Chasm has condemned Peter to limbo, where he has to keep playing the role of a miserable photographer until he submits his soul to Ben.
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The Amazing Spider-Man #17
- Writer:
- Zeb Wells
- Artist:
- Ed McGuinness, Cliff Rathburn
- Letterer:
- VC’s Joe Caramagna
- Cover Artist:
- John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna, Marcio Menyz
- Publisher:
- Marvel
- Price:
- $3.99
- Release Date:
- 2022-01-11
- Colorist:
- Marcio Menyz
In the previous issues of The Amazing Spider-Man, Ben Reilly and Madelyne Pryor brought an army of demons to New York City. The Dark Web follows the X-Men, Ms. Marvel, and Spider-Man as they try to protect their home from Limbo’s nefarious forces. Written by Zeb Wells with artwork from Ed McGuinness and Cliff Rathburn, colors by Marcio Menyz, and letters from VC’s Joe Caramagna, The Amazing Spider-Man #17 gives Peter Parker a nightmarish start to his new life in limbo.
The Amazing Spider-Man #17 traps Peter Parker in Limbo and served him with an ultimatum — play along in their faux New York set or see his friends get hurt. J. Jonah Jameson now leads a group of demons masquerading as reporters in a Daily Bugle building that appears to be perpetually on fire. But he’s too afraid of his “employees” harming him to run a successful paper. On the other hand, Peter doesn’t pull any punches. He is unafraid to take on the demons head-on, which earns him a fan or two. Meanwhile, Chasm tries to replicate the Sinister Six in a bid to make Spider-Man feel at home.
The Amazing Spider-Man #17 sends Peter back to his old life as a photographer. It is like a cruel joke that never stops, especially in a world where demons fill in as background characters, adding to the ridiculous setting. Even when Peter tries to follow the rules, the situation remains high-strung and dangerous. The temperamental nature and erratic behavior of the demons is too much even for someone like Jameson to handle. Wells keeps things moving at a steady pace, blending exposition with the rising action. To add more humor, Wells pushes in new characters and develops a side plot while tethering Spider-Man to the fomenting ridiculousness. But truth be told, it only muddles the path forward.
Limbo has never looked this fun, and it is all thanks to Ed McGuinness’ animated artwork. He populates the comic book with goofy and over-the-top character designs. With the demons taking the shapes of animals and aliens, sometimes going the traditional fiendish route, their transformation into the Sinister Six-themed villains is cosmetic at best. But the general intensity behind the lines, supplemented by Cliff Rathburn’s inks, keeps the wackiness going and readers on their toes. To simulate the burning fire of limbo, colorist Marcio Menyz spreads crimson and ochre tones throughout the background. Meanwhile, letterer Joe Caramagna dramatizes each scene with wacky onomatopoeias and similarly oddball fonts to keep the energy going.
The Amazing Spider-Man #17 is as outlandish as it is playful, with Chasm’s quips and Spidey’s snappy disposition creating a tension that drives the story forward. While the series progresses into uncharted territory with some new elements making a huge splash at the end, the change of tone of the Dark Web event is sure to take the audience by surprise. Now, Zeb Wells is digging deeper into the shenanigans, adding more troubles to Peter’s life as he fights to keep his soul to himself. The Amazing Spider-Man #17 is fun, but it is still disappointing to see Ben Reilly go through another crisis.
