main title and the other Spider-Adjacent books, plus the five-issue Edge of Spider-Verse miniseries that introduced a slew of new Spider-characters. Amazing Spider-Man #9, though, officially kicks off the Spider-Verse storyline, and it does so in excellent fashion.

Dan Slott’s script does a superb job of bringing readers into the story. The issue begins with a feint, a glimpse of a character we think we know only to discover we don’t know anything at all, and it’s an extremely effective opening from which the rest of the issue follows. There are a ton of Spider-characters in this comic, some from the main universe and others from alternate timelines, and most are given a proper introduction by way of what are basically title cards for each character. It’s reminiscent of how Bryan Lee O’Malley introduced characters in the Scott Pilgrim series, right down to the bits of humor thrown in, and it works much more smoothly than having them all call each other by name. It’s a quick way to bring readers up-to-speed without cutting into the momentum of the book.

Any comic with Spider-Ham in it is basically an instant winner.

Momentum is a thing this issue has in spades, thanks in no small part to Olivier Coipel’s art. His action sequences are intense, his characters – many of whom are just different versions of Peter Parker – distinct. Even without dialogue, one would still be able to get a feel for what the characters are like just based on how Coipel draws them. The coloring from Justin Ponsor does a great job of enhancing Coipel’s pencils, heightening the mood in the scenes with Morlun and his family, and helping make sure the action sequences don’t get too confusing. With so many Spider-Men running around, it’d be easy to get them confused, but Coipel and Ponsor keep everyone straight very efficiently. The back-up story, written by Slott with art by Giuseppe Camuncoli, adds more character to the villains of the piece. The Camuncoli’s work complements Coipel’s well, while still retaining its own unique style.

It’s worth mentioning that this reviewer hasn’t been following Amazing Spider-Man on a regular basis for a few years. I was drawn to this comic by one thing: the Gwen Stacy Spider-Woman from Edge of Spider-Verse #2. That book promised that she would return in this one, so I followed her here, and I was not disappointed. As the first part of an event storyline that has been building for months, this issue was extremely accessible. It’s likely safe to say that most people have a passing knowledge of Spider-Man, and this comic relies on that and builds on it to introduce new characters and concepts with ease. There are references to other things – Spider-Island, for example – that likely will mean more to people who have been reading the series regularly, but those things are ultimately not crucial to one’s enjoyment of the story.

In all, Amazing Spider-Man #9 was a great jumping-on point for new readers, and a strong beginning to the Spider-Verse storyline. Here’s hoping Slott and Co. can build on the success of this first issue in the remaining five issues of the story.