Ultimate Spider-Man: Death of Spider-Man (HCTBP)

Being a long time reader of Spider-Man comics I couldn’t resist falling into the hype of Peter Parker getting killed, even if it’s in the Ultimate Universe. It seems like a lot of super heroes have been getting killed over the past 5-10 years. Almost to a point where it’s just a gimmick to get international press and of course sell more issues. These death story arcs are usual pretty predictable and inevitably the hero comes back a year or two later. This story arc of Ultimate Spider-Man, issues#156-160, bucks this trend and delivers a fast paced thrill ride that leaves no doubt in the readers mind that our hero is most definitely dead.

Writer Brian Bendis has penned Ultimate Spider-Man since issue one and you get the feeling he’s had this ending thought up right from the start. This story arc starts off fast and delivers electrifying action throughout the entire run. The beatdown Spider-Man gets leaves your heart pounding with each flip of the page. Since the trade is called the Death of Spider-Man I think there is no need to give a spoiler alert on the ending. Even though I knew it was coming the way it was written still made me hold out hope that he would survive. His inevitable death is tragic but he does go out a hero.   

The artwork by Mark Bagley perfectly compliments the writing. Being relatively new to the Ultimate Universe I didn’t know that Bagley was the original artist for Ultimate Spider-Man. In fact he was the artist until issue 111, which gave Bendis and Bagley the longest continuous run on a Marvel series. How fitting that Marvel brought him back for this epic conclusion.

This is an excellent read which delivers unfortunately two deaths, one our hero and two a fantastic series.  Just a warning have a box of tissues on hand as you near the end!