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The Amazing Spider-Man has changed a lot since Joe Kelly came back to write the book, and this issue is yet another example of why this book has gotten so much better. Norman Osborn is one of the most important characters in the Spider-Man mythos, and this issue mostly focuses on him, starting with his battle against some criminals, a confrontation with Roderick Kingsley, and a battle with the rest of the Spider-Man family.
Kelly does an amazing job with establishing the different feel of the book with Norman Osborn as Spider-Man. The issue starts with Norman realizing just how hard being Spider-Man is, balancing the problems of real life with the superhero life, and how hard Peter had to work. It’s a nice touch by Kelly. Kelly really understands this new Norman Osborn, and I really love every caption in this book where Norman is talking. Some little snippets show us Norman’s upbringing with his own abusive father, giving us some clues as to why Norman has become who he has become.
Rating: 4.5/5
| Pros | Cons |
| Norman Osborn is incredibly well written | Nothing beyond a minor two spread issue |
| Ed McGuinness’ artwork is stunning | ๏ปฟ |
| Norman Osborn is incredibly well-written | ๏ปฟ |
The Amazing Spider-Man #12 Convincingly Reinvents Norman Osborn
The fight between Norman and the other Spiders โ Miles, Silk, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Boy, Arachne, and Spider-Girl โ is a well-paced little fight that digs more into who Norman is right now. The past weighs heavily on the former Green Goblin, and Kelly uses this to inform the fight. My favorite part is when he hears Spider-Gwen’s voice, and it breaks him completely. The relationship between Norman Osborn and Gwen Stacy is one of the most important in the history of the Spider-Man comics, and Kelly uses it perfectly. I’m not a lover of the idea of Norman as Spider-Man for any long term, but there’s something about the way that Kelly writes Norman as Spider-Man that makes me want to keep reading. I love Green Goblin, and Kelly is showing me why I should love Norman Osborn as Green Goblin, and I’m honestly pretty surprised by that.
Ed McGuinness is one of the most beloved artists in the industry, and this issue shows why we need to talk about him as one of the best Spider-Man artists of all time. Working with inker Cliff Rathburn, his pencils in this issue are gorgeous. There’s a two spread of panels early in the book that I find to be a little too busy, but that’s pretty much the only bad thing I can say about the art in this issue. His detail is amazing; seriously, just peruse every page. His linework never falters, and looking at how much he brings to every page, that’s frankly amazing. His character acting is superb; Kelly’s script is full of emotion, and McGuinness and Rathburn are more than up to the task of bringing all of that emotion to the readers. However, the fight is the centerpiece of this issue, and it’s amazing.
