Endangered Species.
It’s a little late to be reviewing Amazing Spider-man Issue #625 but it keeps coming back to me, just how amazing this comic truly is.
The former Rhino Aleksei Sytevich had stood firm in defiance of his self appointed successor’s attempts to goad him back into his old life in issue #617 a great book in itself however Endangered Species stands head and shoulders above many other issues surrounding the Gauntlet for me and I think this is mainly because of the pure dedication of Aleksei’s attempt to have a fresh start with the woman he loves, away from the perils of this past that make the surrounding events all the more tragic. With Peter trying his best to keep his life in some form of stability and his relationship with Norah growing slowly the reappearance of the new Rhino spells disaster for all.
This book seems to be one of the first major staples of the physiological attack Peter would undergo towards the latter half of the Gauntlet, with Aleksei sacrificing his pride for the love of Oksana as they flee the city and the Rhino’s demands of a showdown. The might of Spider-man is unfortunately insufficient to shake free the inevitability of what happens next. With his one true love lost, Aleksei does what most be done and dons the mantel of the Rhino once more for what must be one of the most painful showdowns I have ever read in a comic book, simply because everyone involved losses so very much.
The style in which this story is told I have not seen since and don’t expect to any time soon, its heartbreaking tale is unravelled to fanatic artwork that I simply cannot fault, each frame captures the mood directly and the sorrow that can be seen to haunt Peter on the last page stays with you for some time. I would say that Amazing Spider-man #625 is not only one of the best Spider-man comics in recent times but one of the quintessential examples of how powerful a comic book can be.
