- Written by: Joe Kelly
- Art by: Cafu
- Colors by: Frank D’Armata
- Letters by: VC’s Joe Caramagna
- Cover art by: Mark Bagley
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: January 8, 2025
Amazing Spider-Man #65, by Marvel Comics on 1/8/25, enters the fourth challenge against Cyra, the Inevitability of Death, as Spider-Man must find a way to face the meaninglessness of Life.
Is Amazing Spider-Man #65 Good?
Recap
When last we left the Wall Crawler in Amazing Spider-Man #64, he faced the next scion of Cyttorak, Callix, aka the Inevitability of Pain. Spidey had to stop Callix’s demon dogs from eating citizens on the street while evading Callix’s attacks. Ultimately, Spider-Man defeated Callix by banishing his demon dogs back to their dimension and easily whooping Callix in a fistfight. The issue concluded with Callix yielding, Spider-Man NOT dying, and Callix’s twin sister, Cyra, stepping up for the next challenge.
Plot Synopsis
In Amazing Spider-Man #65, Spider-Man commences his next challenge against Cyra, the Inevitability of Death. What’s his challenge? Spidey has to hold a sphere. If he sets it down, he loses.
That’s it? Well, no. It’s not quite that simple. First, Callix still threatens to continue fighting from the previous challenge. Second, the sphere shows Spidey the truth of death across the world, starting with his friends and family.
In some future reality, Aunt May dies after succumbing to the effects of another global pandemic called the Essex Virus. Mary Jane Watson, aka Jackpot, dies during a heated battle against Hobgoblin. J. Jonah Jameson dies in his office from a brain embolism. Randy Robertson dies in a stampede when a Housing Crisis protest turns violent. And on and on and on.
At first, Spidey dismisses the visions as emo fanfic, and he says as much to Cyra, but as the weight of each death flashes before his eyes, the tragic meaninglessness of each death takes an emotional toll. In each death scene he sees Phil Coulson, now the Angel of Death, arriving to claiming Spidey’s family, one by one.
Spidey tries to stop Coulson, but death, as they say, is inevitable. Despite the crushing realization that all deaths are meaningless to some, Spidey holds onto the sphere. Suddenly, Callix attacks Spidey because he refused to yield in the prior challenge.
The issue ends with Death coming for Spider-Man, a meager pep talk from Phil Coulson, and Peter deciding there’s no point in fighting if life is meaningless.
First Impressions
Amazing Spider-Man #65 is a mixed bag. On the one hand, writer Joe Kelly gives readers a view into possible futures to create interesting fodder for speculation about stories that may or may not happen. On the other hand, the wonky, fluid rules of the challenge are becoming an increasing source of frustration.
How’s the Art?
Cafu steps in as the guest artist, and the results are pretty darn good. I haven’t seen Cafu since he worked on Christopher Cantwell’s abysmal Iron Man run (abysmal for the writing, not the art), but it looks like Cafu hasn’t missed a step. Amazing Spider-Man #65 is very light on action but heavy on emotion as Spidey witnesses one heartbreaking death after another, so Cafu pulls off the emotional weight and beats with an expert touch.
What’s great about Amazing Spider-Man #65?
The highlight of this issue is in the snippets of future events that may or may not come to pass. When does Aunt May marry J. Jonah? Does the Hobgoblin return? Will Nathaniel Essex, aka Mr. Sinister, unleash a plague on the world? The fun in comic shop talk is in the speculation, so Joe Kelly gives you plenty to chew on.
What’s not great about Amazing Spider-Man #65?
This challenge, specifically the loose interpretation of rules surrounding it, is dog poopy. Why is Doctor Strange stubbornly withholding information about the challenge when Spidey asks? How can one scion start a challenge fight when the prior scion may or may not have yielded? Why does each scion have a different set of rules for victory or defeat that can be bent or broken on a whim?
Much like Peter’s mentality at the end of this issue, you’re left wondering, “What’s the point if it’s all meaningless?”
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Final Thoughts
Amazing Spider-Man #65 pits Spidey against the next scion of Cyttorak in a challenge that threatens to break his spirit rather than his body. Joe Kelly creates a basketful of Easter Eggs about future outcomes that may or may not happen, wrapped in an emotionally weighty script, and Cafu’s artwork is first class. That said, the rules, or lack thereof, for the challenge are getting ridiculous.
6.2/10
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