Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #310: "Finale"

[alliterator]

"I love Spider-Man.

I mean, I hope that's obvious. Sometimes as a writer you have to beat up your main character, put them through hell and back, but it's all in service of the story, right? It's because you love Spider-Man and you know what makes him "Spider-Man" is adversity. It's throwing everything at him and having Spidey come through the other side a little worse for wear but still fighting. Still caring."

-- Chip Zdarsky


This is Chip Zdarsky's last issue. It's structured as a documentary, with interviews from people who have been saved or simply encountered Spider-Man. One of them is a woman who says Spider-Man is "amazing." It turns out that back when he stopped an armed robbery, he realized one of the robbers was simply a young boy, the woman's son:



In fact, Spidey doesn't just let the boy go -- he checks up on him every now and then and makes sure he's doing okay.



Except the two other robbers believe the boy was the one that informed on them and, when they get out, they kill him.



Spider-Man finds the killers and brings them to justice, but there's no catharsis. He did all he could and someone still died.



Seriously, you should read this entire issue. Four pages can't do it justice -- you should read the entire thing.

Comments

Re: Sigh... going to be that guy...

[lilacsigil]

That's something I really like about Spider-Man, though. He's not selfless but he's damn well trying. He does mess up and cheat and complain, but he doesn't stop helping.