Amazing Spider-Man #689
Writer: Dan Slott
Art: Giuseppe Camuncoli [Pencils], Klaus Janson [Inks], Frank D’Armata [Colors]
[HEY, READ THIS FIRST! If you haven’t read Amazing Spider-Man #688, this review will spoil some key plot points, and that’s no fun for anyone.]
In the first part of “No Turning Back,” Spider-Man and Morbius, along with a team of Horizon Labs scientists led by Max Modell, hunted down the Lizard in the sewers and “cured” him of his condition. Now Curt Connors once again, the nightmare is seemingly over…or is it?
Amazing Spider-Man #689 begins in Morbius’ lab at Horizon, with Spider-Man and Modell assisting him in running tests on Connors. Seeing that his “cure” worked, Morbius begins making preparations to make a batch tailored to his own DNA in order to cure him of his “living vampire” condition. Unfortunately, Morbius has other problems to worry about–namely, answering for robbing the grave of Curt Connors’ dead son Billy, who was eaten by the Lizard during 2010’s “Shed” story arc, in order to produce a cure–and Curt Connors isn’t exactly purged of the Lizard.
As hinted in the end of the last issue, only Connors’ appearance has changed. Still the Lizard on the inside, he spends this issue cleverly buying time alone in Morbius’ lab in order to distract Spider-Man and the others long enough to transform himself back to his reptilian form. Taking advantage of Morbius’ growing hunger, Connors releases the scent of blood into the building’s ventilation system, prompting the living vampire to lose control and feed on one of the Horizon Labs brain trust members, Sajani.
Of course, this leads to Morbius’ prompt exit and Spider-Man chasing after him, leaving everyone else alone with Connors.
Dan Slott delivers yet another phenomenal issue of Amazing Spider-Man here, even going so far as to point out the history between Spider-Man, Morbius, and the Lizard dating back to issue #101. Seeing Connors with the Lizard still in control of his psyche is also a nice twist on a Lizard story, and everything that happens as the issue winds down sets up some pretty high stakes for the story’s conclusion next issue.
Camuncoli’s art somehow looks even better than last issue, and I’d even put some of the facial expressions and action panels he draws up there with John Romita, Sr. Klaus Janson and Frank D’Armata’s inks and colors make the art pop that much more.
This is another must-buy issue with a great cliffhanger ending in the mighty Marvel manner. I can’t wait to see how it ends in two weeks.
RATING: EXCELSIOR!
