Zeb Wells’ Spider-Man run is one that has been met with some major controversy thanks to some of the wild swings that it took with its story. The writer introduced us to the now infamous “Paul”, gave Mary Jane superpowers, stepped up Tombstone’s game, introduced the most villainous Ben Reilly to date, and even sent Spidey spiraling into the underworld. For all the flaws that Wells’ run might have had, the creator goes a long way in his final issue to not only pay tribute to Peter Parker but give a worthwhile ending to nearly every plot point that he introduced over the years.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Amazing Spider-Man #60 is a comic that does everything in its power to make sure that there are no questions remaining for the old and new characters that were a part of Wells’ run. The preliminary story directly deals with the fallout from the fight against Tombstone, giving Peter Parker an ending that he might not have hoped for when it comes to the criminal justice system. The anthology-like issue also takes the chance to tell multiple stories, all written by Wells, to focus on the current state of Peter, his allies, and his enemies in one fell swoop. There’s plenty to love here in terms of the past while also setting the stage for Parker’s future.
The opening salvo makes for a good crescendo for the latest arc, as Peter not only has a face-to-face with Tombstone but also does the same with the Sandman, to a far lesser extent. What works so well about this initial outing is that Peter gets to have a quiet chat with his Aunt May, following the latter having a meeting with Parker’s alter-ego on the street. It’s a very quiet, meaningful discussion that adds a new layer to the relationship between May and Peter, while also injecting May’s thoughts on Spider-Man. There are instances where it’s a bummer that May no longer knows Spidey’s secret identity but this story works well in flipping that script. I would be remiss if I also didn’t mention John Romita Jr’s work here, which once again proves why he has become such a legend in the “Spider-Verse.”
Next up is “Doctor’s Orders”, which is clearly the story that sees Wells having the most fun. During Spidey’s journey to a demonic-filled world, one hanger-on has been the ridiculous “Rek-Rap”, a demonic doppelganger who is a twisted version of the wall-crawler. Joined by artist Ed McGuiness, this story is one that sees Wells trying his best to make sure that Rek-Rap has a future to hilarious effect. It’s a light-hearted story that is in and out, making for one of the lesser tales but it’s hard not to have fun here.
“Team-Up: Part 2” is next up and focuses on Wells teaming up with artist Todd Nauck to see Peter teaming up with the now super-powered Mary Jane Watson, aka Jackpot. Much of the controversy from Wells’ run has been the changes made to Mary Jane and the inclusion of her new partner, Paul. This story does have a hilarious element wherein Jackpot’s latest power creates countless versions of Spidey but much like the preliminary story that kicked off issue #60, Pete and MJ having a nice back-and-forth works well here in showing Wells’ handling of the characters. It again adds some heartfelt interactions into the mix of this Spider-Man story. There’s certainly reason to be sore that Peter and Mary Jane still are being kept from one another romantically but this story works well in accentuating the strength of their friendship at least.
The next story is perhaps my absolute favorite story of the issue, “Bubs.” In the “Brand New Day” era of Spider-Man, Peter Parker had a touching night on the town with Wolverine of all people, celebrating Logan’s birthday. This story is worth the price of admission alone, as Pete and Logan once again celebrate the latter’s birthday. Wolverine and Spider-Man might be like oil and water when it comes to their approach on tackling crime but boy do they work as one of Marvel’s best “odd couples” and that fact truly shines here. Wells is joined by legendary artist Paolo Rivera here, making for a welcome reunion.
“Same Spider-Channel” focuses on what is perhaps one of the most controversial characters of Zeb Wells’ run, Ben Reilly. Thanks to the Beyond storyline, the former Scarlet Spider went from becoming the new Spider-Man to completely losing his mind as the villainous Chasm. Like the stories before it, “Same Spider-Channel” works when Peter and Ben are able to have a quiet moment. Since I’m a big Ben Reilly fan, I’m not exactly thrilled that Wells decided to keep him in his role as an antagonist but it’s a well-told story all the same.
Finally, the issue closes with the one story not written by Wells as future writer Joe Kelly takes center stage to build toward Peter’s upcoming story as an underling of Doctor Doom, aka Marvel’s new Sorcerer Supreme. While not as strong as Wells’ stories here, this acts more like a teaser than anything else and proves that Kelly has a good handling on Peter’s web-swinging activities.
Zeb Wells’ Amazing Spider-Man run might only be viewed for its controversy but there are “diamonds in the rough.” This finale certainly is one of Wells’ best and the many moving pieces featured here work well to show off his strength as a writer. If I had to pick one issue to hand out to Spidey fans documenting the best of Wells’ work, it’s this one.
Published by Marvel Comics
On October 30th, 2024
Written by Zeb Wells, Joe Kelly
Art by John Romita Jr, Patrick Gleason, Todd Nauck, Paolo Rivera, Mark Buckingham
Colors by Marcio Menyz, Rachelle Rosenberg, Edgar Delgado
Letters by VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover by John Romita Jr.
