10 Times Spider-Man Was The DARKEST Marvel Comic

Whether it be through its very first showing in The Amazing Spider-Man #121, or its on-screen depiction with Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, Gwen Stacy's death is still one of the most gutting moments in Marvel history.

A two part arc known, fittingly, as 'The Night Gwen Stacy Died', the story kicks off with Norman Osborn spiralling downwards into parental grief following his son's continued drug abuses, and subsequently being driven back into his Green Goblin alter-ego. He kidnaps Gwen, lures Spidey to the George Washington Bridge and the two engage in a showdown which culminates in the hero's love interest being sent plummeting to her death.

Spider-Man's desperate chase behind Gwen is still one of the most nail-biting moments in comic book history, and his 'I've Got To!' delivery is easily amongst the most desperate any superhero has ever been. To make this tragic moment even darker, it turns out that his webbing was the thing that actually killed Gwen, snapping her neck moments before she had hit the ground. Obviously there was no way out of the situation for Gwen and Spidey, but throwing in that extra little detail on top just ensures the impact of this one moment becomes even more powerful.

At the time of its first publishing, it was the first instance of a superhero failing so badly to save a loved one, and this one dark moment has become so infamous that it has gone on to spawn an entire phrase: 'The Gwen Stacy Syndrome'.