Devilish details about the upcoming Dark Web event have emerged during this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, and we now know it will be a Spider-Man/X-Men crossover story spearheaded by current Amazing Spider-Man writer Zeb Wells. The saga will begin in prelude issues throughout November, followed by December’s Dark Web Alpha #1.
There, Wells will be joined by superstar artist Adam Kubert, and the web will then be spun across issues of Amazing Spider-Man as well as various tie-in one-shots and limited series.
Dark Web will find Spider-Man and the X-Men joining forces against two iconic characters that have experienced a resurgence in popularity in recent years - Ben Reilly and Madelyne Pryor. As seen in this year’s Free Comic Book Day: Spider-Man/Venom, the two wronged clones are teaming up as Chasm and Goblin Queen to raise hell across the Marvel Universe.
The story will fan the embers of the iconic Inferno crossover and pack an emotional punch that pays off decades of Marvel Comics storytelling.
Featuring artwork by Michael Dowling and Kyle Hotz, November’s Amazing Spider-Man #14 will be a special Dark Web prelude issue that reintroduces Chasm, Ben Reilly’s dangerous new persona. Not seen since Amazing Spider-Man #894 and that FCBD special, we'll see exactly what Chasm and the Goblin Queen have been busy with. The issue will also introduce a brand-new villain shrouded in mystery: Hallows' Eve.
Set to plan a pivotal role in the event, you can get your first glimpse at Hallows’ Eve and her killer design in a new variant cover by Ed McGuinness.
Marvel Comics has also confirmed that writer Christopher Cantwell and artist Lan Medina will launch a new tie-in limited series during Dark Web titled Gold Goblin that sets up a new status quo for Norman Osborn. Norman Osborn’s sins may have been cleansed, but his memories weren’t and he’s done plenty of horrific things to remember. Norman’s worked hard to avoid all things "Goblin" and to stay on the straight and narrow.
However, consequences in Amazing Spider-Man pushed him to try super-heroing, and he liked it. But when the media dub him the Gold Goblin, he has to start wondering...can he ever get away from the Goblin inside?
Check out Ryan Stegman's Dark Web Alpha #1 cover below, along with artwork from Romita Jr. and Taurin Clarke's take on Norman's new heroic persona.