The Good

If there's any hero that carries the huge burden of guilt, it's Spider-Man. For this fiftieth anniversary issue, we get some reflection over the death of Uncle Ben. It may be something we've seen Spider-Man talk about but we don't often see him talk to Aunt May about it. We know about the guilt Peter carries but we haven't seen much of the days after the death of Ben. This was the moment that defined who Spider-Man is today. He was completely self centered after gaining his powers and it was Ben's death that made him the hero he is today.

This issue also continues to show what a rock Aunt May is. In her conversation, she starts to reveal a little too much information but it adds to the fun of the story. This issue may not change the direction of Spider-Man but it serves as an important reminder to who he is. He does get a little more closure just because Aunt May is such a strong character. And of course there's the part about him trying to explain to her why he blames himself for Ben's death.

There's also a GREAT cover by Chris Samnee and Javier Rodriguez.

The Bad

I normally dig Steve Dillon's art but it just wasn't a good fit for this story. You always get a lot of expression from the way he draws characters' eyes but the first time we see Peter out of costume is almost startling. For an issue without a lot of Spider-Man action, the art became a big distraction in this story.

It's understandable to have so many 'anniversary' issues this month but there's been too many. We've been seeing "point 1" issues for Spider-Man series that haven't been published for a while. Most of them have just been 'okay.' All of these 'okay' stories make this feel like just another anniversary story. That's unfortunate because with an art style that was a better fit for this story, it could have had the chance to shine.

The Verdict

It's Spider-Man's fiftieth anniversary and we're getting a load of anniversary stories this month. Zeb Wells takes the opportunity to showcase a team-up with Peter Parker and Aunt May. Spider-Man is the hero he is today because of the death of his Uncle Ben. This is something that we all know. While Peter has expressed his guilt many times over the years, we get a touching look at how he is still trying to deal with the burden and his attempt to fully convey this to Aunt May. Steve Dillon is a skilled artist but his style wasn't the best fit for an issue that was lighter on the action and more about the dialogue between Peter and May. It's unfortunate that we've had so many anniversary issues this month as this one could easily get mixed among the others. It's a touching story that shows how important Spider-Man's origin is as well as the need for Aunt May in his life.