Joe Kelly and Pepe Larraz Tease Game-Changing Villain in Amazing Spider-Man #1000 First Look (Exclusive)

This is a big year for Marvel Comics and, in particular, for Spider-Man. In September, Amazing Spider-Man will hit a major milestone that not every superhero comic can say it reaches: a landmark issue #1000. It’s a testament to the enduring popularity of Peter Parker/Spider-Man, but also to how the character has both remained timeless and evolved over the years and for a character with as many iconic stories as Spidey, getting a truly iconic milestone issue with a game-changing story seems only fitting.

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When Amazing Spider-Man #1000 hits shelves on September 16th, the issue giant-size issue will not only feature a lineup of special stories to celebrate the anniversary from a stacked roster of creators, but we’ll also be getting a major, game-changing main story written by Joe Kelly with art by Pepe Larraz. ComicBook had a chance to chat with Kelly and Larraz about this monumental issue and what it means to be a part of Spider-Man history—as well as just how prepared fans need to be for the villain, Ravage.

Amazing Spider-Man #1000 Is a Celebration—But Be “Very Braced” For Ravage

ComicBook: Amazing Spider-Man #1000 might be one of the biggest and most anticipated comics for fans in a long time, period. It’s a huge milestone for a truly epic and beloved character. What does it mean for you to not just be a part of it, but have the main story?

Joe Kelly: It’s mind blowing, frankly. Such a great honor to be a part of this event in any capacity, but to be the writer who happens to be driving the ongoing adventures of Spider-Man at this exact time? That’s a special kind of luck that I’ll be eternally grateful for.

Pepe Larraz: It is crazy and huge honor. It is beyond crazy and huge, actually. If you get to work in the comic book industry, most probably you are a fan of comics, as well as a professional artist. So, for the fan inside us, being a part of an issue like this is something so big that becomes a challenge, because nothing you do can be good enough for Amazing Spider-Man #1000! This being so, what I had to do was stop overthinking it and let the professional artist part take control. Focus on telling the story the best way possible. The story that Joe Kelly and our editor Nick Lowe crafted for this issue is absolutely brilliant, it has heart, lots of spectacular action and what I’m sure it’s one of Spidey’s worst days to date. Joe really understands the character, the way Peter thinks and feels, and he went really to the core here. I think it’s one of the best scripts I had the honor of illustrating.

Doing the cover was the icing on the cake, especially sharing that honor with a legend like JRJR and an artist I admire so much as Paolo Rivera. I’m glad to have had mi hermano Marte Gracia by my side for this cover. The whole thing is something I won’t ever forget.

With this being the central story, everything that’s been teased so far suggests this is going to be huge — and I’m talking specifically about that villain Ravage. What can you tease about Ravage and their impact on Spider-Man? How braced do we as fans need to be?

Kelly: Very braced. The most braced. We engineered Ravage in a lab to terrify and enrage and torture Peter at maximum potential. Aiming for “that guy you love to hate” and hoping that he’ll haunt readers for a long time.

Since this is a monumental issue and it’s got everyone feeling a little nostalgic, I wanted to ask: what is your favorite Spider-Man related memory?

Kelly: Spider-Man has loomed large in my life for a long time – both as a fan and a writer that it’s hard to drill down and pick one. I was riveted by Kraven’s Last Hunt as it was coming out on the stands. Watched him get the black suit in Secret Wars. So many stories that thrilled me as a reader and inspired me as a writer. Then, my first opportunity to write Spider-Man was epic. The first Spider-Summit where Dan Slott handed out Spidey-inspired mix tapes to everyone was very special and I’m still friends with most of the people who were in that room. I’ve worked with so many astronomical talents on Spider-Man that I couldn’t even starts to list them – an embarrassment of riches.

But I guess the thing that encapsulates what I’m feeling now is going back to the very first Spider-Man film. When the credits rolled and I was just sitting there in my feels, I told my wife, “I waited my whole life for this.” It was pure joy seeing my guy, my hero, brought to life.

We’ve been working on Amazing Spider-Man #1000 for a long time, and the wait is almost over. I can’t wait for it to be out in the world.

Art is such an important part of any story and a huge part of villains, I feel like. What can you tell me about crafting the art for this story, given its significance—and especially Ravage with theirs?

Larraz: The script is so well paced that I wanted to keep intact that feeling of urgency it conveys from page one. I tried to keep in mind Peter’s state of mind and feelings throughout the whole issue. It’s going to be a very stressful situation for him, so I wanted that to be felt in every move, every panel. We took some bold layouts decisions for special moments of the script. It wasn’t easy but those pages really stand out, in my opinion.

About our villain, you’re absolutely right, visuals really sell the baddie. We wanted Ravage to look like nothing we had seen before in a Spider-Man book. His powers are pretty amazing by themselves, so I wanted to create a look that shows the threat he implies for Spidey’s life.

We had a lot of discussion about the design, long video talks, Joe and I talking while I was sketching, until we got what we wanted. I like this issue very much, it was my first collaboration with Federico Blee on colors, and he did a magnificent job. No matter how difficult the panel was, he nailed it.

I think the fan of comics living inside me can be proud of what we’ve done with this story, even knowing that, of course, NOTHING is ever going to be good enough for Amazing Spider-Man #1000. I hope you enjoy it.

Everything You Need to Know About Amazing Spider-Man #1000

Here’s all the details about Amazing Spider-Man #1000: THE BIGGEST ISSUE IN AMAZING SPIDER-HISTORY! Spider-Man faces his greatest fear and his most frightening new villain in decades…RAVAGE! Plus, some of the greatest creative minds on Earth honor one thousand issues of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN! NOAH HAWLEY (Alien: Earth, Fargo, LEGION) makes his comic book debut, Frank Miller and Peach Momoko collaborate for the first time, Stuart Immonen and Brian Michael Bendis return to Spider-Man together, and some of the best ASM creators return to the title! Written by Joe Kelly Noah Hawley, Frank Miller, Dan Slott, J.M. Dematteis & Brian Michael Bendis, Larry Lieber, More!

Art by Pepe Larraz, John Romita Jr. Patrick Gleason, Peach Momoko, Marcos Martin, Stuart Immonen, Humberto Ramos, & More! Main Covers by Pepe Larraz, John Romita Jr. & Paolo Rivera.

“Now I Can Rest” by Dan Slott and Marcos Martin brings readers back to the night that changed Peter Parker’s life in a revelatory and heartbreaking story exploring Uncle Ben’s death.
“The Gesture” by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen is a mighty team up between Spider-Man and the Avengers against some of Spidey’s greatest foes!
“Still Standing” by Noah Hawley and Patrick Gleason
“Tears of the Spider-Queen” by Frank Miller and Peach Momoko pits Spider-Man against the deadly ninjas of the Hand!

Amazing-Spider Man #1000 goes on sale September 16th.

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