Amazing Spider-Man #617 (Ongoing)

Joe Kelly, winner of IGN's Writer of the Year Award for 2009 shows it's no fluke with his rendition of Rhino in the Gauntlet, the current storyline that reboots or reinvents Spidey's Classic Rogues' gallery. Rhino is given a such depth of character in a manner so simple in an approach so different from what previous Gauntlet writers Fred Van Lente (with the Sandman) and Mark Waid (with Electro) did. Yet, it is in a manner so perfectly clicking into place that this by far is the best. Not only that, the main and backup stories mesh together to form a seamless background and understanding of how Aleksei Sytsevich ceased to be the Rhino and became a normal human being. Great artwork by Max Fiumara and Javier Pulido. The highpoint for me is when Spider-Man talks to Aleksei with heartfelt sincerity to just go on living as he should. I believe Kelly is making a point to Marvel editors and all those corporate bigwigs to try and shake them loose from their "big event"-driven "crossover" mindsets, and simply bring the game home. I do hope they listen.

The Gauntlet continues to close around Spider-Man in this heartbreaking story of love, loss and lust for power as the Rhino charges into Spider-Man's life, out to make a name for himself...by killing the Rhino? Joe Kelly & Max Fiumara, who kicked off The Gauntlet in Amazing Spider-Man #600's prelude, return for this pulse-pounding chapter! --

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