Amazing Spider-Man 618, part of the Gauntlet story, which was supposed to feature bad guys of old returning more powerful than ever. The art is this comic is acceptable, not the best though. Some points to note before I carry on with the review.

1. Do not expect any relation to the previous stunning Amazing Spider-Man 617 featuring Rhino
2. Do not even expect Mysterio to appear in the comic, as he only appears once
3. Do not try to understand the first few pages as seen in the preview if you have not previously been following the Amazing Spider-Man since the early issues of Brand New Day. 
4. Keep in mind that there are two gangs fighting - "Mr Negative" and gang vs "the Maggia gang"

A number of important things take place in this issue.
The Preview ends with Spider-Man poking his head into a fight between the Maggia gang and Mr Negative's gang. The preview also reveals that somewhere along the lines, Hammerhead, switched from being a Maggia to join Mr Negative's gang.

Mr Negative's gang of inner demons make an escape with Hammerhead as their leader. Spider-Man is left directionless and turns back into Peter Parker. Some interesting dialog takes place between Peter and Carlie Cooper, who is examining some clues to a crime scene. Obviously, Marvel is trying to hint that both Carlier and Peter have chemistry sparking between them.

Fortunately, Spidey's relationship with the Black Cat is not left forgotten. Too bad Carlie couldn't be drawn with better looks. Hint: We need Mary Jane


In between their conversation, Peter remembers he has to pick up Aunt May, who freaks out with Peter's driving skills, or lack of it, and asks to be dropped off at the F.E.A.S.T center, where she usually does her charitable feeding to the homeless.




For those who do not know, Mr Negative's alter ego is Martin Li. Martin Li is known to be a good man, and helps out at the F.E.A.S.T as well. Unfortunately, Aunt May walks in just as Hammerhead had brought him some bad news about Spider-Man disrupting in their matters earlier. Aunt May thus witnesses a bleeding henchman who has just been stabbed by an angry Mr Negative. To solve the problem, he turns Aunt May into a negative of some sort.

Elsewhere, we learn that all the heads of the Maggia gang who were killed in the past never actually died. In fact, they are all alive, including Maggia gang boss, Silvermane. It is later revealed that thanks for their 'deaths' go to Mysterio.

Peter, in the meantime, has been talking with Jameson senior. Jameson reveals that he has a secret identity as a famous author. At that moment, the 'negative' Aunt May appears in a terrible mood saying some pretty hurtful things to Peter.

The final scene ends with Carlie spying on a fight between the once Undead Maggia gang, and Mr. Negatives' gang. She also stumbles upon her 'dead' father, who was supposed to be a cop.



Personal Thoughts
This issue is full of the unexpected, including the lack of Mysterio. So, how much do we know about Carlie's father. For some reason, I am unable to recall ever seeing Mr. Cooper in the ASM comics. Does anyone know anything? Was it revealed in the past that he may have been involved with the gang?




As far as Aunt May turning Negative, I am personally convinced that it is no big deal. After all, Spider-Man has turned Negative before as well. (Dark Reign: Mr Negative 2)

Web of Spider-Man, as usual contains three different stories. And once again as usual, I will review the first and the last story. The first story provides a build up for the Gauntlet story, currently taking place in the ASM Comics. The first story features Rhino, another B-class super villain who fights Spider-Man.

Although he is yet to appear in the Gauntlet story, some background knowledge on this character is laid in Web of Spider-Man 3. The story begins with Rhino, doing his duty and taking out a bunch of military men as part of his job he is being paid for.

As he completes his job, he thinks back to the past, to before he became the Rhino. Similar to ASM 611, where Deadpool appears, Rhino does not really listen to hard when people around him are speaking. As such, the reader is unable to catch the conversation with annoying' bla blas' in the speech bubble.


Coming back to the current time line, we find out that the military group Rhino had busted was his own men. Time and time again, it has been made clear that Rhino does not like to be labeled 'stupid.'




As such, he naturally gets annoyed as his employers call him an insult to stupidity. His poor employer gets thrown somewhere far out of the building.


The story is rather short and pointless. It ends with the Rhino taking on another job for money. So much for that story. Rhino is essentially a stupid character. He simply does as he is told in return for some cash. he obviously does not listen carefully when people talk to him. Moral of the story is that, he is not the kind of guy you want to rely on.

From the preview, we know that Amazing Spider-man 613, continues exactly where ASM 612 left off, with the exact same art style. The last scene in the preview shows Spider-man has escaped the angry mob and changed back into simple old Peter Parker.


We also see that poor Electro is seriously suffering from his own powers and is seeking a cure from the Thinker.

The story

Electro, in desperate need for money in order to pay for treatment to cure himself, is blackmailing Dexter Bennet, owner of the DB - 'give me money or you die.'

Electro succeeds in getting the required amount of money from Dexter and heads to the Thinker's base for treatment. That night, Peter Parker returned to his apartment staying up all night inventing an 'Electro tracer.'

I must mention that the story here is nothing all that impressive. As such it is not surprising that Spider-man tracks Electro down, just as he is being upgraded into Electro 2.0. As if Spider-man's timing is ever better, he comes in just at the right moment to disrupt the machine, making Electro an extremely powerful source of electricity. The Thinker and his associate manage to escape without being noticed.


The story ends with Electro posting another video on YouTube. Encouraging the public to turn on every light in the city to give him enough power to bring down Dexter Bennet and the DB. It is at this point that readers, I suppose, will stop feeling sorry for poor old Electro and will begin reading more about the Electro they have grown up reading about.



Personal Thoughts

In the past 11 issues or so, there have been meaningless glimpses of Aunt May and Jonah Jameson Sr. appearing every now and then. This is one of those issues in which they appear for a short period, adding no value to the story line. They appear, hoping to surprise Peter, only to be greeted by a barbaric looking Michelle, who is not impressed to see Peter's aunt.

Regarding Dexter Bennet, I understand that Dexter Bennet was in no position to negotiate terms when Electro broke into his house to 'rob' the poor man. Nonetheless, Dexter must have been rather silly to think that Electro was going to stick to his word and not come after him again. Especially after he powers up and becomes invincible.

Wouldn't it be simple however for Dexter to inform some authorities and have the power supply shut down for the night. Spider-man can then think through how he is going to take down this new Electro.

The issue is short, and there really is not anything fantastic about it. So far this 'Gauntlet' is going no where further than how the Amazing Spider-man cartoons in the 60's went. Moral of the story, start following New Avengers for better Spider-man stories.

Overall rating for the story: see below



But better than Amazing Spider-Man 611 or Amazing Spider-Man 612.

With the release of Dark Reign: The List - Amazing Spider-man today, it was only sensible to review the last Norman Osborn/ Spider-man confrontation which took place in Amazing Spider-man 595 - 599 in a series called American Son.

Dark Reign: The list -Spider-man is essentially a spin off from the American Son series. Prior to this series, Harry was dating a girl called Lily, whose father was running for Mayor.

It was later learned that Lily was in fact the unknown goblin resembling villain known as Menace. Peter, already working for the Front Line at the time, wanted to nail Osborn with the press, as will most probably be the plan in The List.








Due to the lack of available legal proof against Osborn, Spider-man resorts to a physical battle and consults Wolverine before doing so. In the meantime, Peter is also having problems with his new 'brother-in-law' to be, Jonah Jameson - the mayor.



Norman Osborn was trying to recruit his son - Harry to join his Dark Avengers. Peter obviously took this opportunity to beat the hell out of Norman, threatening him to leave Harry alone. In the meantime Lily, in her goblin form appears at Harry's apartment and explains that she is pregnant with his son. In order to help find a cure, Harry agrees to join his fathers Avengers.



Without knowledge of Lily being pregnant, Peter approaches his friend trying to convince him not to join the Dark Avengers. Norah, in the meantime has been trying to investigate whatever she can on Norman Osborn and manages to get access to the Avengers tower.

After beating and capturing Mac Gargan, the new venom who has been posing as the Dark Avenger's Spider-man, Spidey uses a special suit designed by the Fantastic Four and guises himself as Venom.

Spider-man learns that Norman plans on making Harry the new Captain America for his Dark Avengers. Eventually Daken smells Spider-man out and the two battle. The fight ends with Harry appearing. Spider-man is then exposed and tortured. Lily in the meantime is permanently turning into the menace, being unable to change back to her normal form, which further stresses Harry.

While Spider-man is not having the best luck, Norah is doing a good job of making her was around the tower.

The Dark Avengers have a hard time getting the costume off of Spider-man - another feature of the suit. However, using some of Tony Stark's technology, Norman was able to solve the problem. At this point, while waiting for the molecules of the suit to 'stabilize,' Norman explains how Lily was pregnant, with his own son. She was simply a tool to get Harry to join the Avengers. At the same time, Harry, who has finally got a cure for Lily, finds out the news himself. (With Norah spying on them).

Full of hate, Spider-man breaks loose and starts a fight. Without his energy however, he begins to fade out quickly. Before Norman can remove Spider-man's mask, he is hit hard by what we later find out is Harry, in the Captain America costume.



The entire issue following features the intense battle between the two. Harry ends it, but is convinced by Peter not to kill him. Killing him would result in finally becoming the son that he always wanted.

Norah returns extremely happy and enthusiastic about writing the story. She then receives an email that changes her decision about writing the story.




There has been no mention of Lily in the ASM comics since the American Son series finished. Dark Reign: The list-Spider-man will continue where this left off in the final battle, for now, between Norman Osborn and Spider-man.

Review for issue # 600

Okay,
I'm not any professional reviewer like IGN or Newsrama.com, but I will give my share of what how I find the latest development of Spider-man in this issue. appears

The Issue starts off with Doc Ock visiting a Doctor I think. Ironic. It appears he ( or his mind at least) is degenerating due to the numerous punches he's received from super humans like Spidey of course. As such, he prepares his last stand against the world, or just New York. This is just another filler in the comic if you ask me. Reason being that there has been no build up to Dr. Octopus at all in the past issues. Thus everyone reading will know that, unfortunately for him, his brilliant evil plan is nothing more than a filler in this comic to prepare for the real deal, - ie. Aunt May's Wedding and the return of Mary Jane.

Below:

Dr. OCK : Poor guy. He's always portrayed as a class C bad guy, just a little better than the Rhino, never a real threat. I'll never understand why he was chosen for the movie. We all know Spidey is gonna win in before the end of this issue.
















Below:

Aunt May: Is getting married to Jonah Jameson SR! I do not agree, but oh well, leave it to marvel to do what they want. Apparently, in the issue she gets her 'blessing" from Uncle Ben


















Below:


Mary Jane: Ive been waiting ages for her to get back in the picture. But from her first appearance it is clear that Marvel is changing her character. No longer the supportive caring, character. From her only appearance in the issue looks to me like shes back as her 'wild, careless, self.'

We're gonna just have to wait and see whats coming next.













Below: My favorite line in the comic as the thug tries
to fight daredevil






Thanks for reading :)