The reintroduction of Andy Maguire, the short-lived sidekick.
The Good
Dan Slott did a great job writing a classic origin story, he uses Alpha as a tool to help Peter reflect on the life he could have lived, and how easily things could have turned out different. Without the love from his family and Uncle Ben's positive influence Spider-Man could have grown into a very different hero. Alpha is a blatant, flippant reminder of all these things. Andy Maguire (a.k.a. Alpha) grew up with a lack of parental guidance, being bullied at school, and being ignored by girls. Now that he has the ability to do whatever he wants, he has no sense of restraint, he does what any teenager would do. Andy feels like a young naive Peter Parker, letting his ego get the best of him, not thinking about the consequences of his actions.
The Bad
I don't really like the way Humberto Ramos draws Aunt May; she looks like a ghoul. Sometimes the noses look a bit flat, but it's definitely his art style.
The Verdict
This re-release of "The Amazing Spider-Man #692" is to introduce newcomers to Alpha. It's a solid jumping on point for anyone looking to get into the new series, though it feels like an empty experience for anyone who read his origin previously. I enjoyed Alpha, but having purchased Amazing Spider-Man previously, I feel like I wasted money on a reprint.
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