Amazing Spider-Man (2018) #41 (And kind of #39 and #40) Review: The Bogenrieder Perspective

What’s in the booooooox?!

Amazing Spider-Man (2018) #41

“True Companions, Pt 1”

Writer: Nick Spencer

Pencils: Ryan Ottley

Inks: Cliff Rathburn

Colors: Nathan Fairbairn

Letters: VC’s Joe Caramagna

Editors: Nick Lowe and Kathleen Wisneski

Editor-in-Chief: CB Cebulski

Plot:

Peter and Fred have been spending a lot more time together recently, and in this issue we’re finally given an explanation: after celebrating following his heroism (Press X to doubt) in Secret Empire, he’s approached by an old man, who uses magic taught by Doctor Strange to download a map to the pieces of the Lifeline Tablet into his head. Kingpin also wants this, which is why Spidey and Boomerang have been playing scavenger hunt to get all the fragments, including fighting the Vermin swarm in the New York underground. (I can already see JR sighing as he gives this issue a C.) Before Peter and Fred can be torn apart by the Vermins, they’re scared off by an unheard noise. As Kingpin realizes that somebody brought the Lifeline tablet back to Earth, Peter and Fred are attacked by none other than…. Gog!

Thoughts:

So, apologies on missing out on reviewing ASM #39 and 40. If it makes any difference, I did a livestream on my personal channel and covered those issues first, so if you’d like, I’ve timestamped it for anybody who wants to hear my unwritten (And somewhat abridged) notes on the issue.

Back to this issue, I think the first thing I want to stress is how glad I am that we’re finally getting some resolution to the Boomerang/Kingpin subplot. As patient as I am, it’s one of the few remaining plot lines from the beginning of Spencer’s run, and I’m glad that it’s getting resolution before the Kindred stuff kicks into high gear during Sins Rising. And thankfully its payoff is worth the wait and not an underwhelming take like we would have gotten during the previous era. It’s also very good to catch up on the Vermin swarm, if only briefly, rather than leaving them hanging to deal with independently; it’s a very good job on Spencer’s part of mixing together the treasure hunt for the Lifeline Tablet and the Vermin plot thread together in a very organic way that makes them fit seamlessly. Likewise, Peter and Fred also have a very fun and likeable dynamic, one that I have actually grown to like over the course of forty-plus issues. Though, given that Spencer has been able to consistently make me love his take on Peter and maintains his fantastic voice for Fred, I suppose this kind of lovable dynamic was inevitable. Regardless, it was something I was skeptical about, but I’ve slowly grown to see it as one of my favorite things about the new run.

Additionally, I think this was a very good place to let Ryan Ottley return to do the interior art. While I appreciate Iban Coello’s art, Brian Reber’s colors smudge up the linework of the project he’s doing, and thus it’s harder for me to really appreciate his very precise and smooth linework. I honestly think that Nathan Fairbairn or Matt Wilson (Who have pulled off very good work on ASM before, and Fairbairn does an amazing job this issue) would do a better job in a book this lighthearted with a saturated color palette in spite of the environment not necessarily demanding it. Maybe once we go into a more overtly serious direction, that color palette would work, but I’m glad that we’re back to normal for now. But Ottley’s return always does a good job at signaling more comedic overtones on the book, and this was a Boomerang issue; so, of course, the comedy was the primary concern, at least in the dialogue and how the story is framed. Another highlight for me was how Ottley designed the splash page regarding the Lifeline Tablet, which feels plucked straight out of an Indiana Jones book. And I suppose that given the theme of this issue is “scavenger hunt”, it’s fitting in a sense.

That said, I think this is one of the weaker first issues of any of the arcs so far. While it is technically a very strong issue and does a good job of tying up loose strings, it is very heavy on exposition. There came a point where the recap felt more like Spencer was just going back and explaining stuff that happened in earlier issues (As fun as the recap was, I’ve been reading since day one and it felt somewhat unnecessary, but I think it can be forgiven, even though I doubt there are many new readers this far in.) and just explaining what was happening as opposed to just letting the story happen.

The side story with the Lethal Legion attacking Project Pegasus was also pretty good, too. It was nice to set up some more of the Sins Rising Players, and also worth the extra page count. I don’t have too much to say about the art, other than it was competent and I doubt that I’ll be unable to read Sins Rising/Last Remains without reading this, but it was nice to get.

All in all, this was a good issue at the end of the day. I’m glad we finally got resolutions of sorts, and whether or not it took too long to get here I’m glad we’re at a payoff and getting hitched to the Kindred wagon. Here’s to hoping Gog’s return is worth the oddly cathartic wait.

Final Grade: B+