Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 3) #13
Spider-Men: No More
Spider-Verse continues from Scarlet Spiders #3….
On Loomworld, Solus’ children apologize for their individual failures. For Jennix, he was unable to stop a team of spider-clones from destroying their cloning facilities, destroying the Inheritor’s means of cheating death.[1] The twins Bora and Brix apologize for losing the Bride, aka Silk, as she fled to a world that they cannot go due to the deadly levels of radiation.[2] Solus orders them all silent saying that none of this matters as they now have the Scion, Benjy Parker of Earth-982. He is confident they will achieve final victory because the Master Weaver has foretold it. He assures his children that the Spider-Men will be no more.
Meanwhile, on Earth-3145 — a world that is a radioactive wasteland — the spiders of the multiverse have found refuge in an underground bunker. That’s where Silk introduces Earth-616’s Spider-Man to this world’s Ben Parker. Although this Ben Parker was his world’s spider-totem, he quit being Spider-Man a long time ago. Pulling off his mask, Peter asks what happened to make him quit.
Ben agrees to tell his story, which starts with the day he accompanied his nephew, Peter to a science exhibit on radioactivity. It was Ben that was bitten by the radioactive spider on that fateful day. Although Peter thought they could make a fortune in show-biz, Ben Parker followed his mantra “with great power comes great responsibility” and became a hero. He used the costume and equipment built by Peter to fight crime. However, one of his enemies — the Emerald Elf — discovered his secret identity and murdered Ben’s wife and nephew. After that, Ben gave up being Spider-Man.[3] Then one day he was approached by Ezekiel Sims who warned him about Morlun. When offered the opportunity to be locked away in a bunker, Ben Parker accepted in order to save his own life. Looking back on his life, Ben figures he should have listened to Peter and had fun with his powers, and maybe they would still be alive.
Neither the Earth-616 Peter Parker and Otto Octavius dismiss this idea. Otto makes a point of saying that had Ben Parker not quit as Spider-Man he could have saved his world from ending in a nuclear holocaust. Ben Parker admits that he wondered if he could have stopped the madman responsible, revealing that it was his world’s Otto Octavius. He also explains that the world was giving in to his demands, but Otto was an arrogant fool who miscalculated his own invention and it went off by accident. That’s when Peter Parker-616 cuts through this theoretical talk, saying it is a distraction and suggests that they look at the scrolls that Spider-Woman risked her cover to send them. However, when he finally looks at them, Peter is disappointed to see that the scrolls are written in some strange language that nobody understands.
While everyone puzzles over these scrolls, Silk slnks away. This is noticed by the Spider-Woman of Earth-65, aka Gwen Stacy, who follows to ask her what’s wrong. Silk lies at first, saying that this bunker reminds her of the one that she lived in for years.[4] Gwen sees right through this and gets Silk to admit that she feels bad for stranding Spider-Woman on Loomworld. The pair then agree to stage a rescue mission and teleport away.
Silk is not the only one who is feeling down as Pavitir Prabhakar, the Spider-Man from India, is deeply upset. This is noticed by Spider-UK who asks him what’s wrong. Pavitir sees the similarities between himself and the Peter Parker of Earth-616 and is starting to believe that he’s not the real Spider-Man, only an echo of a much better hero.[5] Spider-UK finds this ridiculous, pointing out that he is part of the Captain Britain Corps and there are thousands of members, each unique in their own way. He points out that regardless of where Pavitir comes from, he is a hero and suggests that Peter Parker could be a pale reflection of Prabhakar.
Meanwhile, Otto Octavius dismisses this world as an inferior one with inferior versions of Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus. He decides that he can decipher the Master Weaver’s scrolls. Snatching them away from the Japanese Spider-Men, he has his AI, Anna, scan the scrolls and try to translate them. Peter Parker is surprised to see that Otto has had this AI this whole time and that he based it upon Anna Maria Marconi.[6] As Otto tries to decipher the scrolls when he realizes that he was wrong about Peter Parker. He thought that this was the Parker from the past, but if that is the case, he would not know who Anna Maria Marconi is.[7]
As Otto realizes that he ultimately loses to Peter Parker, Anya Corazon discovers that she can read the scrolls. She figures it somehow ties into the fact that her powers were tied to a mystical cult that worshiped spider-totems.[8] The scrolls speak of a prophecy that the spider-totems would ultimately stop the Inheritor’s reign of power. The downside is that this isn’t supposed to happen for another thousand years. Worse, the only way to stop this is if the Inheritors stop destroy all the current spiders as well as sacrifice the three most important ones, the Scion, the Other, and the Bride. In doing so, it will prevent any new spider-totems from ever being born again. Spider-Girl of Earth-982 is deeply upset by this because she knows the Scion is her baby brother, Benji. Peter tries to keep her calm and suddenly realizes that Silk is gone. He contacts her with his dimensional communicator and discovers his greatest fear, that she is already on Loomworld. Silk and Spider-Gwen are busy fighting an army of pirates with Spider-Woman when suddenly, one of the pirates smashes Silk’s communicator and transportation device, trapping them on Loomworld with no way to communicate with the rest of the team.
While on Earth-802, the Scarlet Spider and Black Widow stand in the ruins of Jennix’s cloning facility. They succeeded in destroying it but only at the cost of Ben Reilly’s life.[9] Kaine is furious that Ben died and decides that he is going to Loomworld to avenge his death. His rage is causing the Other to come out and when the Black Widow tries to stop him, he knocks her aside and teleports away. At that moment, the Inheritors become aware that both the Bride and the Other are now on Loomworld and become excited as their prophecy is coming true. Solus then leaves Benjy Parker with Jennix while he and the rest of his family go to face the Other, telling them that greatness awaits.
Back on Earth-3145, Spider-Girl pleads with the others to help her save her brother. Having just finished reading the scrolls, Peter Parker agrees that they need to go to Loomworld. However, Anya suggests they send another team to get their ace in the hole. This group is led by the Spider-Punk and they agree to go right away.[10] Parker then contacts Kaine and warns him that, no matter what, not go to Loomworld. Kaine informs Peter that he is too late and that he intends to get revenge against the Inheritors for killing Ben Reilly. Giving in to the Other, Kaine suddenly begins growing in size as well as taking on more spider-like characteristics.
With the station growing out of hand, Peter contacts Miguel O’Hara who had just returned to the Safe Zone on Earth-13. He and Lady Spider are working on a weapon they can use and Peter tells them to get coming. That’s when he is contacted by the Black Widow who tells him that Jennix’s base of operations has been destroyed and the Inheritors can no longer spy on their transmissions. He then orders Miles Morales and his Web-Warriors to collect the Widow and Spider-Man 2099 and bring them to Loomworld to join the others. As peter begins rallying the troops, Ben Parker tells him that he’s not coming.
Back on Loomworld, the Inheritors arrive on the scene where the Other is on the rampage. Solus has been looking forward to this his entire life and leads the charge, only to be slain by the Other. Morlun and Daemos fight back against the creature, despite Daemos’ reminders that they need the Other alive for the ceremony, Morlun says all they need is its blood. He then rips off one of the Other’s spider legs and impales him in the back of the head. With the Other and Solus dead, Daemos wonders what this all means, and Morlun insists that this is just the beginning of the end for the spiders. Elsewhere, Silk, Spider-Woman and Spider-Gwen are looking for cover when they are ambushed by Verna, Brix, and Bora. This time, Verna’s chosen hounds are all Goblins. Brix tells the others that the other two Spider-Women can die, the only one that matters is Silk, aka the Bride.
While on Earth-3145, Spider-Girl grows even more impatient as she wants to save her brother from the Inheritor’s sacrifice. However, Peter Parker is convinced they cannot win the battle ahead without the Ben Parker of Earth-3145. He knows that Ben is a bad liar and that despite his claims that he quit being Spider-Man, Peter was able to find his old costume in the bunker. Peter tries to convince Ben to take up the fight, reminding him of his old mantra about great power and great responsibility. However, this Ben Parker has a new perspective, he tells Peter that a man with great power is still just a man and men have clay feet and they make mistakes. He has seen that these mistakes can cost a lot and can’t bring himself to join the fight because he is afraid of failing again. This causes Otto Octavius to lose his temper. He calls Ben a pathetic old man, saying that he has failed many times in his life but all it has done is encourage him to get back up and try again. Surprisingly, Otto Octavius convinces Ben Parker to join them with his talk of easy victories being cheap. He concludes his rant by saying that the best victories are the ones against so-called unbeatable foes. Peter Parker can hardly believe that it took his greatest enemy to convince the man he loved the most to join the battle.
Ben puts on his long-discarded Spider-Man costume and with that the Spider-Army is ready to head into Loomworld. As the portal opens, Octavius says the die is cast. However, Peter Parker is in charge and he wants to be the one who makes the big line before going into battle. However, the best he can think of is “Spider-Friends, GO FOR IT!” which prompts Spider-Ham to sarcastically retort that Peter nailed it.
… Spider-Verse continues in Spider-Woman (vol. 5) #3.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man (Parker), Silk, Ben Parker (Earth-3145), Spider-Man (Octavius), Spider-Girl (Parker), Spider-Man (Prabhakar), Spider-UK, Spider-Girl (Corazon), Spider-Gwen, Scarlet Spider, Spider-Ham, Spider-Punk, Spider-Woman (Barton), SP//dr, Supaidāman, Spider-Man J, Spider-Man-7122, Spider-Man 2099, Lady Spider, Black Widow (Drew), Inheritors (Solus, Morlun, Bora, Brix, Jennix, Verna, Daemos), Hobgoblin-001, Menace-001, Monster-001, Benjy Parker, Master Weaver, Web-Warriors (Spider-Man (Morales), Ultimate Spider-Man-12041, Spider-Man ‘67, Mini-Marvels Spider-Man, Mego Spider-Man, Cowboy Spider-Man, Spider-Horse, Spider-Mobile)
Continuity Notes
For more on the destruction of the cloning facilities see Scarlet Spiders #3.
For Silk’s daring escape see Spider-Woman {vol. 5) #2 and last issue.
The scene where Ben Parker dumps his Spider-Man costume in a garbage can is paying homage to when Peter Parker did the same thing in Amazing Spider-Man #50.
Silk was locked away in Ezekel Sims bunker for over a decade as explained in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 3) #4-5.
For more on Pavitir Prabhakar’s origins see Spider-Man India #1-4.
Otto created the Anna Maria AI using technology from 2099 AD, see Superior Spider-Man #32-33.
Otto would be right, Anna Maria first got involved in the life of Peter Parker when Otto was controlling his body circa Superior Spider-Man #5. The real Peter Parker didn’t meet her until he saved her life in Superior Spider-Man #31, after Otto gave up and let Peter Parker retake his life.
This would be the Spider-Society to learn more about them see Amazing Fantasy (vol. 2) #1-6 and Arana: Heart of the Spider #1-12.
For more on this mission to destroy the Inheritor’s cloning facilities see Scarlet Spiders #1-3.
This group is going to recruit Karn to their cause. See Spider-Verse Team-Up #3.
