SPIDER MEN is reviewed

There was a time that our world had a Peter Parker who was also the superhero known as Spider-Man. At the same time, the Ultimate Universe had a Peter Parker who was also the superhero known as Spider-Man. But that Peter Parker died battling The Green Goblin during 'The Death of Spider-Man' storyline. That led to a new hero to take over the mantle. His name is Miles Morales: an African American/Latino teenage who got bit by a spider and has many of the same powers as his predecessor.

In the five issue mini-series SPIDER-MEN, Peter Parker finds himself investigating a bright purple light from a warehouse. Inside, he finds Mysterio complaining about how he missed a chance to kill Spider Man. This Mysterio is in a totally different costume and while Spider man is examining his defeated foe’s equipment, our hero is shot and tumbles through a dimensional rift. He breaks up a mugging but takes heat for being disrespectful to the memory of Peter Parker by wearing the suit. He leaves, heading to the rooftop and runs into another Spider man.

Mysterio, upset by having another Spider Man ruin his day, sends a robotic avatar through the rift. Peter and Miles battle and Peter finds himself on the losing end as miles hits him with a venom blast. Peter wakes in a holding cell where he meets The Ultimate Nick Fury(who looks a lot like Nick Fury Jr…or is that the other way around?). Fury sends Peter and Miles off to discuss their respective worlds when Mysterio’s avatar attacks. The avatar uses a chemical to make the Spider Men think they are fighting each others’ greatest enemies. The avatar self destructs, effectively stranding Peter in this Universe. 

The Ultimates arrive and Tony Stark begins working on Mysterio's dimension technology, Peter has disappeared to see what his life here would be like. He finds what should be his apartment is actually a convenience store. He breaks up a robbery and finds out that Peter Parker of this other world died in battle and that the city, who knew that Peter Parker was really Spider Man, was still in mourning. Shocked by it all, he heads over to Queens to see Aunt May. She is seeing Gwen Stacy off to school when the costumed hero arrives. They threaten to call the police for having someone be so disrespectful. Peter then unmasks himself.

Brian Michael Bendis, the architect of the original ULTIMATE SPIDER MAN and Sara Pichelli, current artist of the current series, combine to bring the two worlds together. It’s a fun little story that can only go to a couple of places I the next few issues. Are the rumors true and does the Ultimate Universe’ Gwen Stacy come back to out world? Does that make Peter Parker a REAL sick guy? Either way, I love where this is going despite the fact that I gave up the Ultimate Universe many years ago.