64 Years Later, Marvel Unveils A Classic Character’s Most Nightmarish Death Yet

Published Oct 11, 2026, 7:01 AM EDT

Jared is a writer, editor, and Communications Studies graduate who loves popular nerd culture (almost anything to do with Marvel, DC, Star Wars, or The Lord of the Rings) and the interactive storytelling medium. Jared's first console was the PS1, wherein he fell for Spider-Man, Spyro the Dragon, and Crash Bandicoot.

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The following contains major SPOILERS for Midnight Spider-Man #1.

Midnight Spider-Man doesn’t pull any punches with regard to its emphasis on horror, from B.O.W.s that wouldn’t be out of place in a Resident Evil game to body horror that is deliciously gnarly and colorful. This is no mere retelling of an origin story we’ve seen however many times at this point, but a reimagining that maintains Peter Parker’s core mythology and principles while also not being afraid to make novel storytelling choices.

For instance, the death of Peter’s cat is a phenomenal inciting incident that then emboldens the second, more traditional incident readers know well. But this second incident, the one involving Uncle Ben, is made fairly unpredictable and harrowing in Midnight Spider-Man, with Ben’s death being more grisly than ever.

The following images depict gruesome gore.

Marvel Just Took Uncle Ben’s Iconic Death And Made It More Brutal Than Ever

In Midnight Spider-Man #1, the spider that would inevitably give Peter his abilities goes on an interesting adventure. The story begins with it seemingly being an ordinary spider that happened to descend on a web line and catch a ride on the interviewee who’d soon become Subject #2518.

This is apparently how the spider gets nuked with everything that has flooded Mr. Zinkievich’s system—“methandrostenolene, testosterone catalyst O-6 and Mutant Growth Hormone,” as well as gamma exposure—and caused it to become a hulking, hideous monster, though somehow it managed to flee the containment tube undetected. The spider descends on a web line once more, and this time makes its way into Peter’s backpack before he leaves Midnight Spider-Man’s ominous take on Oscorp.

Unknowingly bringing this monster to his home, Peter sets his bag somewhere and goes to his room, listening to music and falling asleep. Meanwhile, the spider bites Uncle Ben’s ankle. This bite is so venomous that the flesh on Ben’s leg melts away from the bone within moments, leaving a pool of purple, rotten blood on the floor and on his hand where he initially clasped the wound.

It doesn’t take long for the bite’s effect to spread, with Ben’s eyes turning red and all the veins in his face swelling. In one of these last unnerving panels, as Ben desperately tries to call Peter for help and even cries out to his brother (who is presumably dead, though it’s anyone’s guess as to what the true fates of Richard and Mary Parker are in this universe), the spider can be seen looming over him.

The Spider Replaces The Burglar In Midnight Spider-Man’s Origin Story

What’s fascinating about this version of Uncle Ben’s death is that the spider essentially replaces the burglar in Midnight Spider-Man’s continuity. Instead of Peter letting a burglar pass by and that burglar later killing his uncle, Peter going to Oscorp against his uncle’s explicit wishes allowed the spider to come home with him and kill Ben.

It’s intriguing, too, because Peter gets bitten and receives his powers after Ben’s death in this universe, not before. It should be incredibly thrilling to see Peter’s reaction once he realizes that the spider that killed his uncle is the same one that now latches onto his chest, as it will be a constant reminder of how he failed the loved one closest to him once again. The solicitation for Midnight Spider-Man #2 reads as follows:

Where is Peter Parker? A new Oscorp employee is missing. An NYC teaching assistant is missing. In Queens, a municipal services tech didn’t clock in this morning. And for some reason, Oscorp defense contractors are scouring their building’s security tapes... for a spider. Where is Peter Parker?

Midnight Spider-Man #1 is out now.