- Written by: Joe Kelly
- Art by: Nick Bradshaw, Todd Nauck, Nathan Stockman
- Colors by: Marte Gracia, Rachelle Rosenberg
- Letters by: VC’s Joe Caramagna
- Cover art by: Mark Bagley, Marte Gracia (cover A)
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: February 18, 2026
Amazing Spider-Man #22 (Marvel, 2/18/26): Writer Joe Kelly and artists Nick Bradshaw, Todd Nauck, Nathan Stockman deliver Peter’s return from space as a disjointed homecoming check-in mode, triggered by his landing amid displaced life pieces from Ben Reilly’s impostor stint. This uneven execution lacks punch, leaving drama flat; Verdict: Skip it.
First Impressions
Peter Parker’s Earth return hits like a web-strand snapping mid-swing, full of potential that fizzles into scattered threads. The art bursts with kinetic energy in spots, yet jars with style shifts that pull you out of the moment, while the script juggles too many subplots without landing a solid emotional hook.
Overall, it feels like a transitional issue chasing its tail, teasing fallout from Norman’s Spider-stint without committing to high stakes or payoff, leaving that gut-check hovering at lukewarm confusion.
Recap
In Amazing Spider-Man #21, Norman Osborn, suited as Spider-Man, battled Goblin-Slayers and Hobgoblin Roderick Kingsley targeting his family; Miles Morales aided via bioelectric overload on “murmuration” linked Slayers; Norman saved Liz and Normie in Westchester, rejected Goblin sadism for daily betterment, uncovered ex-wife Emily as mastermind yet forgave her, spun it as corporate terror publicly while hiding truths, and got Peter’s call in a new black-yellow suit praising him before a “Next Homecoming” tease.
Plot Analysis (SPOILERS)
Peter Parker gazes at Earth from his ship, bantering bittersweet farewells with Rocket Raccoon, parting allies like Nial and Xanto Starblood, then Glitch teleports him, Raelith, and herself home. He inhales New York’s scents, rushes to Aunt May’s empty apartment triggering panic over changes during his absence, checks her voicemail revealing worry, then heads to a squat confronting Ben Reilly as Chasm.
Peter attacks Ben over impersonating him, discovering a mocking note detailing Ben’s half-hearted Peter-life stint, a lab accident, Osborn’s Spider-role, and May’s despondence; money flies amid brawls as Janine Godmother intervenes with powers halting them. Ben taunts Peter’s fragile life, Janine reveals Ben avoided contacts including May who never quit on him, Peter vows cleanup revenge.
Raelith weakens from Earth atmosphere needing urgent care, Glitch carries her to Fantastic Four’s Baxter Building; Torch and Thing challenge until code-word “wheatcakes” grants access for her, Glitch symbiote, med-bays. Meanwhile, Maira Osmani-Milton frets at hospital post-lab accident over Brian, clashes with son Ken’s apathy; Norman Osborn, bandaged and healing slower, leaves Maira voicemail explaining Spider-stint, Oscorp attack, offers talk on her son amid degeneration data, calls Miles Morales.
Writing
Joe Kelly’s pacing staggers like a web-slinger post-blackout, lurching from Peter’s nostalgic landing to clone-fistfight without rhythmic escalation or breathing room for emotional beats. Dialogue crackles authentically in Rocket’s snark and Ben’s barbs, yet thematic depth drowns in subplots, leaving redemption teases for Norman feeling tacked-on and unresolved.
Structure prioritizes check-ins over propulsion, with voice messages and notes dumping context clumsily instead of weaving organic reveals, resulting in a script that meanders without clear arc momentum.
Art
Nick Bradshaw’s layouts flow dynamically in action panels, capturing Peter’s frantic swings and Ben’s chaotic dodges with sharply inked motion lines that propel energy forward. Yet inconsistent styles across Todd Nauck and Nathan Stockman’s assists disrupt clarity, character expressions blurring between fierce snarls and vague grimaces during key confrontations.
Colorists Marte Gracia and Rachelle Rosenberg wield moody tonality well in Norman’s sterile recovery glow versus urban grit, but composition falters in crowded multi-character spreads, muddling spatial flow and emotional reads.
Character Development
Motivations shine in Peter’s raw panic over lost normalcy and Ben’s resentful clone-angst, yet consistency wavers as Raelith’s vulnerability feels abrupt without prior buildup. Relatability peaks in familial tensions like Maira-Ken, but Osborn’s subplot hints at depth undercut by minimal screen time.
Originality & Concept Execution
Reuniting Peter with displaced life post-space offers fresh clone-rivalry spin on homecoming tropes, yet execution stalls on familiar imposter drama without bold premise payoff. Teases like alien vulnerabilities and Osborn’s decay intrigue, but fizzle unresolved, delivering setup over innovative delivery.
Pros and Cons
What We Loved
- Kinetic farewell inks amplify Rocket banter tension beautifully.
- Janine’s power-blast composition halts clone brawl sharply.
- Norman’s degeneration scans add subtle visual foreboding.
Room for Improvement
- Inconsistent artist shifts fracture layout flow severely.
- Subplot overload scatters pacing without focus.
- Absent stakes dilute drama and cliffhanger punch.
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
The Scorecard
Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): 1/4
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): 2/4
Value (Originality & Entertainment): 1/2
Final Verdict
Amazing Spider-Man #22 scatters Peter’s return across too many loose ends, from clone scraps to Osborn whispers, without forging high-impact drama or stakes to justify its page count in your stack. The chaotic plot drifts nowhere decisive, art inconsistencies jar the ride, making it a pass unless you’re chasing every web-thread blindly.
4/10
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