First off, this issue is something of a landmark as Amazing Spider-Man reaches the same number as Marvel’s longest published-title, Fantastic Four. Later this week, Spidey will storm into the lead. That’s a side-effect of going thrice-monthly that one imagines is neither unwelcome nor unexpected. After all, Spider-Man, while not the first, is the very template that Marvel’s heroes are built on, so it’s fitting he should have the highest numbering, I suppose.

More’s the pity that this issue doesn’t really set the world alight. While those who read the review on CBR will know that I enjoyed Wells’ first issue, I found this one far more generic and uninteresting. The villain of the piece is a little too cartoonish to be threatening, and the Mayans, used as a fake-out, were barely at the level of background characters before their untimely sacrifice.

The really interesting part of the episode is the snowstorm that’s afflicting the city as a result, and Spidey’s attempts to work despite that. Unfortunately, due to more of the timing problems that afflicted Strange’s appearance last issue, this is the most wintery issue of Spider-Man ever to be published in April (not that the UK isn’t have its own jokes with hailstorms this spring, but still.) Another glaring omission is last issue’s guest star, Wolverine, who has disappeared from the story without much of a send-off. Looking back at last issue, he’s gone to check on Dr. Strange, but I have to admit I expected some follow-up to that thread. There’s still one issue to go, I suppose, but it doesn’t look like he’ll be back now, and it’ll seem like a really odd way to structure a story if he doesn’t come back at some point.

Bachalo’s art is still the strongest thing about the title, and the opening scene with Jameson attempting to escape from hospital showcases Bachalo’s gift for comic timing that hasn’t been seen in god knows how long. The minimalist cover is fantastic, and one of the many things the Brand New Day team has done right is bring the iconic nature of covers back into focus – it’s been years since Bill Jemas and his ”Single Character Cover” policy ended, but things never really snapped back after that. Things are still a little generic – it’s fairly damning that the majority of Marvel Zombies cover homage/parodies didn’t come from recent issues, that’s for sure.

I found this to be a disappointing second issue from Wells, only slightly saved by Bachalo’s best work in some time. As the last of the “brand new day” writers, Wells is the first to hit a really duff note with me (despite Gale’s variable effort last month) and the first not to introduce a genuinely memorable new villain, so I’ll definitely have my eye on his next arc, whenever that turns up.