- Title: Amazing Spider-Man #53
- Comic Vine: link
- Writer: Zeb Wells
- Artists: Todd Nauck, Ed McGuinness
The “Spider-Goblin” storyline continues in Amazing Spider-Man #53 with an odd assortment of characters including Dr. Curt Conners (using Dr. Octopus’ mechanical arms), Ms. Marvel, Rek-Rap, and the Walking Brain attempting to keep the Green Goblin at bay while Spider-Man fights against the Goblin’s influence inside his mind from taking complete control.
Considering two of their members die (one quite inexplicably explodes for no apparent reason), you can’t say they do a great job. However, the group does buy time for Spider-Man to get it together and confront Norman Osborn (who plans to give Peter Parker his empire after presumably taking over his mind completely). Oh, and there’s some kind of magic spear and Kraven is hanging around as well.
Honestly, the issue’s a bit of a mess with more than a few head-scratching moments heading into the arc’s final issue which somehow needs to find a way to make all this worth it. On the plus side, there’s some pretty good art by Todd Nauck and Ed McGuinness (especially of Spider-Man – even if he does feel a bit like a guest in this issue rather than the star).
[Marvel, $4.99]