Amazing Spider-Man #596

Joe Kelly continues to impress with this issue of Amazing Spider-Man. This week's plays out basically the same as last week's issue and I don't mind one bit. We get great dialogue, an awesome fight, and some real hilarity.

Right off the bat, Kelly picks up with Harry Osborn's situation. He was recruited in the Dark Avengers last issue after finding out his old girlfriend, Menace, is pregnant. Apparently, she's being held prisoner in Avengers Tower and Harry plans to break her out. Of course, this is something Norman has foreseen and I very much look forward to how he will handle the situation. After all, we find out at the end of the issue that this story arc, American Son, is the name of the project Norman has in store for Harry.

The fight in this issue is even better than last week's. Spider-Man ambushes Venom as he's attempting to kill a prostitute. First of all, I'm happy to see Kelly writing the Dark Avengers as murderous villains instead of the bickering children like Bendis opts for. To get back on topic though, the fight was amazingly funny. Spider-Man gets some help from the Fantastic Four and Venom is no match. Seeing him try to run away from Spider-Man and screaming for Bullseye was hilarious. Also, Spider-Man replacing Venom in the Dark Avengers: gut-busting. His impersonation of Venom is laugh out loud funny.

Spidey is so funny because Kelly's dialogue is so perfect. His Jameson Sr. is smooth, once again, as he starts to win over Peter and the readers. Harry sounds both brave and scared at the same time as attempts to save his girl from the most dire of places. Everyone sounds exactly like they should and I am still cracking up at Spider-Venom saying "DieBullseyediebullseye" over and over again.

The art is the only thing not perfect in this issue. Paulo Siqueira handles the Spider-Man sequences rather well. The actions and positions of his characters tell a great story. Also, his pencils compliment Kelly's humor quite well in the fight scene and Spider-Man's impersonation. I have a problem with Siqueira's art in the panels with no costumes though. His people oftentimes look like Play-Doh figures.

American Son is an amazing story. It provides all the action you'd expect from a comic book series and all the humor needed in a Spider-Man series. This is easily the best story told in a Spider-Man comic since Brand New has started.