Okay, Spider-Man Has Never Had Stakes This High Before, So I’m Getting Worried

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Ultimate Spider-Man #11The stakes are getting very high in Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man, and I’m pretty worried seeing as how he has so much more to lose compared to the Webslinger of the primary Marvel Universe. Receiving his powers late in life due to the manipulations of The Maker, Peter Parker is married to Mary Jane Watson and the pair have had two children before he becomes Spider-Man in this new Ultimate Universe. To that end, it’s hard to watch the threats continue to pile up around Spider-Man and his family.

As seen in the new Ultimate Spider-Man #11 by Jonathan Hickman and David Messina, Peter Parker returns home after receiving a substantial beating from a mob of New York citizens under the influence and corruption of Mister Negative, one of Wilson Fisk’s Sinister Six in the Ultimate Universe. To that end, Spider-Man’s bruises and torn costume naturally prompt an in-depth conversation about what Spider-Man is prepared to do and how far he’s willing to go in the issues to come. To that end, the family Spider-Man wants to love and protect in this alternate Ultimate Universe becomes a natural focus.

Ultimate Spider-Man’s Mission Is Getting More Dangerous

Mary Jane Is Starting To Worry

As Mary Jane herself notes in this new issue, she’s taken her husband’s new life swinging from the rooftops quite well. It’s actually quite remarkable just how supportive she’s been, especially considering how Peter’s new powers essentially came out of the blue thanks to Iron Man, and have since turned the Parkers’ lives upside down. That said, Spider-Man’s mission with Harry Osborn’s Green Goblin, Uncle Ben, and J. Jonah Jameson to expose Fisk and those he works for is only getting more dangerous with each new issue.

As such, it’s not all that surprising that Mary Jane is finally asking Peter if she should be worried and scared about her husband and their family’s lives in general. Promising that he’ll tell her when and if the time comes for them to run, Spider-Man’s reassurances seem to be helpful for Mary Jane to hear. However, the entire conversation feels very foreboding to me, especially when combined with Peter Parker’s next conversation in this new issue of Ultimate Spider-Man.

Peter Parker Thinks He’ll Know When It Becomes Too Much

(But What If He’s Wrong?)

While the pair visits Aunt May’s memorial, Uncle Ben confirms that he knows his nephew’s secret about being Spider-Man. Following that, he then advises Peter that the time has come to start operating differently, especially with a secret that could massively affect both Peter’s life and those of the ones he cares about. Again, Peter says he believes that he’ll know when the time comes to retreat and keep his family safe, but that certainly seems like it’s much easier said than done.

Seeing how Fisk ultimately works for The Maker himself, Ben and Jameson recently kicked a major hornet’s nest when they published an article exposing and condemning Fisk and his illicit activities. At the same time, Spider-Man and Green Goblin have been dismantling and disrupting the Kingpin’s operations throughout New York. In response, this has prompted Fisk to gather the heads of New York’s various territories, a coalition that serves as the Sinister Six of the Ultimate Universe. As such, the stakes are certainly being raised, and it truly does feel like the other shoe is about to drop for Spider-Man and his allies.

I’m Really Worried For Spider-Man And His Family

He Has So More To Lose Compared To Marvel’s OG Webslinger

Keeping all that in mind, I feel like my concerns about Spider-Man and his family aren’t unfounded. It’s very likely that there will soon be far too many variables and dangers, and Spider-Man won’t possibly be able to predict them all. While Spider-Man’s resolve to keep fighting the fight is admirable, his confidence that everything will be alright and that his family will remain safe borders on the brink of naïveté.

This entire issue feels incredibly grim and foreboding. Both of Peter Parker’s conversations make it feel as though consequences are right around the corner, especially with Spider-Man admitting that he won’t be fine with whatever happens next if things happen to go south. Unlike his uncle, Ultimate Spider-Man has plenty to lose. To that end, one can only hope that Spider-Man will come out the other side with all that he cares about remaining intact, though it does feel like a long shot.

Ultimate Spider-Man #11 is on sale now from Marvel Comics.