Imagine the shock of discovering that the arch-nemesis of your favorite superhero has slipped into the hero's role, battling villains by day while grappling with his dark past. That's the thrilling premise unfolding in Amazing Spider-Man #14, where Norman Osborn, the notorious Green Goblin, steps into Spider-Man's suit—and faces off against the man who's stolen Peter Parker's very identity. But here's where it gets controversial: What if the true thief isn't the villain, but the hero himself? Stick around to dive into this web of deception and heroism that might just redefine what it means to be a spider-themed savior.
Published just a couple of hours ago, this piece comes from CBR's seasoned senior staff writer, Brian Cronin. With over fifteen years of professional comic book journalism under his belt at CBR, Brian has penned insightful columns like his popular "Comics Should Be Good" series, including the evergreen Comic Book Legends Revealed. He's authored two books for Penguin-Random House: 'Was Superman a Spy? And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed' and 'Why Does Batman Carry Shark Repellent? And Other Amazing Comic Book Trivia!' Plus, there's '100 Things X-Men Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die' from Triumph Books. His expertise has graced pages at ESPN.com, the Los Angeles Times, About.com, the Huffington Post, Vulture, and Gizmodo. For more fun facts on entertainment and sports, check out his website, Legends Revealed, at https://www.legendsrevealed.com/entertainment, and his pop culture musings at Pop Culture References at https://popculturereferences.com/. You can follow him on Twitter at @BrianCronin (https://www.twitter.com/BrianCronin) and drop him an email with story ideas at brianc@cbr.com—Brian loves hearing from fans eager for more comic lore!
Now that we're clued in on Norman Osborn stepping up as the latest Spider-Man (as detailed in our review of Amazing Spider-Man #12, where the new web-slinger teams up with familiar faces: https://www.cbr.com/amazing-spider-man-12-review-new-spider-man-faces-amazing-friends/), this installment ramps up the tension. Norman dives deeper into the superhero life, questioning if he can truly embody Spider-Man's heroic spirit—while secretly fantasizing about how exhilarating it would be to fully embrace that role.
(Image courtesy of Marvel)
Amazing Spider-Man #14 hits the stands courtesy of writer Joe Kelly, pencillers Ed McGuinness and Todd Nauck, inkers Mark Farmer and Wade Von Grawbadger (with Nauck and McGuinness adding their own inking flair to parts of the book), colorists Marcio Menyz and Erick Arciniega, and the ever-reliable letterer Joe Caramagna, who's been the backbone of Spider-Man comics for decades. The story pits the two stand-ins—Norman as Spider-Man and Ben Reilly as Peter Parker—against each other, all while the real Peter Parker is off on his cosmic escapades (as explored in our Amazing Spider-Man #13 review about that interstellar heist with space pals: https://www.cbr.com/amazing-spider-man-13-review-cosmic-friends-space-heist/).
And this is the part most people miss: Out of the blue, we get unexpected spotlight on characters who suddenly pop up in the Amazing Spider-Man series.
Legendary editor Jim Shooter once insisted that every Marvel comic must clearly name each character and showcase their powers. His reasoning? Any issue could be a newcomer's first dip into comics, so he wanted to ensure accessibility and clarity for all readers. For beginners, this means avoiding confusion—imagine picking up a comic and instantly knowing who can fly or shoot lasers, making the story approachable without prior knowledge.
I get the intent, but over time, it sometimes felt overdone in group comics, where every hero had to introduce themselves and flex their abilities, leading to plenty of reader mockery. Personally, I don't see it as essential everywhere. That said, Hallow's Eve has only appeared once in this run, and not even in her full Hallow's Eve guise, while Ben Reilly hasn't shown up as Chasm yet. They really ought to have included a quick rundown of their powers. Don't misunderstand—artist Todd Nauck does a solid job illustrating Hallow's Eve's abilities visually, but her powers are so out-of-the-ordinary (she channels different magical abilities by donning various enchanted masks) that an explanation is crucial. Similarly, Ben as Chasm conjures weapons from something gooey (you know what I mean—think sticky, shapeshifting slime), which is bizarre enough to warrant a bit more context. For those new to comics, powers like these add layers of creativity; Hallow's Eve's mask-swapping, for instance, is like a magical toolbox, drawing from old folklore where masks unlock hidden potentials, much like how superheroes often reflect real-world themes of identity and transformation.
Regardless, it's refreshing to see Ben's storyline fleshed out here, particularly with him actively combating crime—a great sign that he's not all bad, as he's willing to team up with his girlfriend for some vigilante action. Hallow's Eve, Ben's ex from the 1990s Clone Saga era (a classic storyline where Peter Parker's clone, Ben, navigates a complex web of identity crises and corporate conspiracies), has returned as a supporting player in Spider-Man's world. She's a tad unstable too (much like Ben, who's tangled in this mess of impersonating Peter while the genuine article is away), evident in her envy toward Ben's interactions with Peter's love interests, like Shay, Black Cat, Mary Jane, or even Ben's employer, Maira.
But here's where it gets controversial: Could the new Spider-Man be heading toward a romantic subplot that's as tangled as his web?
Ben shares a meal with his boss when Norman arrives for a showdown, but things get uncomfortable thanks to Maira's presence. It seems writer Joe Kelly might have been planting seeds back in Amazing Spider-Man #5 (as we covered in our review of that Hobgoblin team-up: https://www.cbr.com/amazing-spider-man-5-review-hobgoblin-unlikely-friend/), and it looks like those hints are paying off. Maira deals with personal family struggles, which we can expect to explore further down the line.
From Maira's viewpoint, Norman appears to be trying to lure away a key employee (with Ben, posing as Peter, soaking up every moment of this borrowed life before the real Peter comes back), but actually, Norman is there to urge Ben to stop meddling in Peter's existence. Naturally, Ben figures out Norman's secret as Spider-Man and basically tells him to buzz off.
After Ben departs, Norman faces an attack, and he and Maira find themselves in peril. I suspect Kelly is positioning Maira as a potential romantic interest for Norman—a smart move. It's fantastic to witness creators expanding and deepening supporting characters in a title. Too many modern comics neglect this, leaving stories feeling shallow. Here, Kelly is enriching the ensemble, which matters greatly with Peter off in the vast reaches of space.
Norman shifts into Spider-Man mode to rescue Maira from the menacing robot (whose mastermind remains unknown). Interestingly, Norman has stuck to nighttime operations so far—this marks his debut daylight save, and he's stunned by how addictive the public admiration feels. Of course, Norman wrestles with guilt (remember, he was a top-tier villain before his past was 'wiped clean'), making his emotional turmoil compelling to watch.
Penciller Ed McGuinness and his inkers deliver an outstanding action sequence, and Todd Nauck's contributions shine in the non-fight scenes, blending seamlessly into the comic.
While Peter's space odyssey might steal the spotlight right now with its cosmic thrills, the Norman and Ben dynamic is holding its own (though Captain Kintsugi hasn't captured my interest yet—perhaps Kelly will change my mind eventually!).
Source: Marvel
What do you think—can a reformed villain like Norman truly become a hero, or is he doomed to slip back into old habits? And is Ben's identity theft more justifiable than we realize, given Peter's absence? Share your thoughts in the comments below; I'd love to hear if you agree with Kelly's expansions or if you see red flags in this controversial twist!
