In this issue of The Amazing Spider-Man #67, the X-Men take on the trial against the Scions!
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #67
Writer: Justina Ireland
Art: Andrea Broccardo
Main Cover: Patrick Gleason
Variant Covers: Skottie Young, AKA, Rogê Antônio & Marchelo Maiolo
Page Count: 19 pages
Release Date: February 12, 2025
Summary:
The X-men arrive to fight against Cradios since Spider-Man has not appeared. Cyttorak watches but refuses to end the covenant, and the battle continues. The fight interrupts the F.E.A.S.T. community day, and the attendees take shelter in the headquarters. A mysterious affliction begins to appear on Callix’s skin, bubbling and festering until his face turns white and he is given newfound strength.
As Callix leaves, Doctor Strange tells Peter about his encounter with the blight and how it is a threat to humanity but cannot be destroyed. He tries to tell Peter that the casket is the only thing stopping the blight from reaching humankind, and that is why he entered the covenant, but Peter still thinks it doesn’t matter and refuses to fight.
Cyra joins Peter but continues to watch the battle. She cries as she sees Callix kill Cradios and watches him fight the X-Men. He dispatches them with minimal effort and then sends his dogs after the citizens. The comic ends as they approach the windows to the F.E.A.S.T. building, and everyone takes refuge inside.
Analysis:
The cover of this issue is my favorite of the more recent ones. This is the first time we’ve seen Peter’s new suit in a while, and he looks confident as he casts magic all over the page. The X-Men surround him, striking at enemies too far off for us to see, but they all look amazing in their action poses. It was a choice that confused me, though. After seeing the cover, I was sure that we would see the return of Spider-Man in this issue, but Peter didn’t care much about the possibility of the Scions bringing on the end of the world. So, as good as it looks, I’m not quite sure why they decided on that cover.
This issue saw the return of the gorgeous artwork that appears when Doctor Strange talks about his experience with the blight. My only complaint is that it’s only one page this time, but it still looks fantastic. The style is unlike anything else we see in this issue, and the colors and expressions on Doctor Strange’s face are remarkably well done for a style that could have easily gotten away with less detail.
Regarding the story, I’m beginning to feel Peter’s sullen feelings are overstaying their welcome. This is disappointing, because I was enjoying this plot point. I think heroes should have moments where they struggle, and some of the most compelling stories come from moments that remind us of their humanity. But this felt like it should be the emotional pinnacle of this plot.
Peter just spent a night with Felicia, who is the one who told him to find joy in an earlier issue of this arc. Doctor Strange returns to tell him of his past and how there are worse fates than simply death. Cyra cries in front of Peter as she watches one of her brothers die at the hand of her twin, and the people Peter loves are being attacked at a place he has invested time and energy into. Peter should have been so angry he was shouting or so sad that he was crying. I’m not saying he should have immediately given in, but everything set up for this to be the moment where his emotions come forward. But the conversation between Peter and Doctor Strange feels very passive.
Strange makes absolutely no attempt to connect with Peter on a personal level or give him the type of talk Peter likely needs. He just spouts about responsibility and the fate of the world again. The closest thing we get to a real moment between them is when Doctor Strange grabs Peter’s shirt. For a moment, I thought he’d be outraged. I thought we’d get somewhere character-wise, but he left immediately after.
I am genuinely enjoying the conflict between the Scions. This mysterious blight affecting Callix to the point that he abandons the trials and kills his siblings has caught my attention, but I wish we’d seen more of Peter’s reaction to the news of Callix’s sudden betrayal. While I don’t mind the X-Men being there, especially considering Juggernaut’s connection to Cyttorak, the comic felt like the X-Men featuring Peter Parker. They haven’t interacted with him, which leaves the characters feeling disconnected from the plot, as the X-Men are missing a massive piece of information.
I do think the mystery, action, and cliffhanger are well handled. We don’t know what it is about the blight that is making Callix act like this. The action was well done without being overdone, and I think the cliffhanger was good. However, without evidence of Peter changing his mind, it feels hollow to put his loved ones in danger.
Final Thoughts:
While The Amazing Spider-Man #67 is heading in the right direction, it’s heavily weighed down by the lack of connection between characters and the misuse of moments that should have been emotional turning points.
