Spider-Man comics have been in a rough place for a very long time. It feels like the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s own stories haven’t really had an identity beyond Peter’s life falling apart since the end of Superior Spider-Man. Arguably, since the infamous “One More Day” reset his character and relationships back to zero. Every attempt to redefine Spider-Man has resulted in building him up, introducing new characters, then burning every bridge Peter has and having him brought back to the ground in a very painful way, and to say fans have gotten sick of the cycle of pain is definitely an understatement. Now, however, things might finally be changing for the better.
Spider-Man just had a major status quo change, coming in during Joe Kelly’s fantastic run on Amazing Spider-Man. After a disastrous fight where Spidey got his butt kicked, he went missing for several weeks, only to show back up with a much meaner attitude. Amazing Spider-Man (2025) #11 revealed the truth; Peter was still lost. In actuality, clone-bro Ben Reilly was pretending to be Peter, and the reformed Norman Osborn was carrying on Spider-Man’s legacy. While they covered Peter’s life, deep in space, the real Spider-Man trained to become stronger, and is at the cusp of some serious cosmic adventures. This is the best change for Spider-Man in years, and it’s exactly what Peter needed.
Redeeming the Past and Evolving For the Future
The biggest changes are, obviously, that Norman Osborn has become the new Spider-Man of Earth, and Peter has a brand new alien-tech suit and will be traveling around space for the foreseeable future, and both of these are awesome changes that can do so much for the characters. First off, this set up calls back to some of Spidey’s best and most interesting stories. We have a villain taking on the role to try and live up to Peter’s legacy like in Superior Spider-Man, we have Ben Reilly taking a prominent role in the story, and we have what looks to be a new take on a symbiote-like suit in the Technarch Suit. This new status quo calls back to some of the most memorable parts of the Spider-Man mythos, but in a way that promises to evolve them in new ways to tell a story that feels both familiar and fresh.
While the stage is set with that, this change in Norman Osborn’s character easily has the most potential. He was once Peter’s most hated villain, having killed Gwen Stacy, but has been redeemed ever since Sin-Eater purified him. He’s been working with Spider-Man for the past few arcs, and Peter has come to trust the new Norman a little bit. Norman is still a dick, still ruthless, but he’s trying to be better and take responsibility for all the evil he’s done in the world. He understands Peter’s drive and what Spider-Man represents, and even if he can’t be that symbol himself, he’s willing to try, and isn’t that what Spider-Man is all about? Spider-Man’s entire mission has always been about doing the right thing because he can, and Norman has the ability to hold the line for Peter, so he will. It’s the perfect path towards redemption for his character, and because Norman is still very much himself, we get to see him fight against his own nature as he struggles to live up to the mantle he’s taken upon himself, which calls back to Peter’s worst days and gives even more credence to Peter’s character in the best way possible. It also creates so much drama and tension that we are sure to see play out in glorious, bloody fashion.
Of course, the real Spider-Man is in deep space, and while that alone is a major change for him, the real new status quo is that Peter finally has a new goal. For so long, the only thing that has been on Peter’s mind has been trying to “build back up.” He’s struggled for years to rebuild his life after it came apart, and every time it seems like he’s made progress, it was all stripped away to shove him back to the beginning. It was an infuriating cycle, but it’s finally been broken. Peter has a concrete goal; to grow stronger. He wants to become a better hero, someone who can fight on a level he never has before, and the only path to do that is to forcibly move away from the same repeating storylines and tropes he has been drowning in for so long. Peter’s new environment reflects his need to change himself as this is his first real cosmic odyssey like this, and he has to do something entirely new to become who he has to. He even refused to call himself Spider-Man, only going by Peter. All of this is a perfect set up for Peter to go through a training arc, develop a new, resolute sense of self, and return to New York and being Spider-Man in a burst of radiant, superheroic glory.
Spider-Man needed to change, and I think this massive shake up is exactly what he needed to feel fresh, so he can finally return to being the hero we all know and love for real. Do you think this shift will be for the better, or do you not like the idea of Cosmic Adventure Spider-Man? Let us know in the comments below!
Amazing Spider-Man #11 is on sale now!
