Spider-Man: 10 Things Nobody Wants To Admit About Spider-Verse
4. The Reveal Of Uncle Ben's Involvement Unfortunately Fell Flat
Amidst the many interesting characters that Spider-Verse brought into Peter's life, the ones with the most intriguing potential were alternate versions of Gwen Stacy and Uncle Ben. But where the introduction of Spider-Gwen proved immensely successful, Ben's reveal fell flat and felt underwhelming.
This version of Uncle Ben came from an earth where he was the Spider-Man, but Ezekiel's warning of a plot against his life sent him into hiding. He's uncovered by Silk, who makes the discovery that the irradiated plains of that devastated world would make for a perfect hiding place from the Inheritors.
After this Ben is dragged reluctantly into the conflict, and there a few nods to Peter's past as he - along with, bizarrely, Otto Octavius' Superior Spider-Man - manages to convince Ben to put on the suit once more to fulfil his responsibility. It's an exchange that features a few nice moments, but the whole thing never amounts to much. Compared to Peter's encounter with a version of Ben (and other fallen friends) during his defeat to Otto Octavius in Amazing Spider-Man 700, this certainly lacks a lot of the emotional pull readers would have hoped for in the build up to Ben's introduction.