After a chaotic spiral of hallucinations and moral reckoning in issues #2 and #3, Amazing Spider-Man #4 picks up the thread with Peter Parker at a breaking point. Still under the lingering influence of Hobgoblin’s psychoactive sabotage and haunted by guilt-ridden flashbacks of his youth, Peter must fight not only two formidable foes, Hobgoblin and Itsy Bitsy, but the crushing weight of his own inner demons.
“Sweet Poison” is a devastatingly personal, psychedelic slugfest that tears open old wounds while throwing fists. Peter’s world isn’t just falling apart; it’s punching back. Issue #4 drops readers into a full-speed collision course between Spider-Man and Hobgoblin in the Queen’s Cola factory, where the fizzy drinks aren’t the only thing laced with chemicals. As Spidey swings and stumbles through the chaos, the issue brilliantly layers his physical brawl with a mental minefield of flashbacks: a rebellious Peter challenging Aunt May and Uncle Ben, chugging beers, lashing out, and losing himself. These aren’t quick glimpses; they’re emotional gut-punches that unfold as he fights. The flashbacks don’t pause the action; they twist around it. A beer from the past becomes a right hook in the present. A memory becomes a weapon. And the lines between now and then dissolve in Pepe Larraz’s warped, fish-eye visuals that stretch the page like a fever dream.
Credit: Marvel Comics
Amazing Spider-Man #4 messes with your head in the best way. Reading this issue felt like being inside Peter’s fractured psyche, confused, exhausted, and wildly on edge. Joe Kelly writes like a man possessed, pulling no punches when it comes to Peter’s emotional baggage. This isn’t the usual quippy Spider-Man with a side of angst, this is Peter Parker at rock bottom, haunted by who he was and terrified of what that might still mean. And yet…it works.
The emotional core doesn’t just land, it explodes. Seeing Peter relive a youth that isn’t so squeaky-clean? That’s bold. Is it a little jarring? Yes. But it also humanizes him in a raw, uncomfortable way. He wasn’t always noble. He lashed out. He made bad calls. That darkness is real, and now it’s back with a flaming sword to the face.
Pepe Larraz’s art is jaw-dropping throughout. Every panel moves like it’s possessed, especially during Hobgoblin’s attacks and Itsy Bitsy’s scenes. Larraz captures the terror in Peter’s eyes, the violence of his movement, and the surreal beauty of his inner torment. And Marte Gracia’s colors? Come on. The clash of fiery oranges and cool, ghostly blues practically glows. The costume, the explosions, the haunted past, it’s a sensory overload in the best way.
Credit: Marvel Comics
Now, the plot progression is minimal. Most of the issue is a fight scene intertwined with memory horror. But that’s not a bad thing here. The emotional payoff is real. The visual storytelling is inventive. And the final moment, when Peter starts to shake off the poison in every sense of the word, feels earned. If there’s a knock, it’s the portrayal of young Peter. The rebellious, beer-guzzling teen feels out of sync with the Peter we’ve known for decades. It’s a risky swing, and while it mostly works in the context of this story, it may sit wrong with longtime fans.
Still, the villains shine. Hobgoblin is theatrical and deadly, and Itsy Bitsy is creepy in all the right ways. There’s even some subtle satire about soft drinks and consumer culture buried in the chaos, which gives the issue a wink in between the punches.
A surreal brawl inside Peter Parker’s psyche, Amazing Spider-Man #4 is bold, messy, and emotionally raw. The art slaps, the writing hits hard, and the story pulls you under like a fever dream you can’t shake off.
‘Amazing Spider-Man’ #4 Review: Peter Parker Punches Through His Past (Literally)
A surreal brawl inside Peter Parker’s psyche, Amazing Spider-Man #4 is bold, messy, and emotionally raw. The art slaps, the writing hits hard, and the story pulls you under like a fever dream you can’t shake off.
