Is this latest outing truly something that lives up to its official description?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Marvel:

“IN THE MIDST OF WOLVES” PART ONE OF THREE

• Brand new arc! Mysteries come to light as a threat from Mexico comes for Aracely, the girl Scarlet Spider saved in issue ONE.

• An old foe of Spider-Man’s returns, the mutant werewolf CARLOS LOBO… and he’s not alone.

• PLUS: What is the secret of Kaine’s new powers? How did he come back to life after the Grim Hunt? The answers begin here, as everything changes for the man called Kaine.

Since the launch of this stellar series there have been quite a few questions asked but not many answers, especially when it came to the mysterious girl our hero saved in the very first outing.  Aracely is a lost illegal immigrant with very little recollections regarding her past, but now she’s starting to remember things.  And as these bits and pieces come together, enemies surface and the creative team has a proverbial ball with all the players at their disposal.

The script by Chris Yost offers a brief journey but one that’s full of character development for both of these primary leads.  I really enjoyed the voice of Kaine Parker here whether he refers to his “brothers” being smarter than him or his own self-reflection when he just doesn’t understand why he keeps doing what he’s doing, it’s very entertaining. The dialogue is general is sound and if I had to register any minor complaint about the story it would stem from the villains coming off as rather paper-thin.

I have to say the art by Khoi Pham in this issue is his best to date.  The depictions of all the various heroes and villains along with some uniquely designed locations all work in a coherent unison that successfully uplifts the plot.  From the first page to the last panel, I was honestly blown away by some of the shots and various page layouts.

Scarlet Spider #13 is another excellent release that delivers an engaging adventure all the way to its cliffhanger finish.  Recommended.

4/5