The wall-crawler battles his arch enemy as his personal life begins crumbling around him...

(Panini Books)

Still reeling from the events of the Clone Conspiracy (http://www.hertsad.co.uk/what-s-on/reviews/graphic-novel-review-amazing-spider-man-worldwide-the-clone-conspiracy-1-5005704) and its impact on the people closest to him, Spider-Man throws himself into tracking down perhaps his greatest adversary, the former Green Goblin Norman Osborn.

Following the events of Goblin Nation (http://www.hertsad.co.uk/what-s-on/reviews/graphic-novel-review-superior-spider-man-goblin-nation-1-3684569), Osborn can no longer tap into the power and madness of his Goblin serum, and is sane for the first time in years. But this makes him no less deadly, as Spidey uncovers when he embarks on a desperate quest to discover Osborn’s whereabouts…

But although Peter Parker versus Norman Osborn always makes for good comics, there’s a lot more going on here than your standard superhero grudge match. Having compromised Parker Industries’ iconic Webware to save the population of the planet from the Jackal’s mutations in the aforementioned conspiracy, the company’s shares are in freefall and it desperately needs a win.

But rather than focus on salvaging his multinational corporation, Pete manages to make matters worse by clashing with his biggest client, peacekeeping force SHIELD, when the web-slinger leads an armed assault on the sovereign nation of Symkaria…

It doesn’t matter that Osborn has holed up there with the aim of turning the whole country into Goblin-powered soldiers programmed to obey him, as Pete’s “employee” Spider-Man is acting outside international law, and SHIELD top dog Nick Fury isn’t having that, deciding to sever all ties with Parker Industries at possibly the worst of times.

The firm’s future is looking increasingly unstable, which could have massive repercussions for Pete’s world in the months to come… Not only does he rely on it for his livelihood, his amazing arachnid arsenal, and his reputation (no more Spider-Man menace these days!), but he employs many of his closest friends, uses the organisation to fund the Avengers, and occupies the Fantastic Four’s former home in the Baxter Building. Take Parker Industries out of the equation and the entire set-up will collapse like a house of cards.

The beginning of the end starts here, and it’s probably about time, as there’s only so long you can play out a billionaire, jet-setting Peter Parker before it becomes dull, and the character always works much better when he’s down on his luck.

Another exceptional instalment in Dan Slott’s ongoing Spidey saga. Highly recommended.