- Written by: Zeb Wells
- Art by: Jiohn Romita Jr., Scott Hanna
- Colors by: Marcio Menyz
- Letters by: VC’s Joe Caramagna
- Cover art by: John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna, Marcio Menyz
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: February 14, 2024
Amazing Spider-Man #43 presents a knockdown, drag-out battle in the heart of Central Park in the penultimate issue of the Gang War event.
Is Amazing Spider-Man #43 Good?
Zeb Wells brings the Gangs of New York together on the battlefield when Madame Masque’s forces and Beetle’s army compete to be the top criminal organization in the city. As big battle issues go, Amazing Spider-Man #43 delivers the goods in terms of action, pacing, and energy, but some readers may find Spidey’s lack of relevance in his comic a downer.
When last we left the collection of heroes and villains, Kingpin’s Hellfire goons captured Rose instead of killing Beetle, ensuring the Kingpin’s son doesn’t become a casualty of war. Digger decided to join Beetle’s gang because of a lack of employment prospects. As the lesser gangs fall, Madame Masque issues a challenge to Beetle for a winner-takes-all fight in Central Park at dawn.
Now, the battle is joined, but the real battle to decide the winner may be happening off the battlefield. Without spoiling it too much, I’ll say Beetle and Tombstone’s daughter/father relationship takes an unexpected turn.
What’s great about Amazing Spider-Man #43? Love it or leave it, John Romita Jr’s action art sells this issue. The fight is chaotic, fast-paced, and impactful. The few twists and turns keep the proceedings exciting, and the cliffhanger is an intriguing development.
What’s not so great about Amazing Spider-Man #43? As hinted in the synopsis above, Spider-Man is barely a factor in his comic. To be clear, Spidey gets in a few licks, but the heart of the conflict centers on the fight between Madame Masque and Beetle, so if you’ve picked up ASM for a rousing Spider-Man adventure, you’ll come away disappointed. When the plot is already paper thin, sidelining the titular character is an odd choice.
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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Bits and Pieces
Amazing Spider-Man #43 delivers the action goods in the penultimate entry to the Gang War event. The action is fast-paced, energetic, and exciting. That said, Spider-Man is barely a side character in this event, so readers who aren’t fully invested in the success or failure of Beetle and Madame Masque will be left unsatisfied.
Weird Science Marvel Comics 
You still buy dvds don’t you?
Yes. I do. I like not needing the internet to watch my favorite movies, kind of like I still buy candles, because I like reading comics and knowing I can if the power goes out is comforting. Bad joke in a bad place, counteracts the very capitalism comic books are based upon. Not a fan of the gang stuff, or vampires. Yes, fight or flight, human or werewolf, simple metaphors for T+. Expectation determines reality. Treat them simple, they’ll be the simple you expect them to be to fit the bill.
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