Spider-Man ─ Dying Wish

Dr. Octopus was given a year to live, his body in terminal decline after a lifetime of brutal battles against Spider-Man. So the brilliant madman used that time as you might expect. First, he mobilized an army of Octobots to take over Manhattan. Then, he assembled six sinister villains to abduct Norman Osborn's child. Finally, he pursued Spider-Man to the ends of the Earth while threatening to burn the planet to a cinder. Each time, his ambitious plans ended in failure...or did they? Were his defeats further proof of his madness - or his genius? With Dr. Octopus hours from death, Spider-Man is about to learn the answer, as one of his oldest enemies turns the tables on him with a dying wish that spells doom for Peter Parker and everyone he loves!

COLLECTING: Amazing Spider -Man 698-700

Dan Slott has built a loyal fan base by combining old-school fun with stories and characterizations friendly to new readers. Following a run on She-Hulk - which combined his sly humor and encyclopedic Marvel knowledge with an imaginative take on a comic-book law firm - Slott moved into the upper echelon of Marvel writers, launching Avengers: The Initiative and taking the reins on Mighty Avengers from Brian Michael Bendis. When Marvel gave Spider-Man a fresh start in 2008, Slott was one of several rotating writers on a thrice-monthly Amazing Spider-Man. Through three years and a hundred issues, Slott became the writer most closely identified with the web-slinger's "Brand New Day" era. Amazing hit the "Big Time" when Slott took over as full-time writer, chronicling a new chapter in the life of Peter Parker with artists such as Humberto Ramos, Stefano Caselli and Marcos Martin.

Mexican artist Humberto Ramos made his American comics debut in 1994 with DC's Impulse, featuring the Flash's brash grandson. In 1998, Ramos launched the creator-owned Crimson under Wildstorm's Cliffhanger imprint, illustrating the title for more than two years. He then moved to Marvel, becoming one of the most recognizable and innovative talents in comics. Seamlessly blending both Eastern and Western styles, the artist's artist has worked on many of Marvel's most iconic characters - including Spider-Man, Wolverine and the X-Men - in addition to a run on the fan-favorite Runaways.