In The Amazing Spider-Man #52, out now from Marvel Comics, the confrontation between Spider-Man and Kindred has arrived — a battle that has been set up over dozens of issues.
About the Book:
We all knew this day would come. As his friends rampage through the city streets after being infested with sin by the demon Kindred, Spider-Man makes his way to once and for all end the wicked demon. But is Spider-Man powerful enough to stop the magical foe?
The Amazing Spider-Man #52 Story
Nick Spencer’s long story finally reaches its climax in The Amazing Spider-Man #52, and it is easy to feel excited as the two foes clash. Spencer’s writing has done a remarkable job of building up to this moment, and it begins to pay off in this issue. Kindred is further characterized in this issue through some horrendous actions that cross a line many villains will not even go past. Kindred is vicious in the issue and maniacally toys with Peter’s emotions, making sense given the recent revelation about the character’s identity. In addition to the malevolent characterization of Kindred, this issue also features a shocking ending that leaves readers dying to purchase the next issue. Spencer is a master of writing serialized fiction and always knows how to make an ending leave the readers wanting more. Nearly every issue contains an example of this, and The Amazing Spider-Man #52 is one of the clearest cases.
Art
The art of Patrick Gleason is stunning in The Amazing Spider-Man #52. His spectacular forms bring the monumental battle between Kindred and Spider-Man to life and make the conflict feel truly epic. A wonderful part of the issue is that we can see more of the designs of Spider-Man’s friends while they are possessed. We had seen them on covers of issues, and we were able to see Silk in The Amazing Spider-Man #51, but we never saw drastic changes in most of the spider-powered heroes. That changes in this issue, where we see freakish versions of them all, and it is an utter delight.
Edgar Delgado’s coloring in The Amazing Spider-Man #52 is astounding. He uses a dark palette for the climactic battle, which perfectly fits the conflict’s tone and setting. As the setting changes in the issue, the palette does as well but can still retain the dark tone. Also, the backgrounds of many panels often have pleasant gradients that showcase Delgado’s talents exceptionally well.
The Amazing Spider-Man #52 has some brilliant lettering that adds to the work as a whole, thanks to VC’s Joe Caramagna. During the fight between Kindred and Spider-Man, sound effects are large, bold, and brightly colored, which does wonders to add to the battle’s intensity. The issue also features an uncommon use of lettering: as a means of censoring. The bold text overlaps an important action in the issue, which is a fantastic way to allow the reader to imagine the horrific image behind it. The lettering choice is similar to how the suspense in a horror tale is often more terrifying than the reveal, and it works phenomenally in the issue.
Conclusion
The Amazing Spider-Man #52 features the confrontation that Nick Spencer has been building towards for the entire series, and it does not disappoint. The art and coloring are astonishing, and the lettering considerably enhances the story. The ending is yet another brilliant cliffhanger that will leave you clambering to read the next issue.
