Amazing Spider-Man #801

By Dan Slott, Marcos Martin and Muntsa Vicente

Amazing Spider-Man #801 marks Dan Slott’s final issue on the series. There have been nay sayers during his tenure on the book and some who have loved his work. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who didn’t like his latest story arc in involving the Red Goblin though, as it offered a fresh spin on two of Spidey’s oldest foes. After that adrenaline rush, if you were wondering what Slott would do for his final issue, you’ll be surprised to find a flash back and heart-warming story.

What makes Amazing Spider-Man #801 great is that it’s not really about Spider-Man, but rather the effect he has on everyone around him. Slott shows us a story from a man named Kenneth. He’s having a bad day and not many things seem to be going right. As he heads out the door to see his father, he stops to grab some smokes, only to find out that the place is being robbed. Slott makes us feel for Kenneth. We don’t know much about him, but we’ve all been in a situation where we just need to leave in a hurry and the powers-that-be kept making it harder. Slott takes us through several decades of Kenneth’s life and we see how Spidey has still influenced him to this day. There is a sweet message to this issue that we should all remember. Sometimes a little help can really change your day, life or even overall perspective. Slott effectively delivers a sweet story that will make you feel. This was a great way to end an iconic run.

The pencils this issue are handled by Marcos Martin with colors by Muntsa Vicente. This is a good art team to have on this issue. We’re treated to an older style in both pencils and colors. The pencils convey a lot of emotion this issue, which is a must have. As Kenneth looks at his father for possibly the last time we see sadness in his eyes, but love in his fathers eyes. It’s a touching panel. The pencils may also remind you of an old fashioned Saturday morning cartoon. The shapes of people’s heads, like when Kenneth returns a briefcase to Spider-Man, are a bit odd shaped, but totally fit for the style of story. The colors by Vicente work wonderfully here. A light color palette is used and it just puts you in an overall good mood. The art here seems similar to A Superman for all seasons. Blue skies are colored nicely, but the last panel of the issue just steals the book. The art works great with the story and the two compliment each other extremely well.

Dan Slott’s run on Spider-Man may be ending, but many of his stories and ideas will live on. Amazing Spider-Man #801 is a wonderful feel good issue that allows Slott to go out on top. You honestly couldn’t ask for a better art team for this issue. The light colors and pencils help convey the message that Slott wants to tell. Amazing Spider-Man #801 is a must read for all Spidey fans.