The Amazing Spider-Man #3 Review

Writer: Zeb Wells

Artist: John Romita Jr.

Inker: Scott Hanna

Colorist: Marcio Menyz

Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 8, 2022

Reviewer: Lukke Sweet

Peter Parker’s in trouble. Then again, what else is new? The Amazing Spider-Man #3 by Zeb Wells and John Romita Jr. picks up where issue 2 ended, with Peter being held captive by Tombstone. Before seeing Peter at all in this issue, however, readers will be introduced to the man in Mary Jane’s life and learn something about his character as he looks for Peter. Finally, the issue is rounded out by a look into Tombstone’s past and what drove him to crime.

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The Story

With Amazing Spider-Man #3, Zeb Wells continues to dive deep into his exploration of Tombstone’s character, this time fleshing out his troubled past and what led him into a life of crime. Wells gives a well-thought-out and interesting look into the perspectives of “good” and “bad” guys through Tombstone’s monologue as he beats Spider-Man to a pulp. The humanization of Tombstone and the other “bad” guys has been the strongest part of Wells’ writing throughout the first three issues of the series.

This issue fits well in the overarching narrative that Wells is telling as he leads up to the 900th issue. It continues the trend of keeping readers in the dark about the overall story behind Peter’s newfound status as a social pariah, which some readers may find tedious. However, Wells continues building on each individual storyline as they start to collide and affect the others. Readers will have a hard wait to see what happens next with the romance between Randy and Janice.

The Art

John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna, and Marcio Menyz have been putting out consistent results issue after issue with Amazing Spider-Man. They work together well and it shows. While Romita’s pencils may not be for every reader, it’s easy to see why so many are fans of his work. The inking and colors of Hanna and Menyz elevate it to another level. Menyz especially does a terrific job throughout this issue, especially with the muted colors of the flashback scenes. And last but not least, Joe Caramagna delivers perfect results with his lettering.

Final Thoughts

The Amazing Spider-Man #3 continues Wells & Romita Jr.’s streak of delivering strong issues. With an in-depth look at what makes Tombstone tick, Wells shows his knack for developing complex characters. The creative team of Romita Jr., Hanna, and Menyz continues to deliver solid and consistent results, though no one will accuse them of being the best team in comics today. Overall, this is a great chapter that helps to build the tension before Legacy Issue #900.