The colors work really well throughout especially in the darker sections. These moments are striking and add to the grim tone. There are a lot of haunting images here such as Peter unconsciously suspended above his bed by the symbiote, or the monstrous visage the suit begins to take on.

Pasqual Ferry and Matt Hollingsworth capture the narrative’s dark and eerie tone and add another level to it. The story is then fully realized by the art team. What makes Peter able to be Spider-Man is not being perfect but by embracing his humanity and overcoming his inner darkness.

In one particular sequence between Peter and M.J., Zdarsky cuts to the character’s core. Then at the midpoint we are all the more invested as we see Peter come to terms with his actions. We relate to his struggle and are able to understand how he could get to the point of giving in. By allowing Peter to give into his emotions, he is able to explore how far the hero would fall and if he could ever return. Zdarsky’s character work for Peter remains the heart of the story. Though the story quickly gathers a large roster, it never loses sight of the central hero of Peter. It’s cool to see such a fleshed out alternate reality where it involves more than just a select cast. Alliances are formed and unlikely heroes emerge from the flames of adversity. By getting the rest of the Marvel universe involved, the story begins to evolve into an entirely different beast.įrom here, it pivots to following how the Marvel universe would react to Venom if Spider-Man wasn’t there to take him on. Kingpin starts planning to save his city, the Sinister Six begin plotting, and Peter’s loved ones try to reach the man within the darkness. This is where the story starts to bring in a large supporting cast to oppose our new big bad. We see Spider-Man become judge, jury and executioner, which is as brutal and shocking as you can imagine. By giving the reader what they would expect at the beginning, it allows the story to breathe and develop past the usual into the compelling.

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