Amazing Spider-Man #34 (Marvel, 8/5/26): Writer Joe Kelly teams up Ol’ Wed Head with Damage Control to take down Electro, but life is more complicated when you can’t punch it. Leaning on heavy emotional beats and soap operatic plot points, it’s a passable issue, but the story is treading water. Verdict: Emotional while standing still.
Credits:
- Writer: Joe Kelly
- Artist: Ed McGuinness, Mark Farmer, Wade von Grawbadger
- Colorist: Marcio Menyz
- Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
- Cover Artist: Ed McGuinness, Marcio Menyz (cover A)
- Publisher: Marvel Comics
- Release Date: August 5, 2026
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 28
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of Amazing Spider-Man #34:
First Impressions:
Things happen, but none of them are interesting enough to grab and hold your attention. After several tough years for ASM fans, Joe Kelly and Marvel seem content to just keep the lights on while they wait for the new leadership to set a new vision… maybe.
Recap:
In Amazing Spider-Man #33, Pete and Aunt May got to know Cormac Crane – Aunt May’s long-lost and ultra-wealthy son – who seems to be a stand-up guy. Meanwhile, Damage Control arrives to lend aid to Spider-Man during a Jack O’ Lantern assassination attack, sparking a working partnership of sorts. The issue ended with Spider-Man lending a hand in a battle against Grizzly, Kangaroo, and Tarantula.
Plot Analysis (SPOILERS):
The main plot concerns Spider-Man fighting Electro. The battle takes place near several dead bodies. Electro claims the bodies were there before he arrived.
Intermixed in the battle, we see flashbacks of Peter Parker talking with everyone about his long-lost cousin while keeping his feelings to himself. He checks on Aunt May, who’s still processing. He receives background intel from Robbie Robertson about Cormac Crane, which confirms Crane is legit. Later, Glitch prods Peter to speak to Raelith about her morose demeanor. The talk goes nowhere.
The issue ends with Damage Control and Spidey defeating Electro.
How is the story in Amazing Spider-Man #34?
If your gut reaction is “that’s it?”, that’s the right reaction. Joe Kelly is developing the right structural cues to intersperse the personal drama with action to keep the comic energetic. However, nothing strings the action and the drama together.
You can feel that Kelly really wants to develop the Cormac Crane story, even if there isn’t much there to care about. But he’s obligated to put in web-slinging action to qualify as a superhero comic. In effect, the action is obligatory but disconnected and meaningless.
How is the art in Amazing Spider-Man #34?
Frankly, the art is great and almost wasted on a story that isn’t going anywhere. Ed McGuinness’ pencils, bolstered by fantastic inks from Mark Farmer and Wade von Grawbadger, supply plenty of visual appeal and kinetic action.
The art is bolstered even more by Marcio Menyz’s eye-popping colors. If nothing else, the comic looks great.
Characters
Peter Parker takes center stage as the emotional heart of the issue, but in a bizarre turn of events, Joe Kelly spends the entire issue withholding Peter’s emotional struggle. We know he’s uncertain – certainly not pleased – over Crane’s arrival and the implications for his relationship with Aunt May, but Peter never shows it or verbalizes how he’s feeling. His walls are up, obviously, but that’s all you get.
Originality & Concept Execution
Again, there isn’t a cohesive story in Amazing Spider-Man #34. Much like the last several issues, Joe Kelly cobbles together a through line about family drama with a wholly disconnected sub-plot to include the obligatory action. Yes, Peter’s struggle with his feelings about a long-lost cousin is certainly new within the decades of Spider-Man lore, but Kelly has yet ot do anything meaningful with it.
Pros and Cons
Art Samples:
The Scorecard:
Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): 1.5/4
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): 3/4
Value (Originality & Entertainment): 1/2
Final Thoughts:
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Amazing Spider-Man #34 continues Peter’s lackluster struggle with his feelings over the arrival of a long-lost cousin, while Damage Control established a pre-emptive presence in NYC. Joe Kelly’s script has a few interesting beats, but there’s no sense of direction or momentum. The art team’s presentation is the only thing keeping this run moving.
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