Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #7 review: building blocks

Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #6 was a near-perfect comic book that closed the opening arc of the wall-crawler's latest saga in the best way possible. So far, the series has presented one of the best Spider-Man stories fans could read in recent memory. With that in mind, issue #7 had the difficult task of keeping the flawless streak going. But did it manage to succeed? Or did it fall a little bit flat? Well, it's time to find out as we review Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #7.

Foreshadowing everywhere

Right out of the gate, one of the first illustrations readers will come across is that of Otto Octavius standing in front of a small screen connected to four large cables. It's a brilliantly drawn panel that makes it appear as if tentacle arms are coming out of Otto's back - foreshadowing his future transformation into Doc Ock. That image perfectly sums up what this issue of Ultimate Spider-Man is about; setting the pieces up for greater things to come.

What will become of that fragment of Spider-Man's picotech suit taken by Otto? What story did Robbie Robertson share with Ben and J. Jonah Jameson? What's Wilson Fisk's true plan to take down the heroes that stand in his way? What role will Iron Man have in the story now that he's back? Those are all incredibly intriguing questions, with seemingly more exciting answers. It seems readers might be looking at the possible origins of Venom and the Sinister Six (and, if you've read issue #8, then you know whether one of those is true or not). However, no direct answers are given to any of those mysteries in issue #7, which is one unfortunate weakness.

All great stories need to be set up

Up until this point, Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) has mostly taken things slow; building towards an incredibly ambitious and exciting storyline. However, previous issues have one great advantage that this one lacks, which is the inclusion of heartwarming human moments. Little details such as Ben and Jonah sharing a beer, May picking Spidey's suit colors, and M.J. giving a name to the friendly neighborhood hero all elevated the saga to a whole new level. Unfortunately, there isn't a moment like those in this issue to provide it with a unique identity.

It's then, that Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #7 becomes all about setting things up for upcoming entries. Is that something inherently bad? Absolutely not. Especially if you've read this story at a point where issue #8 is already out to keep binge-reading. However, waiting a complete month just to be hit with a story that begs to be resolved in the future without giving you something "extra" along the way may be a little disappointing.

There is also a little bit of action here, but it comes in the form of Peter and Harry testing their Stark suits - meaning there are no true stakes involved. However, there's one aspect where the series maintains its (usual) quality, and that is with Marco Checchetto's art. Seriously, does this man ever miss? At this point, he's been in charge of bringing to life five issues out of seven, and they all look absolutely flawless with special attention to the smallest of details. Hats off to him for always being so spot-on.

Verdict: a necessary step

Overall, Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #7 is far away from being a bad read, by all means. It's very enjoyable even if it may be the weakest link in the chain so far. However, thanks to it, many pieces are now set for incredibly exciting and promising storylines to come in the future, which is everything we can ask for. It is then, that this issue becomes a necessary step, even if it lacks a little of the identity its predecessors had.

Issue #9 of Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) will be released on September 25. But before that date comes, we'll review issue #8 so that we're up-to-date with the saga. So be sure to stick with Whatever A Spider Can for more comic book reviews and everything Spider-Man-related!