Marvel Comics has given CBR an exclusive first look at the solicitation information and covers for Ben Reilly: Spider-Man #2, by J.M. DeMatteis and David Baldeón. One of the covers, which is by David Lafuente, shows Ben battling a number of foes, including Spider-Carnage.
In Amazing Spider-Man #75, Ben returned and revealed to Peter Parker that he was now working with the mysterious Beyond Corporation as its official wall-crawler. Initially, Peter wasn't particularly happy with this turn of events. However, he soon became gravely injured in a fight with the U-Foes. While Peter is expected to make a full recovery, he's given Ben his blessing to once again operate as Spider-Man.
Starting in January, Ben Reilly: Spider-Man will go through the titular character's memories and see him looking into a series of murders in New York that bring him to the Ravencroft Institute. The solicitation for the second issue teases a confrontation between Ben, Scorpion and several other foes. The Lafuente cover seems to reveal their identities: Jackal, Kaine, Spider-Carnage, Lady Octopus, Joystick, Looter and Stunner. That combination of bad guys plus the solicitation's tease may indicate Ben will face them as a new Sinister Six/Sinister Seven-style team.
Spider-Carnage's appearance is particularly interesting. While Carnage is generally associated with serial killer Cletus Kasady, Ben became Spider-Carnage during the "Web of Carnage" arc, which prominently featured Ravencroft. Interestingly, none of the other villains on the cover were involved in any substantial way in the "Web of Carnage" arc, making it fairly unclear in just what capacity Spider-Carnage will return in Ben Reilly: Spider-Man #2. Still, one of the hero's darkest moments is definitely coming back to haunt him.
You can read the solicitation for Ben Reilly: Spider-Man #2 below alongside the two covers for the issue. The issue, which features covers from Steve Skroce and David Lafuente, releases in Feb. 2022 from Marvel Comics.
J.M. DE MATTEIS (W) • DAVID BALDEÓN (A)
Cover by STEVE SKROCE
Variant Cover by DAVID LAFUENTE
SCORPION STINGS!
BEN REILLY comes to blows with the sinister SCORPION as SPIDER-MAN begins to face down a gauntlet of his most fearsome foes!
But is all as it seems?
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