Amazing Spider-Man #9 Review

Written by: Zeb Wells
Art by: Patrick Gleason
Colors by: Marcio Menyz
Letters by: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover art by: John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna, Marcio Menyz
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: September 14, 2022

Amazing Spider-Man #9 returns to the events of this year’s Hellfire Gala to show how Spider-Man and Wolverine rescued MJ from the world’s most dangerous choker.

Is It Good?

Where are we right now? Where is Zeb Wells right now? Does Zeb Wells know where Zeb Wells is right now?

This series has had its ups and downs. Breathing new life and ferocity into bedrock villains such as Tombstone and Vulture is a definite high point. Starting the first issue with several big bangs that generated more questions than answers but leaving those questions untouched for almost six months and nine issues’ worth of content is a head-scratching blunder. Couple those items with an apparent lack of plot for the second arc and wildly inconsistent art by Romita Jr. (not on this issue for some reason), and you wind up with a Wells run that’s struggling.

Why, then, would Amazing Spider-Man #9 take a break from the main plot (again) to revisit the Hellfire Gala? An event that ended three months ago. Oi!

If you’re up to speed on the Hellfire Gala, you already know the setup and the outcome. Moira controls MJ Watson by duress via a metal choker that could kill MJ if she disobeys. Eventually, the attendees get wise to MJ’s plight, and the heroes intervene. This issue focuses on the nitty-gritty of Spider-Man’s involvement, the fight to separate and stop Moira, and a last-minute reminder that the big events of issue #1 are not going to be discussed, unveiled, hinted at, or even acknowledged.

Readers are given a story where the setup and outcome were known months ago, the details don’t do anything to expand, add to, or enhance Spidey’s current arc, and the cliffhanger outcome is shuffled off to the A.X.E. event, which is useless if you’re only into Spider-Man. In short, this issue is pointless in almost every way.

The one saving grace is Gleason’s art which is significantly more even and consistent than Romita Jr’s contribution to the run. The action choreography is engaging, Menyz’s coloring is excellent, and the overall visual experience is enjoyable.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Final Thoughts:

Amazing Spider-Man #9 is a baffling misstep in an increasingly baffling run by Zeb Wells. The issue takes readers back to the Hellfire Gala to flesh out MJ’s predicament and eventual salvation, which adds nothing to the current arc and shuffles the resolution with Moria off to the A.X.E. event. But for the art, this issue is pointless.