Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #510 Review

Amazing Spider-Man #510 (#69)
“Sin Past-Part Two”
Writers: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Mike Deodato Jr.
Inker: Joe Pimentel
PLOT: One of the most intriguing Spider-Man storyline in years continues.  A befuddled Peter Parker ponders why he was a target of assassination while visiting Gwen’s grave, and wonder’s what the heck is going on with the mysterious note he received.  Lucky for him, MJ brings up the point that the first page of the letter may have the second page indented in the back.  But before Peter is out the door, he receives another anonymous package.  This package has two photos: one of a man helping Aunt May with groceries, and the other with a woman asking MJ for directions.  The picture of the man and woman are blackened out, and there is a letter stating that they could get them whenever they wanted.  With that in mind, Peter has Aunt May stay with Aunt Anna.
Afterwards, Spider-Man goes out to seek Lt. Lamont.  He asks Lamont to help him by taking the letter to forensics and try to trace what words are hidden on the other side.  Spider-Man webs a layer of steel to the other side so that it wouldn’t be read.  While doing the analysis, Lamont asks the forensics expert to analyze a strand of webbing for future purposes.  Spider-Man call’s Aunt May to check on her, but the line is intercepted by the mysterious stranger who is at Anna’s home.  The stranger lies to Peter and tells him he has kidnapped Aunt May, and he needs to get to where she is at in ten minutes.  Spider-Man rushes thru New York, to the address given not a second too soon.  When he arrives, he finds a mannequin looking like Aunt May, which then blows up.
The mysterious man, named Gabriel, and his sister, Sarah, attack a wounded Spider-Man.  Sarah is able to pull Gabriel off of Spider-Man, but not before he promises to inform Peter why they will kill him in the near future.  Spider-Man picks himself up to meet Lamont, where parts of the missing letter are revealed.

LIKES:

• This storyline has me at the edge of my seat.  I can’t wait to see how it unfolds.
• I like the way JMS is preparing a future story by having Lamont take a strand of Spidey’s web to analyze.  I wonder how that will fit in with future storylines.
• Deodato’s art is rock solid.  It’s a joy to view his art on the pages of Amazing.

DISLIKES:

• How many times has Aunt May been kidnapped or threatened to be kidnapped???
• Why would the twins ease up on their attack and not kill Parker when they had the chance???
• Why the heck would Peter keep MJ or Aunt May around after receiving those threatening pictures.

FAVORITE QUOTE: Spider-Man after being blown up and beaten up by the twins “I don’t understand…what did I do?  What…what did I do…?” 

RATING: 4 and ½ webheads out of 5.  I wonder what kind of twists and turns the following issue has in store for us Spidey fans.

Reviewed by AC-WEB (Ariel Chaidez)