To say there’s been criticism about this series over the past few months might be an understatement. From questionable storylines to questionable choices made by characters and everything in between, Zeb Wells was beginning to emerge as a new member of Spider-Man’s rogues gallery in die-hard Spidey fans’ eyes. Whether or not you agreed with each of these past criticisms, it’d be hard to argue that AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #32, which sees two of Spider-Man’s most potent villains teaming up and immediately spelling trouble for everyone’s favorite neighborhood superhero, isn’t a strong issue and a promising sign of things to come.

From the start, Wells showcases Kraven and Queen Goblin as legitimate threats who are dealing with some powerful sorcery to achieve their goals. These are characters whose depictions can run the gamut on how they’re written, so it was nice to see a dramatic positioning to set the tone for the issue. Wells mixes in moments of classic Peter Parker awkwardness with some serious conversations between him and Norman Osborn, making the climactic ending of the issue much heavier.

Perhaps most importantly for this issue — welcome back, Patrick Gleason! After a long absence on the series, Gleason is back on art for AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #32 and immediately elevates the issue with gorgeous visuals throughout the book. Along with colorist Marcio Menyz, the issue’s art captures the foreboding, dark evolution of the book perfectly. I loved the oranges, reds, and blacks used for the scenes featuring Kraven and Queen Goblin to create a demonic and hedonistic ritual feeling to their actions. The issue’s final page shows Peter in such a sinister way and might be my favorite imagery of the whole book.

ASM #32 plays as a great jumping on or jumping back into point for those who may have shied away from the book due to recent story arc failing to land with audiences. While not an official reset, it appears Wells and team are ready to chart a new darker course for the series which is what was initially promised when it debuted back in April 2022. If nothing else, with Gleason back on board, the series looks better than it has in a long time.

Rating: 7/10