8 Mysteries Even Spider-Man Couldn't Solve

4. How To Get His Body Back - Dying Wash

Spider-Man Hobgoblin
Marvel Comics

One of the most well-known comic book runs of the modern era, 2012 saw Doctor Octopus become Spider-Man and embark on his own 44-issue run with the Superior Spider-Man title.

From writer Dan Slott, Dying Wish is an arc that completely shook the Spider-Man character to its core.

With Otto Octavius terminally ill and getting increasingly closer to taking his final breaths, the crazy bastard manages to concoct one last genius plan. That plan? Why, that's to swap consciousnesses with Spider-Man. And wouldn't you know it, Ock managed to pull this plan off masterfully.

As a result, the mind of Doctor Octopus was now in the body of Peter Parker, with the mind of Parker trapped in the dying body of Ock. While Otto is a true genius, so too is Peter Parker, though - and Peter manages to place a small piece of his conscious in the mind of Spider-Ock. Still following? Hopefully so.

Anyways, with his new web-tastic body, Octavius sets about proving that he's a better hero than Parker could ever be. Thus, he intends to show himself as a superior Spider-Man to his long-time rival.

Throughout all 44 issues of the Superior Spider-Man title, Peter was unable to get his own body back as Ock cracked skulls and saved the day. Regardless of how much he wanted, not even the smarts of Peter Parker could work out a way to take control of his body. In fact, the only way that Peter managed to get full control of his body once more, was when Otto voluntarily gave Parker said body back as part of the Goblin Nation story.

Senior Writer
Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main dayjob, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg.