Superior Spider-Man #30
A Troubled Soul
At Empire State University, the Spider-Man of 2099 was just about to get the truth about this era’s Spider-Man when Norman Osborn takes control of J. Jonah Jameson’s new Spider-Slayers and begins attacking both wall-crawlers. While the pair work to destroy the robots, the Goblin King reveals that he has Anna Maria Marconi as one of his prisoners. She tells Spider-Man not to come for her because the Goblin King is luring him into a trap. Osborn then entices Spider-Man into leaving his future counterpart behind to save Anna Maria. Despite Spider-Man 2099’s suggestion that they work together, Spider-Man takes off confirming something that Miguel O’Hara suspected all along — that this isn’t the real Spider-Man, but an impostor.
In the mindscape, the remnants of Peter Parker’s mind continues to relive the life of Doctor Octopus. Now in Otto’s dying days, Peter is convinced that he is actually Otto Octavius. In these memories he relives when Doctor Octopus came up with the contingency plan to transfer his mind into the body of his greatest enemy. At that moment, the present-day spirit of Peter Parker relives the moment when Otto stole his life. Both rejoice that the scheme worked and proclaim that Otto Octavius is now Spider-Man.[1]
Back in the real world, Spider-Man swings across the city watching as the Spider-Slayers join the Goblin Nation in attacking the city. Witnessing his destruction, Otto Octavius realizes that his own hubris led to this situation happening and that his attempts to become a superior Spider-Man were a failure. While on the ground, the Avengers are trying to help Cardiac evacuate his patients from the HEART Clinic, which is under attack. The battle is not going well with the addition of the Spider-Slayers, but the Avengers get back up of their own from the Wraith.[2]
While at city hall, J. Jonah Jameson is under fire for his handling of the situation, particularly since the Spider-Slayers he paid for are attacking. Jonah tries to blame it all on Spider-Man and the robot’s manufacturers, Alchemax. However, Liz Osborn — the head of Alchemax — has shot back with a press release accusing Jameson of signing off on the robots before they could be fully tested. Finishing her statement, Liz’s son Normie comes into her office to look for something. She politely ushers the boy out, telling him that she is doing all of this for him. As she sees her son out of her office, Liz hides a goblin mask behind her back.
Elsewhere, Spider-Man tries to think where to begin looking for Anna Maria in the Goblin Underground’s massive sewer hideout. He begins to panic and wonders what the real Peter Parker would do when he is suddenly ambushed by Menace. She then goads Spider-Man into following her into the Goblin Underground, promising that the Marconi woman will die before he can save her.
Back in the mindscape, Peter Parker is reliving the moment where he was trapped in the dying body of Doctor Octopus. Knowing that he had lost, his past self had decided to show Otto Octavius what it means to be Spider-Man by sharing all of his memories. While the past Otto Octavius recoils at this flood of memories, the spirit of Peter Parker looks forward to this on rush because it will help him remember exactly who he is. Peter Parker is then made to relive every one of his memories. He is taking back the good and the bad and reclaiming it all for himself.[3]
In the real world, Menace lures Spider-Man into a subway tunnel where it appears that Anna Maria is strung across the tracks. As a subway train driven by the Goblin King comes speeding toward its intended victim, Otto realizes that it is actually Amy Chen, the little girl he recently saved.[4] Otto hesitates, worrying that by saving the little girl he could be dooming Anna Maria, but Peter Parker compels Otto to save her anyway. Spider-Man leaps out and pulls Amy to safety just moments before the subway train would have hit her. With the Goblin and Menace gone, Peter figures that they have gone to set up their next trap. He then starts scolding Otto for screwing thing up so badly and warns his enemy that while Otto knows he’s there, he’s ready for him this time. Otto agrees and takes Amy up to the surface and hands her over to ETMs on the scene.
This allows Peter to get a good look at what has happened to New York in his absence and once again scolds Otto. Octavius swings off and admits that his own arrogance led to the Goblin Nation taking control of the city. He heads for Parker Industries where he finally admits that Peter Parker is superior version of Spider-Man and he’s a failure. Brushing off Sajani Jaffrey, Otto goes into his lab where he has the Living Brain to set up his mental oscillator device. Hooking into the machine, Otto enters the mind scap where he begins erasing all of his own memories from Peter Parker’s mind so that Parker is not distracted from what he needs to do.[5]
Otto saves the feelings he still has for Anna Maria Marconi for last. He tells Spider-Man how much he cared for her and pleads with him to save her no matter what before he erases his very existence.[6] It’s Peter Parker who wakes up in the chair and he is surprised to find that he was crying. Finally back in control of his body, Peter goes to the supply closet and puts on his original Spider-Man costume. Once he is dressed he tells the empty room that it’s now his turn.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man (Octavius), Spider-Man (Parker), Spider-Man 2099, Goblin King, Anna Maria Marconi, Sajani Jaffrey, Living Brain, J. Jonah Jameson, Liz Osborn, Normie Osborn, Amy Chen, Menace, Killer Shrike, Melter, Unicorn, Mauler, Avengers (Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, Wolverine, Spider-Woman), Cardiac, Wraith
Continuity Notes
This is recounting the events of Amazing Spider-Man #698-700.
A notation tells readers to check out Superior Spider-Man Annual #2 to learn how the Wraith got from Parker Industries (last issue) to here.
There are a lot of Spider-Man memories on display in this two page splash. Some of them I can’t identify (because my memory is shit) so if you know the ones I have listed in italics please shoot me an e-mail. The images seen here are:
Peter Parker walking into traffic moments after he was bitten by a radioactive spider from Amazing Fantasy #15.
Spider-Man pulling himself free from the rubble of one of Doc Ock’s bases from Amazing Spider-Man #33.
There’s a scene of Peter Parker rushing out an office with Ben Urich (I think) behind him.
A scene of Aunt May looking out a window from Amazing Spider-Man #260.
Spider-Man driving around in the Spider-Mobile in Amazing Spider-Man #141.
Peter Parker trying to remember who he is while a patient in the Mad Dog Ward from Amazing Spider-Man #295 (It’s interesting to note that the text in this panel refers to Mary Jane as Peter Parker’s wife, this is not longer the case after Mephisto erased their marriage from existence in Amazing Spider-Man #545, but I guess they weren’t going to alter the text from any of these panels.)
A panel of Peter Parker walking in the streets. He’s wearing a light coat.
Peter coming to terms with Aunt May knowing something.
Spider-Man punching out Electro from Amazing Spider-Man #338
Peter trying to wake up Harry Osborn when he was strung out on drugs in Amazing Spider-Man #97.
A scene of Spider-Man test driving the Spider-Mobile with the Human Torch in Amazing Spider-Man #130.
The Living Brain being demonstrated for Peter’s class from Amazing Spider-Man #8.
Spider-Man revealing his identity to Tim Harrison before he died of cancer from Amazing Spider-Man #248.
Spider-Man calling Aunt May in the middle of his first battle with Morlun. May is talking about going by to pick up Peter’s laundry. See Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #34.
Spider-Man confronting Kraven the Hunter during Kraven’s Last Hunt from Amazing Spider-Man #294.
Spider-Man wearing a tuxedo at a formal party from Amazing Spider-Man #322.
Spider-Man standing over someone on life support.
Spider-Man fighting Miles Morales from the Ultimate Universe from Spider-Men #2.
George Stacy’s dying words for Peter to look after Gwen from Amazing Spider-Man #90.
Spider-Man (with his arm in a sling) getting punched by the Kingpin from Amazing Spider-Man #197.
Peter and Mary Jane (?) being separated by the authorities.
Spider-Man growing four additional arms in Amazing Spider-Man #100.
The Green Goblin revealing his identity to a captured Peter Parker is from Amazing Spider-Man #39.
Aunt May and J. Jonah Jameson congratulating Peter Parker for graduating from high school in Amazing Spider-Man #28.
Spider-Man using Doc Ock’s interfacing helmet to cure everyone during Spider-Island from Amazing Spider-Man #672.
Spider-Man being told his black costume is a symbiote trying to bond with him from Amazing Spider-Man #258.
Spider-Man coming face-to-face with his clone from Amazing Spider-Man #149.
Mary Jane and Aunt May being introduced to the other New Avengers: Captain America, Wolverine, Spider-Woman, and Luke Cage from Amazing Spider-Man #519.
A scene of Peter putting a finger under Gwen Stacy’s chin.
“Face it Tiger, You Hit the Jackpot!”, Peter’s first meeting with Mary Jane Watson from Amazing Spider-Man #42.
Spider-Man’s first battle with the Juggernaut from Amazing Spider-Man #229.
Spider-Man swinging off to get some help from Amazing Spider-Man #317.
Peter Parker working in Dr. Cromwell’s lab from Amazing Spider-Man #2.
Spider-Man and the Black Cat sneaking up on some crooks from Amazing Spider-Man #649.
Spider-Man catch the Black Cat in his arms from Amazing Spider-Man #246.
“Spider-Man No More!” Peter Parker dumps his costume in the trash from Amazing Spider-Man #50.
Spider-Man confronting the Spider-Kid from Amazing Spider-Man #263.
Spider-Man fighting Mysterio in Amazing Spider-Man #338.
Peter and Gwen Stacy’s first kiss from Amazing Spider-Man #59.
The Black Cat from ???
Peter having tea with Mary Jane from Amazing Spider-Man #43.
Aunt May and Jay Jameson’s wedding from Amazing Spider-Man #600.
Spider-Man fighting Doctor Octopus from ???
Spider-Man fighting Carnage from Amazing Spider-Man #361.
Spider-Man battling the Hobgoblin from Amazing Spider-Man #276.
Spider-Man helped save Amy Chen’s life in Superior Spider-Man #8.
Some of the memories Otto erases include:
The time that he unmasked Spider-Man from Amazing Spider-Man #12.
When he saved victims of Massacre in Superior Spider-Man #5.
Lastly when he saved Anna Maria and Don Lamaze from Stunner in Superior Spider-Man #21.
Although it appears as though Otto Octavius dies here this is not the last we see of the character. As revealed in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 3) #13, Otto made a copy of his personality as a back-up plan after meeting the future Peter Parker and discovering that he will eventually lose control of Parker’s body. This engram of Otto’s personality will come back to life in the Living Brain in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 4) #1.
