Dark Web (Marvel Comics)

"Dark Web" is an American comic book crossover storyline written by Zeb Wells with art by Adam Kubert and Ed McGuinness, published in 2022 by Marvel Comics. The story, which serving as a spiritual successor to "Inferno", involves Spider-Man and the X-Men joining forces against Ben Reilly and Madelyne Pryor as the two wronged clones are teaming up as Chasm and Goblin Queen to raise hell across the Marvel Universe.

"Dark Web" is bookended by two one-shots, subtitled Dusk and Dawn, and the story continued in the pages of Zeb Wells' run of Amazing Spider-Man. The storyline tied into various other books like Venom (vol. 5) and limited series including Gold Goblin, Mary Jane & Black Cat, Dark Web: Ms. Marvel and Dark Web: X-Men. {draim11}

Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 6) #18, Dark Web Finale, Dark Web: Ms. Marvel #2, Dark Web: X-Men #3, Mary Jane & Black Cat #2, and Venom (vol. 5) #15 were dedicated in memory of Carlos Pacheco.

Publication history
In April 2022, Marvel comics posted a teaser "The Dark Web is being spun" that will involve Spider-Man prior to the release of the Free Comic Book Day: Spider-Man/Venom #1. The comic book issue ended with a teaser revealing Ben Reilly is working with Madelyne Pryor. At San Diego Comic-Con in July 2022, teaser art from Ryan Stegman offered a glimpse on the event with the Goblin Queen looming over Spider-Man, Venom, Black Cat, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Magik, Iceman, Firestar, Mary Jane, Chasm and Hallows' Eve, a new member of Spider-Man's rogue's gallery. It is revealed in the Next Big Thing panel to be a Spider-Man/X-Men crossover spearheaded by current Amazing Spider-Man writer Zeb Wells. The two franchises recently crossed paths when the X-Men's former ally Moira MacTaggert kidnapped Mary Jane Watson and used her as a puppet to infiltrate the Hellfire Gala.

Prelude issues were published in November to set up the event letting readers see exactly what Chasm and the Goblin Queen have been busy with. Venom (vol. 5) #13 set the stage to the crossover as Eddie Brock returns from space and finds an unexpected ally in Madelyne Pryor. Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 6) #14 introduced Chasm, Reilly's new persona, and a brand new villain, Hallows' Eve, who was pivotal to the event.

Limited series Gold Goblin, Mary Jane & Black Cat, Dark Web: Ms. Marvel and Dark Web: X-Men tied directly to the Dark Web saga. Gold Goblin, written by Christopher Cantwell with art from Lan Medina, set up a new status quo for Norman Osborn whose sins were cleansed during the Last Remains storyline. Mary Jane & Black Cat, written by Jed MacKay with art from Vincenzo Carratù, forces two of the greatest loves of Peter Parker's life for another team up after being thrown into each other's path; Mary Jane and Black Cat previously joined forces during the Beyond storyline. Dark Web: Ms. Marvel, written by Sabir Pirzada with art from Francesco Mortarino, took Ms. Marvel in Limbo against deadly experiments going haywire; Kamala Khan recently started her internship with Oscorp in Amazing Spider-Man. In Dark Web: X-Men, written by Gerry Duggan with art from Rod Reis, the new X-Men team defended New York City from Limbo.

Prelude
When Peter Parker fell into a coma, Ben Reilly worked for the Beyond Corporation as Spider-Man, fighting off enemies and menaces who were employed by Beyond. Months later, after therapist Dr. Ashley Kafka became the Queen Goblin, a recovered Parker and a brainwashed Reilly uncovered Beyond's machinations, resulting in Reilly suffering a mental breakdown and becoming Chasm. Parker resumes being Spider-Man, ending up involved in an incident in Pennsylvania that alienates him from personal and superhero connections for six months. He begins working for Oscorp, with his boss being the reformed Norman Osborn.

Meanwhile, at Krakoa, the Quiet Council decided to resurrect Madelyne Pryor to appease Havok, unaware that she remembers her past life as the Goblin Queen. With Magik overcome her demons and relieved from Limbo's influence, she chooses to depart Limbo from her past life and entrusted Madelyne Pryor to take over Limbo as its new regent allowing Pryor to regain her title as the Goblin Queen. A few months later, Chasm encounters and meets Goblin Queen, forms a partnership to restore Chasm's formative memories as Peter Parker, and witnesses his girlfriend Janine Godbe transform into Hallow's Eve, a multiple-mask-wearing supervillain empowered by Pryor. Chasm kills Parker's debt collector, planning to get his rightful memories and make Parker consume a forbidden fruit. At the Garden of Time, Eddie Brock, seeks to break out of a time loop while also searching for his son Dylan, before encountering meets the Goblin Queen in Limbo, who believes that they each have something that can help the other.

Finale
As New York City is currently Limbo Annex, King Chasm and Hallow's Eve celebrate their version of Christmas as they plan a parade. Goblin Queen wants to reclaim the Staff of Sorrows from King Chasm as Spider-Man states that Ben wants him. As J. Jonah Jameson and Robbie Robertson are taken back to Earth, Spider-Man, Goblin Queen, Rek-Rap, and the X-Men prepare for battle. On the streets of Limbo Annex, King Chasm and Hallow's Eve walk the streets with the Insidious Six and other demons until the X-Men attack. King Chasm orders the Insidious Six to attack the X-Men. Goblin Queen confronts King Chasm and Hallow's Eve while slaying the demons with them as Bedlam slays a Mysterio-type demon, a Vulture-type demon, a Shocker-type demon, and other demons. As King Chasm gives the order to focus their forces on Goblin Queen, he and Hallow's Eve are confronted by Spider-Man and Rek-Rap. Hallow's Eve puts on a werewolf mask and goes on the attack. Magik creates a portal that sends the Insidious Six back to Limbo. Havok catches up to Goblin Queen and Bedlam as more demons from Limbo appear. As Hallow's Eve switches to her Frankenstein's Monster mask to get more strength in fighting Rek-Rap, Spider-Man fights King Chasm and gets overpowered by him. In the nick of time, Gold Goblin and Ms. Marvel show up as Hallow's Eve states that she can get a meal out of his. As demons swarm over Goblin Queen, she unleashes her full power as the demons stop attacking her. Gold Goblin faces off against King Chasm while Ms. Marvel defeats Hallow's Eve. King Chasm finds that Goblin Queen has turned the demons against him. As Hallow's Eve states that she will not leave King Chasm's side, she is teleported away by him. While King Chasm teleports Bedlam away from the fight, Goblin Queen grabs the Scythe of Sorrow as she works to claim it from King Chasm's hands as Magik helps to defeat King Chasm. With Goblin Queen having the Scythe of Sorrow back in her possession, King Chasm regresses back to Chasm as Cyclops calls for a transport teams so that they can take Chasm into custody. Goblin Queen objects to this stating that Chasm has a wound in his soul and that he will be dealt with in the manner of her choosing. Spider-Man states that he wants Chasm placed in a location where Spider-Man can keep an eye on him. Goblin Queen gets an idea. By the time Spring arrives, Spider-Man visits Chasm stating that he just finished cleaning up Chasm's mess where he hasn't been able to find Hallow's Eve or Rek-Rap. When Spider-Man asks Chasm to give him something to prove that there's still some Ben Reilly in there, a demon guard tells Spider-Man that his time is up. Spider-Man leaves Chasm's cell as Goblin Queen states that the demons have gotten confused on the torture he was to be given while stating that Ben's repentance will be rewarded. As Spider-Man sees himself home, Goblin Queen is visited by Cyclops and Jean Grey as it turns out that the building that came from Limbo has become an embassy to all of its demons in New York as Goblin Queen states that there will be no more hiding for those who have been rejected by humanity.

Reception
According to the review aggregator Comic Book Roundup, Dark Web #1 received a score of 7.9/10 based on 9 reviews, Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 6) #15 received a score of 7.6/10 based on 6 reviews, and Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 6) #16 received a score of 8.2/10 based on 4 reviews. In terms of sales in December 2022, per ICv2, Amazing Spider-Man #15 was #4 in units sold and #6 in dollars invoiced, Dark Web #1 was #5 in units sold and #5 in dollars invoiced, and Amazing Spider-Man #16 was #14 in units sold and #22 in dollars invoiced. Some of the tie-in issues, in the same time period, also made the Top 50 list: Mary Jane & Black Cat #1 was #17 in units sold and #13 in dollars invoiced, Dark Web: X-Men #1 was #21 in units sold and #31 in dollars invoiced and Venom #14 was #46 in units sold.

Amer Sawan, for CBR, highlighted that the Dark Web event showcases a Spider-Man who is more efficient but without morals and responsibility. Sawan wrote that Chasm's actions "revealed just how ruthless Spider-Man is if he didn't have a conscience to hold him back". However, Chasm's actions "have turned him into a monster. [...] What Spider-Man would have to trade for guaranteed proficiency is his humanity. Yes, things would become easier, but it would come at the cost of what makes Spider-Man such a great hero".

Chase Magnett, for ComicBook.com, commented that the Dark Web event acts as both a Spider-Man crossover and a sequel to the 1980s Inferno event, which was mainly focused on X-Men. Magnett wrote that, "yet from the midst of much continuity and nostalgia emerges a story that thrills readers entirely of its own accord in a brilliant introduction to a sincerely promising event. [...] With years of thrilling character work climaxing in a hellish vision of Christmas on Manhattan and many of the best creators at Marvel Comics involved in what's still to come, Dark Web #1 promises readers the gift of another spectacular crossover this holiday season". Magnett called Adam Kubert's art "the story's secret weapon" and stated that "Frank Martin's colors are perfectly suited to the densely paneled pages".

David Brooke, reviewing Dark Web #1 for AIPT, also highlighted Kubert's art and commented that "it appears he's playing around with layout design as he did in Wolverine this past year". Brooke wrote, "I can't say the story is all that deep or that it probes its characters, but it certainly brings an unmistakably 1990s Marvel vibe. It also does the very '90s thing of bringing characters rarely together into one crossover, which is exciting". Tony Thornley, reviewing Dark Web #1 for Comicon, wrote that the issue was "a mixed bag" with the "interpersonal drama of Spider-Man’s personal life" great but that the X-Men were "wooden". Thornley called the issue's visuals "fantastic" – "Kubert's figures are incredibly expressive, and even the bad panels look interesting. [...] Martin uses colors that are slightly watercolor-ish, and it creates a surreal unease as things go to hell".