Review by Ian Keogh

World Without Love is a reboot for Spider-Man after Nick Spencer concluded his run with Green Goblin Returns. Provided you know the basics about Peter Parker being Spider-Man, Zeb Wells makes it easy to pick up here without worrying about what happened before. That is apart from the mystery about why Peter’s been missing for six months, and why he seems to have burned bridges with so many friends. Whatever he’s done, he owes a lot of money and it’s so bad Mary Jane won’t take his calls. Don’t expect answers for another four volumes.

As Spider-Man, the big concern is an impending gang war with the Rose butting up against Tombstone. While the Rose is just a presence, Wells takes the time to bolster Tombstone’s personality and motivations. With the Kingpin out of the way, he’s New York’s head criminal honcho, but more than just a thug in a suit. For a start his life is complicated by caring for his daughter, and a great early scene has Randy Robertson asking Tombstone over dinner whether it’s okay if he proposes to Janice.

John Romita Jr has been a great artist for so long, and he’s on form here, especially laying out those action scenes, showing the sheer brutality Tombstone is capable of and with delicate silhouettes, but some complacency is beginning to creep in. Some faces are strangely distorted, and while he’s never been the best at drawing children, there are a few adults now also out of proportion.

That minor quibble apart, World Without Love is really good Spider-Man. Wells keeps the mysteries bubbling, conceives traps Spider-Man can’t deal with easily, supplies a couple of great surprises and ties up most of the story in this book, which is appreciated. The mysteries, though, remain, and hints continue in New Sinister.