Amazing Spider-Man: Back to Basics (Comics) | Review

After years of globe-trotting and billion-dollar tech companies, writer Nick Spencer (Secret Empire, Sinister War) strips Peter Parker down to nothing and reminds us why we fell in love with the web-slinger in the first place. Watching Parker lose everything feels like coming home.

Here's what makes this arc work: Spencer doesn't hit the reset button through lazy storytelling. No memory wipes. No alternate dimensions. Instead, he uses consequences from Superior Spider-Man run to dismantle Peter's life. When a plagiarism-detection algorithm flags Parker's doctoral thesis as stolen work, the truth surfaces.

Otto Octavius wrote that paper while controlling Peter's body. The result? Peter loses his job at the Daily Bugle, his reputation crumbles and he's forced into a cramped apartment with his friend Randy Robertson and secretly, the villain Boomerang. Classic Parker luck, weaponized.

The core conflict splits into two threads that eventually collide. Peter's dealing with professional devastation while trying to rebuild his relation with Mary Jane. Meanwhile, an alien invasion hits New York with a twist nobody sees coming. These aren't standard extraterrestrial conquerors but cover for something far more personal.

What separates this from typical Spider-Man fare is how Spencer handles Superior Spider-Man-era consequences. The plagiarism scandal isn't simple plot convenience but direct fallout from Otto's body-swapping crime. Peter answers for sins he didn't commit.

The central hook involves a mysterious Peter Parker imposter running around New York. Someone's using his identity but their motives remain unclear. This leads to the storyline's most creative development when a laboratory accident splits Peter Parker and Spider-Man into two separate entities with distinct personalities.

One has all the power. The other carries all the responsibility. Spencer explores what happens when you separate the man from the mask and the results are both funny and surprisingly insightful. The split-personality angle makes Peter's internal conflicts tangible.

Kingpin's role as mayor adds political tension throughout the arc. He publicly supports Spider-Man while privately working to turn the superhero community against him. This creates constant pressure on both sides of Peter's life. Heroes grow suspicious. Villains test boundaries. Peter gets caught in the middle with nobody trusting him.

The arc brings back classic villains including Taskmaster but Spencer focuses on character moments over fight sequences. The best scenes happen in Peter's apartment living alongside Boomerang. Fred Myers doesn't know his roommate is Spider-Man, creating tension.

Mary Jane's return to Peter's life gets handled with unexpected maturity and patience. Spencer doesn't rush them back together or pretend years of separation never happened. He builds slowly, acknowledging the One More Day fallout without dwelling on it. Their scenes together capture why these characters work as a couple.

The resolution brings Peter and Spider-Man together while setting up storylines defining Spencer's three-year run. Questions about the imposter remain unanswered. Kingpin's schemes continue brewing. The status quo shifts toward classic Spider-Man territory: broke, struggling.

Randy Robertson deserves mention as the emotional anchor keeping Peter grounded during worst moments. Their friendship provides warmth and humor. Randy doesn't know about Peter's double life, creating dramatic irony when Spider-Man problems bleed into apartment situations. Classic Parker juggling done right.

The alien invasion sub-plot serves more than action gimmick. It forces Peter to choose between protecting his secret identity and saving lives, a core Spidey dilemma. Spencer understands superhero stories work best when personal stakes and world-threatening dangers intertwine.

Boomerang living with Peter creates tension and laughs as the oblivious villain complains about rent while planning crimes. The apartment dynamic recalls sitcom setups with superhero twists. Spencer mines this for comedy and suspense, especially when Boomerang gets close to truth.

Artist Ryan Ottley (Haunt: Beginning, Invincible: Family Matters) makes his Marvel debut after spending 14 years on Invincible. His kinetic energy captures Spider-Man's acrobatic fighting style. Every web-swing, punch and pose radiates movement. Action sequences explode off the page with Ottley's signature dynamic composition.

Ottley finds the sweet spot between nerdy everyman and athletic hero. His facial expressions carry emotional weight in quieter moments. Panel layouts break conventional grid structures during action scenes. Cliff Rathburn's inking adds depth while Laura Martin's colors pop.

Spencer's writing balances humor with genuine stakes. Peter's monologue crackles with self-deprecating wit but consequences matter. Jokes land because they emerge from character rather than desperation. Peter cracks wise during fights as a coping mechanism. When he struggles with Mary Jane, vulnerability feels earned.

The pacing stumbles occasionally in the oversized first issue where Spencer packs in exposition to reset the status quo. The 60-page debut drags in spots. Once the foundation settles, subsequent issues flow with better rhythm. Dialogue feels natural across the cast.

Back to Basics delivers exactly what the title promises by returning Peter to struggling photographer territory after years as a globe-trotting CEO. The broke, unlucky, perpetually behind Peter Parker is more interesting than billionaire genius Peter Parker. Spencer reminds us why that formula works when executed with care.

This arc functions as a perfect jumping-on point for new readers while rewarding longtime fans who understand the Superior Spider-Man callbacks. You don't need encyclopedic Marvel knowledge to enjoy the story but past events enrich the experience without confusion.

The real achievement is how Spencer makes Spider-Man feel essential again after years of diminishing returns. He doesn't dismiss Slott's decade-long run but builds on it intelligently. The plagiarism scandal wouldn't work without Superior Spider-Man. Mary Jane's return wouldn't resonate without One More Day in the background.

For anyone who felt Spider-Man drifted from his roots, Back to Basics offers the course correction. It's fun, accessible, beautifully drawn and understands what makes Peter Parker compelling. Spencer and Ottley prove that sometimes going backward is the best way forward.

Amazing Spider-Man: Back to Basics collects issues #1-5 from Nick Spencer's 2018 re-launch of the flagship Marvel title and the storyline is available in trade paperback. You can also read it digitally via Amazon Kindle, ComiXology and Marvel Unlimited.