What do you think?
Rate this book
The Amazing Spider-Man: The Gauntlet
The Amazing Spider-Man: The Gauntlet, Vol. 2: Rhino & Mysterio
The Gauntlet continues to close around Spider-Man in this heartbreaking story of love, loss, and lust for power as the Rhino charges into Spider-Man's life, out to make a name for himself...by killing the Rhino? And, How long can Mysterio play with Spidey's head before the web-slinger finally snaps?! The mind games keep ratcheting up as the body count goes up, down, and...into the negatives? Some bad guys just won't die and others can't stay dead! So which long-thought deceased Spider-Man character is back now?!
Collects Amazing Spider-Man #617-621 and material from Web of Spider-Man #3-4.
Collects Amazing Spider-Man #617-621 and material from Web of Spider-Man #3-4.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
14 people are currently reading
351 people want to read
About the author
Joe Kelly
1,018 books211 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
April 25, 2015
This is particularly worth reading for the Rhino part of the tale...normally, I think of Joe Kelly as a guy who'll make me laugh, but every once in a while, he goes in a different direction with great success (see, for example, I Kill Giants). Here, he tugs at the heartstrings with a tale of redemption for a guy who knows he doesn't deserve it and can't get it, but gives it a shot anyway. I might have gotten a little dust in my eyes reading this one. First (and perhaps only) time I've ever cared about the Rhino.
February 19, 2022
This was a fun storyline!
Spider-man has to protect the old Rhino from the new one as we see the old one has a new gf in Oksana and seems he has reformed and its fun to see but the next storyline is when Mysterio comes in and he is controlling the Maggia acting as if he is Silverman and on the other hand you have Mr Negative and its a turf-war and we also see May undergoing change from Mr Negative and the subplot there but the big story with whatever Mysterio has planned for Negative and Maggia and how he tricks spider-man using Illusion and the drama there and the big fight and its amazing the way its done and you really see Spidey being tricked in a weird way but with the help of Yuri Watanabe and Carlie, he is able to overcome it and defeat his arch foe!
Its a great story and just shows Pete has evolved over the various battles he had with Beck and also Mysterio has also evolved upgrading his illusions and what not and its fun, a psychological battle and a fun new status quo for Rhino and also Ana Kravinoff planning something in the background! Carlie and her father have a fun story and that also continues her upward character progression and I kinda liked it!
Its a fun story and the writers really bring their A-game and continue the gauntlet challenge for Pete and through that show some of his most dangerous foes in new and exciting ways! The art is okay for the most part tho.
Spider-man has to protect the old Rhino from the new one as we see the old one has a new gf in Oksana and seems he has reformed and its fun to see but the next storyline is when Mysterio comes in and he is controlling the Maggia acting as if he is Silverman and on the other hand you have Mr Negative and its a turf-war and we also see May undergoing change from Mr Negative and the subplot there but the big story with whatever Mysterio has planned for Negative and Maggia and how he tricks spider-man using Illusion and the drama there and the big fight and its amazing the way its done and you really see Spidey being tricked in a weird way but with the help of Yuri Watanabe and Carlie, he is able to overcome it and defeat his arch foe!
Its a great story and just shows Pete has evolved over the various battles he had with Beck and also Mysterio has also evolved upgrading his illusions and what not and its fun, a psychological battle and a fun new status quo for Rhino and also Ana Kravinoff planning something in the background! Carlie and her father have a fun story and that also continues her upward character progression and I kinda liked it!
Its a fun story and the writers really bring their A-game and continue the gauntlet challenge for Pete and through that show some of his most dangerous foes in new and exciting ways! The art is okay for the most part tho.
October 30, 2018
"Long Halloween" part two.
World: The art is solid, it's stylish and the art is expressive making the characters and their moments mean something and I like that. The world building is also solid with a lot of time spent on the rogues as much as Spidey and that makes for a world and therefore a story with more weight and reader empathy.
Story: The Rhino story is pretty great, much like Electro last book this event is allowing more time for the depth and background of these rogues to come into play and that makes the action much more meaningful than just the same old same old. The Mysterio story is a bit more bland and by the numbers but overall it was fun.
Characters: Peter needs forward moment and I've said that already so I'll just do that. His harem of women he has on his hook is rather unsettling though. The rogues get some good depth here and I rather enjoyed it, especially the Rhino issues. Mysterio is Mysterio but there was a but more depth there and it was nice.
A solid second part.
Onward to the next book!
World: The art is solid, it's stylish and the art is expressive making the characters and their moments mean something and I like that. The world building is also solid with a lot of time spent on the rogues as much as Spidey and that makes for a world and therefore a story with more weight and reader empathy.
Story: The Rhino story is pretty great, much like Electro last book this event is allowing more time for the depth and background of these rogues to come into play and that makes the action much more meaningful than just the same old same old. The Mysterio story is a bit more bland and by the numbers but overall it was fun.
Characters: Peter needs forward moment and I've said that already so I'll just do that. His harem of women he has on his hook is rather unsettling though. The rogues get some good depth here and I rather enjoyed it, especially the Rhino issues. Mysterio is Mysterio but there was a but more depth there and it was nice.
A solid second part.
Onward to the next book!
April 25, 2018
Pretty solid. I really liked the Rhino story. The mysterio story was decent but not as good.
February 28, 2011
I've been reading Spider-Man off and on since I discovered the character on the Electric Company. It's a lot easier (and more affordable) these days to just keep up with the character by checking these collections of various story arcs out of the library.
But as with classic "Doctor Who" serials I have to consistently remind myself that these stories weren't meant to be read in one big gulp, but instead were meant to be read with a bit of time to allow the stories to breath in between.
The current storyline finds a host of Spidey's famous foes coming back to haunt him, just as his life as Peter Parker is going to hell in a handbasket. This one features the return of two of what I'd call the second-tier of Spidey villians, the Rhino and Mysterio. Of the two storylines, the Rhino story is the far more affecting and interesting. The Myesterio one seems like it's working too hard to set some things up for the longer story arc with various mobsters plotting to take over the underworld of New York and fighting for territory.
And while the storylines themselves are good, the artwork is frustrating at times. It changes so much from issue to issue. Again, I grew up on reprints of the early days of the comic and during a time when the art work went for a more realistic tone and look. The current look of many Spidey comics leaves me cold and this collection has a couple of exceptions. I know artists want to put their mark on things, but it'd still be nice of characters are consistently drawn from issue to issue.
But as with classic "Doctor Who" serials I have to consistently remind myself that these stories weren't meant to be read in one big gulp, but instead were meant to be read with a bit of time to allow the stories to breath in between.
The current storyline finds a host of Spidey's famous foes coming back to haunt him, just as his life as Peter Parker is going to hell in a handbasket. This one features the return of two of what I'd call the second-tier of Spidey villians, the Rhino and Mysterio. Of the two storylines, the Rhino story is the far more affecting and interesting. The Myesterio one seems like it's working too hard to set some things up for the longer story arc with various mobsters plotting to take over the underworld of New York and fighting for territory.
And while the storylines themselves are good, the artwork is frustrating at times. It changes so much from issue to issue. Again, I grew up on reprints of the early days of the comic and during a time when the art work went for a more realistic tone and look. The current look of many Spidey comics leaves me cold and this collection has a couple of exceptions. I know artists want to put their mark on things, but it'd still be nice of characters are consistently drawn from issue to issue.
October 5, 2016
Μεχρι και αυτον τον τομο, πιστευα οτι η τελευταια καλη ιστορια του Spiderman ηταν το Kraven's Last Hunt.
Εδω ο Joe Kelly (ο ανθρωπος που μας εδωσε τον Deadpool που ολοι ξερουμε) γραφει μια ιστορια με τον Rhino και δινει ρεστα.
Ο υπολοιπος τομος ειναι τετραστερο, ωραια πλοκη με τον Mysterio να επιστρεφει σε μια ιστορια με πολλες ανατροπες που θυμιζει συγχρονη Marvel και ταυτοχρονα κουβαλαει την ενεργεια των παλιων Spiderman που προσπαθει να πιασει το reboot του Brand New Day.
Εδω ο Joe Kelly (ο ανθρωπος που μας εδωσε τον Deadpool που ολοι ξερουμε) γραφει μια ιστορια με τον Rhino και δινει ρεστα.
Ο υπολοιπος τομος ειναι τετραστερο, ωραια πλοκη με τον Mysterio να επιστρεφει σε μια ιστορια με πολλες ανατροπες που θυμιζει συγχρονη Marvel και ταυτοχρονα κουβαλαει την ενεργεια των παλιων Spiderman που προσπαθει να πιασει το reboot του Brand New Day.
June 20, 2014
3.5. It was hard to decide whether to mark down or up, but overall, saying this was one star behind absolutely amazing seemed a bit far-fetched. I found both the Rhino story (except for the intro) & Mysterio story pretty captivating. In fact, it loses points for being too captivating & then leaving incredible loose ends - the Robo-Rhino, Aunt May's dark side - though I know this is vol. 2 & there's probably a vol. 3, & even if there's not, the actual arcs would have been continued in the full series. But still. This is packaged as a congruent collection, & having these points which are made major within left unresolved is annoying.
Anyway, I wish I read vol. 1 first, & I will be on the lookout for vol. 3... this book reminds me how easy it is to read Spidey. More often than not, his comics are probably my favourite to just sit down & have a good time with. There was some great art in here, too!
Anyway, I wish I read vol. 1 first, & I will be on the lookout for vol. 3... this book reminds me how easy it is to read Spidey. More often than not, his comics are probably my favourite to just sit down & have a good time with. There was some great art in here, too!
July 1, 2020
The Story behind the rhino and his current life should have been a bit more detailed. Looking at Nick Spencer's current run "Haunted" a great example is the Gibbon story and how that's been pushed into a back and forth going panel with the current timeline.
Rhino is a bad guy with a good heart and someone that's just looking for a better life. It deserved more pages and is all in all way more interesting than mysterio.
Rhino should have gotten it's own book, just like Lizard has later on this run.
The art style is nice, it's diverse and has enough details. It's not as clean as I like but it's good.
It's worth the read just for the Rhino part. The mysterio stuff is more than decent.
Cannot give this 5 stars, but its well worth my time
Rhino is a bad guy with a good heart and someone that's just looking for a better life. It deserved more pages and is all in all way more interesting than mysterio.
Rhino should have gotten it's own book, just like Lizard has later on this run.
The art style is nice, it's diverse and has enough details. It's not as clean as I like but it's good.
It's worth the read just for the Rhino part. The mysterio stuff is more than decent.
Cannot give this 5 stars, but its well worth my time
August 7, 2025
"blah blah BULLET PROOF (big word) STOPS A 125MM TANK SHELL -- BUT THOSE blah blah OLD WOMEN AT THE blah blah blah WOULDN'T LET US ($10 phrase) ON HUMANS -- BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU, THE yadda yadda yadda IS PERFECTLY SAFE!"
- An ex-soviet scientist describing his work to Rhino, who's being super attentive.
Rhino recounts his early days as a professional douchebag/super-villain. How he gained his "powers" turned himself in, pleaad guilty, did time, got out, found love, and reformed his life into something worthwhile.
Mysterio plays a bunch of mind games on everyone. Something happens to Aunt May and she turns into a major see-you-next-tuesday; being super rude and kicking people out of her house.
Very good. More set-up for the next groups of villains. Four stars.
- An ex-soviet scientist describing his work to Rhino, who's being super attentive.
Rhino recounts his early days as a professional douchebag/super-villain. How he gained his "powers" turned himself in, pleaad guilty, did time, got out, found love, and reformed his life into something worthwhile.
Mysterio plays a bunch of mind games on everyone. Something happens to Aunt May and she turns into a major see-you-next-tuesday; being super rude and kicking people out of her house.
Very good. More set-up for the next groups of villains. Four stars.
July 5, 2024
OK, The Gauntlet rocks. These are THE best Mysterio stories since Amazing Spider-Man #66-67, I kid you not. Dan Slott and Marcos Martin knocked this one right out of the park. I have finally figured out why ASM has been resonating with me since the 'reboot' some 70-odd issues ago, and that is the fact that there is actual joy in this title. Sure, Peter Parker gets knocked upside the head by life, but he never gets as morose as he did during J. Michael Straczinski's run. There is joy in this title, and there is joy to be had in reading this title, and that is something that has been missing from many Marvel titles for far too long. Hopefully the forthcoming Heroic Age will rectify this.
January 29, 2018
A short collection that contains my all-time favorite Spidey versus Mysterio story - one that held up ever better on a second read (I read it the first time in monthly comics form). The Spider-Man books were really on a creative high point during these years - with the series playing like the crime thrillers during the Lee/Romita years crossed with the colorful villains of the Ditko era. Forget all of the Civil Wars nonsense that came before and whatever in God's name the series is like now ... these are fun, quickly paced, and exciting superhero comics for any reader.
April 30, 2023
3.5 stars
Always love a good Mysterio story because you know it's going to be a wild ride. And this one was no different. Bringing back a bunch of people from the dead, making it seem like Spider-Man is killing people. It was a captivating story and I really enjoyed it!
The Rhino story was pretty good too, protecting the old Rhino from the new. The art really varies between these two stories, but I wasn't necessarily mad about it. We have some loose ends throughout, but that's to be expected with a longer storyline like this one. Hopefully they figure out what's going on with Aunt May!
Always love a good Mysterio story because you know it's going to be a wild ride. And this one was no different. Bringing back a bunch of people from the dead, making it seem like Spider-Man is killing people. It was a captivating story and I really enjoyed it!
The Rhino story was pretty good too, protecting the old Rhino from the new. The art really varies between these two stories, but I wasn't necessarily mad about it. We have some loose ends throughout, but that's to be expected with a longer storyline like this one. Hopefully they figure out what's going on with Aunt May!
March 22, 2019
Wow, I have been away from Spider-Man for a long long time. Did not recognize Aunt May at all and still not clear what is up with Peter and all the women in his life. Thanks to Comixology Unlimited I have read the Gauntlet Books 1 and 2, to get a brief look into Spider-Man. I quit reading Spider-Man back in the Rocket Racer days. Might have to check out a few more. Will probably never catch up, too many years away.
July 11, 2019
Continuing the longer storyline of the Gauntlet with this book, but more and more it feels like calling all this The Gauntley made more sense in hindsight after all the stories came out and not so much when they were plotting out the story. Things still feel disjoint and highly episodic in structure and not all that strongly tied. I appreciated the Mysterio story because he's a fun quirky villain but the earlier bit tied to Rhino wasn't quite as compelling.
February 4, 2026
It was a 7/10. I'm technically missing some context since I wanted to read this gauntlet storyline and obviously there's a lot of things prior that lead up to this, but not so much that I can't enjoy the read. The art was good and enjoyed the various little origin stories. I've never thought of rhino was a interesting character, but I enjoyed his stories. The idea of Spider-Man facing so many villians one after the other is really giving a kind of Batman Hush feel to it.
December 29, 2017
The Mysterio story reminded me of the glory days of Lee & Ditko. The artwork also put me in mind of Al Milgrom's work on "Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man." Overall I enjoyed this collection.
November 22, 2020
Spider-Man: The Gauntlet
Vol. 2 was even more intense. Mysterio was one hell of a mess up villain. But as usual Spider wins the day.
Vol. 2 was even more intense. Mysterio was one hell of a mess up villain. But as usual Spider wins the day.
May 11, 2021
Not a big fan of the gauntlet storyline but there is a couple of good reinventions off various villains this issue is one of the better in the arch, the redemption of the rhinal is quite sweet
March 10, 2022
Loved the Rhino issues but the Mysterio plot was split in a really boring way with a Mr. Negative plot and I couldn't care less about Mr. Negative so it took me forever to finish.
January 13, 2023
Loved the Mysterio storyline, laughed out loud when he pretended he was Spider-Man’s cousin. This has been really fun to read, which is like my best case scenario for a Spider-Man comic.
April 25, 2023
This was worth it just for the Rhino story alone. Didn’t think I would ever find him to be very interesting. The Mysterio story was fun but I still could so far care less about Mr. Negative.
April 27, 2023
I was so confused through the Mysterio part but I loved the banter between Peter and Beck at the end of it.
But Black Cat is not my fav and she stars in the last issue so my end feeling is meh.
But Black Cat is not my fav and she stars in the last issue so my end feeling is meh.
March 10, 2025
Me encantan las historias de Spider-Man cuando aparece el Sr. Negativo , necesito que el sea el villano de spider-man 4
October 22, 2025
Keyifli bir cit daha. İlk meydan okuma cildinde olduğu burda da Spider-man eski düşmanları tekrar karşımıza çıkıyor. Rhino' nun değişimi ve mysterio'nun mafya ile bağlantılı hikayesi güzeldi. 4/5
August 5, 2011
I really enjoyed this second arc of the larger Gauntlet storyline (which itself still seems to be going no-where, referred to a number of times throughout this collection as 'seemingly unrelated incidents').
The Rhino story is a nice touch, watching Aleksi trying to move on in a new crime-free life. After Sandman's relapse last collection I really hope they let him move on (and the new tech-based Rhino seems pretty menacing). Pete's way of handling it also makes up for his 'punch first, question later' approach to Electro last time.
Then we move onto a complex, twisty Mysterio story tying in many of the recent ongoing plot lines involving Silvermane and the mob, Mr Negative and a whole bunch of people who should be dead. Fun, slightly confusing and a great use of Mysterio. Also, Carly gets more story to play with and has some nice moments with Pete. The first issue had a lot of Stan Lee-esque internal monologue description of what people where doing and thinking (which I don't like seeing in modern comics) but it swiftly moved on.
Overall, a great collection and despite no clear direction of where Gauntlet is going it's fun. Some great visuals too.
The Rhino story is a nice touch, watching Aleksi trying to move on in a new crime-free life. After Sandman's relapse last collection I really hope they let him move on (and the new tech-based Rhino seems pretty menacing). Pete's way of handling it also makes up for his 'punch first, question later' approach to Electro last time.
Then we move onto a complex, twisty Mysterio story tying in many of the recent ongoing plot lines involving Silvermane and the mob, Mr Negative and a whole bunch of people who should be dead. Fun, slightly confusing and a great use of Mysterio. Also, Carly gets more story to play with and has some nice moments with Pete. The first issue had a lot of Stan Lee-esque internal monologue description of what people where doing and thinking (which I don't like seeing in modern comics) but it swiftly moved on.
Overall, a great collection and despite no clear direction of where Gauntlet is going it's fun. Some great visuals too.
January 25, 2013
This trade collects Amazing Spider-Man issues # 617-621 and material from Web of Spider-Man #3 and 4.
So far The Gauntlet has been a very weird "event." The connectivity of Spider-Man's encounters is entirely behind the scenes. With both Spider-Man and the villains he's facing unaware of the manipulative forces at work the stories really don't feel like they form a cohesive whole.
On the other hand, the stories themselves have been very good. This trade features two of my favorites. We get a surprisingly fantastic character study featuring Rhino, followed by a layered game of smoke and mirrors involving Mr. Negative, the mafia, and Mysterio. Interspersed are origin stories for each of the titular villains.
The Rhino story is short but relatively deep with some nice "twists" and great characterization. Mysterio's longer arc is complicated, but well told and one of the most interesting uses of the character I've read. The origins are decent little side-bars.
So overall a great collection of stories part of a bafflingly off the mark crossover event. Recommended, with or without any other Gauntlet trades.
So far The Gauntlet has been a very weird "event." The connectivity of Spider-Man's encounters is entirely behind the scenes. With both Spider-Man and the villains he's facing unaware of the manipulative forces at work the stories really don't feel like they form a cohesive whole.
On the other hand, the stories themselves have been very good. This trade features two of my favorites. We get a surprisingly fantastic character study featuring Rhino, followed by a layered game of smoke and mirrors involving Mr. Negative, the mafia, and Mysterio. Interspersed are origin stories for each of the titular villains.
The Rhino story is short but relatively deep with some nice "twists" and great characterization. Mysterio's longer arc is complicated, but well told and one of the most interesting uses of the character I've read. The origins are decent little side-bars.
So overall a great collection of stories part of a bafflingly off the mark crossover event. Recommended, with or without any other Gauntlet trades.
September 19, 2011
I was really pumped up after volume one of this series. And I very much enjoyed the story of the Rhino that started this book. I found that it was consistent with the tone and themes that I enjoyed from the previous. However, the Mysterio story line fell flat for me.
I very much enjoy seeing the Rhino as a villain who has turned his life around and struggling with internal conflicts as his old life comes crashing into his new one.
I have yet to see a characterization of Mysterio that I like. If anyone knows of a good Mysterio story, let me know. Unless you thought this was a good Mysterio story, than don't bother. His motivations are weak, the art doesn't lend itself to the reader knowing what is going on, and it just seems so unrealistic that the suspension of disbelief is difficult. He's a guy, with a horrible fishbowl costume, sitting in a room full of pointless fog with bubble TV monitors floating all around him. Who is thinking this is a good idea?!?
If you are reading these issue by issue, I recommend picking up the Rhino story and skipping the Mysterio mess.
I very much enjoy seeing the Rhino as a villain who has turned his life around and struggling with internal conflicts as his old life comes crashing into his new one.
I have yet to see a characterization of Mysterio that I like. If anyone knows of a good Mysterio story, let me know. Unless you thought this was a good Mysterio story, than don't bother. His motivations are weak, the art doesn't lend itself to the reader knowing what is going on, and it just seems so unrealistic that the suspension of disbelief is difficult. He's a guy, with a horrible fishbowl costume, sitting in a room full of pointless fog with bubble TV monitors floating all around him. Who is thinking this is a good idea?!?
If you are reading these issue by issue, I recommend picking up the Rhino story and skipping the Mysterio mess.
April 29, 2013
The Rhino story is definitely worth reading - slightly tragic, mostly compelling, definitely not the usual 60's villain. I really feel for the guy, want to see him rise above his station and his history. Fiumara's art is cartoonish but also expressive and entertaining. Kelly continues to write well with a twist of sly humour I love, but here he treats the Rhino with respect we don't usually see.
The Mysterio story is pretty awesome - hard to track who's working with whom, at a pace of plotting I'm not expecting from Slott. It's not that the story doesn't have room to breathe, but that every time we see villains it's like the writer hasn't hammered us over the head with whose motivation and plot is whose. Mr. Negative continues to surprise - keep this up and he'll earn a place in the Permanent Spidey pantheon among the greats.
The fun is in the subplots, with Carlie Cooper and Aunt May both taking some unexpected turns. The real fun tho is in the short origin stories published for each of the featured villains.
The Mysterio story is pretty awesome - hard to track who's working with whom, at a pace of plotting I'm not expecting from Slott. It's not that the story doesn't have room to breathe, but that every time we see villains it's like the writer hasn't hammered us over the head with whose motivation and plot is whose. Mr. Negative continues to surprise - keep this up and he'll earn a place in the Permanent Spidey pantheon among the greats.
The fun is in the subplots, with Carlie Cooper and Aunt May both taking some unexpected turns. The real fun tho is in the short origin stories published for each of the featured villains.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews