With this story, we finally revert to the Amazing Spider-Man volume 1 numbering completely and drop our allegiance to volume 2. Sigh. So complicated.
The story starts with Pete and MJ trying to get it on, but they are interrupted by the mindless ones invading Times Square.
To all the people who complain about JMS’s run, take that two-page spread of awesomeness.
Spidey and some other N.Y. heroes try to control the rampage but in so doing inadvertently summon Dormammu. Doctor Strange shows up at that point. A little late, Doc. Anyway, I love how JMS writes Strange…
Doc Strange does some spellcasting and Spider-Man tries to help but only gets in the way of the magic stuff. He ends up getting thrown into alternate realities where, among other things, he watches the Mindless Ones kill Mary Jane. The focus of issue #499 is having Peter forced to watch key elements of his life unravel, and he moves through versions of his own personal past and possible futures. It’s a solid tribute to the character on the eve of his 500th issue and the return to legacy numbering.
These visions of his history and future continue with #500, where we get to see him revisit all his key rogues (Vulture, Doctor Octopus, Chameleon, Carnage, etc.) and key supporting characters (Betty Brant, Gwen Stacy, etc.). Of course at the end he finally returns to his own timeline.
It’s Peter’s birthday, by the way, and Doctor Strange gives him a gift: The ability to have a single conversation with the soul of Uncle Ben.
Of course it’s a tearjerker.
It’s also a pitch-perfect “ending” for volume two and return to volume one. And, if you’re a careful viewer of artistry, you’ll note that the conversation with Ben is drawn by John Romita Senior. Father and son worked together on this issue.