One of the few alternate versions of Spider-Man I have enjoyed. Its interesting to see how the city changes when Spider-Man disappears. Also how bleak Peter is without Mary Jane. ( )

The Spider-Man version of "The Dark Knight Returns", this is a fascinating and at times compelling story that could have been better executed. It is roughly 30 years in the future; Spider-Man has long since ended his career after Mary Jane's death, and is now an elderly recluse. New York City is now a police state, manned by police goons who terrorize the populace. There are no more heroes. A crisis forces Peter to make a choice for his life, and Spider-Man once more swings among the skyscrapers of New York after 30 years. There are quite a few bits of confusion; this is a powerful story that is not told in a simple manner. And it is disconcerting to see at one point that Peter's disavowal of killing no longer seems to hold. This could have been a much more effective story, and requires the utmost attention to follow. But there is a lot to like here. ( )