Amazing Spider-Man #700 is not a worthy close to a beloved Marvel character (SPOILERS!)

The Amazing Spider-Man No. 700 came out today and this marks the end of the book since it will be "Marvel NOW'd" as the Superior Spider-Man in 2013. Just to be clear, there are major SPOILERS coming up so if you want to read the comic first, please stop reading this review now and come back when you've finished reading issue No. 700.

Right away, if you do not know, Doctor Otto Octavius has mind-swapped Peter Parker and right now Doc Ock is Parker—who also has Parker's memories and powers—while Parker is in Doc Ock's dying body. This, of course, poses a huge problem since Doc Ock's body is going to die and Parker is running out of time to get back into his own body.

Issue No. 700 represents the end of Parker and the beginning of a new, Superior Spider-Man. This new Spider-Man may walk, talk and look like Parker but it is clearly Octavius and he is bent on maintaining this new status quota over Parker. In the end, Parker dies and Octavius vows to continue on as the superhero everyone knows as Spider-Man ... but superior. (Sorry can't stop throwing in that it's "superior" because it was done in this comic book too.)

But the problem with this finale is the fact Parker is now dead. And it was not in an honorable way except to convince Octavius "with great power, comes great responsibility" and that makes Octavius' Spidey do a 180-degree turn to be a Spider-Man who is still a hero despite having the mind of a villain. (This ending was as cheesy as it comes especially using that famous quote.)

It was very lackluster and anti-climatic ending to Parker but no one ever stays dead in the Marvel comic book universe, so it is a matter of time until Parker comes back to reclaim his role as the Amazing Spider-Man. Unfortunately, it could take some time since Octavius' Superior Spider-Man will have it's time to shine as the new comic book. Or fail since Spider-Man fans everywhere are not too happy about the outcome of this story and its future as a new book.

Still, Parker's farewell was lame and came off a bit lazy as it was written and presented. An interesting concept but the execution was not excellent. Still worth a read but don't except anything amazing or superior in this final tale of Peter Parker. (Had to go there again!)


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