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Spider-Man: The Complete Ben Reilly Epic
Spider-Man: The Complete Ben Reilly Epic, Book 4
Just as Ben Reilly settles into his new life as the Amazing Spider-Man, a shadow from the past casts doubt upon his identity. Is he or is he not the real deal? As Ben attempts to discover the ultimate truth surrounding this mystery, Peter Parker continues to adapt to a life without powers. It's the continuing saga of not one but two Spider-Men!
464 pages, Paperback
First published April 25, 2012
About the author
Tom DeFalco
2,517 books109 followersTom DeFalco is an American comics writer and editor, well-known for his association with Marvel Comics and Spider-Man.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 22, 2026
In the words of the Beatles: “It’s getting better all the time, it can’t get no worse.”
This book is quite paradoxical to read. My reading pace was crazy fast, proof that the storytelling is quite efficient and the stories are well structured and drawn. But the plots are sometimes lazy and stupid, which leaves the book with an average grade rather than a very good one.
The “Blood Brothers” crossover takes a large part of this book, with Spider-Man Unlimited #12 added to the mix. The problem with this crossover starts with two points:
- the new “clone/skeleton” that has been the MacGuffin of the book since last volume
- a mysterious new villain targeting both Peter and Ben Reilly (both as Ben and as Spider-Man)
The first one is solved (in a pretty stupid way - more on that later) in Unlimited #12, and we end up with a bunch of goons working for the Hobgoblin, who works for mysterious villain Gaunt, who works for another unidentified villain. Seward Trainer is also part of this fun but rather convoluted story, working with the villains, because…
According to the Life of Reilly blog (still read alongside the TPBs), Blood Brothers was supposed to close the whole event, but that ending was postponed by 6 months by new Marvel Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras, who wanted to keep shelf space for the Onslaught crossover and its gazillion tie-ins.
The following Spider-Man issues provide a sort of relief with a few closing chapters (the Jessica subplot in Sensational - along with Jurgens’ departure), the return of Peter and MJ in NY and some really good done-in-one stories. Each book plays with its style and it provides a really pleasant change of style each time. Sensational is wasted potential, ASM is steady, Spider-Man is a sort of crime book - my favorite at the time - and Sensational remains also quite strong but with only one issue in this volume.
Some extras in the book: Spidey Team-up #3 with the FF, which is almost Silver Age silly-but-fun; Daredevil #354 reminded me that I absolutely adore the Karl Kesel-Cary Nord era of DD; and Spider-Man Redemption #1-4 mini-series. Reuniting the “Fearful Symmetry/Kraven Last Hunt” team (De Matteis, Zeck, McLeod) could have been a good idea, but on a different story. The story is too long, too boring, too predictable, and eventually too stupid (what was the point of all this really?) but at least great-looking.
In the words of the Beatles again: “It’s getting very near the end,” with two volumes to go: one with the Peter is dying subplot and one with the conclusion of the whole thing. Yeah !
THE GOOD
Once again, Dan Jurgens could have been an incredible Spider-Man writer AND artist - what a waste
I still really love the Mackie - Romita Jr combo on adjectiveless
the pairing of Peter and Ben Urich in Spider-Man #70 was an awesome idea
Sensational #6 had the vibe of a classic “Must there be a Spider-Man?” type of story
The “Batman” origin in ASM #411
Howard Mackie’s blonde wig scene
THE BAD
J.M. De Matteis’ verbal diarea in Redemption - I hadn’t missed his “Psychology for dummies” approach from this era
Dialogue incoherence between Peter and Ben: sometimes they act like brothers and 5 pages later like antagonists. It will be solved later but this incoherence was pretty annoying
THE UGLY
Unlimited #12 manages to be both stupid and awful with a conclusion that actually contradicts everything that was said before in the story and a grand total of 3 pencillers and 6 inkers… That title was soooo bad.
Discovering the level of editorial incompetence in the life of Reilly blog and the reasons behind Jurgens’ departure and all the backs and forths linked to the story conclusion.
This book is quite paradoxical to read. My reading pace was crazy fast, proof that the storytelling is quite efficient and the stories are well structured and drawn. But the plots are sometimes lazy and stupid, which leaves the book with an average grade rather than a very good one.
The “Blood Brothers” crossover takes a large part of this book, with Spider-Man Unlimited #12 added to the mix. The problem with this crossover starts with two points:
- the new “clone/skeleton” that has been the MacGuffin of the book since last volume
- a mysterious new villain targeting both Peter and Ben Reilly (both as Ben and as Spider-Man)
The first one is solved (in a pretty stupid way - more on that later) in Unlimited #12, and we end up with a bunch of goons working for the Hobgoblin, who works for mysterious villain Gaunt, who works for another unidentified villain. Seward Trainer is also part of this fun but rather convoluted story, working with the villains, because…
According to the Life of Reilly blog (still read alongside the TPBs), Blood Brothers was supposed to close the whole event, but that ending was postponed by 6 months by new Marvel Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras, who wanted to keep shelf space for the Onslaught crossover and its gazillion tie-ins.
The following Spider-Man issues provide a sort of relief with a few closing chapters (the Jessica subplot in Sensational - along with Jurgens’ departure), the return of Peter and MJ in NY and some really good done-in-one stories. Each book plays with its style and it provides a really pleasant change of style each time. Sensational is wasted potential, ASM is steady, Spider-Man is a sort of crime book - my favorite at the time - and Sensational remains also quite strong but with only one issue in this volume.
Some extras in the book: Spidey Team-up #3 with the FF, which is almost Silver Age silly-but-fun; Daredevil #354 reminded me that I absolutely adore the Karl Kesel-Cary Nord era of DD; and Spider-Man Redemption #1-4 mini-series. Reuniting the “Fearful Symmetry/Kraven Last Hunt” team (De Matteis, Zeck, McLeod) could have been a good idea, but on a different story. The story is too long, too boring, too predictable, and eventually too stupid (what was the point of all this really?) but at least great-looking.
In the words of the Beatles again: “It’s getting very near the end,” with two volumes to go: one with the Peter is dying subplot and one with the conclusion of the whole thing. Yeah !
THE GOOD
Once again, Dan Jurgens could have been an incredible Spider-Man writer AND artist - what a waste
I still really love the Mackie - Romita Jr combo on adjectiveless
the pairing of Peter and Ben Urich in Spider-Man #70 was an awesome idea
Sensational #6 had the vibe of a classic “Must there be a Spider-Man?” type of story
The “Batman” origin in ASM #411
Howard Mackie’s blonde wig scene
THE BAD
J.M. De Matteis’ verbal diarea in Redemption - I hadn’t missed his “Psychology for dummies” approach from this era
Dialogue incoherence between Peter and Ben: sometimes they act like brothers and 5 pages later like antagonists. It will be solved later but this incoherence was pretty annoying
THE UGLY
Unlimited #12 manages to be both stupid and awful with a conclusion that actually contradicts everything that was said before in the story and a grand total of 3 pencillers and 6 inkers… That title was soooo bad.
Discovering the level of editorial incompetence in the life of Reilly blog and the reasons behind Jurgens’ departure and all the backs and forths linked to the story conclusion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2020
This was a good installment of the Ben Reilly Epic which deserves 3 1/2 stars really. The stories about the Spider-Man skeleton and the "Kaine ruining Ben Reilly's life constantly" issues were good. The stories about Ben Reilly's girlfriend Jessica and his issue with the Fantastic Four were not so good. Overall a good book where the plot moved at a nice pace.
November 12, 2023
This is significantly darker than volume 3 was, with Ben Reilly seeing his world falling apart all around him. Volume 4 focuses on the dynamic between Spider-Man (Ben Reilly) and Kane, particularly the Spider-Man: Redemption mini-series. More of the spaces of those “Lost Years” get filled in during that story. I was thrilled to see the creative team behind the legendary Kraven's Last Hunt arc, J.M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck, reunite for that one. Whatever happened to Mike Zeck, anyways? He did some tremendous stuff and then just seemed to vanish.
I enjoyed the Hobgoblin, this being the third one (Jason Macendale, formerly Jack O' Lantern), a sort of cybernetically enhanced hi-tech Hobgoblin as opposed to the truly demonic version that was Hobgoblin III. Gaunt, who is pulling the strings, is something of an enigma. He hints at being someone who Spider-Man knows, but his face is obscured by his exoskeleton suit.
While the overall tone of this book is darker than before, there are still a few fun, whimsical stories, such as Amazing Spider-Man #413, a done in one called Bug Story. In it, we see an updated riff on the classic issues 66 and 67, with Mysterio once again convincing Spider-Man that he shrank him down to 6 inches tall.
The writing and artwork are all pretty solid, although there is an occasionally weak issue here or there. I found myself really enjoying Dan Jurgens' stuff, though. On the artwork side, John Romita, Jr. is a treat as always. While all of the crossover issues, one-shots, and mini-series seem excessive, I still do not see why this era of the title is so widely derided by fans. So far. If there is a train wreck coming down the tracks, let me stumble upon it for myself.
I enjoyed the Hobgoblin, this being the third one (Jason Macendale, formerly Jack O' Lantern), a sort of cybernetically enhanced hi-tech Hobgoblin as opposed to the truly demonic version that was Hobgoblin III. Gaunt, who is pulling the strings, is something of an enigma. He hints at being someone who Spider-Man knows, but his face is obscured by his exoskeleton suit.
While the overall tone of this book is darker than before, there are still a few fun, whimsical stories, such as Amazing Spider-Man #413, a done in one called Bug Story. In it, we see an updated riff on the classic issues 66 and 67, with Mysterio once again convincing Spider-Man that he shrank him down to 6 inches tall.
The writing and artwork are all pretty solid, although there is an occasionally weak issue here or there. I found myself really enjoying Dan Jurgens' stuff, though. On the artwork side, John Romita, Jr. is a treat as always. While all of the crossover issues, one-shots, and mini-series seem excessive, I still do not see why this era of the title is so widely derided by fans. So far. If there is a train wreck coming down the tracks, let me stumble upon it for myself.
March 15, 2018
Well, after eight 500ish page volumes, they start to dismantle what was shoddily put together. The "Blood Brothers" opening arc does its best attempt at giving Spider-Man a "Born Again" story. J.M. DeMatteis returns to bring his ridiculously melodramatic prose to a love story featuring that pesky asshead Kaine. And JRJR gets to draw a lot of fight scenes in the rain. Aside from the terrible parts, this was pretty good.
March 9, 2017
Totally loved this one. How can I not love a book with JR, Jr. drawing Spider-Man? It's just the best! I think my version of heaven will have every Spidey chapter drawn by JR, Jr.
April 12, 2020
Meh
Once again this series was really silly and just way too damn loooooooooonggggg. Did I me mention too long???
Too long!
Once again this series was really silly and just way too damn loooooooooonggggg. Did I me mention too long???
Too long!
September 28, 2022
Another mix of good and poor stories.
Bagley is the pick of the artists for me. JRJr's art is flat and the panels seem very busy, although that could be due to the lack of depth.
Bagley is the pick of the artists for me. JRJr's art is flat and the panels seem very busy, although that could be due to the lack of depth.
May 23, 2016
We'll just start this review with the boiler plate I've been attaching to these Clone Saga collections--Dan Slott pulls this off so much better with the Otto Octavius-cum-Spider-Man approach in Superior Spider-Man, so The Clone Saga is already behind the eight ball here. Could it be a case of there being too many cooks thanks to FIVE(!) monthly Spider-Man titles being published during this story arc? Probably. But I've only got two more of these to go, so there's no quitting now.
In this volume, we see the Spider-Man creative teams beginning to setup to undo everything they had done previously to go back to the status quo. In the previous volume they took away Peter's powers, one would assume, in an attempt to solidify Ben as the new Spider-Man. But they also introduced a new clone corpse that is custom made to undermine the fact that Ben is the "true" Spider-Man, and then they follow that up by bringing Peter and MJ back into the book! Why would you do that after de-powering him if you didn't intend for him to be Spider-Man again? (Obviously, this is what happened.) So maybe it would be just to cut to the chase so I don't have to read another 800 pages of this, but I'm going to soldier on...
In this volume, we see the Spider-Man creative teams beginning to setup to undo everything they had done previously to go back to the status quo. In the previous volume they took away Peter's powers, one would assume, in an attempt to solidify Ben as the new Spider-Man. But they also introduced a new clone corpse that is custom made to undermine the fact that Ben is the "true" Spider-Man, and then they follow that up by bringing Peter and MJ back into the book! Why would you do that after de-powering him if you didn't intend for him to be Spider-Man again? (Obviously, this is what happened.) So maybe it would be just to cut to the chase so I don't have to read another 800 pages of this, but I'm going to soldier on...
July 22, 2016
What a mess.
Quick question: How long was Ben Reilly away from New York? If you answered five years, you've probably read this trade. Why do I think that? Because we can't go more than two issues without a reference to the five years he spent on the road. Little actual development but they really want to hammer home that he was gone for five years.
Yes, I know this was before trades were huge and they were looking at introducing the story to new readers, but come on! There had to be a better way. I think the recap pages that Marvel does now are way less intrusive. The story gets to breathe and new readers know what is happening!
The art is all over the place. Some is awful and others are serviceable. No one really knocks these out of the park.
Quick question: How long was Ben Reilly away from New York? If you answered five years, you've probably read this trade. Why do I think that? Because we can't go more than two issues without a reference to the five years he spent on the road. Little actual development but they really want to hammer home that he was gone for five years.
Yes, I know this was before trades were huge and they were looking at introducing the story to new readers, but come on! There had to be a better way. I think the recap pages that Marvel does now are way less intrusive. The story gets to breathe and new readers know what is happening!
The art is all over the place. Some is awful and others are serviceable. No one really knocks these out of the park.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews