Synopsis: HELLGATE’S OPENING…PUNCH! PETER PARKER’s life has been worse. He’s got a steady job. BLACK CAT is giving him the time of day again. As SPIDER-MAN, Peter’s taken some super-powered punches. But he’s never caught the kind of HELL that’s in store for him next.
The Story
In this opening chapter of a brand-new story arc, Peter Parker/Spider-Man wakes up to an unfamiliar feeling: things in his life are actually going well. It’s a strange contrast to the recent chaos caused by Hobgoblin, which left him reeling. But for now, things seem to be back on track. At work, his boss floats the possibility of promoting him to second-in-command—a surprising show of faith considering Peter’s usual struggle with responsibility.
However, the good vibes don’t last. A tense encounter with Tombstone throws a shadow over Peter’s day, as the crime lord passes along a cryptic tip for Spider-Man: something big is coming, and it’s going to shake the criminal underworld.
Acting on the lead, Spider-Man begins his own quiet investigation. He gets a welcome assist—and a bit of a flirtatious distraction—from Black Cat. But just as things start heating up, a new threat crashes onto the scene. Hellgate arrives with a bang, signaling that the calm in Peter’s life may have just been the eye of the storm.
Artwork
John Romita Jr. brings his trademark visual storytelling to the panels in this issue. The scene with Tombstone plays out like a covert rendezvous straight out of a spy movie—only here, the meeting happens in plain sight, discreetly through a limo window. It’s subtle, tense, and oddly stylish.
Meanwhile, the sequence featuring Black Cat joining Spider-Man on his surveillance mission strikes just the right balance—deliciously flirtatious without veering into overt suggestiveness. A standout moment sees Felicia casually lounging in a hammock, injecting a calm and playful energy into the issue.
This light-hearted interlude acts as the perfect contrast to what follows: Hellgate’s explosive arrival, captured in a dramatic double splash page that ends the issue on a striking, cinematic note.
Overall
This opening chapter does a solid job of laying the groundwork for the arc to come. I appreciated how the story transitions from the relative calm of Peter Parker’s life beginning to stabilize, only to have the waters stirred by Tombstone’s ominous tip-off. The introduction of Hellgate is set up beautifully, landing with just the right amount of impact and intrigue. I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing what kind of chaos he brings in the issues ahead.
- Covers9.0
- Story9.5
- Artwork9.7
- Lettering9.4
- Colours9.7
This makes me wonder if Peter and Felicia will end up as married characters. As the 616 continuity (from what news articles I’ve read) are keeping Peter and Mary Jane separated; unlike in the Ultimate Universe.
Dom Mary Jane isn’t in this comic and hasn’t been for awhile. In this take Peter has been dating a lady called Shay, but they are no longer official and are seeing different people, but still friendly. What I didn’t include in the review was a conversation that happens between Shay and Peter about their relationship status. As to whether they will bring Mary Jane back or not I don’t know. But as its a comic pretty much anything can and likely will happen. So I wouldn’t entirely rule it out.