Dark Web Finale Spoilers and Review: Do the Limbo Rock!

[Pav]

This is it, Ben-Friends! The finale of Dark Web! What will be the fate of our favorite wall-crawler (who I don't think has climbed a single wall, come to think of it...)? How will that other guy, Peter Parker, fare? And what will happen to Hallows' Eve, who we know is getting a follow-up miniseries?

Well, I'll tell you. But you might not like it.

Let's start off with something positive: THE ART IS GORGEOUS. Adam Kubert draws one hell of an unmasked Ben Reilly.

Okay, story:

1) We start the story in the "Current Limbo Annex" of New York City. (Annex, the hit '90s character, does not appear.) Instead, Ben and Janine are reminiscing about past Christmases and Zeb Wells shows in this opening scene that he could actualy write excellent characterization for Ben and Janine when he really wants to do so -- I felt like this was an authentic moment between the pair, and it was interesting to see their civilian selves in the store glass despite their new looks as King Chasm and Hallows' Eve.

2) We move to the "good guys," with Peter and Maddie Pryor yelling at each other about who gets to take down Ben. Jean asks Cyclops if wants to "wade into this" and he responds, "Absolutely not," because for WHATEVER REASON, Wells has decided that even though the solution to all this is LOOKING US RIGHT IN THE FACE, it's best to ignore the fact JEAN COULD FIX BEN. But nooo! Better make a fun joke out of it, get a little chuckle, even though the X-MEN issues of this miniseries TOOK THE JEAN-MADDIE SITUATION SERIOUSLY.

Okay, small rant: this is the kind of thing that inadvertently creates continuity that you may not want. Like, years of comics in which the Avengers never really helped the X-Men -- simply because it's not good storytelling -- actually led to the plot point of the Avengers potentially being indifferent to the mutant plight! Same thing here: this "joke" of Cyclops not wanting to step in looks bad. Like, you and Jean could fix who is essentially the brother of your "friend" Spider-Man, and you choose not to do it? Booooooooo.

3) Anyway, Peter convinces Maddie that he can take down Ben by literally reminding her how stupid Ben's plan has been. Maddie wonders aloud if everyone is ready to fight a horde of demons, and Cylcops answers with, "A fight we can do." and it's like we're being mocked or something. Is that it, Zeb? Do you hate US? What Ben Reilly fans hurt you?

4) Meanwhile, King Chasm is leading a parade of demons, when the RhinoBone guy -- I refuse to learn their names -- gets blasted with an eyebeam from Cyke. Ben tells the Insidious Six to kill the X-men, but Maddie has brought along some help: her "favorite mistake in this misadventure," the one and only, Eddie Brock. The big red symbiote monster man, going by Bedlam now apparently, makes mincemeat out of all the villain-themed demons, and at least the stupid way the demons talked in earlier issues is gone.

5) As King Chasm and Hallows' Eve survey the fight, they're approached by Peter and Rek-Rap. Hallows' Eve puts on a werewolf mask and does her transformation thing and honestly it's fun getting to see her in action. We also get scenes featuring the X-Men and the demons fighting and bantering, and hey, that art sure is good, isn't it?!

6) There aren't unlimited pages, so eventually it's decided that Magik will just teleport the Insidious Six away -- back to Limbo? how does that work now that she isn't in charge of Limbo? -- and 'ole Bedlam isn't happy because violence is fun! Maddie could be next; luckily, Havok steps in to remind us that he's got it bad for Maddie and will protect her... even from the army of demons approaching!

7) And then we get this slap in the face: Jean says, "We've got you, Maddie... you're family."

*sigh*

It hurts. I want the Spider-Bros back.

8) Anyway, violence: Janine is changing masks during her fight with Rek-Rap, and Spider-Man is fighting King Chasm. And honestly? Once again, I found Ben's dialogue and the overall banter between Ben and Peter to be really good here. After all the ridiculousness, we FINALLY get a MOMENT of real pathos, with Ben reminding us he just wants what has been stolen from him, and now he has everything (except the one thing he says he wants when the writing is good) and Peter has nothing.

9) EXCEPT FRIENDSHIP! YAY! IT'S NORMAN OSBORN, EVERYONE! WHAT A GREAT GUY.

10) There aren't unlimited pages, so it's at this point that Maddie decides to let everyone know that, ACTUALLY, YOU GUYS? She has had the power to stop this tomfoolery at any point; that having the magic scythe doesn't make Ben the Ruler of Limbo, and that the writing in Dark Web has been insanely inconsistent.

11) Hallows' Eve gets taken down by Ms. Marvel, who arrived earlier with Norman but I didn't care enough to say so. And Not-King Chasm gets blasted by Cyclops, Jean, and Synch. And then, yeah, I'll admit: we get another moment of great pathos; a beautiful moment between Janine and Ben that reminds us why we love these characters. Janine rushes to Ben's aid, and Ben realizes that they aren't going to win. Janine isn't going to leave Ben's side, but Ben uses his great powers with responsibility in order to protect her, and teleports her away. Find out what happens to Janine in the upcoming Hallows' Eve miniseries!

12) At this point, Ben is taking on the army of demons himself, screaming about the pain he's already suffered from. It's only after Ben teleports Eddie Brock away that Maddie stops him: "I see you, Ben Reilly. I see your pain. And I see you have to be stopped." Magik teleports the scythe away from Ben, who transforms back into his Regular Chasm form, and that's the end of his fight.

But it's not the end of the comic. And I think... I actually enjoyed how it ends. I guess. Somewhat.

13) "I'm sorry, Ben. But you left us no choice." Standing over Ben are Peter, Jean, and Cyclops, the latter of whom is going to take Chasm into custody -- but Maddie has a different plan: according to her, Ben has a wounded soul again?! and therefore Ben is a citizen of Limbo and will answer for what he's done in Limbo.

14) We end this issue with Ben, unmasked, sitting in a lush tropical landscape -- and Peter has come for a visit. Apparently cleaning up Ben's mess has been a pain in the ass, and both Hallows' Eve and Rek-Rap are still missing, but Peter's here to see Ben, to see if he's okay. It's nice to actually see Peter show he cares about Ben -- but Ben isn't having it. He's still angry at Peter. Bitter. Still, Peter isn't going to give up: "Let me know there's still some Ben Reilly in there."

15) But Ben puts on his Chasm mask. Time's up. Visitation hours are over. But according to Maddie, Ben has confessed to everything and deserves repentance. Spidey leaves, and Jean wonders aloud if Maddie is doing the right thing. Maddie refuses to let the pain of those in Limbo be ignored, and that she will make sure all the rejected and fallen will have a home -- and that home is the new Limbo Embassy to New York City.

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Zeb, if you're reading this, I want you to know: I'm not angry.

I'm just disappointed.

(Geesh. I sound like a parent.)

Ben deserves more. You can argue that being in a story full of inconsistencies is par for the course for Ben, but it's frustrating to only get these moments of honest characterization for Ben and Janine and Peter within a story full of dopey gags and an easy solution that doesn't happen just because the writer clearly doesn't want it to happen, even though it makes no sense for it to not happen.

I'm left assuming that, eventually, we'll get the resolution we've all been waiting for since Beyond: the curing of Queen Goblin will lead to the curing of Ben. It's all there, been there the whole time, and I figure, whether it's Zeb or someone else, the story of Evil Chasm will end and we will get our Benjy Boy back. Maybe he'll keep his Chasm powers. I honestly don't mind if he does, as long as he becomes a hero again. As long as Ben and Peter start to heal and see each other as brothers again. I'm hopeful, and I'll cheer if and when it happens.

And honestly? I would even read a story about Ben-as-Chasm becoming the Spider-Man of Limbo, if it provided him with some honest characterization and regrowth. It'll be interesting to see where and when we see Ben next.

I will be buying Hallows' Eve's miniseries. Curious what happens there.

As always, I appreciate the conversation. Thanks in advance to everyone who contributes their thoughts on the issue.

-Pav, who is going to be a first-time dad come this July...!!!

[Sr. Bungle]

-Pav, who is going to be a first-time dad come this July...!!!

Hey!!! Congrats Pav!! What a twist at the end!

[Mister Mets]

Congrats Pav!

[CaptainUniverse]

Congratulations Pav!

[HypnoHustler]

Congrats, Pav. If it’s a boy name him Ben or Reilly. If it’s a girl, name her Scarlet…. Or Reilly (it’s a unisex name!).

[Huntsman Spider]

First of all . . . congratulations to you, Pav, on becoming a father for the first time. I hope you have many happy, rewarding years ahead of raising that child. Beyond that, pun somewhat intended, very much cosigning your disappointment with this conclusion, with this entire event. I mean, if Zeb Wells had been writing with the same energy in ASM 15-18 that he brought for the Dusk and Dawn one-shots that bookended Dark Web, he would have done a better job selling us on the "tragedy" of The Chasm Formerly Known as Ben Reilly, but in light of him apparently choosing to write most of his part of the Dark Web as a sick and twisted farce, it's a bit late to be trying for pathos now. That said, like you, I will be following up with Hallows' Eve to see if she's able to reunite with Chasm/Ben, whether it's in Limbo or she somehow manages to spring him from there. Small favors . . . Ben/Chasm didn't die at the end . . . though sadly, I'm increasingly of the mindset that, to quote Stephen King's Pet Sematary: "Sometimes, dead is better." All in all, what a waste.

[JustLuke]

Congratulations Pav!!

[Jman27]

congrats on fatherhood

[bob.schoonover]

Congrats, Pav! Will you be giving the kid a Scarlet Spider-themed name?

[Frontier]

Congrats Pav !

[Matt Rat]

Congratulations Pav

No greater responsibility!

[boots]

grats pav!

and great review as usual. i can't help reading it with my 90's mind and ...it just sounds so so so fucking crazy. i can't make the mental leap. i see the word "ben" but i don't feel ben anywhere here.

[Jwyatt]

(Didn't realize there was a spoiler thread, so I'm repeating my little post here)

None of the jokes landed. I fear someone is going to think it's funny to have ReKrap as a sidekick in the future. (Hell, add Gog back to the mix for no reason!)

[Mr. White]

-Pav, who is going to be a first-time dad come this July...!!!

Congratulations Pav!

[Toxin45]

Congratulations and hear poor Ben is gonna remain a villain and trapped literally in limbo