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Amazing Spider-Man #1 variant cover by InHyuk Lee
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
Update: As Newsarama speculated when it was first teased, the upcoming Amazing Spider-Man run drawn by the returning John Romita Jr. has now been confirmed to be a relaunch of the long-running Marvel Comics series.
Yes, that means a new Amazing Spider-Man #1 and a lot of variant covers (including six newly added to the story below).
And we also now know who’s writing it (and Spider-Man fans will know the name).
Amazing Spider-Man #1 cover (Image credit: John Romita Jr. (Marvel Comics))Zeb Wells be the new lead writer of the Amazing Spider-Man title beginning with April 6’s Amazing Spider-Man #1, joining Romita, inker Scott Hanna, and colorist Marcio Menyz.
“I’ve waited my entire career to work with John Romita Jr.,” Wells says in the Amazing Spider-Man #1 announcement. “To team up with him on Amazing Spider-Man for the character’s 60th anniversary is so exciting words can’t describe it. We’re gonna have a blast!”
According to Marvel, the initial story of this relaunched Amazing Spider-Man center around the question teased on January 12 – ‘What did Peter Do?’, which featured art (see below) inferring that Spider-Man was somehow responsible for something very bad. Whatever it is, the publisher says that it’ll result in Spider-Man being given the cold shoulder by the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and even his bedrock, Aunt May.
Classic Spider-Man villains Doctor Octopus, Master Planner, and Tombstone will be Peter’s first three adversaries in this brand new era we’ll unofficially call the ‘Amazing’ era (until Marvel comes up with a better idea).
“Spider-Man doesn’t turn sixty every year,” says Spider-Editor Nick Lowe, “and we are going BIG with this run cramming it with the biggest WTF moments Spidey has ever had. Zeb and JRJR will go down in history as one of the best creative teams ever!”
Check out this preview of the upcoming Amazing Spider-Man #1:
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(Image credit: Marvel Comics)Amazing Spider-Man #1 previewBoth Wells and Romita have had multiple runs on the Amazing Spider-Man title in the past, with the latter being considered one of the best Spider-Man artists of all time. In the Amazing Spider-Man #1 announcement, Marvel says John Romita Jr. was lured back from DC after a six-year exclusive with the promise of getting to draw Amazing Spider-Man again.
“Ever since my father told my brother and me that Spider-Man/Peter Parker lived close to our home in Queens, NYC, we were hooked!” says Romita, whose father – John Romita Sr. – also drew Amazing Spider-Man. “We talked Spider-Man on long drives to family get-togethers, and it was as if we had an extra family member!
“Marvel has allowed me to get back to work on this amazing character, and work with another brilliant writer, Zeb Wells!” Romita continues. “The stories are stunning and I am reading the scripts with a grin and wonderment… then wondering how the heck to do them justice!!”
For those keeping track, this 2022 relaunch of Amazing Spider-Man would be the sixth time the series has been relaunched since 1963 – making this Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 7) #1. Using Marvel’s legacy math, the sixth issue of this new relaunch could also double as the 900th issue of Amazing Spider-Man (which Marvel will almost certainly make a big deal of!)
The publisher also released six variant covers to Amazing Spider-Man #1 by artists Stanley ‘Artgerm’ Lau, Peach Momoko, InHyuk Lee, Travis Charest, Humberto Ramos, and the duo of Mark Bagley and John Romita Sr. (a ‘Hidden Gem’ variant). These are the first six Amazing Spider-Man #1 variant covers, and Marvel promises “many more!”
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(Image credit: Marvel Comics)Amazing Spider-Man #1 variant coverLook for Amazing Spider-Man #1 this April, and look for Marvel’s full April 2022 schedule in mid-January here on Newsarama.
Previous story from January 12 follows…
Update: Following the January 11 announcement that John Romita Jr. was returning to draw Amazing Spider-Man once more (and teasing a possible relaunch of the entire series), Marvel Comics returns a day later giving us a hint as to what the story is about.
And from the looks of it, it’s not good.
‘What Did Peter Do?’ Amazing Spider-Man teaser (Image credit: Marvel Comics)This teaser image by Romita. Jr (and an unnamed inker and colorist) features Peter Parker/Spider-Man kneeling in the crater of what seems like some kind of major explosion. Spider-Man’s in shock over what’s happened and is clutching an unidentified Spider-Man branded device that looks vaguely similar to the receiver he used early in his career to track his Spider-Tracers.
From just looking at the art he appears to be the victim in this calamity, but Marvel’s ominous text seems to place the blame on him, asking ‘What did Peter do?’.
The informal motto of Spider-Man has always been ‘A great power must be accompanied by — a great responsibility!’, and it’s a lesson Peter Parker has been shown to learn (and re-learn) over the decades. This teased story seems like it could be revisiting that once again – dealing with an apparent mistake Peter Parker made, but also the story of him overcoming it.
Marvel promised more information about this new Amazing Spider-Man era (which may include a possible new #1) on Thursday, January 13.
Original story from January 11 follows…
Marvel Comics is apparently re-launching its Amazing Spider-Man comic book series in April, with artist John Romita Jr. onboard.
On January 12, the publisher sent out an image announcing John Romita Jr. would be returning to the Amazing Spider-Man title beginning in April, but in its brief announcement copy didn’t reveal an issue number – meaning we don’t know yet for sure if Amazing Spider-Man will relaunch with a new #1.
John Romita Jr. / Amazing Spider-Man teaser (Image credit: Marvel Comics)But if you know Marvel comics artboards, there’s something hidden in the details. If you look closely at the penciled page of John Romita Jr. art Marvel released, the letter and numbers “ASM 001 19 JR” at the top. While it might not be immediately clear what that means, we can help you.
ASM is the abbreviation for ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ – common comic book vernacular for the book since the ’60s.
The numbers may seem meaningless at first glance, but in Marvel Comics’ artboards – and most all artboards that artists draw comic book pages on (if not done digitally) – there the first space is for the name, the second space for the issue number (‘001′ in this case), the third space being the page number (’19’), and the last space being for the artist’s name (‘JR’, meaning John Romita Jr.).
Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2 #26 original art (Image credit: John Romita Jr. (Marvel Comics))In fact, here’s an original artboard from 2006’s Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2 #26, page 2, by – you guessed it – John Romita Jr. Zoom in to the top to see that same sort of numbering – ‘Amazing Spider-Man 26 2.’
While it’s possible John Romita Jr. noting this could mean something else, it seems unlikely. Especially when you realize that this would be his eighth run on Marvel Comics’ Amazing Spider-Man title after stints in 1980-1984, 1987, 1995, 1998, 2000-2004, 2008-2009, and lastly in 2012. (And that’s not counting other Spider-Man projects Romita did that had different names.)
So a new Amazing Spider-Man #1 in April? If that’s what the numbers mean this would be the sixth volume of Amazing Spider-Man since its launch in 1963.
The current ‘Beyond’ era of Amazing Spider-Man ends with March 23’s Amazing Spider-Man #93, and Marvel has been teasing something big coming after – with a Free Comic Book Day special already announced for May called Spider-Man/Venom #1 that will give us a more on what the company’s plans are for the wallcrawler.
The John Romita Jr. news/tease/speculation all comes just a few days in 2022, the 60th anniversary of Spider-Man, fa year Marvel says they have ‘Beyond Amazing’ plans for. We’ve seen the ‘Beyond’ part – maybe John Romita Jr. and a new Amazing Spider-Man #1 is the ‘Amazing’ part?
And for those thinking about Marvel’s ‘legacy math’ March 23’s Amazing Spider-Man #93 doubles as issue #894. If a relaunched Amazing Spider-Man #1 follows next, then Amazing Spider-Man #6 would be the 900th issue of the title. And you know how much publishers like to celebrate big round numbers like that.
Stay tuned for more details on John Romita Jr.s’ return to Amazing Spider-Man.
John Romita Jr. has drawn some of the best Spider-Man stories of all time.
Newsarama Senior Editor Chris Arrant has covered comic book news for Newsarama since 2003, and has also written for USA Today, Life, Entertainment Weekly, Publisher’s Weekly, Marvel Entertainment, TOKYOPOP, AdHouse Books, Cartoon Brew, Bleeding Cool, Comic Shop News, and CBR. He is the author of the book Modern: Masters Cliff Chiang, co-authored Art of Spider-Man Classic, and contributed to Dark Horse/Bedside Press’ anthology Pros and (Comic) Cons. He has acted as a judge for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, the Harvey Awards, and the Stan Lee Awards. Chris is a member of the American Library Association’s Graphic Novel & Comics Round Table. (He/him)
