Amazing Spider-Man: Zeb Wells’ penultimate issue is Spider-Man’s "Most brutal fight"

Spider-Man has taken on the Hulk, stopped the Juggernaut, thrown punches at the cosmic Fire Lord, and fought Morlun to the death — but the wall-crawler will face the “most brutal battle” of his life in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man #59, according to Marvel. The penultimate issue of Zeb Wells’ run, which will conclude with an oversized 60th issue in October, pits Spider-Man against the new Kingpin of Crime: Lonnie Lincoln, the marble-skinned gangster known as Tombstone.

Wells’ 58-issue run on the flagship began with the 2022 release Amazing Spider-Man #1, which saw Tombstone and New York’s rival crime lords — Hammerhead, Madame Masque, Mister Negative, Crime Master, Black Mariah, Diamondback, the Owl, and Wilson Fisk’s son, The Rose — stake out their territories after Daredevil ended Fisk’s reign as Kingpin. Following the turf war between Tombstone and The Rose, Wells’ first story arc climaxed with Spider-Man tricking New York’s gang lords into believing he was working with Tombstone to undermine his criminal operations.

The villain returned in Amazing Spider-Man #31 (legacy #925) saw Peter Parker’s friend and former roommate, Randy Robertson, marry Tombstone’s daughter, Janice Lincoln (aka the Beetle). But the wedding was called off after an assassination attempt on Tombstone’s life left the Harlem crime boss temporarily comatose and plunged New York into a city-wide gang war.

It was eventually revealed that Madame Masque made the move against Tombstone in order to destabilize the underworld and seize control of the Maggia from Silvermane and her father, Count Nefaria. Meanwhile, Janice seized control of her father’s territory in Harlem, enforced by her Syndicate, leading to an all-out war that spilled over into the pages of Mile Morales: Spiderman, Daredevil, Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu, Lucas Kooi, Spider WomanAnd Jackpot. Amazing Spider-Man #44 in February ended with Spider-Man and his superhero allies — Luke Cage, She-Hulk, Spider-Woman, Miles Morales, Shang-Chi, Danny Rand, and Daredevil (Elektra) — forming a temporary alliance with Tombstone to end the gang war that nearly cost Randy his life.

After learning that would-be assassin Shotgun was working with a government agency seeking to eliminate Beetle and New York’s other gang leaders, Tombstone neutralized Janice while Spider-Man defeated Madame Masque to end the gang war. Tombstone’s Syndicate took over in the ensuing power vacuum, with Tombstone vowing to beat Spider-Man to death in broad daylight to make the other families forget that he had joined forces with Spider-Man to stop the war.

Most recently, in Amazing Spider-Man #56 (legacy #950), Spider-Man continued to ruin Tombstone’s reputation with the other gangs to make it seem like his alliance with the new Kingpin was still going strong. After Spider-Man thwarted a gun deal in Harlem for his “boss”, Tombstone attempted to kill Peter Parker to send a message to his friend Spider-Man. Peter escaped the beating by stealing Randy’s other superhero friends: his lawyer, She-Hulk, and Mayor Luke Cage. Peter’s alter ego delivered the coup de grace and Spider-Man had Tombstone arrested.

Tombstone pleaded not guilty in court — only to find that Janice had turned the state’s witnesses to testify against her father. The story continues this month Amazing Spider-Man #57 and #58, followed by the “most brutal battle in Spider-Man history” in Amazing Spider-Man #59 in October. Wells closes his run with a special oversized Amazing Spider-Man #60 before handing the reins over to Joe Kelly (Deadpool & Wolverine: WWIII) for the beginning of the “8 Deaths of Spider-Man” saga featuring the new Sorcerer Supreme Doom and Spider-Man’s magical armor, designed by Ed McGuinness.

Below you will find the covers and solicitations for Wells’ latest releases of Amazing Spider-Man:

Amazing Spider-Man #57

Tombstone finds himself in prison after the brutal beatings he dished out and endured in the previous issue. But if you know Tombstone, you know that this isn’t quite the end of a story starring Lonnie Lincoln…

For sale: September 11, 2024

Amazing Spider-Man #58

The most visceral problems in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN history begin here!

For sale: September 25th

Amazing Spider-Man #59

The hand-to-hand battle that began in the previous issue is so big it’s taken over the cover all the way here! Come see John Romita Jr. do what he does best with the most brutal battle in Spider-Man history – SPIDEY VS. TOMBSTONE!

Amazing Spider-Man #60: Zeb Wells’ Final Issue

SPECIAL OVERSIZED FINALE! Zeb Wells bids farewell to the AMAZING SPIDER-MAN in style with his collaborators JOHN ROMITA JR., ED McGUINNESS and a few other special surprise guests. But as one era ends, another begins, as THE EIGHT DEATHS OF SPIDER-MAN gets a special prelude from JOE KELLY!