Ongoing comic book series exist in a unique relationship with time. While each issue takes place in the present, writers must simultaneously plan for future storylines and consider a character’s entire history. This is especially true for long-running characters like Spider-Man, who have decades of established backstory that influences current narratives.
In Amazing Spider-Man #28, writer Joe Kelly cleverly connects a previous story to current events, resolving a past plotline within this single issue while also moving forward with ongoing storylines. Spider-Man faces a crisis of confidence, but receives help from a surprising ally.
Amazing Spider-Man #28, written by Joe Kelly with art by Cory Smith and Francesco Manna (and inks by Oren Junior, Roberto Poggi, and Manna), features colors by Marcio Menyz and Erick Arciniega, and lettering by Joe Caramagna. The story begins with Spider-Man still recovering from the fallout of the ‘Death Spiral’ storyline.
What Pressures Are Coming Up On Spider-Man All At Once?
Before Joe Kelly became the main writer for Amazing Spider-Man, he concluded the previous series with a large-scale story called “The 8 Deaths of Spider-Man,” with some issues co-written by Justina Ireland. The story involved Spider-Man battling the Scions of Cyttorak – with a twist! Doctor Doom, who was Earth’s most powerful sorcerer at the time, didn’t want to deal with the fight himself, so he tasked Spider-Man with handling it. A key part of Spider-Man’s mission was collecting eight magical reeds that would bring him back to life if he was killed – and, given the circumstances, it was pretty clear he’d need them.
From the very beginning of this series, I noticed Kelly and Ireland were clearly channeling that classic Silver Age Superman feel with Spider-Man. He’d constantly pull off these incredibly inventive, almost unbelievable solutions to take down the Scions, and it often seemed like he was dying—only to come back, naturally! One issue, in particular, really stood out. Ireland wrote it, but it felt like Kelly, Ireland, and the editor, Nick Lowe, all plotted it together. The story flowed so seamlessly from issue to issue, it was obvious there was a lot of coordination happening behind the scenes. This one featured a Scion who could anticipate Spider-Man’s every move…
Spider-Man found a smart way to defeat the Scion. Since Doctor Strange could only assist as an astral projection – unable to physically fight – he sent a future version of Spider-Man back in time. This future Spider-Man then appeared at just the right moment and knocked out the Scion. It was a really clever plan!
Okay, so here’s the deal: the current Spider-Man is actually traveling to the past to fix a time loop. If he doesn’t make it on time, it could seriously mess up everything! Basically, he needs to be in the right place today and deliver a specific punch – no big deal, right?
But this is Spider-Man, so naturally, the issue is packed with obstacles that might prevent him from reaching his destination on time. It’s a lot to deal with, especially considering he just went through a huge storyline where Mary Jane became the host of Venom, Eddie Brock bonded with Carnage, the Shocker was murdered, Aunt May and Anna Watson were nearly killed, Mary Jane’s ex-boyfriend died, Peter had to team up with Carnage to stop a killer, and it seemed like Mary Jane ultimately defeated the villain. All this happened while the killer was targeting anyone connected to Peter, Mary Jane, and Eddie.
THAT’S A LOT!
To make matters worse, Peter had just gotten back from a trip to outer space. It all started when a mysterious enemy defeated him and challenged him to become stronger for a future fight – a challenge that’s been weighing on Spider-Man. During his absence, Peter’s clone, Ben Reilly, took his place at work and treated Peter’s friend, Brian, poorly. This led to an accident in the lab, and Brian was exposed to dangerous fungi.
IT’S A LOT!
How Does a New Superhero Inspire Spider-Man?
It’s revealed that Ben Reilly intentionally damaged the experiment he was conducting at Rand Industries before leaving. He believed he could have achieved better results than Peter Parker if given the opportunity.
In the end, he understood that no matter how well he performed as Spider-Man, people would always credit Peter Parker. So, he left a deliberately boastful message in the code – claiming Ben Reilly was the superior Spider-Man – and then refused to continue filling in for Peter.
Ben probably didn’t intend for his online prank to cause such a serious problem – nearly killing Brian Nehring and ultimately exposing him to strange, living spores that have now become part of him, as shown in a recent scene. We’ll need to explore the consequences of this later.
Currently, Peter is in a tough spot at work. He can’t explain the online harassment was caused by his clone without making it seem like he outsourced his job. This is especially problematic because he was previously caught plagiarizing Otto Octavius’ work when Octavius controlled his body, making it look like a recurring issue.
Whenever a guest artist works on Amazing Spider-Man, it makes you wonder if they could become a permanent member of the creative team. Cory Smith definitely has the skill to do so, showcasing strong abilities in both dynamic action sequences and expressive character work. Francesco Manna, who previously contributed to “Death Spiral,” also delivers a solid performance in this issue.
Once Spider-Man finally breaks free from the time loop, he’s overwhelmed and reflects on the difficulties in his life. Luckily, a new hero – Kintsugi, formerly Captain Kintsugi – witnesses Spider-Man’s distress and shares how much Spider-Man has inspired him.
He goes on to explain that his name, Kintsugi, comes from a Japanese art form where broken pottery is repaired with gold, emphasizing the cracks instead of hiding them. This idea deeply resonates with Spider-Man, as it’s about accepting and embracing all of life’s imperfections and past challenges.
This was a really heartwarming one-off issue.
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2026-06-09 00:47