Ye’ old Parker luck is a watchword at this point with how Spider-Man’s life has been lately. You’d think having a new blockbuster movie out in theaters right now would be a positive precedent for the webbed wonder, but then you remember that this is the 616 universe, not the MCU. Which means Peter’s life can only continue to get more complicated from here. And what’s more complicated than having to deal with all the recent rubbish he’s already been through with mushroom men, doppelganger sabotage, spiralling serial killers and space adventures? Well, having a secret cousin who’s now in his and Aunt May’s lives of course!
Amazing Spider-Man #33 doubles down on that conceit the most, and does so surprisingly well, focusing Peter’s inner turmoil in one of the more relatable ways he’s been in a while. Everyone and their grandmother might know at this point that his new cousin is a shady boy, but right now the angst has more to do with mommy issues rather than something far more tangible that Peter can punch away with ease. And that’s where the drama and fun of this issue lies.
Peter Parker Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers
Issue #33 is all about Peter’s mounting frustration regarding his new cousin, Cormac Crane. Having materialized into the his and Aunt May’s lives recently, and being Aunt May’s long lost son, there’s certainly several adjustments that the family is now having to go through. Not even counting the teensy weensy issue that Crane knows that Peter is also Spider-Man. For the time being however, he seems to be on the up and up; wanting to build a relationship with his mother, and willing to keep Peter’s secrets as well. But hey, at least this version of Peter is somewhat suspicious of strange new authority figures showing up (unlike a certain big screen version hmmmmmmmm).
That mounting tension forms the core of this issue, as Peter tries to web sling his way through his problems, while also pursuing any leads he can on this new secret cousin of his. Alongside these antics, we’ve got Damage Control becoming more proactive in dealing with superhero situations in the city (ooooh movie synergy, not sinister at all), Cormac trying to make up for lost time with Aunt May with a little help of some donations, and of course Peter trying to do the right thing amidst all his own personal turmoil by sorting through all the damage caused in his absence from earth.
His Brother’s Keeper
Joe Kelly does a better job of making this issue feel less like filler and more like relatable family drama by having Peter’s grappling with Cormac Crane’s growing influence in his life. Kelly already established in previous issues that things might not be what they seem, and for a bit him sacrificing other stories’ quality (*cough Death Spiral cough cough*) to further his own personal little arcs was infuriating, but now that he’s back to doing what he wanted to do, at least we’re getting some much needed pathos finally.
As Peter Parker works through his mounting insecurities and his own overwhelming sense of guilt for things that happened during his absence, we see a lot of classic Peter juxtaposed with this new position of stress he’s found himself in. It’s also a little interesting that Peter’s inner monologues are no longer framed from a personal note, but as more of a strange third person narrative, almost as if someone else is discussing his thoughts and inner turmoil from outside. It’s a strange choice considering we’ve always had a front row, first person view of Peter’s mental state throughout the years, but whether this new shift is just a narrative choice or part of a greater plot point remains to be seen. Additionally, Peter’s own inner turmoil starting to come out in him taking on villains more aggressively was something we’d established in earlier issues, but it comes back here as he continues to throw his full attention on things that he can punch his way through. That’s definitely on-brand for Peter, and it’s also a cute way to see a lot of old and quirky D-List Spidey villains in this issue as well.
As for the supporting characters in this story, Cormac Crane gets a bit more backstory as he tries to connect with Aunt May. While there is a certain sincerity being projected in his relationship with Aunt May, you can’t help but feel he’s holding a lot back. Already knowing Peter’s identity is pretty big leverage, and even if he seems content to hold onto that secret as a sign of goodwill, the tell-tale signs of betrayal are there in the offing. It’s still pretty early on to tell how Cormac is as a character but he’s done a lot in his short stint so far to throw Peter’s civilian life into disarray quite so easily and from a point of pressure with his Aunt May, something we don’t see very often. I’m curious to see how this plays out because while I do want to see him finally play his hand, I also wouldn’t mind having him as just a pain in the ass human being with no future supervillainery in the offing. That might subvert expectations more nicely. And speaking of Aunt May, there’s certainly her adjustment to think of as well, having finally been reunited with her long lost son and trying to process that revelation and all. Once again, a lot of the character threads are slow burns in this issue, but they’re not glacial but rather given enough awkward pauses as everyone is gauging each other to see where they stand. I think Kelly kind of nails that domestic tension really well in this issue in particular.
Issue #33 really does feel very slice of life, and everything else going about beyond the Parker family drama really does feel more like set dressing that will be picked up later. The Damage Control stuff feels a little bit forced for the sake of movie synergy, but it’s not offensive to the point of truly overpowering the story, and that’s good news. Other than that, I’m curious to see how this drama is spaced out as things move along.
Just Keep Swinging, Swinging, Swinging…
Amazing Spider-Man art mainstays Ed McGuinness and Marcio Menyz return on lines and colors respectively for this issue and that’s for the best. Since we’re back to the more cartoony, serialized storytelling format their styles fit the mood best with added vibrancy and emotional artwork to boot.
McGuinness once again manage to draw character faces with fairly expressive tonality, especially when it comes to more dour and tense scenes. There’s a very good sense of awkwardness in interactions that he captures really well in this issue, and that works to heighten Kelly’s character beats a lot. Besides the human stuff, McGuinness still reliably draws Spidey action sequences with a ton of energy and movement, as we get to see him have fun with Spider-Man throwing down with some villains we haven’t seen in a while either. It’s always fun for the most part with McGuinness’ work and this issue is no exception.
Menyz’s color work also is bring and vibrant as always, really playing up with McGuinness’ more cartoony style. The reds and blues of Spidey’s suit really sticks out as do the bright hues of Spidey’s other villains and allies in this book. But that’s not to say that Menyz overdoes it at all, knowing exactly when and where to tone it down to preserve the quieter moments as well.
It’s All About Family
The current run status quo on Amazing Spider-Man somehow manages to work despite a somewhat predictable outcome on the horizon. We all know there’s something brewing in with this new secret cousin, but for the time being it’s possible to keep that on the backburner because you’re kind of also hooked on seeing Peter unravel a little here as well. The problems of Peter Parker become something that puts Spider-Man on edge, and that shows in the wall crawling antics we see playing out as well. It’s a fun little soap opera dynamic that’s always made these comics so timeless, even if it gets repetitive.
Though Amazing Spider-Man #33 doesn’t take any REALLY big swings with plot development, it’s quieter character moments really go a long way in ratcheting up the tension. Watching Peter suffer from genuine jealousy of a kind for the first time in his life – even if he’s not ready to admit it yet – is interesting but also deeply understandable in this situation. Because for all the powers and responsibilities in his hands, the simplest idea of having to share your own mom with a new sibling is something that even he can’t easily web his way out of.
Final Verdict: Amazing Spider-Man #33 is the right kind of soap opera that manages to perfectly balance new family dynamics and the classic Parker guilt with a dash of web slinging on the side as tensions mount in the background.