• The Amazing Spider-Man #18
    The Amazing Spider-Man #18
    Writer:
    Zeb Wells
    Artist:
    Ed McGuinness, Cliff Rathburn
    Letterer:
    VC's Joe Caramagna
    Cover Artist:
    John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna, Romulo Fajardo Jr.
    Publisher:
    Marvel
    Price:
    $3.99
    Release Date:
    2023-01-25
    Colorist:
    Marcio Menyz, Erick Arciniega

The Spider-Man/X-Men crossover event Dark Web continues to spin this month in Amazing Spider-Man #18 from writer Zeb Wells, penciler Ed McGuinness, inker Cliff Rathburn, colorists Marcio Menyz and Erick Arciniega, and letterer Joe Caramagna. The demonic machinations of two of the Marvel Universe's most famous clones, Madelyne Pryor and Ben Reilly, are still raging on, and Spider-Man is trying to fight his way through Limbo. Like the previous Amazing Spider-Man issues of this crossover, this penultimate chapter is a tonally confusing and thematically muddled affair. Some humorous moments and excellent visuals from the art team help make up for the lackluster story, but this throwback to the '80s Inferno event fails to say much about Spider-Man, Peter Parker, or Ben Reilly.

Picking up after the events of the last issue, Spider-Man is fighting his way out of a demonic recreation of his job at the Daily Bugle. To escape, he needs to battle the Insidious Six, a team of chattering and inept demons doing their best impressions of Spidey's greatest foes. Meanwhile, Madelyne Pryor, the Goblin Queen, has changed her villainous ways following the excellent Dark Web: X-Men miniseries. But when she announces her plans to end her assault on New York, Ben Reilly, AKA Chasm, and his sidekick All Hallow's Eve turn on her, setting up the event's conclusion in Dark Web: Finale.

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Dark Web has its charms, but it feels out of place in the middle of Wells' run on the title, particularly considering how strong the preceding stories have been. The grounded and character-first approach of the Tombstone and Hobgoblin arcs has mined Peter's history to tell fresh and exciting stories that are among the best Spider-Man comics of the last decade. Next to that, Dark Web's focus on demonic deals and slapstick comedy is all the more jarring. The threat never feels genuine, given that the demons are so bumbling, which diminishes Ben Reilly's character arc.

The bulk of the issue follows Spidey on the run against a group of Limbo demons dressed up like his rogues' gallery. In the slapstick, low-stakes fight, he is assisted by a well-meaning but hapless heroic demon powered by a symbiote and inspired by Spider-Man. This new hero, Rek-Rap, is a bright spot in the storyline as he tries to defy his innate nature as a demon and become a hero. It's a humorous exploration of how Spidey's example inspires people.

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Dark Web-ASM-18-Rek-Rap-Spidey

While initial marketing for Dark Web seemed to hint at a dark story, it has taken a more comedic route. Wells's script has funny moments and solid one-liners that make this issue a fun diversion even as it puts his larger plot on hold. McGuinness' bold pencils and cartoony facial expressions lean into the humor. McGuinness is a natural fit for the lighter tone. Spider-Man's masked face makes him a natural deadpan straight man for the exaggerated, animated demons and human supporting characters like J. Jonah Jameson. The action scenes are energetic and full of motion lines and dynamic foreshortening. Characters topple out of the panels and overlap the gutters. Cliff Rathburn's inks add a heavy edge that gives greater definition and volume to McGuinness' graphic approach.

Regular colorist Marcio Menyz is joined by Erick Arciniega, and the two artists do a solid job, giving Limbo an unearthly orange glow, notably contrasting the visuals of Ben Reilly's Chasm costume. As Goblin Queen relents and Chasm takes charge, Limbo shifts to eery purple and green to reflect his control. Joe Caramagna's work on the letters has plenty of fun with Wells's goofy dialogue. The Limbo demons, including Rek-Rap, shift in size and color erratically, which perfectly suits their erratic behavior and out-of-control nature. Where the story falters, the combined work of the various artists makes for a pleasant read.

Overall, Amazing Spider-Man #18 manages to mine some fun out of a bizarre series of events, even if it is ultimately inconsequential to the larger story Zeb Wells is telling with the character. The art team transforms this tonally uneven issue into a fun romp that's entertaining in spite of its low stakes.