Zeb Wells' Amazing Spider-Man run certainly appears to have divided opinions, but today's issue #35 was just as huge as Marvel Comics has been teasing.
It was Nick Spencer who resurrected the Sin-Eater and, at the behest of Kindred, we later saw him purge Norman Osborn of his sins, setting the former Green Goblin on a righteous path. Redeemed, he'd go on to rebuild Oscorp and found an unexpected ally in Peter Parker before becoming the heroic Gold Goblin.
His evils didn't just vanish from the world, though, and the sinister Beyond Corporation later got their hands on the concentrated physical manifestation of those sins and injected them into Queen Goblin. Those were later removed by Kraven the Hunter and placed inside a spear - meant for Norman - to restore the Green Goblin to his old self. Instead, it ended up being plunged into Spider-Man's soul.
As a result, we've since seen the web-slinger head down a dark path, burying Kraven alive and targeting Mary Jane Watson and her new boyfriend Paul.
In today's Amazing Spider-Man #35, the darkness overcomes Peter and he heads down an increasingly twisted path before Norman, who has allied with Kraven to create a new spear which will remove and absorb those sins, intervenes.
They're removed from a remorseful web-slinger and Kraven vows to magically seal and bury the spear so the Goblin's sins will forever be lost to the world. However, right at the end of the issue, we learn it didn't work and Norman's sins have returned to him.
He's trying to keep the Goblin at bay, but a laugh escapes, and it's clear now there's only so long before this villain makes his full-blown return. With Marvel Comics saying this sets up the next 24 issues, we're guessing it will culminate in the Amazing Spider-Man #60/#953.
The 1000th issue is looming and we're expecting that to be a big one. Whether the Green Goblin will be involved remains to be seen, though most fans are hoping the publisher will take this opportunity to restore Peter and MJ's marriage after years of them being kept apart. We're not going to get our hopes on that front, though.
Check out some spoiler pages from Amazing Spider-Man #35 below.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #35
Written by ZEB WELLS
Art by PATRICK GLEASON
Cover by JOHN ROMITA JR.
• This sets up the next 24 issues of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN.
• Do. Not. Miss. This.