GONE: Marvel Kills Spider-Man (Sort Of)!

Spider-Man is going to die tomorrow, or at least a Spider-Man will. For those who haven’t been following comics lately, here’s the skinny: The Spider-Man that’s been around since 1962 is fine. The Peter Parker who’s biting the dust is “Ultimate Spider-Man,” an alternate version of the character introduced 11 years ago in the hopes of appealing to new fans. That’s not to say this isn’t a major event. The character has developed a devoted following, and Marvel has spent months hyping the story as “The Death of Spider-Man.”

Writer Brian Michael Bendis, who’s been on the book all 11 years, says Peter will “pass heroically,” and that the death will propel a larger story forward. “I won't lie to you, it's embarrassing to say this out loud, tears were rolling down my face, I was very emotional in writing it,” he says. As for who kills the wall-crawler, well, click this AP story for the spoiler.