Amazing Spider-Man #612

Wow. I've thought this in the past, but the previews for this issue struck me even moreso; Azaceta's art is gorgeous in a John Paul Leon-esque tradition. I really wish I wasn't tradewaiting this.

looking forward to this arc

Bad ass cover

What other arcs did Waid do?

Mark Waid for the win!

This will be a hard one to tradewait, indeed.

This is my favorite book out there right now.

I've really been looking forward to this arc.  Don't let me down Spidey!!

Great Cover!

@cutty

I know he did 24/7, which is when I jumped on, and frankly I don't think ASM has been that good since.

This does look good, I  buy Spider-Man every now and then this looks like a now for me.

And so I begin, my very first ASM follow through Single issues.

Why is this issue $3.99?

oh connor care to explain the $3.99 this time

40 page book. 

Hopefully better than the last arc.

@RLPrime - Beginning of a major story arc.  3rd time ASM has done this since BND (I think)

No its 40 pages.....

This is where I jump onboard after reading in trade for a while... 

There's the main story and a back up story by Joe Kelly about the Black Cat.

 I don't think every first issue of an arc is 3.99, but certainly every so often there seems to be one. It's very annoying for those who get Spider-man weekly.

Cant wait to pick this one up.  The gauntlet arc is going to be awesome.

Hell of a cover, and last week was actually an ASM I enjoyed (after the dreadful clone arc), despite having no Deadpool experience (and I'm not joining that cult either, I just enjoyed his appearance last issue).  Waid writing, good looking art and a Black Cat backup, what's not to like?  I'm sure this is going to be good.

@Zeppo -  "I don't think every first issue of an arc is 3.99, but certainly every so often there seems to be one. It's very annoying for those who get Spider-man weekly"

Subscribe fool!  It's like $1.40 an issue!  www.marvel.com/subscribe

What Spidey comic should I read first?  This one, or The List?  Do you think it matters, or is it like in Gotham City where Robin is paralyzed one minute, then out on the town beating up False Faces that just robbed a hospital??!

@robbydzwonar - I would say read The List first.  It's a one-shot, and therefore most likely, self-contained.  The Gauntlet is likely to open a lot of threads that will not be resolved for the entire arc. 

I am sorry, but this issue better be good. I liked Waid's previous arc, but of all the things I've heard about this being the best Spider-man has been in years, I've read nothing special. AT ALL. Spider-man sure must've sucked before BND!

I am in for this arc, but this better be good.

@muddi900 - People say it's the best Spider-Man in years because they didn't like Straczynski writing Spider-Man.  Therefore they are overhyping to overcompensate.  It happens alot, the overhype/overcompensation thing.  The current Spider-Man writing may not always be A-list, but close to it.

If you want true A-list writing on Spider-Man, read Straczynski's Spider-Man if you haven't.  http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Spider-Man-Ultimate-Collection-Book/dp/0785138935/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258485344&sr=8-10 

Or Mark Millars.  http://www.amazon.com/Marvel-Knights-Spider-Man-v-1/dp/078511842X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258485399&sr=1-1

@ muddi900 and KickAss

JMS had some bad story arcs at the end of his run that a lot of people did not like (Sins Past, The Other, Civil War, One More Day) so I think that people tend to remember the end of his run more since it was more recent, which makes it seem like its been a while since ASM was as consistantly good as it has been since OMD.  That really is not fair to JMS though, cause most of his run was very good and he kind of had to go along with the Civil War (which I didn't think was bad) and OMD.

This feels a lot like dragging out the first time the Sinister Six was created.

Cause that was the same premise as well, because the first time the Sinister Six teamed up it was their idea to attack Spider-Man one at a time.

You'd think they would've learned after all of these years. lol

JMS wasn't my bag, but it was still a breath of fresh air after Mackie's run just sort of puttered off into the awful. After PPSM's relaunch, it just didn't feel like he was trying anymore, and that's coming from a 14-year-old-me.

@cubman987-"Sins Past, The Other, Civil War, One More Day"

I loved all of those stories as well.  The quality of JMS writing is hard to match.  Not many do.

I don't think Stracynski is that good a writer, and the words "Spider-God" are enough to keep me away from his run.

Millar, when he takes them seriously, is not good with Marvel characters at all. Hell his Ultimates is the only bearable Marvel work. Old Man Logan began great, but then became run-of-the-mill. So is his spider-man like the Ultimates or Old Man Logan?

The only reason I jumped in during BND was because I really like silly old Lee comics, and they were supposedly returning to his roots. But instead of a teenager with teenage problems, we had a man-child acting immaturely and stupid. Sigh. Mark Waid and Joe Kelly issues have been fine though. Not great, but enjoyable.

@kickass - I'm in England, they don't let us subscribe :(

@zeppo start a revolution. Throw a bunch of comics off a harbor

The Black Cat back up story is drawn by JM Ken Niimura of 'I Kill Giants'! Woohoo!

omg I hated the art for the back up story.

I really didn't enjoy the main story in this issue-- although the backup story was good.

I kind of liked the second story a bit more than the first, although I might be biased because I really like "I Kill Giants"

Loved the art, and both stories.  Can't wait to see how this story evolves.

well im not to sure what to say but i like this electro for some odd reason and find it odd that im rooting for him but any idea how long the gauntlet runs cause this feels like it could go for awhile

Am I the only one that missed Electro's mask?

I think I hated this issue more than the Who Was Ben Reilly stuff...

My store didn't have this...Amazing Spider-man, it's been on my pull list since forever. I'm angry now.

@roivampire - I might have to start a revolution. No Amazing this week :( Dark Reign the List better be good.

First issue of Amazing Spider-Man I've enjoyed in a while. I like Electro and I loved the art.

I enjoyed the Black Cat story much more the actual main story. Is that a problem?

@Slockhart - Really? I'm so confused by the mixed opinions on this book. I gave it a 5. The art was great and i loved the setup for what the rest of the arc is going to be. So excited!!! When i was reading this i thought it was going to be a (mostly) rave book. Guess I was wrong.....

read this off the rack. maybe i'm just getting old, but why is everyone is so excited for yet another "reboot" of the same old villains. so far all these villains are getting lame new costumes and new stupid personality quirks. electro's new face is weird. "sigh" i want to like this but i just don't. didn't read the black cat story. art was so bad i don't see how that got printed.

This was just okay, the Gauntlet certainly hasn't started with a bang. They have Bullseyed Electro which looks dumb and his story just feels a bit silly to me. The art is not really what I want from a Spider-Man book, but it was pretty good. While I'm not a manga fan the backup story with Spidey and Black Cat saves the issue from just being silly and forgettable

Wow, I really, really hated the main story in this issue. However, the back-up story was great, and the only reason this book gets a 2/5.

@luke or anyone... is nimura considered a manga artist? 

Love Electro's pointant and topical story also Love Kelly and Nimura backup story (I Kill Giant Spider-man and Black Cat).  This was truly an amazing Spider-man.

I'm confused by people that don't like this issue. It was fantastic.