The Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #17 Review

“I’m way too young to be turning into my parents. But I am a little worried about these two.”

Annie makes two new friends at school. Will they become a super-hero team or threats Annie will have to take down?

WRITER: Jody Houser

ARTIST: Nathan Stockman

COLORIST: Ruth Redmond

LETTERER: VC’s Joe Caramagna

COVER ARTISTS: Ryan Stegman & Brian Reber or Nate Stockman (depending on what credits you believe)

EDITOR: Heather Antos

SUPERVISING EDITOR: Jordan D. White

SPIDER-MAN created by STAN LEE & STEVE DITKO

STORY: After a chemical explosion causes two of Annie’s classmates to get powers, she lies to her dad and covers for them at the school theater. Jumping to conclusions, they assume Annie got her powers from the same explosion and suggest they all go shopping tomorrow to put together their super-hero costumes. Annie goes along with the plan to keep an eye on them, keeping their secret from her parents. Peter realizes Annie is hiding something and shares his thoughts with MJ. Ten days later, Annie and her new friends have assembled their costumes and are testing things out in the field. They stop a robbery together which gives Lacey the confidence to tackle a real monster…Norman Osborn, Jr. !

THOUGHTS: While my print (and for the moment, digital) copy claims the cover is by Stegman, the art tells a different story. Clearly this is the work of Stockman judging by the faces, details, and lack of Stegman’s stegosaurus signature. However, the Marvel app does show it to be Stockman in the store’s credits for the issue. The cover is pretty telling for what lies ahead-Annie is in the forefront this issue, with her parents relegated to the sidelines.

I think your mileage may vary with this issue. If you’re an Annie fan, there’s lots to love and Houser predominately tells the story from her point of view, allowing you to get to know her better. If it’s Peter and MJ time that you crave, well, prepare for some disappointment as they appear together in a dinner scene and a page of them crime-fighting whilst talking about their daughter. I get it, Annie is the narrative thrust for this story, but I’m here for Peter and MJ and how they handle things as a married crime-fighting couple with child. I can understand why people would be upset that we’re dealing with Annie and not May Day here as it feels we’re covering some familiar ground for sure.

Stockman is pretty consistent with past efforts. Sometimes he goes too cartoony or simple for my tastes, but other times he really nails the character’s feelings and has some great compositions. I love every time that he puts the “thwip” onomatopoeia in the actual webline and his final page, with Lacey relishing her newfound confidence in her abilities, really plays to his strengths. Outside of that, nothing really knocks my socks off here.

This certainly isn’t a bad issue by any means, but if you’re looking for more of how Peter is dealing with returning as a teacher or how balancing business, home life, and super-heroing is working for MJ, this is not the issue for you. Houser so far has done really well with characterization and I’m curious to see where she takes this next and how she portrays an older Normie. I get the feeling he’s not going to be as malevolent and as responsible for Lacey’s father’s death as she believes. Also, while reading the issue I just got the nagging feeling we passed by interesting things to explore in the eight year gap and instead are treading on familiar Spider-Girl territory with Annie’s parents serving mainly as window dressing aiding that. Here’s hoping next issue feels more balanced. 

MY GRADE: C

JAVI’S HUH?: Does Reece with his horns really need a bandit mask to conceal his identity?