Amazing Spider-Man Vol 5 #15/816 Review: The Bogenrieder Perspective

In which the cover is the best piece of art in this book.

Amazing Spider-Man (2018) #15/Legacy #816

“Family Matters, Pt 2”

Writer: Nick Spencer

Pencils: Chris Bachalo

Inkers: Al Vey, Wayne Faucher, John Livesay and Tim Townsend

Colors: Chris Bachalo

Cover Art: Paolo Rivera

Editor: Nick Lowe and Kathleen Wisneski

EiC: C.B. Cebulski

Plot:

As Rhino is wheeled off by Taskmaster and Black Ant, Peter continues to dig through the rubble of the restraunt to find Aunt May and Captain Hobo. As Peter helps them out of the rubble, Peter realizes that Captain Hobo is actually the clone of Ned Leeds, who dies in his arms. Reminded of all the help she did, Aunt May uses her remaining funds to restore the FEAST Center with the help of Randy.

Elsewhere, Billy Connors sneaks off from his sewer house, and Kraven gives his request to Arcade: a scaled down version of the Planetary Defense Shield from Secret Empire.

Thoughts:

Honestly, this was probably the weakest issue of Spencer’s entire run. It wasn’t helped by art, but it was an issue of what was supposed to be style with very little in the way of substance to push the plot along. It’s still good, but it was very much a sacrificial limb for the Amazing Spider-Man machine.

Again, Spencer’s characterization was very spot-on. Peter abandoning the fight to save civilians? I can buy it. And while they don’t have a lot of on-panel time, Black Ant and Taskmaster still have good optics. (Though all they really do in this issue is roll around Rhino in what Mark has dubbed and I’m choosing to confirm is a giant, clear Pokeball.) And while Aunt May and Randy opening FEAST back up reeks a little too much of trying to follow the PS4 game’s general direction, it at least gives them something to do other than stand around as background characters. (A flaw that has crippled Randy character-wise since the beginning of Spencer’s run, but can be forgiven since he’s most there to be fodder for three-way conversations anyways.)

Something I’m also appreciating is Spencer’s ability to weave in plot elements salvaged from his less-than-successful attempt at HYDRACap and integrating them well as a sort of long-term Chekov’s gun into his Spider-Man run. Boomerang’s pardon was brought up in ASM #6, and now we’re getting the Red Ghost’s Interplanetary Defense Shield designs to bring up how Spidey’s going to be cut off from the rest of the MU during the tenure of Hunted. It’s a great way of salvaging the good things from that event and refitting them into his far better stories as plot devices.

Plot-wise, there was very little in terms of advancing the story. Mostly to seed future plot points, and to prop up the upcoming Hunted. Most of the book is simply Peter finding Aunt May and Kraven scheming; and to be honest, I don’t think that the as-always strong characterization makes up for a relatively weak plot.

And then we have Chris Bachalo. Truth be told, I don’t really have a lot to say that wasn’t covered in the last issue, only that the flashback art for Ned’s life is infinitely better. So while the cover for this issue was amazing, the interiors left something to be desired; I’m more than glad that Ottley is coming back to draw the lead-in for Thragg– I mean Kraven.

Is it a horrendous issue? Not really, no; it’s just a little weak, partially because it cripples itself in favor of the overarching plot; and to frank, there’s not really a lot to say about it. Oh well.

Final Grade: B-