Spoilers ahead. You’ve been warned. For more on this news, read our review of Amazing Spider-Man #76.
A new era for Spider-Man kicked off with Amazing Spider-Man #75, which featured a brand new creative team including Zeb Wells, Patrick Gleason, Kelly Thompson, Saladin Ahmed, and Cody Zigler. With that new creative team came a new Spider-Man, or at least another Spider-Man on the block. Ben Reilly is back and is legally allowed to use that name thanks to the Beyond Corporation owning it.
But does he have Peter Parker’s blessing? Does Peter want to stop being Spider-Man?
These are questions that fell to the side at the end of the issue as Peter was poisoned. In Amazing Spider-Man #76, we see Peter is in a bad way. Maybe due to Peter’s situation, or maybe because Ben realized he was a bit of a jerk, the hero realized something and asked Peter Parker a big question.
Courtesy Marvel Comics
You could take this two ways, one of which is Ben asking to takeover as Spider-Man while Peter is on his death bed. He means well, though it takes a moment for Peter to think it through.
Courtesy Marvel Comics
Zeb Wells does a good job here capturing the brotherly relationship of these characters. Considering Peter doesn’t know if he’ll make it out alive from this sickness, Ben might be his only option.
So he does what any good brother would do and relents.
Courtesy Marvel Comics
Now that Ben Reilly has Peter Parker’s blessing one can imagine Ben can live with the fact that he is the one true Spider-Man. In pure Peter Parker fashion, Peter hides his pain when saying this and in the very next scene screams out as if he really is dying.
Ben, not knowing Peter may be minutes from death is excited and happy while Peter…well…
Courtesy Marvel Comics
It’s a scary moment that leads to Peter Parker falling into a coma. How this plays out remains to be seen–solicitations seem to suggest Peter could still be alive–but either way, we have ourselves an officially sanctioned Spider-Man. Not only because the Beyond Corporation owns the name, but the one true Spider-Man Peter Parker approves.
What do you think Spidey fans, is this a good move for the franchise? Do you want more Ben Reilly Spider-Man? Let us know in the comments!
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