Amazing Spider-Man 51 Creators: Writer – Zeb Wells, Pencilers- Ed McGuinness and Todd Nauck, Inkers- Mark Farmer, Todd Nauck, Cliff Rathburn, Wade Grawbadger, Colors- Marcio Menyz, Erick Arciniega and Bryan Valenza, Letters- VCs Joe Caramagna
Story
Glenn: The Spidey who gobbles (credit to whoever I saw on Twitter use that) comes along and takes out the Sinister Six. Meanwhile the Living Brain is saving the day verrrry slowlyyyyyy. Oh and Kamala is here. Run Kamala, you got killed the last time you appeared!
I’m not opposed to seeing the Six jobbed out to an unrestrained Spider-Man. Its the same logic with the Batman Who Laughs being far more dangerous than the original because he has no filter or rules holding him back.
I am hoping the stupid gel arms are gone. Oh and Jonah’s having tea/coffee with Ock’s old arms because stuff.
Steve: This issue was non-stop action- it bulldozed through the pages. That’s a good thing here as this series has plodded along for 51 issues now with mis-step after mis-step. I have two issues with this issue. First, is the point that Glenn made about the Sinister Six. Spidey cuts through them like a hot knife through butter. I get it; Spidey is not restrained by his moral compass here. However, the Six should at least put up a formidable fight to some degree. Here they are reduced to second rate villains, like the ordinary robbers Spidey webs up in quick order. Spider-Man has always had one of the best rogues galleries in comics. Wells built up their entrance into the book with a wonderful story about Sandman and the Six’s need to have the whole team together. And for what? A few pages of trampling. Wasted opportunity.
Second issue is that Spider-Man throughout this series is too far from his roots. When Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created Spider-Man, the idea was that Peter was the everyman. He was like you and me, with the real problems of anyone his age. Books like Shadow of the Green Goblin get it. Peter acts from a genuine place: one of guilt and responsibility. His actions tie back to his need to do right. Stories like this one become a big action piece that loses that connection that makes Peter so engaging and relatable. The more this goes on, the sillier it gets. I’m sure there are fans out there who love this version of Spider-Man, but it’s not for me.
Art
Glenn: Ed McGuinness can draw a fight scene. He’s great at superhero action and everything looks great apart from the new Goblin costume.
I’m not a fan of the costume. I’d rather just have Peter dressed in the classic Green Goblin costume and having the story convey its him through another way to his enemy. I mean that moment where the Goblin can tell Peter is back at the end of Superior Spider-Man (Vol. 1) is brilliant but alas no, all subtlety is out the window.
Once again the art lifts this up considerably. I don’t see a downside to McGuinness work at all actual…what’s that Steve? Which character he likes to draw is back next issue? Steve here: Shhhhhhhhh
Steve: Well, first off, I got the copy with the Scottie Young cover. It doesn’t get more adorable than a Scottie Young Spidey. Ask you LCS owner to save covers like this for you before they fly off the shelf. I did:) As for the interior art? Wonderful. Ed McGuinness is a treasure. This book is an action piece which fits perfectly in McGuiness’ wheelhouse. The pages are frenetic. The action flows from panel to panel. The spreads are beautiful. When it comes to Spidey action, McGuinness and Humberto Ramos are the go-to artists. I wish, as Glenn has said before, that McGuinness could get a better story to illustrate.
Overall
Glenn:
Usual blend of great visuals with a poor story. I feel that all these pieces could be brought together much better than they are and that’s just not the case.
2 Webshooters 
Steve: 2 Webshooters
Ultimate Spider-Man 5 Creators: Writer- Jonathan Hickman, Guest Artist- David Messina, Colors- Matthew Wilson, Letters- VCs Cory Petit and Joe Sabino
Story
Glenn: We don’t get much of Spidey this issue or even Peter as we focus our attention on Harry and how he came to become the new version of the Green Goblin.
It turns out that he stumbles on one of Tony’s holograms where he was leaving the Shocker (Herman) his signature weapons. He then goes on to find an Iron Suit cache and blends Oscorp and Stark tech into forming his Green Goblin guise. There’s some interesting cameo’s of characters we’re familiar with but like the rest of this version of the Ultimate Universe, it’s not quite how we’re familiar with them.
We find out all this links to the Kingpin and how Harry looks to take him down…by any means necessary. We’re slowly getting answers here, and I’m loving how the layers are getting peeled back in this fashion.
Steve: Normally, I don’t favor issues like this, essentially an info dump. However, it works here because it’s done by experts and because the new Ultimate Universe is so vastly different. When the original Ultimate Universe started, the world was different, but very much the same. It wasn’t entangled with years of continuity, but while there were changes, much stayed the same. The heroes were heroes and the villains were villains. This new universe is very different. Heroes are villains and vice-versa. For us to really dig in as readers, an issue that firmly places our heroes in this new world is a welcome issue. Now, we not only feel connected to Peter and his family, but Harry is likable, we feel for him, and we are connected to his plans. I, for one, can’t wait to see where this goes.
Art
Glenn: Still no Checchetto, but he’s back next issue (yay!). Meanwhile David Messina does an excellent job filling in. Its a strong enough visual match that its not jarring and he matches the tone that the main creative team are setting. There’s a lot of talky-talky in this book, and I think Messina does a great job keeping the reader invested visually.
Steve: I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the guest artist makes sure the book doesn’t miss a beat. Messina is a wonderful fill in for Checchetto; stylistically they are similar and the facial realism continues in his absence. Marvel picked the perfect issues for Messina as they are world building pieces and rely largely on conversations and background. The real star for me here is the colorist Matthew Wilson. I love the use of warm colors while we learn how Harry got to be where he is now. Lots of reds, oranges and yellows tell Harry’s story. When we get to the present day, the scenes with a cold and calculated Harry as the Goblin, Wilson switches to cool colors, predominantly blues. It is a wonderful transition from then to now.
Overall
Glenn: Its slow, but super compelling. Some people say the book has nothing happening or is boring but I’m adoring this so far. I often wondered what a Hickman Spidey book would look like and now it’s here I’m like ‘Yeah, that’s about right.’ As long as its compelling, I don’t care and there’s nothing wrong with leaving people wanting more. 4.5 Webshooters 
Steve: This is some of my favorite Hickman work to date. Sometimes I need a guide to help me follow along, but here he not only tells a captivating story, but he’s giving us the necessary details. And the art is the perfect accompaniment. This one hits all the notes for me. 5 Webshooters 
Next week- Amazing Spider-Man 52.