Acting as the closing chapter of “The Clone Conspiracy”, Amazing Spider-Man #24 ties up a few loose ends. Writer Dan Slott‘s big Spider-Man event suffers the same fate as his other recent large-scale stories. Slott has been head writer for the title since 2010, but it may be time to start bringing in some support.
Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy was a big, bold Spidey tale. A mysterious new Jackal appeared and started resurrecting all the people Peter Parker has in some way let die. At first, this arc was everything it promised to be. Clones, betrayal, and a tour through Pete’s failures; what more could we ask for? Unfortunately, ever since the big reveal of Ben Reilly, it was all downhill.
Much like Spider-Verse, Slott’s initial groundwork is phenomenal, but he fails to stick the landing. His ambitious ideas do not match up with his execution in the final chapter. He is certainly capable of concocting these big and brilliant concepts, but could possibly use some help closing them out.
Amazing Spider-Man #24 focuses on Ben Reilly, clearly setting up his upcoming Scarlet Spider series. He battles Doctor Octopus in his lab, revealing that they both faked their deaths in Clone Conspiracy #5. Then there’s some Jackal-on-Jackal action as the real Miles Warren remains after all the clones died. It was nice to see Ben get some closure with his creator. Although, the excitement fans feel towards his solo comic might not meet Marvel’s expectations.
Giuseppe Camuncoli’s art is regularly a saving grace for Amazing Spider-Man issues that fall flat. Miles Warren donning his classic Jackal costume is the highlight of this issue. All clones experiencing Carrion side effects come across more like old and wrinkly; rather than the zombie approach they were going for.
What started out as a classic-feeling Spider-Man tale, ends feeling more like a not-so-clever marketing scheme. Whatever The Clone Conspiracy Omega is seems like overkill and another symptom of Slott not being to tie-up loose ends in a contained story. Any excitement drummed up for Scarlet Spider is thanks to nostalgia, not the events of this narrative.
Instead of feeling overly satisfied or altered, readers walk away from The Clone Conspiracy unfulfilled; and probably a bit confused. Slott sure does know how to set up tie-ins and future series, but his focus on the meat of the main story tends to blur.
Dan Slott has provided enough great Spider-Man material since 2010, but maybe it’s time to start flirting with other options. He’s already proved he has plenty to offer with other characters, his Silver Surfer work is great. Perhaps Marvel is approaching the same thought, with their announcement of Chip Zdarsky’s Spectacular Spider-Man ongoing series.
What did you think of Amazing Spider-Man #24? What about The Clone Conspiracy as a whole? How do you think Dan Slott will respond if Zdarsky’s book is well-received? Let us know in the comments!
