Writer: Nick Spencer
Artist: Mark Bagley
Colors: Rachelle Rosenberg & Edgar Delgado
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna

Release date January 13 2021
Review by D. Brown (WolfCypher)

I want to scream. I ended this issue, and I wanted to just scream. Because after so many issues, so many questions, so much ground left to cover, I finish this issue and I realize that this arc has ended in a way that its left unfinished. I get to the end of this comic, and I realize we are done with this saga for now. FOR NOW. Because this arc ends with the implication that we will eventually come back to this story again in the future. And. I. Just. Wanted. To. Scream.

And still, this issue as it stands, was not bad. In fact, I liked it quite a bit. Last issue actually left me frustrated, while this issue felt like it put me back on track with the arc. Even though, I cannot stress this enough, we are left with zero new answers, this issue remembers its tone and gravity I felt the last issue lost due to interference with b-plots that quickly took me out of the situation I was most invested in following. I liked this comic, and I still wanted to scream in rage…

This issue returns to having the needed focus I felt had been compromised last issue. Gone are the set-ups to upcoming stories placed in the dead center of our main story. Instead this issue stays on track with tying up (as best it can for a still unfinished story) the aftermath of Spider-Man and Kindred’s confrontation, and the bedlam wrought by Norman Osborn. Speaking of which, it would appear good old bad guy Norman may still be under the influences of the Sin-Eater’s cleansing. Norman Osborn appeared to be back to being his old, despised self up until the last issue, and even then I couldn’t be sure if that was an act. I’m one-part annoyed by that, and two-parts very okay with this. Even Spider-Man himself brings up all the past subterfuge Norman has been known for. So its very much up Osborn’s alley to be the scheming bastard he is pretending to be the still-reformed desperate trying to undo his sins who is actually playing everyone- Peter, Harry, Fisk – for the very long game. Again, this story ends without ending. There will be more, so I can at least admit its smart to leave that ambiguity there with Norman.

It seems my favorite moments throughout this entire arc had been the ones where Peter and Kindred had there very serious talks. Of course, these would spiral briefly into fists flying into each other faces, a murdered Spider-Man here, a resurrected Spider-Man there, and drive back into the two telling each other off again. It was the verbal interactions I liked the most during this story. With Harry be keeping quite while in his dark cubic prison, its Norman’s time to have a heavy conversation with Spidey. I found Norman’s dialogue here a little hammy and a little too Marshmallow for its own good. I get he’s supposed to be regretful and reformed, but none of this felt like anything Norman Osborn would say. It felt so rehearsed. I’m sure even a reformed Norman Osborn would still be able to get his points across and try to sell us on his legitimacy without coming across so meek and overly-apologetic. On the flipside, Spider-Man’s dialogue was on point. He’s angry, and he’s tired of the Osborn legacy poisoning everyone around him. Spider-Man lashes out at Norman, but also says some harsh words about Harry. This isn’t a Peter who even cares if Harry can be saved. Yeah, history has taught me that in the end, Spidey will come around and he will show he cares for Harry, but in this moment, and with this writing, I want to believe he’s dead serious.

Its frustrating to get this far and be left with an inconclusive conclusion. When you consider that the previous story just before this arc (it feels so long ago), Sins Rising, directly feeds into this arc, it really makes the whole story feel much longer than the staggering 13 or so issues Last Remains clocked in at. This whole arc proved to be a giant tease, but it did so relatively well. I want to be mad. Hell, I think I am a little mad. Or a lot! But I have to say this was effectively a ride I enjoyed more often than I didn’t. I just really wished we had made it to our destination.

Final Thoughts

Amazing Spider-Man #57 doesn’t waste pages teasing new and unrelated stories. This time, we have an issue that keeps its focus on the “finale” of Last Remains. Action takes a backseat in favor of drama while giving us…answers? Well…The last remains of Last Remains wrap up in a way that may not satisfy some readers.

7/10