This page contains MASSIVE UNMARKED SPOILERS for The Amazing Spider-Man Issue #700, and the "Dying Wish" storyline as a whole. You Have Been Warned.Part of Marvel Comics' Marvel NOW initiative, Superior Spider-Man is the new main Spider-Man ongoing series released in January 2013. After the events of the 700th and final issue of Amazing Spider-Man, Peter Parker and Dr. Octopus have switched minds and Peter dies in the body of Dr Otto Octavius, but not before forcing him to relive Peter's life and force a Heel Face Turn. Now there is a new Spider-Man in town—smarter, stronger, and SUPERIOR.
Tropes used in The Superior Spider-Man include:
The Atoner: The new Spider-Man takes up Peter's mantle to prove himself better than his questionable past as Doc Ock.
Anti-Hero: The new Spider-Man is the formerly villianous Doc Ock's mind in Peter Parker's body, who's also not above killing villains, starting with Massacre. In addition, he's not so much on board with the "Great Power and Great Responsibility" mantra. Part of his reason for being a hero is to do it better than the original.
Asshole Victim: The bullies that were picking on Anna Marie for being a little person. Sure what Otto did was Disproportionate Retribution, but those guys were hardly innocents. Same goes for many of the bad guys Otto has beaten up.
The Bad Guy Wins: In issue 9, Doc Ock battles Spidey inside his mind and defeats him by delivering a stinging What the Hell, Hero? by pointing out that the villains he put away earlier came back doing even worse, ending in taking Peter to task to the fact that he nearly killed a little girl just so Octavius couldn't find him in a Moment of Weakness. In the end, a defeated Peter can only watch in horror as Ock seemingly erases him.
Big Brother Is Watching: Otto has set up numerous robotic spider drones to patrol the city, allowing him to watch over everything and determine which threats to deal with and which ones to ignore. Also to spy on people, like the CEO who hired Massacre.
Insecurity Camera: Not that it stops the Green Goblin from hacking them.
Once Otto sees Vulture — his old friend — using children to do his dirty work*
though to be fair he was treating the children pretty well for a villain, rewarding them with pizza and game tokens.
he flips out and realizes how bad of a person the Vulture is.
The Avengers started to see Peter as this, following his executing Massacre, an unrepentant serial killer - Wolverine makes the point that all of them have done something similar at one point or another. Once he brutally beats Jester & Screwball into a bloody mess, however, Wolverine agrees that the Avengers need to deal with him.
Darker and Edgier: The new Spider-Man is a dangerous and self-serious Anti-Hero, a far cry from the fun and quippy original. Then Spider-Man executes Massacre in issue 5 and beats Screwball and Jester to near death in 6.
Freaky Friday Flip: The entire story comes out of one between Doc Ock and Peter, where Peter died in Ock's body.
Gadgeteer Genius: Pretty much every issue shows how Ock uses technology to make crime-fighting easier. In particular, his Spider-Bots, which monitor the city for him, and allow him to catch crime he would normally be unaware of.
Ghost Memory: As a result of Peter's last attempt to get his body back, he forcibly injected Otto Octavius with all his memories and experiences. Of course this gets erased nine issues in.
Hero with Bad Publicity: Actually inverted; despite being a total douchebag at times, Otto's actually won over most of the police (minus Carlie Cooper) and J. Jonah Jameson, especially after he killed Massacre. This goes so far that just about all the cops are willing to lie about him killing Massacre to the Captain Watanabe in order to avoid him getting in trouble.
At the start of the very first issue, Otto swears to become a hero and leave his past behind. A couple of pages later, he gets quite angry at the "unmitigated gall" of a bunch of C-List villains using the name of "his" old group, the Sinister Six.
Otto constantly brags how he's a Superior Spider-Man to Peter. He's also the guy who called X-Men arrogant for using superior in homo superior
In Avenging Spider-Man he scoffs at Scott Lang's past in thievery as if he hasn't done anything as petty.
I Hate Past Me: After being threatened by a pre-recorded tape of himself in one of his old bases, Otto quickly decides his past self was a joke, constantly self-sabotaged by pointless vanity.
It's Not You, It's My Enemies: Otto ends up breaking up with MJ after she got captured by some of Vulture's goons realizing that she'd never be safe. Even Peter is impressed that he had the guts to finally break it off.
Jerkass Has a Point: In Issue 9, Otto pointed out that Peter's reluctance to kill his enemies has caused more harm than good and, to be fair, he's right in most cases.
The Lancer: Ghost Peter is an odd variation of one seeing as how Otto can't see him but he's there most of the time snarking at him. Until Octo erases him in Issue 9.
Late Arrival Spoiler: The concept of the comic spoils the end of the Amazing run.
Love Triangle: A really confusing one Mary Jane still loves Peter and dated "Peter". Ghost Peter still loves Mary Jane, and is pretty pissed about Otto dating her in his place. Otto has feelings for MJ due to having Peter's memories and reliving parts of his life, but broke up with her since he didn't want her to get hurt. Seeing as Ghost Peter gets wiped and Otto is avoiding her, I'd say it's resolved tragically.
The Mafia: Green Goblin is setting one up to deal with Superior Spider-man.
Morality Chain: Ghost Peter is really trying to be this, forcing Otto to pull a Heel Face Turn before he died, and preventing him from killing the Boomerang. Unfortunately he isn't very successful at keeping Otto from killing Massacre and eventually gets erased himself.
Mood Whiplash: Happens from time to time, but issue 6 really sums it up. "Oh hey, Jester and Screwball are playing pranks on JJJ! That's pretty funny! Oh, and they're doing it to Spock too! That's hilar—oh wait, now he's beating them to death."
Issue 10 has it shifting between Otto on a date with Anna Marie and MJ caught in a fire, waiting for him to save her.
Our Ghosts Are Different: Peter, before issue 9, though he doesn't use any ghost like powers. He just follows Otto around, and webslings with him when Otto is out as Spider-Man.
Peter:(when Ock throws down the gauntlet at the Avengers) Oh, what I wouldn't give for some ghost-popcorn right now.
Pet the Dog: Otto performs successful brain surgery with Cardiac on a girl who was brain-damaged by one of previous attempts to take over the world, having felt guilty and trying to atone for it. This was after he tried to take the helmet off of her for his own use while she was alive before Cardiac stopped him and explained the situation. In return, the girl gave Otto her personal doll and got a Spider-Man doll for herself.
Robot Buddy: The Living Brain, a Killer Robot battled twice by Spider-Man early in his career, reappears as a member of the wannabe Sinister Six. After defeating it, Otto reprograms it to be his assistant.
Spirit Advisor: Subverted — Peter is technically still alive, but Otto has no idea that Peter's along for the ride & can't hear him when Peter talks to him; and the only influence Peter is able to exert over his body is stopping Otto from crossing lines he would never cross, until Massacre is killed. Then Peter gets Killed Off for Real too.
His lab gear in that scene also resembles that of Doctor Horrible.
At one point in the same issue "Peter" wears a brown coat and striped scarf, resembling The Fourth Doctor as a result. Likely intentional, as the author, Dan Slott, is a Doctor Who fan.
Take That: To the Bat-Signal. JJJ installs a Spider-Signal; Otto trashes it as soon as it's turned on, pointing out that it just tells every enemy where they can find Spider-Man. It's just idiotic.
Taking Up The Mantle: Doctor Octopus becomes the new Spider-Man after he's forced to experience Peter Parker's memories — good and bad — learning how and why Peter is Spider-Man.
Trolling Creator: Dan Slott intended to take Spider-Man's Hero with Bad Publicity status to a meta level. The fact that Spidey's fans later wound up sending him death threats probably means he got his wish.
Issue 9's Description: The hottest comic in comics comes to a turning point that will get you angrier than you were after Spidey #700!note He probably succeeded there, as he seemingly erases Ghost-Peter away
Unscrupulous Hero: Otto's motives are partially heroic (with great power comes great responsibility) and partially selfish (he wants to make sure everybody knows he's "superior" to Peter). He's also not above beating the tar out of anyone he faces, be they hero or villain.
Villains Out Shopping: The first thing Massacre does after escaping from prison? He goes to a fast food restaurant.
Walking Spoiler: The identity of the new Spidey is one for the end of Amazing Spider-Man.
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