Spider-Man Faces His Darkest Memories in Amazing Spider-Man #4!

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The following contains spoilers for #4, on sale now from .

Joe Kelly employs an inventive technique that sees Spider-Man grapple with some of his past traumas as he experiences hallucinations caused by a mind-altering substance. These hallucinations have included reflections on his complicated relationship with Aunt May and Uncle Ben, during the time when Peter Parker was going through a rebellious phase in middle school.

Issue #4 of The Amazing Spider-Man is penned by Joe Kelly, illustrated by Pepe Larraz, colored by Marte Gracia, and lettered by Joe Caramagna. It continues the storyline where Spider-Man finds himself investigating why Hobgoblin is contaminating a widely consumed soda brand with a similar substance to what Spidey himself has been exposed to (Spider-Man’s dose being unusually high). As our web-slinging hero visits the soda factory, he encounters an ambush by Hobgoblin, posing a challenge for Spidey as his hallucinations have become increasingly disruptive in his life.

How does Peter Parker’s new friend help him out in this issue?

Recently, Peter landed a new job at Rand Industries, thanks to his old school friend Brian. This buddy of Peter’s harks back to a tumultuous phase in Peter’s past, a time Peter carries significant guilt over. This turbulent era also resurfaces in Aunt May’s mind when Peter behaves unpredictably, causing her concern that he might be using drugs (considering Aunt May, wouldn’t you think so too?). Interestingly, Brian was the one who introduced Peter to alcohol for the first time. However, in this issue, Brian manages to demonstrate that Peter WAS under the influence of something, though it wasn’t a substance he willingly chose.

It appears that such a discovery could potentially be positive news, but it’s concerning because investigating the drugged soda could draw Brian’s attention towards Hobgoblin, which might lead to serious trouble for him. Given Peter’s tendency towards guilt, he’d struggle with the idea of his inquiry causing harm to Brian.

What is Spider-Man’s big breakthrough in this issue?

What makes this situation intriguing is that we’re still unclear about the reasons behind Hobgoblin’s actions of drugging the sodas. In an old Spider-Man tale, penned by David Michelinie and Erik Larsen during their time on Amazing Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus attempted to create a situation where no one could use cocaine without first purchasing an antidote from him. This storyline seems to suggest that Hobgoblin may be planning something similar – making people pay for a solution to the problems they face after consuming the drug-laced soda. However, this issue does not provide any concrete answers, as Hobgoblin is preoccupied with eliminating Brian before he can disclose the truth about the tainted sodas to a wider audience.

It appears that Itsy-Bitsy will finally have the chance to eliminate Spider-Man, a task she’s struggled with in recent issues due to her ongoing obsession with him. Originating from Joe Kelly’s Spider-Man/Deadpool comic series, Itsy-Bitsy was once an addict who underwent experiments that granted her powers similar to Spider-Man and Deadpool. Her initial mission was to kill them, but she instead transformed into a diehard fan. However, her fandom took a dark turn as she began killing in their names. In a near-fatal encounter, Spider-Man considered terminating Itsy-Bitsy to put an end to her rampage. But it was Deadpool who ultimately ended her life (or so they thought), and now they believe they’ve killed her. However, readers saw that she actually survived the encounter.

Meanwhile, as Peter engaged in combat with Hobgoblin, he simultaneously struggled with his recurring memories. Then, upon receiving the command from Itsy-Bitsy to eliminate Spider-Man, Peter experienced a significant realization, rediscovering the depth of his affection for Aunt May.

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2025-05-26 07:12