| Characters |
Spider-Man; GUESTS: The Beyonder; Thomas Fireheart [Puma]; Aunt May Parker; Nathan Lubensky; Anna Watson; Mary Jane Watson; VILLAINS: Mephisto; Zarathos; Kingpin; Arranger; Zarathos Illusions [Green Goblin [Norman Osborn]; Richard Parker; Mary Parker; Captain George Stacy; Gwen Stacy; Uncle Ben Parker]; CAMEO FLASHBACK: Eternity; The Watcher; Dr. Strange; Molecule Man |
| Synopsis |
The Beyonder is floating in the far reaches of space contemplating destroying the entire multiverse when he is attacked by aliens whom he promptly blinks out of existence; Sensing that he is being watched by Mephisto, the Beyonder appears in his realm and prepares to destroy it; The Beyonder makes a deal with the devil--he agrees to forestall destroying the cosmos for twenty-four hours if a hero of his choosing can sustain his life's purpose in the face of overwhelming adversity; The Beyonder chooses Spider-Man as his target and frees the demon Zarathos to torment him; Spidey overhears plans for the assassination of the Kingpin and contemplates letting the bad guy get whacked; Resolved to rescue his enemy, Spidey is hampered in his quest by dead friends and foes from the past who accuse him of being a failure; Even his parents and Uncle Ben get in on the act as Spidey is beaten down and begins to give in to despair; The source of the illusions, Zarathos, confronts Spider-Man directly and tries to convince him to let the Kingpin be killed; Spidey finds the strength to fight back and ends up saving the Kingpin from a sniper; Even though he feels like his effort was a waste, little does Peter know that he has just saved the entire multiverse for at least one more day. |
| Genre |
superhero |
| Script |
Tom DeFalco |
| Pencils |
Ron Frenz (Layouts); Jack Fury (Art Assist); Tom Morgan (Finished Pencils); James Fry (Finished Pencils) |
| Inks |
Joe Rubinstein; John Romita Sr.; Russ Steffens (Background Inks) |
| Colors |
George Roussos; ? [as & Co.] |
| Letters |
Joe Rosen |
| Notes |
Cont. from Secret Wars II #8; Cont. in Secret Wars II #9 |
| Reprinted |
in Essential Ghost Rider (Marvel, 2006 series) #4; in Uomo Ragno, L' (Edizioni Star Comics, 1987 series) #67 |