Amazing Spider-Man #1003 (Marvel, 11/11/26): Writer Joe Kelly and artist Simone Di Meo revisit NYC in the aftermath of Armageddon to find a city on edge about the presence of supers. Joe Kelly’s script takes a break from the action to look into the hearts and minds of New York’s citizens, but will it be enough? Verdict: A thoughtful but dull setup.
Credits:
- Writer: Joe Kelly
- Artist: Simone Di Meo
- Colorist: Edgar Delgado
- Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
- Cover Artist: John Romita, Jr., Scott Hanna, Dean White (cover A)
- Publisher: Marvel Comics
- Release Date: November 11, 2026
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 32
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of Amazing Spider-Man #1003:
First Impressions:
I’ve been very positive about what Joe Kelly has done with Spider-Man’s conflict against Ravage, so I was looking forward to seeing how he would escalate the conflict to new and exciting levels. Sadly, Kelly went in the opposite direction.
Recap:
In Amazing Spider-Man #1002, a brief prologue highlighted the deep bond Peter Parker shared with Uncle Ben and Aunt May before Spider-Man and Ravage resumed their furious battle over May’s fate, with Ravage seeking to reclaim his life as her biological son and Spidey determined to restore her memories. During the fight, Spidey unlocked a powerful new ability called Ultra Spider-Sense, while Ravage’s beatdown triggered memories that Spidey could see and hear, allowing him to discover the risks of Ravage’s memory-altering powers. Realizing that further memory theft could cause May permanent brain damage, Spidey threatened to expose them both to her, forcing Ravage to accept an ultimatum and establish a fragile truce… for now.
Plot Analysis (SPOILERS):
The issue begins with J. Jonah Jameson having a podcast planning discussion with his producer, Norah Winters. She urges him to boost listeners by hopping back on the “Spider-Man is a menace train.” J. Jonah resists, given his current friendship with Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man.
Meanwhile, the nuclear devastation caused by Red Hulk at the end of the Armageddon event has hit the news. Everyone is reacting and quickly taking sides for or against super beings. Luke Cage is forced to take action in the name of safety and to safeguard his bid for re-election as mayor, so he activates an emergency powers act to give Damage Control more powers to respond to the city’s needs.
Elsewhere, Spider-Man and Rae swing into the city to gauge the pulse of the population. When tensions run high at a protest, Spidey intervenes with a barrier made of webbing and a supportive speech about sticking together.
The issue ends with J. Jonah suddenly getting captured by Itsy Bitsy (???????).
How is the story in Amazing Spider-Man #1003?
Is it a story? Not really. Joe Kelly’s script takes bits and pieces of recent events – from this title and the big status quo teases from Chip Zdarsky’s Avengers work – to create a sort of “How’s everybody feeling?” type of comic. There’s no action to speak of. No real conflict for Spider-Man, other than his overwhelm at the thought of his hometown boiling over with FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt). The issue has all the structural hallmarks of a day-in-the-life comic that reads a lot like filler while everyone waits for the next big Avengers moment to drop.
Worse (or better, if you prefer), Kelly drops in the arrival of Itsy Bitsy on the last page, seemingly to do something that isn’t people standing around and talking.
How is the art in Amazing Spider-Man #1003?
Simone Di Meo returns the title to bring his unique brand of crisp, thin linework and imaginative use of blur techniques for shadows and motion. Generally speaking, Di Meo’s artwork looks great, but he admittedly is given very little to do in this issue except try to make an entire comic full of conversations look dynamic and dramatic.
The one odd point that you’ll notice immediately is that Di Meo makes Aunt May look curiously young and attractive for a woman of her age. You could chalk it up to a creative choice, but you’ll probably also notice that J. Jonah looks spry for a man of his age as well.
Characters
Contrary to the title, J. Jonah Jameson gets the majority of the weight and emotional depth. He’s conflicted about having to rail against Spider-Man, when he secretly is more like family. He learns of the devastation in Russia and uses the opportunity to grudgingly get back into his curmudgeonly old self. And, J. Jonah is now – for reasons unexplained – Itsy Bitsy’s target.
Originality & Concept Execution
People standing around and talking is, sadly, nothing new for Marvel. No points.
Pros and Cons
Art Samples:
The Scorecard:
Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): 2.75/4
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): 3.5/4
Value (Originality & Entertainment): 0/2
Final Thoughts:
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Amazing Spider-Man #1003 finds a city grappling with the aftermath of Armageddon. Joe Kelly’s sedate script does a fine job of checking in with assorted characters, but not much else, and Simone Di Meo’s art looks great, even if there’s not much happening.
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