Last summer, I reread all of Nick Spencer's Amazing Spider-Man. I figure it's a good time to reread Wells.
This is going to start with Spider-Man: Beyond where he is very much a head writer.
There were two prelude stories.
Free Comic Book Day: Spider-Man/Venom (2021) #1
An upgraded Spider-Man tackles D-lister Bushwacker with the help of the Beyond Corporation. The story ends with the reveal that Ben Reilly is the new Spider-Man. It's 8 pages. The fight has decent quips and there is some tension as this Spider-Man determines just how good his tech is.
B+
"Janine" from Amazing Spider-Man #74
The Beyond Corporation gets Ben Reilly's ex out of jail. Ivan Firelli's art clashes a bit with Gleason's lead story, but it works for something lighter that still has a hint of menace.
A
Amazing Spider-Man #75 also had two back-up stories. "Kafka" by Zeb Wells and Ivan Fiorelli explains Ashley Kafka's involvement in Beyond, while Love & Monsters by Kelly Thompson and Travel Foreman bring Misty Knight & Colleen Wing into the series as the heroes for hire. Both are solid intros to new supporting characters.
B+
And now for the main story...
Amazing Spider-Man #75-76
This sets up the status quo pretty well. The Beyond Corporation has bought Peter's assets after the Parker Industries mess, including the Spider-Man identity. Ben Reilly takes over as the new Spider-Man, and initially clashes with Peter. They fight the U-Foes and Peter is poisoned. A hospitalized Peter gives Ben his blessing to continue as Spider-Man, but is more injuted then he lets on.
The story navigates an awkward relationship and gets some essential scenes out of the way, so that there's a status quo can be comfortable with and interested by. It would be different without Peter's blessing, although the initial conflict is mainly due to Ben Reilly messing up and there's a bit of a sense that this was all done.
There's one scene I really liked where Peter sees the Ben Reilly Spider-Man swinging, and the coloring seems to be an obvious 90s clone saga homage.
I remember thinking it was a bit similar to Superior Spider-Man with someone else taking over an omnibus, but it doesn't feel like a retread since everyone knows why Peter is out of action.
Details I like in the story include Ben and Peter making the same joke against the U-Foes snd the motif of the danger being inside Peter.
B+