Spider-Men # 5 2012 NM-

Spider-Men #5 is the final issue of the groundbreaking five-issue miniseries published by Marvel Comics on September 19, 2012. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Sara Pichelli, the series made history as the first official crossover between the mainstream Marvel Universe (Earth-616) and the Ultimate Marvel Universe (Earth-1610).

Issue #5 serves as the action-packed and emotional conclusion to the first-ever meeting between Peter Parker and Miles Morales. 

Plot Summary

The issue opens on Earth-616, where Mysterio (Quentin Beck) is gloating over successfully trapping Peter Parker in the Ultimate dimension. However, his ego gets the better of him; wanting to watch Peter suffer, he re-opens his avatar's dimensional portal "just to take a peek".

This proves to be his undoing. The moment the portal opens, Peter webs Mysterio and drags him into the Ultimate Universe, forcing him face-to-face with Peter, Miles, Nick Fury, and The Ultimates (Iron Man, Thor, and Hawkeye).

Mysterio attempts a desperate escape by detonating explosives and exposing the heroes to a fear-gas toxin. While the other heroes experience terrifying visions, Peter—who is well-accustomed to Mysterio's parlor tricks—helps break their focus. Miles snaps out of it just in time to tackle Mysterio back through the collapsing rift. After a brief scuffle on Earth-616, Miles kicks Mysterio back to Earth-1610.

With the portal rapidly closing, Peter bids a hasty farewell and jumps back to his own reality. Mysterio is left trapped in the Ultimate Universe and taken into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. Fury notes that because Mysterio knows Peter's secret identity, it is safer to keep him locked away in a world where Peter is already dead. 

The Unforgettable Ending

Before crossing back over, Peter shares a meaningful moment with Miles, giving the young hero his official blessing to carry on the Spider-Man mantle in the Ultimate world.

The story concludes back on Earth-616. Intrigued by his multiversal trip, Peter sits down at a computer and decides to search if his universe has its own version of Miles Morales. The final page ends on a legendary, unresolved cliffhanger: Peter gazes at the search results, his eyes wide with complete shock at whatever—or whoever—he sees on the screen.