The Amazing Spider-Man #13 Review

With Great Power Comes…………

When I started reading this issue this rant came out – you don’t ever bring Uncle Ben back! You just committed the greatest cardinal sin ever! Don’t waste this on a gimmick.

But by the end of it, I realized his purpose. And he was used well here.

Slott manages to get to the core of Peter’s life even as the totemic legends gain more prominence.

And Guiseppe Camuncoli works wonders with the art.

SPOILERS FOLLOW…………….

Okay coming back to the start, we see the different Inheritors recounting their failures as detailed in different tie-ins. Jennix laments the loss of the cloning mechanism that sustained the Inheritors while the twins apologize for letting Silk escape.

Understanding the gravity of the situation, Solus (with the baby Benny in his arms) declares that it’s time to finish the Spiders. It's interesting to see in the background most of the Spiders who died during the course of this event, including Cosmic Spider-Man for whom Solus is responsible.

Meanwhile, on Earth 3145, the Spider team is in shock over the appearance of Uncle Ben, especially 616 Peter.

Apparently, Ben Parker was bitten at the exhibit instead of Peter. The Peter of that world wanted to use the powers for profit, but Ben wanted to be a hero. This cost him his family, as his version of the Green Goblin killed May and Peter.

He left the hero gig and when a disguised Ezekial came to warn him of Morlun’s arrival, he hid.

Now he regrets not listening to his Peter and believes one man cannot make a difference. SpOck is dealt a shock when he learns that the current scenario was the result of Otto Octavius miscalculating.

This is followed by another shock as when Peter and co examine the scrolls sent by Jessica Drew, Otto learns that Peter knows his girlfriend Anna Marconi – whom he met after becoming the Superior Spider-Man.

Anya Corazon aka Araña is able to translate the scrolls using her totem connections, learning that the Spiders are destined to win over the inheritors a millennium later and the only way to prevent that is to kill the three totemic objects – the scion, bride and other.

This problem is compounded by Silk’s guilt ridden return alongside Spider-Gwen to rescue Jessica Drew trapped on Loomworld. Kaine also arrives there seeking revenge on Lennix for Ben Reilly’s death.

With all the totems there, Solus and the Inheritors charge. But Kaine, channeling the powers of the Other in berserker mode (turning into a large Spider in the process), manages to kill Solus. He is stopped in his tracks by Morlun managing to rip off one of his legs and pushing it into his skull.

Silk, Jessica and Spider-Gwen are ambushed by Lady Verna and her pet Goblins with help from the Twins.

Back on Earth 3145, SpOck manages to convince Ben that the Man is more important than the Spider and that they need only one win to get the victory. 

Ben reconsiders and then the entire team regroups to move onto Loomworld.

In between, there is a touching scene where Billy aka Spider-Man UK assures Spider-Man India, Pavitr Prabhakar, that he is unique and not some 'imitation' of Peter. It brings in the concept of all these Spiders and their different universes. 

Just because you were birthed from it, doesn't mean you're inferior or superior. You're different. That's it.

 

SPOILERS END………..

Using Ben as a crucible for both Peter and Otto was a genius move – even though we know the latter will forget this entire event when he returns to his timeline.

Spider-Verse is coming to an exciting conclusion.

So, I give it 9.5 out of 10.

+Lovely use of Uncle Ben

+Great artwork

+Nice exploration of themes

+Berserker Kaine

-Jarring opening depending on our knowledge of the tie-ins too much