I probably can’t stress how much I love this book. Half of the entire issue is spent entangled in a battle for supremacy. The Vulture, who’s been previously bested by Spider-man already, is back with an unbreakable will to destroy the spider. So he goes all out, and these two duke it out like certified studs, Spidey often losing key exchanges, the fight eventually ending in a draw if ever there were a draw.

But by the time the final pages of the book are upon us, the Vulture is no longer the sole threat to Spidey, as the Hitman has arrived, and he’s taken a contract to execute Spider-man. Things are going to get quite hairy in issue five!

Archie Goodwin’s ability to tell a single issue tale but string it successfully into immediate follow up books is just pitch perfect. His narratives always move quickly and they’re no slow burns, we’ll say that. Matching Goodwin’s excellent pace is the legendary artist Sal Buscema, who makes every last frame count. His work is always respect worthy and his style is a style all his known. There is no one who has ever done it quite like Buscema.

If you never looked into the earlier Spectacular Spider-Man books, you missed some genuinely excellent stuff with some of Spidey’s most infamous of villains. These are the kinds of stories that old and new fans alike can enjoy and invest in. Issue five should be a blast – you’ll read about it soon!

Rating: 5/5