How Comic Events Ruined Spider-Man’s Best Story in Years

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Large-scale events are a highlight of shared superhero universes like Marvel and DC. When successful, these events are a fantastic way to showcase many characters and celebrate the rich history built over time – some of Marvel’s most popular comics, such as Infinity War and Siege, are examples of this. Even regular comic book series often connect to these events through special tie-in issues. These events significantly impact the comic book world, frequently introducing new storylines and challenges that affect characters for a long time. However, this very power can also be a drawback.

Big crossover events can be amazing in comics, but they sometimes create problems for the characters involved, no matter how well-written. A new event called “Death Spiral,” which brings together Spider-Man, Venom, and Carnage, is a good example. It catches all three characters at difficult times in their lives, and predictably leads to a huge conflict. While the first issue, Amazing Spider-Man / Venom: Death Spiral, looks promising, this event unfortunately caused a critically acclaimed Spider-Man storyline to end sooner than planned.

Spider-Man From Space to Earth

In the current Amazing Spider-Man run (2025), Spider-Man faced a tremendously powerful foe named Hellgate. After a defeat, Spider-Man found himself stranded on another planet, creating an opportunity for Norman Osborn to take on the role of the hero. While Peter was lost in space, he focused on becoming stronger, and Norman struggled with his inner demons as he tried to protect New York City. This was a major shift for Spider-Man, similar to the Superior Spider-Man storyline, and it was a thrilling development. Norman worked to become the hero Peter always believed he could be, and Peter found renewed strength after a difficult experience.

The recent storyline was a refreshing change from typical Spider-Man conflicts, offering a new look at Peter Parker and Norman Osborn. While this new direction was excellent, the return to familiar territory felt hurried. Just as both characters were developing in compelling ways, their arcs were cut short. We didn’t get enough exploration of Peter’s space crew, and Norman’s journey towards heroism was cut off at a fascinating moment. Although the ending was still well-done, the story didn’t quite live up to the potential of its early issues, largely due to the “Death Spiral” event.

The Pros and Cons of Crossovers

Both Peter and Norman’s storylines felt a little rushed and could have benefited from more development to fully deliver on their potential. However, getting Peter back to Earth for the “Death Spiral” event was a priority. This plot point has been carefully planned across both the Venom and Eddie Brock: Carnage comics, and those series needed to move forward with it now. While “Death Spiral” wasn’t a sudden decision, it unfortunately meant the space storyline with Spider-Man had to be cut short.

This isn’t the first time a big comic book event has disrupted ongoing storylines. These events frequently interrupt existing plots, sometimes rushing them to an abrupt conclusion or, more commonly, forcing books to publish several related issues that stall the main story for months with little payoff. While events can be a good way to bring different characters together, they often pull characters into pointless situations that ultimately harm their individual narratives. It’s often a case of prioritizing a large, interconnected story over the quality of individual character arcs.

It’s not that comic book events are inherently bad – in fact, they’re often a highlight of the medium. However, they can sometimes negatively impact ongoing storylines. Events need to be handled thoughtfully to enhance, rather than detract from, the individual series involved. They have the potential to be amazing, but it’s a shame when a good story is weakened by one. Spider-Man’s narrative is a prime example, and while the current “Death Spiral” event seems promising, it still makes me consider what those stories might have been like without it.

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2026-03-04 02:10