Review: Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #24, escaping death

Ahead of the series finale, we review The Scarlet Spider #24 where Ben must survive a living hell in order to save a little kid.

Every superhero is willing to do anything in order to save a life. It doesn’t matter how hard it gets, they’ll take on any challenge if it means they can create a better world for someone. And that’s just the case here with the Scarlet Spider.

Ben Reilly is trying his best in order to save Abigail, but he’s also struggling with doing it in a heroic way. Because the truth is he’s still a villain inside, even if he’s trying to act like a hero. So with the main character trying to do some good while every now and then showing his true dark nature, we have an issue that is both complex and really entertaining.

The good

This issue puts Ben in a really interesting position. He must survive for an hour in a world where everyone believes he didn’t give the cure to Abigail and instead sold it in order to get more money. As you can guess, not everyone is happy with what they believe Ben did, and so they try to take him down for his selfishness. This is a really creative concept that manages to put the hero in a difficult situation. Ben must survive his friends trying to kill him while also doing his best not to hurt them. For this reason, this issue was an entertaining read all the way through. It used the super-natural theme the series is used to by now at its best, and it showed how Ben can really be both a hero and a villain.

More from Spider-Man

• Madame Web trailer finally introduces an important Spider-Man character
• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 spoiler review: Does the game live up to the hype?
• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for PS5 Easter Eggs guide
• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 reviews are finally here
• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 release trailer packs shocking surprises

The illustrations are at its best when showing how acrobatic The Scarlet Spider really is. The movement and flow of the hero are depicted brilliantly. And it also helps that this whole issue feels like one big chase scene, where Ben needs to use his powers the most he can. Moreover, the ending was something unpredictable and it sets up the next issue in a really great way.

The comic relief is timed perfectly, and it sure helps this overall darker issue. There aren’t too many jokes to make the whole situation feel less intense but just enough to give you a break of what’s going on sometimes.

The bad

Unfortunately, not everything is perfect and this can be noticed in some illustrations. For some reason, the proportions of the characters don’t feel right in a lot of panels. There’s one, for example, where Ben’s arm is really small compared to the rest of his body (and there are more examples of this). Also, some facial expressions leave a lot to be desired sometimes. They feel really simplistic and cartoony sometimes, but not in a good way. The illustrations are very hit or miss here, and even if some of them look great, others don’t.

Overall, the story presented in this issue is both something new and interesting. It adds certain intensity to the whole issue, making it more fun to read. Scarlet Spider’s movements look good and the jokes are a nice comic relief. The ending is great in many ways, and this issue is a must read for every Ben Reilly fan even in the illustrations are a bit off sometimes.

Are you excited for the grand finale? Let us know in the comments below! And be sure to stick around with Whatever A Spider Can for everything Spider-Man related.