The Death of Spider-Man banner has been gracing the covers of Ultimate Spider-Man and Avengers Vs. New Ultimates for months. Is this the final issue for Peter Parker?
The Good
As I mentioned in my reviews for the last couple issues, Bendis has been doing a great job in writing Peter Parker as a teenage hero doing everything he absolutely can to be a hero. If this is indeed meant to be his final hurrah, he is on his way to go out in a blaze of glory.
Let's be honest for a second. By now, the final fate of Spider-Man should be known. Is he going to actually die or not? Marvel released to information yesterday including an image from the second to last page. Even though the arc is called Death of Spider-Man, it's more about whether or not he actually dies. This story has been about Peter being a hero and willing to go to any means to save the innocent. He knows his life is at stake but because he is a hero, nothing will stop him...except death (if that actually happens).
There were actually a couple moments were I was on the edge of my seat wondering what the fates of other characters would be. Norman Osborn goes all out. He is insane and obsessed with killing Peter. Anyone in the area is in extreme danger.
Bagley's art is great as usual. You get a sense of what Peter is going through as he attempts to put an end to the battle. You can almost feel each punch, explosion and impact on the pages.
The Bad
Spoilers are bad. I mentioned that Marvel spilled the beans yesterday. Were there really any beans to spill? We all have an idea how this will end. The battle and issue does a great job depicting Peter's heroism but I'm not 100% sure how I feel about that final moment. It's a fitting end to this arc and series. I'm not sure where this will go next. The very final page was nice. Maybe I'm just bummed that this is the final issue.
The Verdict
If you have been reading this arc, you already know that Bendis has been delivering a young Peter Parker at his heroic best. We've had months to prepare and now the final issue of the arc is here. Bagley and Bendis deliver a fitting end but it's unfortunate that the outcome was spoiled. Realistically, we all have an idea how it will end. This entire story has been about the journey, as all stories should be. Maybe you'll know how it ends before reading and maybe you don't. What matters is what happens on the way there. We get an epic fight showing what this version of Spider-Man is all about. And that is exactly what I want. I could do without the death of characters though. But that's the nature of the beast.
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