Final Spider-Man’s Ending Proves Marvel Canceled The Final Universe Too Quickly

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Spoilers for “Final Spider-Man” #24 comply with.

“Final Spider-Man” has formally wrapped with situation #24, capping a run written by Jonathan Hickman and co-drawn by Marco Checchetto and David Messina. (For this finale, Checchetto and Messina break up the obligation and drew completely different scenes.) This presages the tip of Marvel’s entire “Final Universe”, and whereas “Final Spider-Man” bows out on a robust observe, the collection nonetheless reads as if it wasn’t supposed to finish simply but.

It is a easy, uplifting, and victorious ending. Spider-Man defeats Wilson Fisk/The Kingpin, the e-book’s essential villain. Peter’s son, Richard Parker/Venom, will get the woman (Felicia Hardy/Black Cat), and the Parker household is protected and sound once more. Harry Osborn has misplaced his spouse, Gwen Stacy (who, as Mysterio, takes Fisk’s place as ruler of Manhattan), however it seems to be like he’ll be capable of transfer on — and Peter might be there to assist him.

When Harry asks Peter how he managed to by no means hand over, the problem flashes again years, to when Peter and Mary Jane determined to tie the knot once they came upon she was pregnant. That affirms what “Final Spider-Man” was: A e-book about their marriage, and the way they remained companions whilst their lives saved taking turns for the bizarre and worse.

However the ending arrives feeling a bit muted. The announcement that the “Final Universe” would finish took the wind out of the entire mission, “Final Spider-Man” included. It is essential to do not forget that when “Final Spider-Man” debuted in 2024, it and different “Final” books had been hailed as a brand new genesis for Marvel. DC’s competing “Absolute” line regarded like a meager try to play catch-up. As a substitute, “Absolute DC” (particularly best-selling “Absolute Batman”) wound up surpassing “Final Marvel.” The choice to finish the “Final” initiative meant the early hype by no means returned.

Reporting by Popverse means that whereas Jonathan Hickman deliberate to depart “Final Spider-Man” after situation #24, he was shocked to be taught that it will be the finish. “Ultimates” author Deniz Camp additionally instructed Popverse there had been discussions to do extra. 

Certainly, the ambiance of “Final Spider-Man” #24 is not finality a lot as embracing the brand new days that life at all times delivers. Peter’s Uncle Ben Parker (reimagined as a journalist) and J. Jonah Jameson have spent the entire run investigating the Kingpin’s grip on Manhattan. On this situation, after Fisk’s demise, they get to jot down the final phrase on him. Retirement, although? Not an opportunity. This was the tip of 1 story for them, not of the story.

Evaluate Kingpin’s final destiny: he loses all his energy, however he isn’t upset. The considered being knocked down and having to combat his manner again to the highest? It makes him really feel alive… till his rival, Martin Li/Mister Adverse, telepathically pushes him to leap to his doom. Fisk’s iron will relents, however solely after he is dragged Li down with him. Fisk’s plans for a contemporary begin getting usurped by an abrupt finish feels reflective of how “Final Spider-Man” is concluding.

What’s going to the legacy of “Final Spider-Man” be? If there was a central flaw, it was the e-book’s gimmick of skipping forward a month every situation to account for the real-time lapse of publication. In the long run, that made it onerous for the story to maintain narrative momentum. Now that we have got the entire package deal, the endurance of “Final Spider-Man” may very well be outlined by how nicely it reads as a single and uninterrupted story.

Whereas MJ has Peter’s coronary heart, the soul of “Final Spider-Man” is simply as a lot about one other essential relationship: Peter’s friendship with Harry Osborn. Right here, Harry turned the Inexperienced Goblin to take down the Kingpin, and so he and Spider-Man turned crime-fighting companions.

I learn “Final Spider-Man,” dreading when Peter and Harry would have their falling out and change into enemies. Harry’s Goblin swimsuit can be operated by a recreation of his father Norman’s character; would Norman shouting his disappointment in Harry’s ear drive Osborn Jr. to evil?

Nope, Harry’s darkish flip by no means got here. In hindsight, the e-book could have been banking on these expectations to cover its true twist, mendacity close to Harry: that Gwen Stacy was the ruthless Mysterio. In “Final Spider-Man” #24, Harry decides to delete the Norman-AI from his swimsuit, admitting that it was him dwelling up to now. He was chasing his father’s approval, however he does not want it. The difficulty that cemented Peter and Harry’s friendship was “Final Spider-Man” #4 (the primary one drawn by David Messina), the place Harry was the one who instructed Peter, “With nice energy comes nice accountability.”

In situation #20 (one other Messina situation), when the Parkers and Osborns laid their secrets and techniques out within the open, MJ mentioned this: “You are a good man, Peter. And also you may very well be too, Harry.” In Peter and Harry’s final scene (with Messina taking artwork duties once more to carry it full-circle), Harry expresses bemusement however awe at Peter’s decided heroism. With Spider-Man as his buddy, Harry would possibly actually change into the identical sort of good man someday. 

The one silver lining to “Final Spider-Man” ending now could be that there is not any probability for the Parker-Osborn bromance to interrupt up.

“Final Spider-Man” #1-24 are actually obtainable for buy.