Review by Ian Keogh

Although this is the second volume of Cody Ziglar’s turn on Miles Morales, it doesn’t continue directly from Trial by Spider, as Carnage Reigns slots in between. However, you don’t really have to bother with it, especially if you find the murderous Carnage too distasteful. Just know that gazing into the abyss has had its effect on Miles. Adding to his problems is him no longer being able to trust his early warning spider-sense.

Before the title story there’s a two chapter battle with Hobgoblin drawn by Federico Vicentini, whose style is dynamic without ever telling the story efficiently. A major factor is so much going on in the action panels it’s difficult to assess anything, and restricting almost all the action to a warehouse doesn’t help. However, neither does three artists with appreciably different styles over three chapters of the title story, with the sample art from Federica Mancin whose approach is the nearest to cartooning in this collection, and very good indeed.

The Hobgoblin seems even more unhinged than in previous appearances, and what happens here is just an appetiser for something being set-up for further along the line. It serves a purpose in establishing the problems with the spider-sense, but it’s otherwise by the numbers.

‘Bad Blood’ as a plot is as jumpy as the changes from artist to artist. Ziglar starts with Miles consulting someone who can help with his malfunctioning spider-sense, then reminds us that Agent Gao is still trying to blackmail Miles into joining her team of convict operatives, before we move into the main menu with the appearance of a vampire. Everything does tie together with what Ziglar’s been leading up to for the final chapter, which provides a clever problem with an original idea.

That originality suggests Ziglar has something more to offer than perfectly acceptable recycling of old concepts as Miles moves into Gang War.