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Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (2009) (Collected Editions)
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 4: Death of Spider-Man
The wait is over!! THE most shocking Spider-Man story you will ever read! Young Peter Parker has led a heroic life and tried to live by the simple and powerful philosophy that with great power comes great responsibility, but will that philosophy be enough to save him from the horror that awaits him here? This is easily the most important story in Ultimate Spider-Man history and maybe the most important story in the Ultimate Universe. Who better to illustrate it than Ultimate Spider-Man legend MARK BAGLEY, making his mighty Marvel return!! Bendis and Bagley back together again and just-in-time!!
196 pages, Paperback
First published November 28, 2012
39 people are currently reading
993 people want to read
About the author
Brian Michael Bendis
4,417 books2,571 followersA comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim (including five Eisner Awards) and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics. For over eight years Bendis’s books have consistently sat in the top five best sellers on the nationwide comic and graphic novel sales charts.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
April 28, 2012
I’ve been a pretty vocal critic of the major comic publishers' habit of stunt killing major characters to get a boost in publicity and sales. This seems like it should fall squarely in that category. It doesn’t.
I’m a little shocked at the emotional impact this book had on me. Yeah, I’ve been a Spider-Man fan since I was a kid and you‘d think the ‘death‘ of one of your long time favorites would hit even a comic nerd in the squishy emotional places we don‘t like to admit to having, but I’ve been through several of these superhero snuffings at this point so I thought I’d be able to read this while keeping an ironic distance. Then I figured I would write up a smart-ass review about making bets on how long it will be before Marvel resurrects him.
I won’t be doing that.
Normon Osborn, better known as The Green Goblin, has been a constant danger to Peter Parker since the beginning of the series because he knows that he’s really Spider-Man. When Osborn stages a destructive break-out from SHIELD custody, he also frees some of Spidey’s biggest foes: Dr. Octopus, Vulture, Electro, Sandman and Kraven. Their plan is to go to immediately to Peter’s house and kill him along with anyone else who happens to be there.
The Ultimates are too busy fighting their own black-ops Avengers team that’s gone rogue to be of any help. Spider-Man gets caught in their crossfire while saving another hero and is badly wounded. Most people would just fall over and wait for an ambulance, but most people aren’t Peter Parker who was once taught a hard lesson about power and responsibility.
Critically injured, outnumbered and alone, Spider-Man fights a pack of supervillains in front of his home to save Aunt May, Mary Jane and the rest of his friends. You can tell from the title how it ends.
Two reasons this is the first superhero death to really get to me: First, because this occurs in Marvel’s Ultimate line, I think this one may actually stick. They’ve already worked out a story for a replacement Spider-Man who is not Peter Parker, and by doing this in the Ultimate universe, they can still have him in the original Marvel stories yet actually allow Peter’s death to play out with consequences in the Ultimate line.
Second, the Ultimate version of Peter Parker has been around long enough to build up his own stories, and I’ve really enjoyed what they’ve done with the character. By taking Spidey back to his high school roots, Marvel not only gave us an updated origin story without decades of history about Venom or clones or retconned weddings, they returned to the essence of Peter Parker as Spider-Man. Guess what. He was a good guy. A really good guy. I’m going to miss him.
Now we just have to hope that Marvel will know better than to screw up Peter’s story by bringing him back.
I’m a little shocked at the emotional impact this book had on me. Yeah, I’ve been a Spider-Man fan since I was a kid and you‘d think the ‘death‘ of one of your long time favorites would hit even a comic nerd in the squishy emotional places we don‘t like to admit to having, but I’ve been through several of these superhero snuffings at this point so I thought I’d be able to read this while keeping an ironic distance. Then I figured I would write up a smart-ass review about making bets on how long it will be before Marvel resurrects him.
I won’t be doing that.
Normon Osborn, better known as The Green Goblin, has been a constant danger to Peter Parker since the beginning of the series because he knows that he’s really Spider-Man. When Osborn stages a destructive break-out from SHIELD custody, he also frees some of Spidey’s biggest foes: Dr. Octopus, Vulture, Electro, Sandman and Kraven. Their plan is to go to immediately to Peter’s house and kill him along with anyone else who happens to be there.
The Ultimates are too busy fighting their own black-ops Avengers team that’s gone rogue to be of any help. Spider-Man gets caught in their crossfire while saving another hero and is badly wounded. Most people would just fall over and wait for an ambulance, but most people aren’t Peter Parker who was once taught a hard lesson about power and responsibility.
Critically injured, outnumbered and alone, Spider-Man fights a pack of supervillains in front of his home to save Aunt May, Mary Jane and the rest of his friends. You can tell from the title how it ends.
Two reasons this is the first superhero death to really get to me: First, because this occurs in Marvel’s Ultimate line, I think this one may actually stick. They’ve already worked out a story for a replacement Spider-Man who is not Peter Parker, and by doing this in the Ultimate universe, they can still have him in the original Marvel stories yet actually allow Peter’s death to play out with consequences in the Ultimate line.
Second, the Ultimate version of Peter Parker has been around long enough to build up his own stories, and I’ve really enjoyed what they’ve done with the character. By taking Spidey back to his high school roots, Marvel not only gave us an updated origin story without decades of history about Venom or clones or retconned weddings, they returned to the essence of Peter Parker as Spider-Man. Guess what. He was a good guy. A really good guy. I’m going to miss him.
Now we just have to hope that Marvel will know better than to screw up Peter’s story by bringing him back.
September 9, 2015
Why a mask? Why a secret identity? Heroes could all sign up for the police force, the FBI, or something like that and get paid to save humanity rather than be vigilantes. Why a mask? Why a secret identity? Probably because whether it be a comic book or real life, if someone wants to hurt you it's bad if they know your name and where you live. That's bad enough under the best of circumstances, but then let's add that your enemies are super powered and want to squeeze the life out of you. When your friends, loved ones, and even your neighbors could become collateral damage, a mask and a secret identity aren't a luxury they're a necessity.
In Death of Spider-Man everything that could go wrong did. His worst enemies know his name, they know where he lives, and they came to his front door.
I'm all emotional about this and I knew what was happening even before it happened. The story was well told and absolutely pulled on my heart strings.
In Death of Spider-Man everything that could go wrong did. His worst enemies know his name, they know where he lives, and they came to his front door.
I'm all emotional about this and I knew what was happening even before it happened. The story was well told and absolutely pulled on my heart strings.
July 7, 2019
Well, that’s over, after 160 issues. Like any series, this had its highs and lows but, overall, it was a pretty decent read. The same writer staying with a book for 160 issues leads to a very coherent story; who’d’ve thunk it?
I’m glad I gave this book another try, after originally giving up after six issues.
I’m glad I gave this book another try, after originally giving up after six issues.
August 31, 2022
There are stories like this which hit so hard and really make you emotional by the end and shows you how much amazing of an experience it has been reading it!
So here we have Pete r teaming up with Cap when things goo wrong and well a bullet by Punisher and the Sinister six breaking from prison and then targeting him on same night may not work in his favour, its a requiem for Peter and we see what happens to him when he fights his foes one last time with no ne to help him and who he saves and what the ultimate cost is...
Its an emotional ending to a fantastiv series which I loved every moment of, Bendis manages to give Peter an amazing ending, an emotional one and that panel with May and then Ben is just one of my favorites in comics ever and Bagley drew the hell out of it and so yeah! Epic battle, epic ending and an ultimate moment! So definite recommend and yes you will be in tears by the end of it! <3!
So here we have Pete r teaming up with Cap when things goo wrong and well a bullet by Punisher and the Sinister six breaking from prison and then targeting him on same night may not work in his favour, its a requiem for Peter and we see what happens to him when he fights his foes one last time with no ne to help him and who he saves and what the ultimate cost is...
Its an emotional ending to a fantastiv series which I loved every moment of, Bendis manages to give Peter an amazing ending, an emotional one and that panel with May and then Ben is just one of my favorites in comics ever and Bagley drew the hell out of it and so yeah! Epic battle, epic ending and an ultimate moment! So definite recommend and yes you will be in tears by the end of it! <3!
August 26, 2013
The first time I read this trade, it was first time I'd read Ultimate Spider-Man in years. I'd stopped somewhere around the fifth or sixth trade, and forgotten virtually everything that I'd read. Even without the background of 150+ issues, I was still absorbed by the story. Enough so that I went back and read those 150+ issues, and then this again. And let me tell you, it makes a huge difference.
It's not that you can't read and enjoy this trade alone, without any context but what most people have gotten through cultural osmosis. If you can vaguely identify who Peter Parker, Aunt May, Uncle Ben, Mary Jane Watson, Green Goblin, and Doctor Octopus are, you're good. Those little scraps of information are all you really need to know. And yet, I still heartily recommend reading more Ultimate Spider-Man first. Because context will help, greatly, and also because Ultimate Spider-Man, to this point, is almost uniformly good to excellent.
I'm glad that I came back and read, with context. I understand what Gwen and Johnny Storm and Bobby Drake are doing around here. I know where Peter is in his life, and what he had to do to get there. So I know exactly what he is sacrificing to protect his family. And I know this kid, in a way that I didn't on the first read. I thought this book was wrenching the first time I read it, but that was nothing compared to reading it after getting to know Peter so well, and loving him so much for being the flawed and inherently decent person that he is. And it also makes me sad to know that I'll probably be saying goodbye to the rest of his supporting cast, the family he built over 150+ issues. I'll miss them, too.
As far as "event" comics go, this is one of the better ones, possibly the best. Because Bendis put in the hard work of making me care for the characters, to get invested in them and their lives, to want so badly for them to be happy. And then he goes and punches me in the heart, curse him.
The original review from my first read is behind the cut.
It's not that you can't read and enjoy this trade alone, without any context but what most people have gotten through cultural osmosis. If you can vaguely identify who Peter Parker, Aunt May, Uncle Ben, Mary Jane Watson, Green Goblin, and Doctor Octopus are, you're good. Those little scraps of information are all you really need to know. And yet, I still heartily recommend reading more Ultimate Spider-Man first. Because context will help, greatly, and also because Ultimate Spider-Man, to this point, is almost uniformly good to excellent.
I'm glad that I came back and read, with context. I understand what Gwen and Johnny Storm and Bobby Drake are doing around here. I know where Peter is in his life, and what he had to do to get there. So I know exactly what he is sacrificing to protect his family. And I know this kid, in a way that I didn't on the first read. I thought this book was wrenching the first time I read it, but that was nothing compared to reading it after getting to know Peter so well, and loving him so much for being the flawed and inherently decent person that he is. And it also makes me sad to know that I'll probably be saying goodbye to the rest of his supporting cast, the family he built over 150+ issues. I'll miss them, too.
As far as "event" comics go, this is one of the better ones, possibly the best. Because Bendis put in the hard work of making me care for the characters, to get invested in them and their lives, to want so badly for them to be happy. And then he goes and punches me in the heart, curse him.
The original review from my first read is behind the cut.
December 21, 2018
Really enjoyed this. We all know how it's going to end, but it's the journey there that makes it worth while. Peter just wont give up, which is basic Spider-man through and through. He also has no backup coming (because everyone is tied up in Millar's Avengers vs Ultimates run, giving the story a bit more sense now), but he's still got his friends, Johnny and Bobby, to give him some help.
Also, I like how they got Mark Bagley back on art for this arc. It's a nice final bookend to the story of Ultimate Peter Parker, and he's also been the number guy for Ultimate Pete (just like, in time Sara Pachelli will be the number one gal for Miles, maybe?).
Good comics. Very good comics.
Also, I like how they got Mark Bagley back on art for this arc. It's a nice final bookend to the story of Ultimate Peter Parker, and he's also been the number guy for Ultimate Pete (just like, in time Sara Pachelli will be the number one gal for Miles, maybe?).
Good comics. Very good comics.
October 22, 2012
Tense. Despite the title of the book, somehow Bendis wrings real tension, suspense and drama from this wrenching story.
Spectacular battles, believable actions and decisions by the players and pretty much they way this should've happened. Peter especially acts exactly the way I'd hoped he'd be - not cowed or depressed or exhausted by all this insanity but emboldened, brave and relentless - everything I'd aspire to be. He's so human (frustrated, impulsive, goofy) and yet more a super-man than most of these characters - precisely because he's willing or able to push himself beyond his limitations.
Peter's end is both sadly quiet and poetic - I'm sure this was a hard choice and decision to make, and there are probably a dozen other ways to finalize this, but this is right there with Bendis's style. Felt just as earnest as his Ultimatum writing (especially all that JJJ revelation stuff).
I can't say I'm completely satisfied with how it turned out - but then again he won so many battles and it would've sucked if a B-lister like Kraven or Electro had taken him out.
Bagley's art is really fluid and easy in the eyes. It's a but exaggerated at times but so fully embodies the feel of the Ultimate universe that I've actually come to enjoy it and miss it over the years.
Here's my plot notes on who what and when since I can never remember these when reading later books:
Spectacular battles, believable actions and decisions by the players and pretty much they way this should've happened. Peter especially acts exactly the way I'd hoped he'd be - not cowed or depressed or exhausted by all this insanity but emboldened, brave and relentless - everything I'd aspire to be. He's so human (frustrated, impulsive, goofy) and yet more a super-man than most of these characters - precisely because he's willing or able to push himself beyond his limitations.
Peter's end is both sadly quiet and poetic - I'm sure this was a hard choice and decision to make, and there are probably a dozen other ways to finalize this, but this is right there with Bendis's style. Felt just as earnest as his Ultimatum writing (especially all that JJJ revelation stuff).
I can't say I'm completely satisfied with how it turned out - but then again he won so many battles and it would've sucked if a B-lister like Kraven or Electro had taken him out.
Bagley's art is really fluid and easy in the eyes. It's a but exaggerated at times but so fully embodies the feel of the Ultimate universe that I've actually come to enjoy it and miss it over the years.
Here's my plot notes on who what and when since I can never remember these when reading later books:
December 9, 2014
It's good to like Spider-Man stories again. It's been a long time. Life and such. I plan to go back and read the entire Ultimate Spidey series someday. I started reading the series when it came out. Then life happened. You know the story. Boy meets girl, and funny books become less interesting. Boy marries girl. Boy and girl have twin sons. Boy and girl get divorced, and boy rediscovers love of comics. Yadda, yadda. Same old, same old.
I actually went back to read this because of the new Miles Morales Spider-Man series. I enjoyed it immensely. So I had to go back and read the first Miles-Spidey series. And in order to do that, I felt I needed to read the Death of Spider-Man story-line. Marvel Unlimited can sometimes take you on loopy rides like that.
MU count: 784
I actually went back to read this because of the new Miles Morales Spider-Man series. I enjoyed it immensely. So I had to go back and read the first Miles-Spidey series. And in order to do that, I felt I needed to read the Death of Spider-Man story-line. Marvel Unlimited can sometimes take you on loopy rides like that.
MU count: 784
September 10, 2021
Muy épico pero tambien extremadamente triste. La muerte de Spider Man como su nombre lo indica es una historia que narra los últimos instantes del Peter Parker del Universo Ultimate a manos de los 6 siniestros quienes son liderados por Norman Osborn en una cruzada asesina por arrinconar al héroe en la puerta de su casa pues ya saben quien es en realidad y no se detendran ante nada para dañar a Peter y a todos sus seres queridos.
Por parte del guion puedo decirles que cumple con el cometido y es bastante emotivo cuando tiene que serlo. Tiene interacciones muy interesantes entre los personajes y pues el momento de la batalla es increible, pero me pegó tan fuerte que la verdad no quiero ahondar mucho en esto pues creo que si eres fan de Spider Man debes leerlo y experimentarlo por tu cuenta.
Aunque si bien el guion me encantó, creo que fue el arte lo que al final logró hacer más impactante la trama y sin duda alguna creo que esto va a hacer que se me queden grabadas ciertas escenas después de algún tiempo entre las que destacan la de la pelea y del velorio.
Esta es lectura obligada para los fans del Spider Man de Peter Parker aunque sea el de otra realidad y tambien es un excelente inicio para el legado que dejó a cargo de Miles Morales. 100% Recomendable.
Por parte del guion puedo decirles que cumple con el cometido y es bastante emotivo cuando tiene que serlo. Tiene interacciones muy interesantes entre los personajes y pues el momento de la batalla es increible, pero me pegó tan fuerte que la verdad no quiero ahondar mucho en esto pues creo que si eres fan de Spider Man debes leerlo y experimentarlo por tu cuenta.
Aunque si bien el guion me encantó, creo que fue el arte lo que al final logró hacer más impactante la trama y sin duda alguna creo que esto va a hacer que se me queden grabadas ciertas escenas después de algún tiempo entre las que destacan la de la pelea y del velorio.
Esta es lectura obligada para los fans del Spider Man de Peter Parker aunque sea el de otra realidad y tambien es un excelente inicio para el legado que dejó a cargo de Miles Morales. 100% Recomendable.
October 22, 2011
Mark Bagley, the artist of the first 110 issues of Ultimate Spider-man returns for this arc ending in issue 160, to see Peter Parker out of this life with Brian Michael Bendis at the helm. It's been an insane journey for the young Peter Parker... the Ultimate universe has given us reworked versions of the stories from Spider-man past, and been the most consistently funny, moving, exciting, and page-turning series I've ever read. There have been missteps (Clone Saga), but they have been small in the overall scheme of the run. And whilst we cyncial people might now that Peter's death might be due to flagging sales and the desires of a marketing department to have a new event to shill in order to compete with DC Comic's New 52 launch, the question remains... is the story a worthy send off?
I believe it is. Bendis writes this as he as always done on the title--with wit, with poignance, and with a real understanding of the character. He makes us feel for Peter. He makes him a person. We invest in the human drama which has always been the heart and core of this series, and the reason it has been as successful as it's been. The end is particularly poignant, with each punch in the final battle hitting home in a way that the majority of comics can't seem to muster. Peter comes full circle in the end, as every hero should. He died a hero. All we can do now is mourn, and hope that the new Spider-man, Miles Morales, is a worthy successor. But no matter how that turns out, the Peter Parker run of Ultimate Spider-man can forever be treasured as a golden run on the character, and a reverential treatment of this nerdy, smart ass, good-hearted hero.
RIP Peter Parker.
I believe it is. Bendis writes this as he as always done on the title--with wit, with poignance, and with a real understanding of the character. He makes us feel for Peter. He makes him a person. We invest in the human drama which has always been the heart and core of this series, and the reason it has been as successful as it's been. The end is particularly poignant, with each punch in the final battle hitting home in a way that the majority of comics can't seem to muster. Peter comes full circle in the end, as every hero should. He died a hero. All we can do now is mourn, and hope that the new Spider-man, Miles Morales, is a worthy successor. But no matter how that turns out, the Peter Parker run of Ultimate Spider-man can forever be treasured as a golden run on the character, and a reverential treatment of this nerdy, smart ass, good-hearted hero.
RIP Peter Parker.
December 27, 2017
Best Spider-Man story I've read in a long time, probably since the introduction of the first Hobgoblin in ASM 238.
Peter puts up a hell of a fight against a super-charged Norman Osborne/Green Goblin.
He has a gun shot wound from saving Captain America from Punisher, and he's fought through 5 of the Sinister Six, with some help from Iceman and Human Torch.
But the Goblin is last, and just like Superman in the early 90s, Pete pays the ultimate (snicker) price to stop his worst ever adversary.
It's a quick read, and brutal from almost the beginning as Norman lays waste to the Triskelion.
Way to go Peter, the world is dimmer without you, but I have a feeling a hispanic kid will step in solidly for you at some point in the future.
Peter puts up a hell of a fight against a super-charged Norman Osborne/Green Goblin.
He has a gun shot wound from saving Captain America from Punisher, and he's fought through 5 of the Sinister Six, with some help from Iceman and Human Torch.
But the Goblin is last, and just like Superman in the early 90s, Pete pays the ultimate (snicker) price to stop his worst ever adversary.
It's a quick read, and brutal from almost the beginning as Norman lays waste to the Triskelion.
Way to go Peter, the world is dimmer without you, but I have a feeling a hispanic kid will step in solidly for you at some point in the future.
November 3, 2011
It's very rare that a comic book will make me cry. Bendis managed to turn on the waterworks this time, though. I've been an avid reader of Ultimate Spidey since issue 1, and the emotion around my favourite iteration of Peter Parker dying was more than palpable. The scene that really got me was when Aunt May and Gwen were driving away, then stopped and basically said, "What the hell are we doing? That's our Peter!" That was the strength of Ultimate Spiderman - the supporting characters were just as important to the story as Peter himself, and Bendis is a master at making his readers care. Great job.
December 31, 2023
Well, here we are at the end. I'm glad Bagley was able to return for it. It would be wrong if he couldn't. I've read this one before. It always hits me hard.
It's a simple story. Peter and MJ are on a date being adorable when they're interrupted by Cap. He goes to train Peter, but that's interrupted by the Sinister Six escaping prison.
And so Peter fights them all.
And then he keeps fighting.
And he keeps getting up every time he's knocked down.
Until he wins.
And then he dies.
And it's devastating.
It's a simple story. Peter and MJ are on a date being adorable when they're interrupted by Cap. He goes to train Peter, but that's interrupted by the Sinister Six escaping prison.
And so Peter fights them all.
And then he keeps fighting.
And he keeps getting up every time he's knocked down.
Until he wins.
And then he dies.
And it's devastating.
May 31, 2012
Peter Parker is dead. Like, for real. I've already read the volume after this where the new Spidey, Miles, takes over the web slinging activities, and now I'm glad to have read this one, too. Peter goes out with a bang saving Aunt May's life. Pretty sad and thought-provoking stuff for a mainstream comic. Kudos to Marvel and Bendis for closing this story arc with such style and all-around goodness.
December 17, 2020
Ultimate Spider-Man is one of the most meaningful comicbooks to me. I've been reading this series on and off since I was first getting into comics as a kid so finally getting to this part had years of build up. But despite that I went in with realistic expectations based on the previous stuff from the second series, and I wasn't disappointed.
I expected a lot more exposition but it was very focused on being a straightforward, moving story. Everything happened naturally with strong momentum and didn't feel forced or anything. I wish it was a little bit longer at the start though and the vague business with the Ultimates was kinda silly but none of that made it a deal breaker or anything.
Bringing Bagley back for the artwork was incredible and I'm really happy he got to be the artist to close the Ultimate Peter Parker saga.
Also things didn't get that emotional for me until the VERY end just because everything else was so fast paced, but that end bit still hit me. Even though we had a whole story building up to one moment I feel like it still felt very sudden which is a really interesting quality. I think that's a fitting and great way to execute the death of a character like Spider-Man.
This series never quite reaches the highs of that first Bendis/Bagley run but it still ended on a strong note and I will always be thankful of the impact this series had on me.
I expected a lot more exposition but it was very focused on being a straightforward, moving story. Everything happened naturally with strong momentum and didn't feel forced or anything. I wish it was a little bit longer at the start though and the vague business with the Ultimates was kinda silly but none of that made it a deal breaker or anything.
Bringing Bagley back for the artwork was incredible and I'm really happy he got to be the artist to close the Ultimate Peter Parker saga.
Also things didn't get that emotional for me until the VERY end just because everything else was so fast paced, but that end bit still hit me. Even though we had a whole story building up to one moment I feel like it still felt very sudden which is a really interesting quality. I think that's a fitting and great way to execute the death of a character like Spider-Man.
This series never quite reaches the highs of that first Bendis/Bagley run but it still ended on a strong note and I will always be thankful of the impact this series had on me.
August 11, 2024
(Read in 2012, review from 2024)
By the time I picked this up, I had stopped reading Ultimate Marvel series for quite some time so I was a little unclear about the circumstances of what led up to this (i.e., why the Human Torch and Iceman were living with Peter, Aunt May knowing Peter's Spider-Man, this universe's Gwen being alive again). But the overall story was solid, albeit it was a really quick read. Peter with some help from friends and family manages to take down ultimate Sinister Six (sans Doc Ock who is killed for refusing to go after Peter) and Norman Osborn especially. You know his final moments are coming but its still an emotional journey
By the time I picked this up, I had stopped reading Ultimate Marvel series for quite some time so I was a little unclear about the circumstances of what led up to this (i.e., why the Human Torch and Iceman were living with Peter, Aunt May knowing Peter's Spider-Man, this universe's Gwen being alive again). But the overall story was solid, albeit it was a really quick read. Peter with some help from friends and family manages to take down ultimate Sinister Six (sans Doc Ock who is killed for refusing to go after Peter) and Norman Osborn especially. You know his final moments are coming but its still an emotional journey
February 29, 2020
I don't know what I expected...
in fact, I do. I expected him to wriggle out of a near death situation one more time. I expected something to work out for the dear and beloved 1610 Peter Parker. He is the best of all of them. That lump in my throat is not going anywhere. Well written, heartbreaking. Can't come to terms with it still.
in fact, I do. I expected him to wriggle out of a near death situation one more time. I expected something to work out for the dear and beloved 1610 Peter Parker. He is the best of all of them. That lump in my throat is not going anywhere. Well written, heartbreaking. Can't come to terms with it still.
August 7, 2021
This has got to be the greatest superhero death in comics. I knew it was going to happen, I'd even read USM #160 before, but as I was reading it again I kept hoping that maybe THIS time it wouldn't. That's damn good writing there. Epic. Bendis at the top of his game, for sure.
March 25, 2020
I would give this six stars if I could, it is that good.
March 25, 2019
REALLY GOOD
November 8, 2013
Somewhere in the giant Atari game of life, someone at Marvel must have won the unlimited life coin and they sure as hell use it a lot. A small glimpse at the death list includes Captain Marvel, Nightcrawler, Professor X, Bucky, Spider-man, Kraven, Johnny Storm, Punisher, Magneto, Phoenix, Captain America -- these are heavy hitters in the Marvel Universe, not some third-rate flunky villain that no one will miss (but whose death can mean a good story).
In the past twenty years Marvel has diminished the believability and credibility of the stories with all of these violent deaths and in some cases needless resurrections (has Captain Marvel been worth a damn as a character since he's been back from some sort of time bubble that popped before he died? If not, leave him be.).
There are several things at play here; First there is the notion of the corporate intellectual property that does not die. Then, there are writers who are tasked with being creative enough to bring a character from the dead, be it with a cosmic cube or whatever. Finally, there is the ugh factor. The ugh factor is that audible exhale you let out when you discover that another one came back to life. The ugh factor is proportionate to the believability of the creativity used by the writer. The writers generally use only just enough creativity to bring the character back to life, but they should strive to make a meaningful story in which the character NEEDS to be resurrected, or hates the idea of it, or is so drastically changed by it that he can't live with himself anymore and becomes a transformed character to the point of being almost unrecognizable. These would be good stories, and of course to carry some emotional punch they should occur much more infrequently. Sadly, most characters just kinda' shake it off and then they go back to punching someone in brightly colored underwear.
Also, to the casual comic reader (guys who might pick up a couple comics a year), it's not even clear if this was regular Spiderman (the one who was cloned and replaced for years, don't get me started), or the Spiderman version who exists in a different (Ultimate)dimension (as a long time comics reader even I get confused even though it's right there in the title). Sometimes when one character in the Marvel universe dies they even bring in his doppelganger from the Ultimate universe as they did with Nightcrawler. Apparently unique characters like Nightcrawler are like Barbie dolls on a shelf at Walmart -- if you lose one just go grab another. It's kinda' distressing because you want the books to be better, to be more mature, to be more realistic. And so the waving of the flavor-of-the-week magic wand to undo death itself...hell, we're talking Batmite-quality thinking here.
Let's say you were a reader of comics who genuinely felt something for and enjoyed the stories relaying the deaths of Captain Marvel or Nightcrawler. Don't you think those readers feel cheated a few years later when those same characters are flying around the same as before? I know in many ways I do.
So why keep doing this? I don't think the very minor spike in sales is worth the frustration and fan backlash (think Cap). Comics are not video games in which you go through three lives of the same character in an hour. Dead should, in almost all cases, mean dead -- even in a comic universe. So I'm not on board with these Death Of books anymore. They had their run similar to the Marvel Zombie books.
In the past twenty years Marvel has diminished the believability and credibility of the stories with all of these violent deaths and in some cases needless resurrections (has Captain Marvel been worth a damn as a character since he's been back from some sort of time bubble that popped before he died? If not, leave him be.).
There are several things at play here; First there is the notion of the corporate intellectual property that does not die. Then, there are writers who are tasked with being creative enough to bring a character from the dead, be it with a cosmic cube or whatever. Finally, there is the ugh factor. The ugh factor is that audible exhale you let out when you discover that another one came back to life. The ugh factor is proportionate to the believability of the creativity used by the writer. The writers generally use only just enough creativity to bring the character back to life, but they should strive to make a meaningful story in which the character NEEDS to be resurrected, or hates the idea of it, or is so drastically changed by it that he can't live with himself anymore and becomes a transformed character to the point of being almost unrecognizable. These would be good stories, and of course to carry some emotional punch they should occur much more infrequently. Sadly, most characters just kinda' shake it off and then they go back to punching someone in brightly colored underwear.
Also, to the casual comic reader (guys who might pick up a couple comics a year), it's not even clear if this was regular Spiderman (the one who was cloned and replaced for years, don't get me started), or the Spiderman version who exists in a different (Ultimate)dimension (as a long time comics reader even I get confused even though it's right there in the title). Sometimes when one character in the Marvel universe dies they even bring in his doppelganger from the Ultimate universe as they did with Nightcrawler. Apparently unique characters like Nightcrawler are like Barbie dolls on a shelf at Walmart -- if you lose one just go grab another. It's kinda' distressing because you want the books to be better, to be more mature, to be more realistic. And so the waving of the flavor-of-the-week magic wand to undo death itself...hell, we're talking Batmite-quality thinking here.
Let's say you were a reader of comics who genuinely felt something for and enjoyed the stories relaying the deaths of Captain Marvel or Nightcrawler. Don't you think those readers feel cheated a few years later when those same characters are flying around the same as before? I know in many ways I do.
So why keep doing this? I don't think the very minor spike in sales is worth the frustration and fan backlash (think Cap). Comics are not video games in which you go through three lives of the same character in an hour. Dead should, in almost all cases, mean dead -- even in a comic universe. So I'm not on board with these Death Of books anymore. They had their run similar to the Marvel Zombie books.
December 1, 2011
Here is Spider-man dying. It's hard to mess this one up since Spider-man has such a long legacy and having him die stirs up a lot of emotions by default! But this comic really falls short!
The Punisher is aiming his gun at Captain America... and Spider-man takes the bullet -- really? Captain America doesn't have body armor??? (Captain America did better against Thanos in the Infinity Guanlet when Thanos was invincible -- and now all of a sudden he is this defenseless puppy?) Spider-man can't dodge the bullet despite his spider sense??? Spider-man can't shoot his webbing at the Punisher's gun to divert it?
Norman Osbourne escapes from SHIELD??? Really??? They can't contain him? That's the whole purpose of SHIELD! And everyone else like Electro and Doc Oc are like right there in the same cell? Really??? And they get into a helicopter and fly away? Hasn't SHIELD heard of anti-aircraft missiles? So what does SHIELD do afterwards -- nothing at all? Really??? Way to go, SHIELD!
And fine, so Osbourne is super powerful or whatever, then why does he need Electro and the rest of the Sinister Six anyway? For moral support? Give me a doggone break! This comic is plain old stupid! And Doc Oc is really that dumb? He's dealing with a psychopath Osbourne and tries to reason with him? What happened Doc Oc? Did you forget to take your vitamins or something?
If you're going to kill someone like Spider-man, do it in style, Spider-man deserves more than this.
The Punisher is aiming his gun at Captain America... and Spider-man takes the bullet -- really? Captain America doesn't have body armor??? (Captain America did better against Thanos in the Infinity Guanlet when Thanos was invincible -- and now all of a sudden he is this defenseless puppy?) Spider-man can't dodge the bullet despite his spider sense??? Spider-man can't shoot his webbing at the Punisher's gun to divert it?
Norman Osbourne escapes from SHIELD??? Really??? They can't contain him? That's the whole purpose of SHIELD! And everyone else like Electro and Doc Oc are like right there in the same cell? Really??? And they get into a helicopter and fly away? Hasn't SHIELD heard of anti-aircraft missiles? So what does SHIELD do afterwards -- nothing at all? Really??? Way to go, SHIELD!
And fine, so Osbourne is super powerful or whatever, then why does he need Electro and the rest of the Sinister Six anyway? For moral support? Give me a doggone break! This comic is plain old stupid! And Doc Oc is really that dumb? He's dealing with a psychopath Osbourne and tries to reason with him? What happened Doc Oc? Did you forget to take your vitamins or something?
If you're going to kill someone like Spider-man, do it in style, Spider-man deserves more than this.
September 28, 2016
Really good and an emotional gut punch.
World: Bagley's back but I find it okay cause he started it and it makes sense he would end it. The motion is not there and I truly think the emotions could be better, but he deserves to tell this story. The world building is good and epic but also very expected and a retread. How many times do we need to see SHIELD be completely useless in holding anyone.
Story: Emotionally a gut punch and it's heavy. I can't deny that. It's a wonderful final encounter. However this story is the same story we had with the last time the Sinister Six escaped. How many times do we need to see SHIELD fail at containing anything. The emotions as I said drove the story and it's good. This is not the best end but it's up there.
Characters: Everyone had his/her moment and it was satisfying. I would have wanted more characters moments but that's just me. The janky part of Peter getting shot is the worse part of the story as it was handled poorly. I don't want to say anything else just read it and take in the feels.
It was good but not perfect and it was a send off that was earned. But of course it could have been better.
Onward to the next book!
World: Bagley's back but I find it okay cause he started it and it makes sense he would end it. The motion is not there and I truly think the emotions could be better, but he deserves to tell this story. The world building is good and epic but also very expected and a retread. How many times do we need to see SHIELD be completely useless in holding anyone.
Story: Emotionally a gut punch and it's heavy. I can't deny that. It's a wonderful final encounter. However this story is the same story we had with the last time the Sinister Six escaped. How many times do we need to see SHIELD fail at containing anything. The emotions as I said drove the story and it's good. This is not the best end but it's up there.
Characters: Everyone had his/her moment and it was satisfying. I would have wanted more characters moments but that's just me. The janky part of Peter getting shot is the worse part of the story as it was handled poorly. I don't want to say anything else just read it and take in the feels.
It was good but not perfect and it was a send off that was earned. But of course it could have been better.
Onward to the next book!
October 27, 2015
If you like Bendis, you've already read this. If you've no idea who Bendis is, don't start here, but definitely get here. This is a great mainstream comic book written by one of the best in the industry. I've collected comics and read comics for pretty much my entire life and I've been through I don't know how many deaths only to see the heroes and sometimes villains rise again. But Bendis pulls the death of Peter Parker off and then some. The emotional impact of this story is as other reviewers have noted is very powerful. We see Spider-Man for what he truly is, a boy. A hero to be sure but still just a boy. His passion, his idealism can only be handled by someone so young. It is that clarity, that purity of purpose that makes him great and ultimately dooms him. Yes, Peter lives on in other comics, but it doesn't make this death any less powerful or tragic. There will always be room for great heroic fiction, even if the hero gets used in different ways.
November 29, 2011
Argh! This is the thanks he gets? Shot in the back by the Punisher? Left to face his worst enemies alone? Where the hell are the Ultimates? Where's Captain America, whose life was saved? Seriously, I just don't see the need for this story, but if it had to be told, I guess this will work as well as anything. Why Norman Osborn wasn't actually killed a long, long time ago is beyond me. He's sort of like the Joker in the Batman books: in reality, if there was someone even half this awful, you'd make sure he was dead, not locked up in some high-tech prison. But then I guess that would sort of limit the stories you could tell. Oh, well, whatever. I guess I'll take a look at the new Spider-Man, but only Peter Parker could ever be worthy of the name. The new guy should be Arachnid-Man or something...
August 26, 2013
Pete just thought he might as well go ahead and read something that would get him all misty-eyed on a depressing Sunday afternoon.
Mission: Accomplished. With gusto.
Mission: Accomplished. With gusto.
December 15, 2025
“I did it” - Peter Parker
Ultimate Peter Parker both lived and died by this singular quote. After 160 issues being hailed as the greatest feat from writer Brian Michael Bendis and legendary artist Mark Bagley; Peter Parker of Earth 1610 gave us his definitive ending. He died and hasn’t come back, a rarity in the comic book realm. There are so many ways I could go over each and every character beat, but that will not do this justice. The build up led us here and now we must live with the ending. He’s really gone.
There’s not a single letter or pen stroke that feels out of place in this story. It’s perfection between a creative team and shows you what you can do with the right team. I’ve never been affected by a characters death in a comic like this one. This isn’t like most other comics where the hero will come back, it’s the end of the line for Peter. With the hindsight of Miles Morales on the way it’s hard to call this the end. But it’s still an ending in every sense of the word.
For me, this has gone down as the all-time greatest run of Spider-Man I’ve ever read. I love him like most other humans on the planet but this is where I finally connected with him deeper. It feels like the end of the line with an old friend. I will always cherish these issues and come back to them when I can. Because it ended the way it did, it’s not going to be frequent. Unless I want myself to feel hurt, I’ll read this every waking moment I have.
If I’ve said it once, I’ll say it once again. Bendis and Bagley have done it again! They really did without hesitation either. They’ve become my favorite Spider-Man creative team and it’s hard to argue with it.
What started as something I was hesitant to read, became a new hobby for me. The Hickman run was in full swing and this scratched that itch even better. Whatever you may be thinking on whether or not to read this run, don’t hesitate. It goes by quick but don’t discount it.
I’ve rambled on enough as it stands, rest in peace Peter. I hope wherever this version of him is, I hope he’s at peace. I’ll always miss what you were for me. Farewell.
Ultimate Peter Parker both lived and died by this singular quote. After 160 issues being hailed as the greatest feat from writer Brian Michael Bendis and legendary artist Mark Bagley; Peter Parker of Earth 1610 gave us his definitive ending. He died and hasn’t come back, a rarity in the comic book realm. There are so many ways I could go over each and every character beat, but that will not do this justice. The build up led us here and now we must live with the ending. He’s really gone.
There’s not a single letter or pen stroke that feels out of place in this story. It’s perfection between a creative team and shows you what you can do with the right team. I’ve never been affected by a characters death in a comic like this one. This isn’t like most other comics where the hero will come back, it’s the end of the line for Peter. With the hindsight of Miles Morales on the way it’s hard to call this the end. But it’s still an ending in every sense of the word.
For me, this has gone down as the all-time greatest run of Spider-Man I’ve ever read. I love him like most other humans on the planet but this is where I finally connected with him deeper. It feels like the end of the line with an old friend. I will always cherish these issues and come back to them when I can. Because it ended the way it did, it’s not going to be frequent. Unless I want myself to feel hurt, I’ll read this every waking moment I have.
If I’ve said it once, I’ll say it once again. Bendis and Bagley have done it again! They really did without hesitation either. They’ve become my favorite Spider-Man creative team and it’s hard to argue with it.
What started as something I was hesitant to read, became a new hobby for me. The Hickman run was in full swing and this scratched that itch even better. Whatever you may be thinking on whether or not to read this run, don’t hesitate. It goes by quick but don’t discount it.
I’ve rambled on enough as it stands, rest in peace Peter. I hope wherever this version of him is, I hope he’s at peace. I’ll always miss what you were for me. Farewell.
June 20, 2022
Simple y sencillamente un cómic hermoso. Hay algunas obras que te dejan algo en lo profundo del pecho y esta es una de ellas. Personalmente me encanta lo que hicieron con Spider-Man en el universo Ultimate, creo que Bendis supo llevar al personaje de maravilla. Nuestro amado Peter Parker volvía a ser ese joven que destila simpatía y frescura, que tanta empatía nos genera y al que tanto adoramos.
Sepan perdonar, pero a mis 27 años todavía amo las historias de instituto y este Spider-Man tenía eso. Volvía a tener esa vieja pandilla, esos viejos amores, esos adorables amigos y esa hermosa familia. En este caso vemos a un Peter irreverente que, como siempre, intenta salvar a todos a costa de su propia vida. En este caso literalmente.
Quienes hayan visto la serie animada de Ultimate Spiderman seguramente capten rápidamente el contexto de la historia. El resto seguramente se quede más en el vínculo de Peter y Tony recordando lo visto en el UCM.
Llevo ya tres párrafos y todavía no hablé puntualmente de este cómic... ¿De que trata? De los seis siniestros + Norman Osborn intentando matar a Peter Parker. La premisa es simple: Se escapan, saben donde vive, lo van a buscar y lo matan.
Ahora bien, el COMO es lo que le da a este cómic su cuota de calidad. Peter podría haber escapado. Podría haber estado al 100%, podría haber tomado otras decisiones más inteligentes. Pero no. Él no es así y Bendis entendió a la perfección al personaje. Comprendió que Peter es impulsivo, que no iba a mirar a otro lado, que si tenía que sacrificarse lo iba a hacer y, sobre todo, que jamás iba a escapar de esa pelea con lo que estaba en juego.
No es un cómic perfecto, se aleja de ello. Pero es un cómic hermoso. Una obra que emociona, que cierra un ciclo de la mejor manera posible. Un comic que merece la pena ser leído por lo que tanto Bendis como Bagley supieron trasmitir. Un cómic asombroso.
Sepan perdonar, pero a mis 27 años todavía amo las historias de instituto y este Spider-Man tenía eso. Volvía a tener esa vieja pandilla, esos viejos amores, esos adorables amigos y esa hermosa familia. En este caso vemos a un Peter irreverente que, como siempre, intenta salvar a todos a costa de su propia vida. En este caso literalmente.
Quienes hayan visto la serie animada de Ultimate Spiderman seguramente capten rápidamente el contexto de la historia. El resto seguramente se quede más en el vínculo de Peter y Tony recordando lo visto en el UCM.
Llevo ya tres párrafos y todavía no hablé puntualmente de este cómic... ¿De que trata? De los seis siniestros + Norman Osborn intentando matar a Peter Parker. La premisa es simple: Se escapan, saben donde vive, lo van a buscar y lo matan.
Ahora bien, el COMO es lo que le da a este cómic su cuota de calidad. Peter podría haber escapado. Podría haber estado al 100%, podría haber tomado otras decisiones más inteligentes. Pero no. Él no es así y Bendis entendió a la perfección al personaje. Comprendió que Peter es impulsivo, que no iba a mirar a otro lado, que si tenía que sacrificarse lo iba a hacer y, sobre todo, que jamás iba a escapar de esa pelea con lo que estaba en juego.
No es un cómic perfecto, se aleja de ello. Pero es un cómic hermoso. Una obra que emociona, que cierra un ciclo de la mejor manera posible. Un comic que merece la pena ser leído por lo que tanto Bendis como Bagley supieron trasmitir. Un cómic asombroso.
June 19, 2024
This whole series was such a mixed bag for me, including this final part. While I did like it overall, it felt like the writers were really retreading old ground with the sinister 6 and their prison escape. The same story happened twice already so it just felt a bit forced. I did like Peter’s final
moments but I can’t help but feel that Ultimatum was a more fitting end for the character.
As for the whole series, I’m excited to see where the story goes with Miles but I’m surprised this series is held in such high regard. The writing was all over the place, with most of the reimagined villain origins being more focused on being different than actually being good. Over the last decade or so, so many different media properties have failed to adapt many of these characters in their ultimate form and I understand why now. 99% of the villains in these stories were related to Peter in some way, mostly through Oscorp or Peter’s father, something which I personally don’t enjoy at all from my spidey stories. I think that’s why the stuff with Kingpin worked so well for me; he feels authentic to the character while still being interesting in his own right. Peter doesn’t get involved with Kingpin because he’s a long lost family member or mentor, he fights him because it’s the right thing to do, I love that. In comparison, Venom, Lizard, and Carnage all have crap stories focusing around Peter’s father’s legacy, losing focus from the characters themselves and turning them into conduits for Peter’s growth. I’d like that if the stories would deal with these themes for more than an issue or two, but they all move so fast that they blur together. I see why people enjoy ultimate spider-man, but for me this series falls closer in line with plenty of forgettable comic runs. Certainly not terrible, but far from amazing.
moments but I can’t help but feel that Ultimatum was a more fitting end for the character.
As for the whole series, I’m excited to see where the story goes with Miles but I’m surprised this series is held in such high regard. The writing was all over the place, with most of the reimagined villain origins being more focused on being different than actually being good. Over the last decade or so, so many different media properties have failed to adapt many of these characters in their ultimate form and I understand why now. 99% of the villains in these stories were related to Peter in some way, mostly through Oscorp or Peter’s father, something which I personally don’t enjoy at all from my spidey stories. I think that’s why the stuff with Kingpin worked so well for me; he feels authentic to the character while still being interesting in his own right. Peter doesn’t get involved with Kingpin because he’s a long lost family member or mentor, he fights him because it’s the right thing to do, I love that. In comparison, Venom, Lizard, and Carnage all have crap stories focusing around Peter’s father’s legacy, losing focus from the characters themselves and turning them into conduits for Peter’s growth. I’d like that if the stories would deal with these themes for more than an issue or two, but they all move so fast that they blur together. I see why people enjoy ultimate spider-man, but for me this series falls closer in line with plenty of forgettable comic runs. Certainly not terrible, but far from amazing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2022
I’m torn on what rating to give. The writing is good and the art is great with Mark Bagley returning. The story is emotional and impactful and it’s a pretty good send-off, particularly considering the circumstances. But there are some contrived circumstances, and the one of the two reasons for the big event only happens because one character acts, in my opinion, out of character. The stuff with Doc Ock after his part in Ultimate Doom was nice. Peter was suitably awesome and tough and his Aunt May and the rest of his adopted family got significant parts. It was more respectful to the character than other such events. He got better than everyone in Ultimatum. But this doesn’t change the fact that this event was ultimately forced. This character was the first and most successful and beloved of the Ultimate universe. Over a decade so many grew to love him and relate to him and even his supporting cast. There was SO much story left to tell, and they killed it all and it doesn’t matter the reason, it just isn’t right. I could rant for hours though about my problems with this event and the reasons for it but I won’t. I think my biggest problem is it feels just too mean spirited. To take one of the best and most iconic heroes, put him and his family through so much grief, have him overcome and look set for a bright future, only to then just kill him off when he’s still just getting started. That’s just my thoughts though.
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