Chiming in way into this thread. Saw the promo pieces in my feed yesterday afternoon and into the night. But keeping a 4yr old and 1yr old fed and bathed doesn't allow me evening internet time. A glance at my phone here and there. The Ben fan in me has been tweaked. As an OG clone saga reader I was going to keep reading(and did) Ben as Spider-man and see Peter off into the sunset. I'm the type of fan who also didn't care Mulder was leaving, his story wrapped with his sister, great I'm here for paranormal but too many other folks just get hung up on a character. Spider-man was moving(in the 90s) Beyond(wink) just being about Peter and at this point the concept of Spider-man is more than Peter. In the 90s you had Miguel shining in 2099, Spider-girl(Mayday) leading a book in MC2 and Venom maturing into his own.

Ben as Spider-man was great, it was the re-invention of some classic foe concepts that failed. True, you have to mention how sales took a dip but the crashed after OMD making Ben/Spidey sales look awesome by comparison. I've heard the Wally West comparison and for me that doesn't stick. I've heard Jason Todd and until Clone Conspiracy that didn't work but it tilts that way a bit now. For me Ben/Spidey is more along the lines of Jean Paul Valley AzBats or John Walker Captain America. Two characters I also like but my dissertation is running long.

My favorite Spider-Men after Peter are:
1. Ben
2. Miguel
3. Doc Ock Superior SM
4. Miles