13 Years Ago, the Best Modern Spider-Man Story Began by Tricking Every Marvel Fan

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Spider-Man has seen many excellent stories this century, and one of the most memorable began with a clever deception by Marvel. When Dan Slott became the full-time writer of The Amazing Spider-Man in 2010, he delivered impressive arcs like “Big Time” and Spider-Verse. However, his most acclaimed work came when he drastically altered Spider-Man’s world in a way that initially surprised fans, but ultimately captivated them with some of the best modern Spider-Man comics. It was a risky move that succeeded and continues to be celebrated.

Thirteen years ago, a major storyline in The Amazing Spider-Man comic book saw Spider-Man seemingly kill his enemy, Doctor Octopus, in a final battle. But the story didn’t end there! A new series called Superior Spider-Man followed, and it quickly became very popular.

Thirteen Years Ago Marvel Kills Off Peter Parker To Create A New Spider-Man

The storyline in Amazing Spider-Man was carefully planned by Dan Slott over many issues. Back in Amazing Spider-Man #600, Spider-Man battled Doctor Octopus, who knew he was dying and wanted one last victory. That fight involved help from heroes like the Fantastic Four and New Avengers, but it also started a chain of events that led to Amazing Spider-Man #700. In that issue, Spider-Man faced Doctor Octopus alone, with the villain nearly at death’s door.

This issue featured a surprising battle: Peter Parker and Doctor Octopus had switched bodies! While it seemed like Peter might regain control, Doc Ock’s body ultimately failed. The biggest shock came when Peter, trapped in Doc Ock’s body, pleaded with his enemy to be a hero and save lives. Doc Ock, now in Peter’s body, promised he would. But true to form, as Peter’s body gave out, Doc Ock declared he would become a better Spider-Man – a “Superior Spider-Man.”

Superior Spider-Man Remains One Of Spider-Man’s Best Comics This Century

The Superior Spider-Man comic series is considered one of the best Spider-Man stories of the 21st century. It featured Doctor Octopus trying to be a hero, using his intelligence to fight crime and even surpassing Peter Parker’s accomplishments as Spider-Man. While he made impressive scientific breakthroughs, his methods were much more aggressive, which caused conflict with allies like the Fantastic Four and the Avengers.

Looking back, the whole thing was a Marvel trick! I guess I shouldn’t have been too shocked that Peter Parker wasn’t really gone. From the start, a tiny part of his soul was still inside him, subtly guiding Otto Octavius, whispering about doing what’s right. It was a clever way to make sure even as the Superior Spider-Man, Otto still acted like a hero, despite his villainous tendencies.

The comic series Superior Spider-Man began in 2013 and lasted for 33 issues, concluding in late 2014. It was a key part of the Spider-Verse event, featuring Peter Parker reclaiming his body and abilities. Meanwhile, Doctor Octopus eventually returned as Superior Spider-Man in a cloned body, continuing his crime-fighting efforts until a fateful deal with Mephisto led to his downfall. While Marvel isn’t afraid to kill off heroes, the initial deception of Peter’s supposed death allowed writer Dan Slott to craft one of Spider-Man’s most acclaimed stories.

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2025-11-29 21:17