Writer: Saladin Ahmed
Artist & Colorist: Juan Ferreyra
Letterers: Joe Caramagna
Cover Artists: Juan Ferreyra, Björn Barends; Chris Allen & Guru-Efx
Publisher: Marvel
Price: $3.99
Release Date: November 15, 2023
Peter Parker lost his spider powers. No one recognized him. A text message directed him to board a train. But when Peter couldn’t produce a ticket, the conductor opted for a pound of flesh instead. Without his healing abilities, can Peter withstand the conductor’s attack? Let’s thwip into Spine-Tingling Spider-Man #2 and find out!
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Story
While fleeing the mad conductor, Peter befriends a young girl. She suggests a means of escape. He follows her lead but chooses not to follow her example. Hearing the conductor again, he flees into another car. Shocked by what he finds there, he suddenly realizes the conductor has caught up with him. Peter embraces attack as the best form of defense and escapes the conductor. A timely stop allows him to disembark, where more horrors and discoveries await.
Spine-Tingling Spider-Man #2 lacks the usual quips or character interaction that celebrates friendship and empowerment. Horrific events propel Peter Parker into flight mode. While not out of proportion, Peter’s attack on the conductor seems like something he’d never do if he had his spider powers. It’s not Snowpiercer, but the issue boasts more graphic violence than your usual Spidey title. The final act evoked The Cell, which I saw in the theater and never watched again!
Saladin Ahmed’s story feels more like a nightmare than a reality. As Spider-Man, Peter built humor into an impressive armory. He constantly deploys it to defuse tension and distract criminals. I wonder why Peter didn’t try using it on the conductor. Is Spine-Tingling Spider-Man #2 a Spider-Man book? I don’t know. I can tell you that the horror feels more restrained than the latter portion of the first issue, and the story is better for it.
Art
Juan Ferreyra focuses on facial features. While steeping backgrounds in gray, he imbues people with realistic skin tones, highlighting, and shading. All this enhances the feeling of dread and helps you identify with Peter amid these nightmare events. Juan proves adept at portraying action, especially on the train. After Peter leaves it, Ferreyra streaks panels with rain. Ferreyra adds a dash of Hansel And Gretel to these scenes while seasoning the final act with classic Haunted House imagery. Art and coloring combine to make Spine-Tingling Spider-Man #2 a compelling read, made all the more immersive by Joe Caramagna’s black uppercase letters in white balloons and boxes. Oh, and did I mention Caramagna’s eerie and vicious sound effects?
Final Thoughts
Dan Slott’s recent series freed Peter from Spider-Man duties, which allowed him to devote more time to his family and career. By stripping away his spider powers and identity, Saladin Ahmed frees Peter from any responsibility to himself and others. Yet even while fighting for his life in Spine-Tingling Spider-Man #2, Peter grasps opportunities to help others.