- Written by: Jonathan Hickman
- Art by: Marco Checchetto
- Colors by: Erick Arciniega
- Letters by: VC’s Cory Petit
- Cover art by: Marco Checchetto, Matthew Wilson (cover A)
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: October 22, 2025
Ultimate Spider-Man #22, by Marvel on 10/22/25, finds the loose network of allies in hiding in the Savage Land under Manhattan while they scheme to expose the Maker to the world. Unfortunately, Harry has his own plans.
First Impressions
This issue feels like a bridge that forgot what it was connecting. The visuals and human touches shine, but the pacing lurches forward without rhythm. It’s sharp in moments but frustratingly incoherent as a whole.
Recap
In the previous issue, Peter Parker and his family had gone into hiding after Mole Man warned them that his identity was compromised. Harry Osborn, grieving after Gwen Stacy’s death, continued operating as Green Goblin, while fragments of the Sinister Six turned on each other following a failed strike ordered by Kingpin. As Otto Octavius tinkered with picotech systems, hints surfaced of a larger plan linked to the Maker’s secret network of control nodes.
Plot Analysis
The story begins with Otto Octavius swinging through the streets of Manhattan in his own version of the picotech suit. He returns to the assembly of allies, hiding out in the Savage Land under Manhattan, as he reflects bitterly on his own brilliance. His interactions with the Parkers add uneasy comedy—especially a dinner scene derailed by petty banter about soy sauce—before pivoting sharply to the issue’s core conflict.
Peter and Harry continue their uneasy alliance battling remnants of the Sinister Six. Their fight against Bullseye(s) and other enhanced thugs provides the issue’s most kinetic pages, blending humor and grit. Yet when Harry stays behind to “see what pops up,” the tone pivots to heavy-handed melancholy, showing him still emotionally stranded after Gwen’s death in the last issue.
Otto’s scenes dominate the second half. He unveils a self-built system that could erase the Parker family’s existence from the Maker’s surveillance grid but requires a near-impossible infiltration into Kingpin’s empire. The moral question: Who will risk themselves to deploy it? The short debate sparks good tension but dissolves in overly technical exposition as young Richard is given the task and permission to seek out Felicia’s help (without his parents’ knowledge).
The finale shifts focus again to Harry and Mr. Negative. Mysteriously tracked by an undead “collective” of Mysterios, Harry’s motivations blur further. The closing “Are you with us?” montage suggests betrayal or manipulation, but without setup, it lands as confusing rather than haunting.
Writing
Hickman’s dialogue remains sharp and character-driven. Banter between Peter and MJ humanizes their fractured domestic life, and even the smallest exchanges pop with liveliness. However, the plot pacing is jagged, jumping between threads without clear emotional or narrative throughlines. Otto’s subplot feels dropped into the middle of an unfinished arc, lacking prior setup to ground his actions. Furthermore, issue #22 breaks with the real-time approach to the series by jumping ahead to December, which suggests a rush to the finish line.
Art
Checchetto and Arciniega’s visuals are stellar. Every panel carries cinematic depth, balancing light and shadow to emphasize tension or warmth. The action scenes are fluid and expressive, while close-ups of Peter and Harry convey real weariness. This artistic consistency elevates scenes that otherwise stumble narratively.
Characters
Peter feels diminished here as a reactive figure more than an active driver. Harry’s grief is believable but underdeveloped, limited to recycled dialogue about loss. Otto’s scientist-turned-antagonist framing could be intriguing, but his sudden leap into full Maker mythology territory reads like plot convenience. Supporting characters like MJ and Ben Parker fade too quickly after promising introductions.
Positives
Checchetto’s art remains masterclass-level, giving even mundane moments cinematic flair. The dialogue between Peter and MJ captures real emotional chemistry, offering brief but genuine heart in a world gone mad. The tension in Otto’s secrecy scenes shows sparks of vintage Hickman intrigue, hinting at a deeper conspiracy worth exploring.
Negatives
Plot cohesion breaks down fast. Subplots crash into one another without proper buildup, especially Otto’s new invention and Harry’s murky alliance with the Mysterios. The pacing skids between domestic humor, techno-thriller jargon, and sudden tragedy. By the end, it’s unclear how any character’s choices connect to the series’ larger stakes.
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
Ultimate Spider-Man #22 looks phenomenal and sounds snappy, but beneath the gloss, it’s structurally confused. Hickman’s ambition outpaces his execution here, leaving strong character beats dangling inside a muddled, uneven framework. It’s a gorgeous web but one tied in its own knots.
5.5/10
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