It is true that of the 104 pages only 40 are new material, the other 64 are a reprint of Ultimate Spider-Man Super Special #1. The new material continues the latest story arc and is just as good as this book has been since the relaunch following Ultimatum. The art is a bit of jam issue, with different artists doing different elements of the story. It is a gimmick but it works well with the story here and it is a lot of fun seeing some of these different takes in one book, especially from a guy like Skottie Young, whose style doesn’t normally lend itself to mainstream super hero books.

The reprinted material, in particular the price tag that comes with all the extra pages, is a source of complaint for some, and they do have a point; it is a high price point with so little original material. However, as someone who had not read the original issue, I wasn’t reading comics at the time and I missed it when I was doing my catch up, I loved it. The variety of artists and styles used here (and again the gimmick works) is remarkable and it is a lot of fun to see, especially people whose style is quite different from the normal super hero fare. The story is typical for Bendis in an anniversary-type issue. A lot of introspective talk from the main character(s), flashbacks and double page spreads. He used this approach to the Avengers Finale years ago and for the New Avengers Finale more recently. This is the time it worked for me and delivered a big emotional punch.

By the end of this issue Bendis has spoken to the heart of this character and to the essential mythology of what makes a Marvel hero. The story also speaks strongly to the issue of choice, perhaps the most powerful theme in this modern world when it comes to a story of a crisis of identity and of morality. Peter’s choice of a hero and his words of what make a hero got to me and as someone who missed this story the first time around, I was glad to pay the extra money to get the privilege to read it now.