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Issue #32: “The New Goblin”
Norman Osborn’s sins—previously cleansed by the mystical Sin-Eater—are on the verge of returning. The mysterious Goblin Queen (Queen Goblin) works to restore them using dark science and psychology. Meanwhile, Kraven the Hunter’s son, the new Kraven, enters the scene, targeting both Spider-Man and Norman. The issue sets the stage for a mind-bending arc about identity, redemption, and predation. Peter’s uneasy alliance with Norman grows even shakier.
Issue #33: “Dark Evolution”
Kraven captures Spider-Man and doses him with a hallucinogenic poison, pushing Peter into a feral, animalistic state. This is a callback to the original Kraven’s Last Hunt, with a twisted inversion: this time, Peter loses control and becomes the hunter. Under Kraven’s manipulation, Spidey dons a black symbiote-style costume (not the original symbiote, but thematically similar), symbolizing his descent into rage. He nearly kills his enemy—stopping only at the last second.
Issue #34: “Hunter and Hunted”
Still under the effects of Kraven’s serum, Spider-Man continues to lash out. His internal monologue becomes fragmented and primal, and he’s haunted by visions of his greatest failures—Uncle Ben, Gwen, and others. Norman Osborn steps in to stop Peter from fully losing himself, showing concern that seems genuine… or is it manipulation? The line between the Goblin and Norman continues to blur, especially as Queen Goblin tempts him back into madness.
Issue #35: “Unmasked”
Peter finally breaks free from the serum’s influence but is shaken by how close he came to crossing the line. He questions whether he’s still the same man—or if something in him is permanently broken. Meanwhile, Norman begins to exhibit strange personality shifts as the Goblin identity starts to resurface. A final confrontation with Queen Goblin leads to a brutal fight, but Peter wins by staying true to himself… barely. He hides the black costume in storage, symbolizing unresolved darkness.
Issue #36: “Gang War Prelude”
This issue acts as a transition into the Gang War crossover. New York’s criminal underworld is on the brink of full-scale warfare. Tombstone, the Rose, Hammerhead, and other crime lords vie for control. Mayor Luke Cage tries to keep the peace, but the streets are already burning. Peter reconnects with Miles Morales to discuss strategy, setting the stage for a multi-hero conflict. Norman warns Peter that darker days are coming. The atmosphere is tense, with Peter feeling like he’s always one step behind.
Issue #37: “Spider-Crisis”
Spider-Man juggles growing tensions between gangs, while also navigating his strained relationships—particularly with Mary Jane, whose new powers and romantic entanglements have created distance. Meanwhile, the Beetle (Janice Lincoln) and other minor villains make power plays. The issue focuses on Peter’s exhaustion, both emotional and physical. He's trying to hold a crumbling city together with barely any support, and every decision feels like a losing one.
Issue #38: “Flashpoint”
Gang War officially ignites. In the chaos, Spider-Man finds himself leading a coalition of street-level heroes, including Miles, Daredevil (Elektra), and She-Hulk. The city descends into mayhem as Wilson Fisk makes a surprise return behind the scenes. Flash Thompson (Anti-Venom) also returns, aligning with Peter to take on the chaos. The issue ends with a dramatic face-off as Peter must choose between law, loyalty, and survival.
🧠 Thematic Exploration: Control, Corruption, and the Fragility of Redemption
Issues #32–38 of Amazing Spider-Man (2022) are all about control slipping away—from Peter, from Norman, from the city itself. Peter’s forced descent into savagery via Kraven’s serum questions the thin line between restraint and revenge, especially when justice begins to feel like futility.
Norman Osborn’s redemption is another major theme, explored with increasing tension. Can evil ever truly be removed—or is it merely waiting to return? As Queen Goblin toys with Norman’s psyche, we see the terrifying possibility that the Goblin identity is an inevitability rather than a phase.
The lead-up to Gang War further reinforces this instability. Peter, now caught between his past mistakes and the present collapse of law and order, is no longer swinging free—he’s constantly playing defense. Even the alliance with Miles and Flash feels like a desperate patch, not a plan.
This run emphasizes that Spider-Man’s greatest enemy may not be any supervillain—it’s the burden of keeping a broken world stitched together while wondering how long he can do it without breaking himself.
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