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Spoilers for “Ultimate Spider-Man” to follow.

If you think you know everything there is to know about Spider-Man, “Ultimate Spider-Man” is putting that to the test. Written by Jonathan Hickman and drawn in alternating turns by Marco Checchetto and David Messina, “Ultimate Spider-Man” is part of Marvel’s “Ultimate Universe” initiative.

A semi-revival of the original “Ultimate Marvel” branding of the 2000s, the “Ultimate” comics (including “Ultimate Spider-Man”) are set in a parallel universe. In this world (Earth-6160), the evil-doing Maker messed with how history was supposed to flow to make himself the world’s ruler. He’s been deposed (for now), but the familiar heroes of the Marvel Universe still have to deal with the mess he made.

The “Ultimate” Marvel Universe has already mixed-and-matched a lot of famous characters. Weapon X, the program that gave Wolverine his adamantium claws, has been moved from Canada to Russia, with “Ultimate” Wolverine being called “The Winter Soldier.” Bucky Barnes himself became a new Red Skull instead, as told in Deniz Camp’s “Ultimates.” The Maker also took 6160 Reed Richards’ family away from him, so he became a heroic Doom instead of Mister Fantastic.

The “Ultimate” Peter Parker has only become Spider-Man in his 40s, having already gotten together with Mary Jane and had two kids. (The title of “Ultimate Spider-Man” volume 1? “Married With Children.”) What’s more, this Peter Parker still has his Uncle Ben, who is a journalist running a news outlet (simply called “The Paper”) with J. Jonah Jameson. This rookie Spider-Man also has a crime-fighting partner: the Green Goblin, aka Harry Osborn. And while Spidey and Gobby battle Manhattan’s evil ruler Wilson Fisk aka Kinpin, Oscorp is overseen by Harry’s wife: Gwen Stacy!

“Ultimate Spider-Man” issues #12 revealed that Peter and Harry had been kidnapped by Kraven the Hunter, one of Fisk’s lieutenants. Issues #13-14 then depicted Peter and Harry trying to escape from the Savage Land, a jungle hidden beneath New York and Kraven’s hunting ground. Harry was seemingly shot and killed at the end of issue #14 … but only after Mysterio showed up and told Peter to run from Kraven.

Mysterio, as in the villain famous for creating illusions. Fans suspected something was up and that Harry wasn’t really dead. They were right … but what they might not have seen coming is the face underneath Mysterio’s fishbowl. It’s none other than Gwen Stacy herself.

“Ultimate Spider-Man” #16 is largely flashbacks showing Gwen’s backstory, including how she met and married Harry. She inherited the title Mysterio from her late father, George. But in this world, Mysterio is not a single person. Rather, it is a group of five sorcerers who believe (rightfully) that the world they’re living in isn’t the correct one. Their goal is to expose the truth of the world, but they wield illusions to do it. Their creed?

“The world is a lie. And only through embracing those lies and becoming a master of them can we truly see.”

Marvel Comics

All of these Mysterio members share the name, the same costume, and pass a magical amulet back and forth between them. (Quentin Beck, the original Mysterio, is a member of the group here. “Ultimate Spider-Man” #17 unveils that Fisk’s assistant Wesley is a Mysterio too.) “Ultimate Spider-Man” #16 offered replays for previous scenes featuring Gwen with the addition of a translucent Mysterio hovering around her and saying her real thoughts.

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Then the story catches up to “Ultimate Spider-Man” #14, when Kraven seemingly repaid Peter sparing his life by ending Harry’s. We now see that Mysterio made the real Harry disappear and conjured an illusion of Harry being shot by Kraven. Gwen then shooting Kraven in the head, though, was very real.

Harry, it turns out, had no more idea about Gwen’s double life than anyone else did. Think about how many superhero comics (especially Spider-Man ones) feature the hero keeping their loved ones in the dark about their secret identity. In “Ultimate Spider-Man,” Mysterio kept her secret hidden from the reader’s eyes too.

Gwen’s goal in faking Harry’s death was to throw off suspicion about him being the Goblin. If Harry is “dead,” but the Goblin is still active, then of course he wasn’t the Goblin, right? “Ultimate Spider-Man” #17 features the two of them going into battle against Martin Li/Mister Negative’s “Demon” gang as the Goblin and Mysterio.

Marvel Comics

The issue ends with Harry calling Peter to finally let his friend know he’s alive. Why did Mysterio’s deception have to engulf Spider-Man, too? Maybe just to make it convincing, but it also seems like Gwen was trying to teach Peter a lesson in not showing mercy. If he’d killed Kraven then Harry wouldn’t have “died.”

“Ultimate Spider-Man” #16-17 does show that, between the two, Gwen is more ruthless than Harry. While Norman Osborn was as disappointed in his son as he always is, he thought Gwen had steel in her. Norman’s advice to Gwen on her wedding day? “You could do better.” The Green Goblin is the Spider-Man villain most famous for throwing bombs, but in this issue, Gwen/Mysterio is the one who blows up the Demons’ building and brushes off Harry’s concern about risking civilians’ lives.

Gwen Stacy has historically been most famous as Spider-Man’s girlfriend who died. Whenever she reappears in a new adaptation, it usually comes with a characterization overhaul (see: Spider-Gwen). Hickman making Gwen into a heroic Mysterio might be the most out-there reinvention of Miss Stacy yet.

“Ultimate Spider-Man” issues #1-17 are currently available for print and digital purchase. “Ultimate Spider-Man” #18 is scheduled for release on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.