Marvel Writer Zeb Wells Claims Upcoming ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ Reveal Is So Controversial That Editorial Warned “Not To Do Any Comic Conventions After This Issue Comes Out”
Spencer Baculi
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In what the more cynical of comic fans may view as nothing more than a cheap attempt to boost sales for one of the web-slinger’s worst runs of all time, current Amazing Spider-Man writer Zeb Wells has claimed that Marvel editorial warned him “not to do any comic conventions” following the release of the series’ upcoming 26th issue.
in Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 6 #21 (2023), Marvel Comics. Words by Zeb Wells, art by John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna, Marcio Menyz, and Joe Caramagna.
Teased as “the most shocking issue of Amazing Spider-Man in 50 years”, Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 6 #26 will seemingly wrap-up Wells’ current ‘Peter Parker and Mary-Jane Watson are broken up yet again’ plot line with a major event (which, given the abysmal direction of this run, many fans have speculated will be the death of the latter).
“Now fully in the present, the Emissary has returned and his power is so far beyond Spider-Man’s abilities,” teases Marvel in the issue’s solicit. “The heroes may figure out a way to win, but the cost of victory will be so immense that you may hope they don’t…”
Spider-Man is faced with some of his closest friends and loved ones on John Romita Jr.’s cover to Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 6 #26 (2023), Marvel Comics
Though fans inherently know it’s only a matter of time before Marvel’s ongoing lack of creativity results in this change to Spidey’s status quo being undone, Wells recently spoke with Popverse in an attempt to spark interest in the upcoming issue.
Following a brief retrospective on the damage he’s done narratively to the wall-crawler and his allies thus far, Wells was eventually asked by Popverse writer Joshua Lapin-Bertone if he could “tease” anything about the issue, to which he replied, “I can tease that many people will be very mad at me.”
Peter Parker is confused to find Mary-Jane Watson giving him the cold shoulder in Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 6 #24 (2023), Marvel Comics. Words by Zeb Wells, art by John Romita Jr., Scott Hana, Marcio Menyz, and Joe Caramagna.
“I can tease that [Marvel’s Spider-Man editor] Nick Lowe told me not to do any comic conventions after this issue comes out,” laughed the man who killed Ben Reilly’s character. “People will be upset.”
Further pressed for a description of ” how editorial reacted when you pitched this [upcoming development] to them”, Wells recalled, “Nick’s a mad man, so he was completely down.”
“I don’t know how it went when he ran it up the ladder,” he added, “but I’m very excited for people to read issue 26.”
Mary-Jane Watson introduces Peter Parker to her new ‘family’ in Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 6 #24 (2023), Marvel Comics. Words by Zeb Wells, art by John Romita Jr., Scott Hana, Marcio Menyz, and Joe Caramagna.
However, in perhaps the most disheartening reveal of the interview, Wells ultimately closed the interview out by answering Lapin-Bertone’s question of “How long do you see yourself on Amazing Spider-Man?”, speculating, “Well, I see myself a little past issue 50 at the very least.”
“Once we get there we just have to see,” said the man responsible for both the Gold Goblin and Chasm. “I’m getting busier with other things, but I’ll be on this as long as I can humanly do it. If I can do it, they will have to kick me off this book. The exact length is undecided, but I’m in the long haul. I’m here until at least issue 50.”
Spider-Man hangs out with a Spider-Bot on Dustin Weaver’s variant cover to Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 6 #21 (2023), Marvel Comics
Meanwhile, in terms of Ben (and yes, this highlight is entirely a personal one for this article’s author), Wells has seemingly confirmed that he is not done ruining his life.
Asked about his plans for the first man to don the identity of the Scarlet Spider, Wells asserted, “I think that Ben is like at the midpoint of a very interesting arc. I would never leave the book without doing more with Ben Reilly or trying to bring that story to a close. He’s going to be a big part of the book going forward. And now that he’s in that tower with Madelyne Pryor there, there’s even talk of other books using him, which would be great fun.”
Marvel ruins Ben Reilly’s character for nothing more than shock value in Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 5 #93 (2022), Marvel Comics. Words by Zeb Wells, art by Patrick Gleason and Bryan Valenza.
Barring any unforeseen delays, Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 6 #26 is on track to web-sling into stores on May 31st.
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