If you haven't read the series and you don't want some minor and some major spoilers then read no further. You've been warned!

I'm talking from issue one forward. If you haven't read it then you're really in for a treat and if you have read and you haven't reread it in a while then do it! I myself have probably reread USM more than any other comic that I own. It's just that good! Bendis really nails what makes Peter Parker great. I mean there are times where he may only be in costume for a few panels in the entire issue and you don't even notice because the dialogue is just amazing! This is where Bendis shines. I know a lot of people had a big problem with his run on the Avengers (I was kind of one of them) but this is probably the best work Bendis has ever done, I also think that his work on USM is one of the main reasons why they gave him so much power in the 616 to do as he pleases and I'll be honest his 616 work is no where near the quality of writing that he brings to the table in USM. I think the biggest reason why people should read this series now is because SPOILERS Peter Parker dies and knowing that from the first issue on, it just adds a completely different tone to the series. I discussed this once with a friend and he really summed it up perfectly. "Knowing that Peter is going to die makes the entire book feel like the old cop in a movie saying that he's going to retire next week." There are so many times throughout the series where people like Nick Fury come out and tell Peter just how great he's going to be when he gets older or all of the times he or MJ talk about their futures together. Just little things like that make me believe that Bendis had planned Peter's death from the beginning. I'll be honest I could probably keep going on about this book for a long time and with my poor grammar and punctuation it would be like torture for the few people who will may read this so I'll just leave you with what I feel is one of the best villain speeches ever and one of my all time favorite moments from the book.

NOW GO READ IT!!!

I can't stress enough how much I agree with you and am so glad you made this. Personally, Ultimate Spider-Man is my favorite all time series. Bendis just makes magic with this series, even still to an extent with Miles. But when he wrote Peter...it was the most enjoyable and emotional ride ever. I could reread Ultimate Spidey for ever and never get sick of it. No exaggeration on my end. When he killed Peter, I was so destroyed, I literally balled my eyes out when I saw this:

This is one of my favorite and most hated images in comics. The rush of emotion I get every time I see this is too much.

@arturocalakayvee: I'm upset that I completely forgot to get into just how much I think that Bagley is one of the all time best Spider-man artists ever!

and yes the Death of Spider-man is probably the most well done death in comics ever! Not only was it the most emotional but because it's the Ultimate Universe you know that it will never be undone and I think that makes it really matter that much more

@danhimself: Bagley's art made the book reach its maximum potential. Amazing story telling with the most organic art. It doesn't get better than that for me. I'm upset I forgot about mentioning it too, lol.

Definitely agree with his death mattering that much more because it's permanent. And what you said in your OP before, about reading USM and KNOWING his death is coming… it makes everything feel much more real. I think that was my favorite part of the OP because it's so true.

Meh.

BB

MEH?!?!?!?!

HOW!?!?!?

Too much padding.

BB

@billy_batson: Too much padding? What do you mean? (And sorry for my over exuberant response before)

Stretching out things to make them longer. Bendis usually does it with his Bendis-speak and double pages.

BB

Agreed. It's better than most of Bendis' other work but it's not a patch on JMS, Joe Kelly or the other classic Spider-Man runs.

JMS's run is far from classic

@danhimself: Didn't say it was. But aside from Sins Past and OMD, it's a good run on the character.

@lvenger: I disagree....I may be in the minority but adding the mystical aspects to Peter's origin never sat right with me...plus his run is directly responsible for OMD....he's the one who brought MJ back to begin with....at the beginning of his run MJ and Peter were separated, she was living in California doing her acting thing and Peter was single in New York....they wouldn't have needed to retcon the marriage if he wouldn't have brought MJ back....I also partially blame him for the unmasking...I know he didn't write it but I can't believe that the higher ups would let Millar unmask him without an ok from the current writer of ASM....they ended up painting Peter into a corner...he was overpowered and unmasked...there was no way of getting out of that corner without a reboot of the character

@arturocalakayvee said:

I can't stress enough how much I agree with you and am so glad you made this. Personally, Ultimate Spider-Man is my favorite all time series. Bendis just makes magic with this series, even still to an extent with Miles. But when he wrote Peter...it was the most enjoyable and emotional ride ever. I could reread Ultimate Spidey for ever and never get sick of it. No exaggeration on my end. When he killed Peter, I was so destroyed, I literally balled my eyes out when I saw this:

This is one of my favorite and most hated images in comics. The rush of emotion I get every time I see this is too much.

This completely.

I also (obviously) agree with Danhimself

@danhimself: Actually, JMS never wanted to do OMD. He got in a big argument with Wacker over the sales and desire to not do OMD. It was quite the heated argument.

I dunno people still talk about OMD and they will talk from years to come. Sounds like a classic to me B)

BB

@danhimself: So did you stop reading Ult. Spider-Man once Peter died or are you still reading it with Miles?

@lvenger: that may be but he also wanted to completely reboot Spider-man's continuity in OMD...he wanted to erase everything back to ASM#98...that would have been horrible

@danhimself: I actually LOVE the Ultimate Universe and it's one of my favorite comic book universes of all time.....which is odd since I usually don't care about Alternate Universes.

I love the modern re-interpretations and such of the 616. I mean,sure it has some faults (Ultimatum),but doesn't every comic book universe?

Anyway,I hate that Peter died......but I loved the way he died and want him to stay dead now that it's already done.

He had a very adventurous life,but I just think that maybe he should've had more adventures......maybe they can make stories of him in the past? Or maybe a time travel story with him......idk.

I will definitely be sure to read it

@danhimself: Wait what? He wanted to sWait what? He wanted to set the continuity back that far? That's disappointing to hear. In any case, I do like Bendis' run as I have read a few of the issues myself but it's not my personal fave.

oh yeah I'm still reading it and loving it....I will admit that I don't like Miles nearly as much as I like Peter but he's still a great character

I would like to see more brought up from Peter's life though....I'd like to see Miles vs. Norman at some point....I also think that it would be cool to introduce an Ultimate Ben Reilly to the mix....have someone else clone another Peter...have some conflict there and once the clone fully accepts that he's a clone have him realize that he can't possibly continue under the name Peter Parker and let May give him the name Ben Reilly, cut his hair and die it blonde and become the Ultimate Scarlet Spider

that is if Marvel isn't going to destroy the UU in Cataclysm

http://whatwouldspideydo.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/jmss-one-more-day/

I'm rereading my entire Ultimates library. Finished USM Ultimate Six just about an hour ago. And yeah I agree reading it knowing what we do when people yell at Pete "This is going to get you killed!" It's sobering.

Is Peter back as Spider-Man yet? No? Then im not reading it. Ultimate Spider-Man was my one of my favorite books until they killed Peter and showhorned in Miles. I gave it a chance afterwards and just didn't care for it. The minute Peter comes back I'll start reading it again.

(Sigh) Even though it's Slott who gives most of the justification, I can't deny the OMD we got was actually better than the OMD JMS planned. And I consider the OMD we got to be the worst Spider-Man story ever.

@danhimself: I think I've said this before but, had they just used the psychic blindspot from OMIT without retconning the marriage and let May finally rest, stuff could've been alot better.

Guess you'll never start reading it again :p.

Can I ask what you didn't like about the Miles stuff?

This may be a bit off-topic,but I like Miles as a character. I like his history,his different (new) supporting cast,his personality,etc.

The only thing I disliked was how he was introduced. I mean,as soon as Peter died (in really meaningful way),he instantly get a new Spider Man with a similar origin thrown in our face.

I also think that they should bring in Ben Reilly or something......and,besides him being a clone of Peter,have him have some other connection to Peter.

But I really like Miles and his supporting cast (Bombshell,Cloak,Dagger,Spiderwoman). It reminds me of a different version of Spiderman and Friends and I love how it's different from Peter's supporting cast (Human Torch,Ice-Man,Kitty Pryde).

@peppeyhare: Sure it was lame as hell and was just ridiculous at some points. Really Gwen went up to some random kid and told him Peters life story out of nowhere and that kid just happened to have Spider powers. Plus I just couldnt follow the story of a 12 year old relatively normal kid. I could also just never get over the idea that Miles was a stunt character so Marvel could claim they were more "diverse". I wouldnt have minded if they had made Miles the Scarlet Spider or something and had Peter mentor him but killing off Peter so they could grab the headlines for a few weeks left a bad taste in my mouth.

Oh!...look who woke up early!

@punyparker: huh?

@danhimself: I think Miles vs Norman would probably be terrible (terrible for Miles to have to go through but possibly a good story idea) since he'd be fighting the guy that killed the original Spider-Man. Not too sure about another clone running around though. We've already got one clone still kicking though it could be a potentially great arc if done right. I'm thinking Ult. Universe is still gonna be around after Cataclysm since there's still some things we don't know yet or could be expanded on (who Mothervine is, is Hercules the only Greek god. etc)

I mean you're some yrs late bro...

how so? Ultimate Spider-man is an ongoing series

it's never to late to read a book

@danhimself: The pic you posted is from when Peter was alive.......

and i totally agree on that it's never too late to read a book.

WHAT DID YOU SAY?!?!?!!!!....

I like Joe Kelly's Spidey,but dude.....step it off a notch.....classic?.....there are Peter David,Tom DeFalco,David Michelinie,even Howard Mackie's runs,and you bring as an example the 15 issues Kelly wrote?....really?!

it's one of my favorite moments in the series

Perfect characterization of my fav character besides Peter......Norman Osborn.....now Hulk-Goblin?...not so much...

I don't mind the Hulk-Goblin all that much...at least they got rid of the cornrows

Calm down dude, it's just an opinion. American Son and Grim Hunt were expertly done IMO and vastly superior to most recent Spider-Man runs. And yes I was referring to those other writers as being the superior classic runs. I was just saying I liked this run too.

@lvenger: Yeah,dude,i liked it too....but it's far from classic.

@punyparker: Wasn't putting it in the classic category I assure you. Joe Kelly is my second favourite writer after Morrison but his run isn't among the quintessential Spidey runs.

hehehehe...

You have a Sups avatar,and you like Joe Kelly?....you are a rebel! :P

@punyparker: Haha, very well done. His Superman run is one of the best on the character IMO which is ironic considering his penchant for darker, grittier storytelling.

I only read 2 issues....it was good!

(i got to Superman,like a year ago...from DC for me it was always only BATMAN BATMAN BATMAN......but now i start to appreciate Clark more!)

@punyparker: Have you read all the essential Superman reading material? I can help out on that front.

Nope.

New 52 only.

@punyparker: Ah so the New 52 got you into him then? I'd advise sticking with Unchained and Action Comics then.

don't tell him that! let him experience some of the true Superman from Pre52....Joe Kelly's run, Geoff Johns run, Kurt Busiek's run, Bryne's Man of Steel, Loeb's For all Seasons, Birthright, Kingdom Come, Secret Identity, All Star Superman, For the Man who has Everything, Whatever happened to the Man of Tomorrow?

all great reads showcasing the REAL Superman