The Amazing Spider-Man #11 kicks off with Peter Parker challenging his Doc Ock possessed body to a one-on-one battle to determine who leads the Spiders against the Inheritors. The pair spar with a great heated exchange until Parker beats his counterpart at his own game — by outsmarting him.

Meanwhile, the outcast Inheritor Karn works his way back into the family while Morlun bides his time. Killed twice by Spiders, Morlun’s been hesitant about taking on Parker again, prompting a family hunting trip with father Solus and brother Jennix right into the thick of things in the Safe Zone.

After Parker sends a team out to gather the rest of the Spiders in the alternate universes, he takes off to help deliver a cloaking device to 30s Spider-Man, leaving Spider-Brit in charge of the Safe Zone.

Until now, the Safe Zone figured to be the last place the Inheritors would attack, seeing as how Cosmic Spider-Man exists here. Everything changes when the Inheritors show up,and Cosmic Spidey shows his strength, quickly neutralizing Jennix who’s immediately brought back to life via a clone back on his homeworld. When Solus withstands the Enigma force and feeds off Cosmic Spider-Man’s life force, the entire group is left shaken. Morlun then nabs Benjy, the actual Scion.

Issue #11 is a quick-paced issue that comes with some great moments. The Spider-Verse has given Dan Slott various pieces to shore up characterization and build drama, and the physical battle between Parker and his Superior self is a key highlight. That Parker scores a victory by sticking to his ideals makes it that much greater.

The presence of the other Spiders also expands the scope of the story, and a trip to Earth-67, the world of the animated Spider-Man, goes to show how many variations of Spider-Man exist in our real-world pop-culture.

I’m not sure if Olivier Coipel handled the pencils for the Earth-67 scene, and serious kudos to him if he did. Seeing three different styles in one panel — Miles Morales in Olivier’s modern style, a younger Spider-Man in a more classic style, and the cel-shaded animated world — is an awesome moment in addition to the Spider-Man of this world potentially joining the fold.

As for inking, there’s a lot of them this issue with Wade Von Grawbadger, John Livesay, Mark Morales, Victor Olazaba, and Coipel himself putting the finishing touches on the issue’s linework. I’d take a guess that Von Grawbadger handled a majority of the pages with the other inkers working on the Earth-67 pages. Overall, the team does an impressive job, especially with the crosshatching and minute details and particulates.

I also can’t help but gush over Justin Ponsor’s lush colors. The Amazing Spider-Man #11 is a beautiful issue thanks to the various creative members, and Ponsor’s lighting effects, particularly in Karn’s scene and the page after, raises the status of this issue to wondrous heights.

I love where the story-arc is going, and Slott’s reveal that Benjy is the real Scion will keep readers on their toes. With the various Spider teams working on a solution to the Inheritor problem, Slott’s created a story with worthy villains and a wealth of heroes hailing from all sorts of what-ifs and what-could-have-beens.

One of my favorite scenes this issue involved Gwen Stacy’s exchange with Parker. After apologizing for his over-protective nature, Stacey reveals she had been unable to protect the Parker of her universe. Things like that put plenty of things into perspective, adding new angles to classic stories.

The Amazing Spider-Man #11 (2014)

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Marvel

Words: Dan Slott

Pencils: Olivier Coipel

Inks: Wade Von Grawbadger, Olivier Coipel, John Livesay, Victor Olazaba, and Mark Morales

Colors: Justin Ponsor

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