Amazing Spider-Man #4

Reviewed by: Robbie Rowe

Rating: 6 out of 8

Writer: Nick Spencer

Artist: Ryan Ottley

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility – but what if all you have is one, or the other? How balanced can you be without being responsible, or knowing you need to be, for people you love and those in need? How much can you do without power, especially when most your life, you’re so used to having it?

This is the story Nick Spencer’s telling here, wherein Peter is left without his

powers – and Spider-Man is left without his responsibility. Two halves of a whole who’re missing the most important part of each other. Even without powers, Peter still feels responsible, like he has to help people. Without responsibility, Spider-Man’s reckless, careless and doesn’t care about how much he destroys.

It’s a story that I’ve got to hand it to Spencer for doing, as I don’t think it was ever done to Spider-Man before, though it was done in an interesting way with Hulk.  Unfortunately no Mary Jane in this issue, but I was delighted to get her back on a regular basis, with Peter, last couple issues – and Aunt May supporting him is very welcome.

I also applaud Spencer for using some more obscure villains and Spidey foes that we rarely see him fight, with only the 1st issue having him fight one of his classic enemies. Starting with that issue, he set up some kind of mystery, lurking in the shadows, one Peter doesn’t even know about – all the worse for him. That

continues this issue and by the ending, it looks like things are going to really

escalate come next issue.

In the opening of the last few issues, there’s an interesting sojourn to what looks

like somewhere in Africa – and it’s now leading me to believe we’ll be seeing a

certain hunter very soon... The cover to issue 5 is very exciting and I’m curious to see what will unfold from the current story arc’s conclusion and just what comes after.