The Death of Jean DeWolff
Encyclopedia
"The Death of Jean DeWolff" is a four-part story arc featuring the popular Marvel Comics
comic book superhero Spider-Man
. It comprises the comics Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #107 – #110 (October 1985–January 1986). The story was written by Peter David
, penciled
by Rich Buckler
, and inked
by Brett Breeding, Josef Rubinstein
, Kyle Baker
and Pat Redding. It was the first professional comic book writing assignment for David.
In this arc, Peter Parker (Spider-Man) hunts down the person who murdered Police Captain Jean DeWolff
, one of his closest friends. When the murderer kills another person close to Daredevil
, the two superheroes pair up to find the murderer. Over the course of the story, matters between both heroes become hostile as Spider-Man has much more militant ideas on how to deal with the killer than the lawyer Daredevil. When the two encounter the murderer, there is a shocking climax which redefines the relationship between the two superheroes. With this series, the strong professional friendship of the two New York adventurers was established.
, after capturing a trio of muggers assaulting Ernie Popchik (an elderly friend of his Aunt May
's), Spider-Man learns that his close friend, NYPD Captain Jean DeWolff, has been killed in her sleep by a close-range double-barreled shotgun
blast. Stricken with grief, Spider-Man checks out the police officer in charge of the investigation, Sergeant Stan Carter. Carter tells Spider-Man that Jean "spoke very highly" of him, and Spider-Man says, "I liked her too."
Meanwhile, attorney Matt Murdock (the civilian identity of Daredevil) is assigned to represent the muggers at their arraignment; he succeeds in getting them released on bail. Peter, who witnesses the hearing, is disgusted, and Matt also feels guilty (he also realises that Peter is Spider-Man as he recognizes his heartbeat, having fought alongside Spider-Man before). However, the judge presiding over the case — Murdock's friend and mentor, Horace Rosenthal — scoffs at Murdock, calling him soft and unwilling to do the dirty work of the law. Suddenly, an armed and masked madman breaks into Rosenthal's chamber and tries to shoot the judge. Unwilling to give away his secret identity in front of Rosenthal, Murdock hesitates, and the assassin kills Rosenthal.
" and announces his mission to kill "sinners" - manages to escape from Spider-Man. Spider-Man is loath to let the Sin-Eater elude him, but he first priority is his concern over whether or not Aunt May had been hit by a bullet.
After paying a visit to Stan Carter (who reveals the folklore behind the term sin-eater
), Spider-Man checks out Jean's apartment for possible clues, and makes a startling discovery whilst rifling through Jean's personal effects: Jean was apparently romantically interested in him. This revelation makes the loss of the Captain twice as hard for Peter, who attends Jean's funeral. At Rosenthal's funeral, Murdock recognizes Sin-Eater's heartbeat, but again, he refuses to speak out, not daring to blow his identity. Later that night, the priest who officiated Jean's funeral, Father Bernard Finn, hears the confession of an unknown man - the Sin-Eater. After confessing, Sin-Eater shoots the priest in the face.
breaks out in the city over the Sin-Eater murders, with an opportunistic community leader, Reverend Jackson Tulliver, feeding the flames of public discontent. Spider-Man's friendship with Stan Carter deepens; Carter assuages Spider-Man's guilt over not being able to prevent the death of the bystander during the Sin-Eater's shootout earlier. Feverishly, Daredevil and Spider-Man separately comb the underworld, including paying a visit to the Kingpin
.
An armed man, wearing the Sin-Eater's costume, attacks the Daily Bugle
, wanting to kill J. Jonah Jameson
(who is actually on vacation). He takes Bugle editor-in-chief Joe Robertson hostage at gunpoint, but is overwhelmed by Peter Parker. The culprit is arrested and identified as Emil Gregg, who claims that he "couldn't resist [the] voices in the night." Gregg claims that he hoped to be caught before he actually killed Jameson, even if this made the "voices" angry. Gregg's shotgun is identified as the same weapon used to murder Jean and Judge Rosenthal. However, Daredevil - who does not recognise Gregg's heartbeat as that of the Sin-Eater he encountered before - is convinced the police have the wrong man.
Daredevil tells Spider-Man that Emil Gregg is not the Sin-Eater. Spider-Man is skeptical of Daredevil's claim, but accompanies Daredevil to investigate Gregg's apartment. The two have an argument over their respective approaches to hunting down the Sin-Eater; Daredevil is angry towards Spider-Man for endangering the life of Gerald Jablonski, a drug-pusher whom Spider-Man leaned on for information on the Sin-Eater's whereabouts. Spider-Man and Daredevil find out that Gregg's apartment is next door to Stan Carter's, and subsequently realize that Carter himself is the Sin-Eater, via the discovery of the Sin-Eater's weaponry and costumes in Carter's apartment. Gregg - already in a mentally-imbalanced state at the time - overheard Carter's voice from next door, as Carter recorded a taped diary of his Sin-Eater activities (accounting for the "voices" Gregg heard). Gregg, convinced that he himself was the Sin-Eater, donned one of Carter's spare costumes, took one of Carter's shotguns, and attempted to carry out Carter's plan to kill J. Jonah Jameson. Spider-Man and Daredevil realise that the attempt on Jameson's life by the real Sin-Eater is imminent. Carter/Sin-Eater breaks into the Jameson house intending to kill Jonah, but only finds his secretary Betty Leeds, who is watching over the house. Betty - who is sitting in Jonah's chair - is mistaken for Jameson by the Sin-Eater, who opens fire.
in a New York City Subway
train, Mr. Popchik is threatened by three teenage muggers. In self-defence, he pulls a gun, shoots, and seriously injures one of the youths. He is arrested, and awaits a hard sentence.
Stan Carter is brought to jail, and the news that the Sin-Eater was really a policeman shocks the city (some outraged citizens even believe that the NYPD must have known the Sin-Eater's identity, and covered up Carter's crimes). The police are informed by agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
that Stan Carter had been subject to a covert super drug project, was driven insane, and is therefore not responsible for his actions. Spider-Man and Daredevil watch as an angry mob - including Jean's stepfather - besieges the police station. Armed with riot gear, the police exit the station and try to board Carter onto a truck bound for Riker's Island. However, the mob forces itself onto the police, threatening to lynch
Carter. Daredevil throws himself in between, but is overwhelmed by the mob, and his radar sense is nullified by the sheer number of heartbeats. When Spider-Man turns his back, Daredevil cries out "Peter!", pleading him to save Carter. Spider-Man is so startled hearing his real name that he obeys and swings both Carter and Daredevil to safety. After the crowd is dispersed, Carter is safely loaded onto the police truck. Daredevil reveals his own secret identity to Spider-Man, who discovers that Daredevil is blind. After discussing their differing views on the law, Matt offers Peter any legal help he can give to free Aunt May's friend, Mr. Popchik. In the end, the two heroes part in friendship.
and Sal Buscema
, the acerbic Jean DeWolff had been a supporting character in the Spider-Man comics since her first appearance in Marvel Team-Up
#48 (August 1976), and was familiar to readers as one of Spider-Man's few allies in the police force. According to Peter David, "The Death of Jean DeWolff" came about at the behest of Jim Owsley, at that time editor of the Spider-Man books: "I was going to be started on Spectacular Spider-Man and editor Jim Oswley wanted to shake up Spider-Man and the fans. He wanted to see a story in which Jean DeWolff was killed and there were all sorts of cover ups in the police department. So in answer to the second most-asked question I get at conventions, the answer is – Owsley wanted to kill her. Not me. I actually had storylines planned with her alive."
Owsley himself said, "I didn't much care for the whimsical tone of Spectacular Spider-Man, and tried to nudge writer Al Milgrom
out of the seat in favor of the brilliant newcomer Peter David... I put Peter David and Rich Buckler on Spectacular, focusing on stories with a serious, "grown-up" tone and more complex themes." David combined Owsley's idea of killing off Jean DeWolff with story ideas of his own: "I wanted to do a story in which Spider-Man was confronted by a villain committed crimes so heinous, so appalling, that Spider-Man was pushed to the edge and over. It always struck me as unrealistic how super heroes could turn fights on and off. When you're in a fistfight, adrenaline flows, your heart is thumping. If you knock the guy down and he's not getting up, most times you kick him because you're so pumped and angry. You don't back off and say "Had enough?" Usually someone has to pull you off the guy. I wanted to do that to Spider-Man because I felt it would bring some hard-edged reality to him. I also wanted to do a story underscoring the philosophical differences between Daredevil and Spider-Man... "The Death of Jean DeWolff" incorporated all three stories to varying degrees. This was accomplished when Owsley came over to my house early one evening and stayed until after midnight as we hammered out all the kinks in the story in a marathon, four-issue’s-worth head-banging session."
Jim Owsley has recalled the impact of the shotgun-blast ending of Part 3 of the story, "a cliffhanger so intense, in fact, that we briefly considered pulling it. It scared the crap out of me, and I was 23. I was imagining soccer moms buying [Spectacular Spider-Man] for their kids by rote, not realizing Sin-Eater was blowing away Betty Brant Leeds inside."
Peter David revealed that the idea of the Sin-Eater came from an identically-named character in the 1979
television film The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel
, as well as claiming that "virtually no readers, judging by the letters, tumbled to Stan Carter being the Sin-Eater, even though much of his dialogue fairly screamed it. I knew they wouldn't. First off, I named him Stan. Stan is a friendly name to readers after years of association with Stan Lee
. Second, I made him Jewish. Isaac Asimov
said if you want to have someone who evil intent must be hidden, make him Jewish and have him speak in semi-Yiddish inverted sentence order. You know. Like Yoda
. ("So a murderer that makes me?") Readers will mentally categorize this as someone who is friendly and even comic relief. Works it does."
David also praised the story's artist, Rich Buckler, "whose dynamic and energetic storytelling and gritty texture brought the story to pulsing life. He gave it the kind of down-and-dirty feeling that we were looking for. Kind of Spidey meets Hill Street Blues
."
with fantastic powers, but a psychopathic vigilante with a shotgun; also, rather than presenting the bylines at the beginning of each installment, the stark, white-on-black credits were presented dramatically in the last panel of each chapter.
"The Death of Jean DeWolff" is still considered to be one of the most popular and acclaimed Spider-Man arcs, collected by Wizard Magazine in its "Best of Spider-Man" hardcover edition. Comics Bulletin called the story an exploration of "moral relativism amongst superheroes, the flaws of the criminal justice system, and the feelings of rage and desire for vengeance", lauded the "organic and convincing" clash of values between idealist Daredevil and pragmatic Spider-Man. Daredevil is seen as more mature, but also "selfish" (he kept his secret identity instead of saving the judge's life), and Spider-Man is seen as "righteous, but blinded" for doing what his conscience tells him but giving in to bloodlust. The arc was called "not perfect, but successful and dark" and was given four out of five stars.Spider-Man: The Death of Jean DeWolff, Comics Bulletin
Peter David has recalled mixed emotions about the arc: in a 1990 installment of "But I Digress", his then-weekly column in the Comics Buyer's Guide
, David stated he was unnerved by the stream of fan mail demanding he bring DeWolff back, and how "Spidey Editor Jim Owsley was even told by confident fans at an Atlanta Con, "Nah, she's not really dead."" David however firmly refused to bring her back, arguing a resurrection in a comic book death
-style would weaken the story. David also stated that this story established him as a writer, but he was also pigeonholed as a writer of grim and gritty stories. In 1990, David conceded that "people still tell me that "The Death of Jean DeWolff" is their favourite of my work. Time has passed, and I think I've done better since...Still, if I never wrote another word, readers still felt this story was the best I've ever done, I suppose I could live with that."
"You don't understand. I really want to clean your clock for you. And my analyst said not to repress frustration." (Spider-Man to one of Mr. Popchik's muggers, in "Part 1: Original Sin".)
"Hitler deserved to die... And so do assassins and cop killers. Scum like that. Whatever else he is, Spider-Man is not one of those." (J. Jonah Jameson to Joseph "Robbie" Robertson, in "Part 1: Original Sin".)
"Was she doing some sort of study on me? No, she would have kept that at her office. She kept these because she liked them. But...she never said anything particularly warm to me. Heck, she usually chewed me out. It can't be. She couldn't have cared for me. Why didn't she ever say anything if she felt... And maybe I would have... We could have... It can't be true. She was always so cool, so aloof. Blast it, why did she have to be that way?" (Spider-Man reacting to Jean's apparent romantic interest in him, in "Part 2: Sin of Pride".)
"Bless you Father, for you have sinned." (The Sin-Eater, before he shoots Father Bernard Finn in "Part 2: Sin of Pride".)
"I am stunned that the police are unable to protect a holy man in this city. I just hope that, since Reverend Finn was Black
, he will not receive short shrift at the hands of the detectives." (public statement of Reverend Jackson Tulliver, in "Part 3: He Who is Without Sin".)
"I did not like Captain DeWolff, nor Judge Rosenthal. They were both honest...and honest people bore me. But someone who kills Priests I have no truck with. Priest killers polarize cities, and such cities are harder to control." (The Kingpin to Spider-Man, in "Part 3: He Who is Without Sin".)
"This was putting a man in fear for his life for your own reasons. And I don't care how noble your motives were. It still stinks." (Daredevil to Spider-Man, in "Part 3: He Who is Without Sin".)
"No. It can't be. If you can't tell the victims from the killers anymore, then there's nothing..." (Spider-Man, when confronted with evidence that Stan Carter is the Sin-Eater, in "Part 3: He Who is Without Sin".)
"I wanted Jameson because he opposes masked vigilantes. I killed the priest because he opposed capital punishment
. I killed the judge because he coddled criminals. And I killed Jean DeWolf...because I felt like it." (The Sin-Eater to Betty Leeds, in "Part 4: All My Sins Remembered".)
"You were laughing at me all along, right, Carter? Acted like a friend when it was all a sick joke. You disgusting..." (Spider-Man to Stan Carter, in "Part 4: All My Sins Remembered".)
"I try to aid the justice system. Supplement it. But you... You try to supplant it. Be judge, jury, and executioner, all rolled into one. I don't know all the answers, but that isn't one of them." (Daredevil to Spider-Man, in "Part 4: All My Sins Remembered".)
"You're twisting everything! You should be a lawyer." (Spider-Man to Daredevil, in "Part 4: All My Sins Remembered".)
"Wonderful. Just wonderful. I've got a political and PR
hot potato. And now you're saying because your scientists screwed up...I may have a accept an insanity plea. The public's going to crucify us! This lunatic kills Black priests, for pity's sake. But it's possible that the doctors could certify him "okay" after a year of medical observation...and he could walk with no jail time." (District Attorney
Tower to a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in "Part 4: All My Sins Remembered".)
"We have to have our system, Peter, or it falls apart. And, if it doesn't work, we make it work. We don't just ignore it." (Matt Murdock to Peter Parker in "Part 4: All My Sins Remembered".)
. This storyline was later resolved in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #112 (Mar. 1986); in this same issue, it is revealed that Ernie Popchik was released from jail after the grand jury
refused to indict him. In "Mayhem!" (Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #113, Apr. 1986), Mr. Popchik, hounded by the media, returns to Aunt May's boarding home. The muggers he shot at, seeking revenge, break into the home and take Mr. Popchik, Aunt May, and the other boarders hostage. Spider-Man manages to subdue three of the muggers, before defeating the leader by webbing his gun. At this point, Aunt May's fiancé, Nathan Lubensky, opens the blinds, and a police sniper outside shoots and kills the leader. Aunt May is unnerved by Nathan's actions, which led to the youth being killed unnecessarily. Mr. Popchik feels guilty for causing the situation and leaves Aunt May's home.
. Although this storyline (informally known as "Return of the Sin-Eater") was less acclaimed that its predecessor, it did explore the origin of the Sin-Eater, and his attempted rehabilitation, in depth (it also revealed why Carter really killed Jean DeWolff: he was in love with her, and that made his Sin-Eater persona jealous). Set approximately one year after "The Death of Jean DeWolff" (by which time, Peter Parker had married Mary Jane Watson
), the sequel revealed the extent of Stan Carter's physical incapacitation as the result of his beating at the hands of Spider-Man, and Spider-Man's own feelings over crippling Carter. After his arrest, Carter was put in psychological and medical care. S.H.I.E.L.D purged all the drugs from his system, but Carter still had visions of his Sin-Eater persona, as well as being unable to walk or talk properly. After his release, Carter had trouble readjusting to society, and was perpetually haunted by visions of his alternate persona the Sin-Eater, as well as having to deal with continuing public outrage over his crimes. Finally succumbing to his madness, Carter put on his Sin-Eater costume, took a shotgun, and threatened to kill a child right in front of the police. After casting the hostage aside and aiming his weapon at the police, Carter was shot and killed; it was then discovered that Carter's own shotgun was empty. Carter's final words were "I've.... won. Sin-Eater d-dead. Now I can live..." Carter had become so troubled that he believed that he and the Sin-Eater were two different people. Peter David described the conclusion of this story as a "dramatic, tragic, and perhaps, merciful ending" for Stan Carter.
#300 (May 1988), which reveals that Daily Globe journalist Eddie Brock
had written an exposé of the man who claimed to be the Sin-Eater, Emil Gregg. Unfortunately for Brock, Gregg was a compulsive confessor, and the revelation of Stan Carter being the real Sin-Eater led to Brock being fired and losing his wife. An angry Brock blames Spider-Man (who captured the real Sin-Eater) for the derailing of his career and life, the catalyst which resulted in his becoming the super-villain Venom
. This story, written by David Michelinie
, retcons
the events of "The Death of Jean DeWolff," in which Gregg's claim to be the Sin-Eater was not publicly revealed via a newspaper story by Eddie Brock: dressed as the Sin-Eater, Gregg outed himself by storming into the Daily Bugle and threatening to kill J. Jonah Jameson, and was identified after he was subdued and arrested. Also, Gregg was originally presented, not as a prankster, but as a mentally-troubled man who truly believed he was the Sin-Eater after overhearing Stan Carter's voice.
version of Jean DeWolff (Jeanne DeWolfe) died in Ultimate Spider-Man
Annual #2 by Brian Michael Bendis
and Mark Brooks
. She was shot by the Punisher (who has a similar modus operandi to the Sin-Eater, but is usually shown as a protagonist) for being corrupt.
and as a hardcover:
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
comic book superhero Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
. It comprises the comics Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #107 – #110 (October 1985–January 1986). The story was written by Peter David
Peter David
Peter Allen David , often abbreviated PAD, is an American writer of comic books, novels, television, movies and video games...
, penciled
Penciller
A penciller is an artist who works in the creation of comic books, graphic novels, and similar visual art forms.The penciller is the first step in rendering the story in visual form and may require several steps of feedback with the writer. These artists are concerned with layout to showcase...
by Rich Buckler
Rich Buckler
Rich Buckler is an American comic book artist and penciller, best known for his work on Marvel Comics' The Fantastic Four in the mid-1970s and, with writer Doug Moench, co-creating the character Deathlok in Astonishing Tales #25...
, and inked
Inker
The inker is one of the two line artists in a traditional comic book or graphic novel. After a pencilled drawing is given to the inker, the inker uses black ink to produce refined outlines over the pencil lines...
by Brett Breeding, Josef Rubinstein
Josef Rubinstein
Josef "Joe" Rubinstein is a comic book artist and inker, most associated with inking Marvel Comics' The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.-Career:...
, Kyle Baker
Kyle Baker
Kyle John Baker is an American cartoonist, comic book writer-artist, and animator known for his graphic novels and for a 2000s revival of the series Plastic Man....
and Pat Redding. It was the first professional comic book writing assignment for David.
In this arc, Peter Parker (Spider-Man) hunts down the person who murdered Police Captain Jean DeWolff
Jean DeWolff
Jean DeWolff is a fictional police detective who functions as a supporting character in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular those featuring Spider-Man...
, one of his closest friends. When the murderer kills another person close to Daredevil
Daredevil (Marvel Comics)
Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
, the two superheroes pair up to find the murderer. Over the course of the story, matters between both heroes become hostile as Spider-Man has much more militant ideas on how to deal with the killer than the lawyer Daredevil. When the two encounter the murderer, there is a shocking climax which redefines the relationship between the two superheroes. With this series, the strong professional friendship of the two New York adventurers was established.
"Part 1: Original Sin"
Shortly before ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, after capturing a trio of muggers assaulting Ernie Popchik (an elderly friend of his Aunt May
Aunt May
May Reilly Parker-Jameson, commonly known as Aunt May, is a supporting character in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared as May Parker in Amazing Fantasy #15...
's), Spider-Man learns that his close friend, NYPD Captain Jean DeWolff, has been killed in her sleep by a close-range double-barreled shotgun
Double-barreled shotgun
A double-barreled shotgun is a shotgun or combination gun with two parallel barrels, allowing two shots to be fired in quick succession.-Construction:...
blast. Stricken with grief, Spider-Man checks out the police officer in charge of the investigation, Sergeant Stan Carter. Carter tells Spider-Man that Jean "spoke very highly" of him, and Spider-Man says, "I liked her too."
Meanwhile, attorney Matt Murdock (the civilian identity of Daredevil) is assigned to represent the muggers at their arraignment; he succeeds in getting them released on bail. Peter, who witnesses the hearing, is disgusted, and Matt also feels guilty (he also realises that Peter is Spider-Man as he recognizes his heartbeat, having fought alongside Spider-Man before). However, the judge presiding over the case — Murdock's friend and mentor, Horace Rosenthal — scoffs at Murdock, calling him soft and unwilling to do the dirty work of the law. Suddenly, an armed and masked madman breaks into Rosenthal's chamber and tries to shoot the judge. Unwilling to give away his secret identity in front of Rosenthal, Murdock hesitates, and the assassin kills Rosenthal.
"Part 2: Sin of Pride"
After shooting Judge Rosenthal, the masked killer escapes in the bedlam. On the streets outside, Spider-Man attempts to halt the killer's escape. The killer opens fire on Spider-Man, who leaps above the scattergun blasts. The bullets hit a crowd of bystanders, killing one person and wounding others. When the killer freely admits to slaying Jean DeWolff and the judge, Spider-Man is momentarily shaken, and loses the upper hand in the battle. The killer - who identifies himself as the "Sin-EaterSin-Eater (comics)
Sin-Eater is a name given to several fictional characters appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually those featuring Spider-Man and Ghost Rider.- Stanley Carter :...
" and announces his mission to kill "sinners" - manages to escape from Spider-Man. Spider-Man is loath to let the Sin-Eater elude him, but he first priority is his concern over whether or not Aunt May had been hit by a bullet.
After paying a visit to Stan Carter (who reveals the folklore behind the term sin-eater
Sin-eater
The term sin-eater refers to a person who, through ritual means, would take on by means of food and drink the sins of a household, often because of a recent death, thus absolving the soul and allowing that person to rest in peace...
), Spider-Man checks out Jean's apartment for possible clues, and makes a startling discovery whilst rifling through Jean's personal effects: Jean was apparently romantically interested in him. This revelation makes the loss of the Captain twice as hard for Peter, who attends Jean's funeral. At Rosenthal's funeral, Murdock recognizes Sin-Eater's heartbeat, but again, he refuses to speak out, not daring to blow his identity. Later that night, the priest who officiated Jean's funeral, Father Bernard Finn, hears the confession of an unknown man - the Sin-Eater. After confessing, Sin-Eater shoots the priest in the face.
"Part 3: He Who is Without Sin"
A media circusMedia circus
Media circus is a colloquial metaphor, or idiom, describing a news event where the media coverage is perceived to be out of proportion to the event being covered, such as the number of reporters at the scene, the amount of news media published or broadcast, and the level of media hype...
breaks out in the city over the Sin-Eater murders, with an opportunistic community leader, Reverend Jackson Tulliver, feeding the flames of public discontent. Spider-Man's friendship with Stan Carter deepens; Carter assuages Spider-Man's guilt over not being able to prevent the death of the bystander during the Sin-Eater's shootout earlier. Feverishly, Daredevil and Spider-Man separately comb the underworld, including paying a visit to the Kingpin
Kingpin (comics)
The Kingpin is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Kingpin is one of the most feared and powerful crime lords in the Marvel Universe. The character is a major adversary of Daredevil, the Punisher, and Spider-Man...
.
An armed man, wearing the Sin-Eater's costume, attacks the Daily Bugle
Daily Bugle
The Daily Bugle is a fictional New York City newspaper that is a regular fixture in the Marvel Universe, most prominently in Spider-Man comic titles and their derivative media...
, wanting to kill J. Jonah Jameson
J. Jonah Jameson
John Jonah Jameson Junior is a supporting character of Spider-Man in the .Jameson is usually the publisher or editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, a fictional New York newspaper and now serves as the mayor of New York City...
(who is actually on vacation). He takes Bugle editor-in-chief Joe Robertson hostage at gunpoint, but is overwhelmed by Peter Parker. The culprit is arrested and identified as Emil Gregg, who claims that he "couldn't resist [the] voices in the night." Gregg claims that he hoped to be caught before he actually killed Jameson, even if this made the "voices" angry. Gregg's shotgun is identified as the same weapon used to murder Jean and Judge Rosenthal. However, Daredevil - who does not recognise Gregg's heartbeat as that of the Sin-Eater he encountered before - is convinced the police have the wrong man.
Daredevil tells Spider-Man that Emil Gregg is not the Sin-Eater. Spider-Man is skeptical of Daredevil's claim, but accompanies Daredevil to investigate Gregg's apartment. The two have an argument over their respective approaches to hunting down the Sin-Eater; Daredevil is angry towards Spider-Man for endangering the life of Gerald Jablonski, a drug-pusher whom Spider-Man leaned on for information on the Sin-Eater's whereabouts. Spider-Man and Daredevil find out that Gregg's apartment is next door to Stan Carter's, and subsequently realize that Carter himself is the Sin-Eater, via the discovery of the Sin-Eater's weaponry and costumes in Carter's apartment. Gregg - already in a mentally-imbalanced state at the time - overheard Carter's voice from next door, as Carter recorded a taped diary of his Sin-Eater activities (accounting for the "voices" Gregg heard). Gregg, convinced that he himself was the Sin-Eater, donned one of Carter's spare costumes, took one of Carter's shotguns, and attempted to carry out Carter's plan to kill J. Jonah Jameson. Spider-Man and Daredevil realise that the attempt on Jameson's life by the real Sin-Eater is imminent. Carter/Sin-Eater breaks into the Jameson house intending to kill Jonah, but only finds his secretary Betty Leeds, who is watching over the house. Betty - who is sitting in Jonah's chair - is mistaken for Jameson by the Sin-Eater, who opens fire.
"Part 4: All My Sins Remembered"
Betty manages to dodge the Sin-Eater's shot. Although the Sin-Eater realizes that Jameson is not home, he considers Betty to be a viable target, as she works for Jameson. The Sin-Eater explains to Betty the motivations for his cold-blooded murders, before Spider-Man and Daredevil break in and save Betty. Spider-Man, who had considered Carter a friend, loses his temper and beats Carter into a pulp. Carter apologizes for his crimes after Spider-Man rips off his mask, but this only increases Spider-Man's anger. Spider-Man beats Carter so severely that Daredevil has to pull him away; even Betty is shocked by Spider-Man's brutality. The two superheroes fight, with Daredevil taunting Spider-Man as the real criminal, and an increasingly-agitated Spider-Man accusing Daredevil for being a hypocrite who protects felons. Daredevil subdues Spider-Man, but feels guilty about doing so (Daredevil also concedes that Spider-Man would have easily defeated him, had the webslinger been in more control of his actions). Meanwhile, en route to the World Trade CenterWorld Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
in a New York City Subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
train, Mr. Popchik is threatened by three teenage muggers. In self-defence, he pulls a gun, shoots, and seriously injures one of the youths. He is arrested, and awaits a hard sentence.
Stan Carter is brought to jail, and the news that the Sin-Eater was really a policeman shocks the city (some outraged citizens even believe that the NYPD must have known the Sin-Eater's identity, and covered up Carter's crimes). The police are informed by agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
that Stan Carter had been subject to a covert super drug project, was driven insane, and is therefore not responsible for his actions. Spider-Man and Daredevil watch as an angry mob - including Jean's stepfather - besieges the police station. Armed with riot gear, the police exit the station and try to board Carter onto a truck bound for Riker's Island. However, the mob forces itself onto the police, threatening to lynch
Lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial execution carried out by a mob, often by hanging, but also by burning at the stake or shooting, in order to punish an alleged transgressor, or to intimidate, control, or otherwise manipulate a population of people. It is related to other means of social control that...
Carter. Daredevil throws himself in between, but is overwhelmed by the mob, and his radar sense is nullified by the sheer number of heartbeats. When Spider-Man turns his back, Daredevil cries out "Peter!", pleading him to save Carter. Spider-Man is so startled hearing his real name that he obeys and swings both Carter and Daredevil to safety. After the crowd is dispersed, Carter is safely loaded onto the police truck. Daredevil reveals his own secret identity to Spider-Man, who discovers that Daredevil is blind. After discussing their differing views on the law, Matt offers Peter any legal help he can give to free Aunt May's friend, Mr. Popchik. In the end, the two heroes part in friendship.
Background
Created by Bill MantloBill Mantlo
Bill Mantlo is an American comic-book writer, primarily at Marvel Comics, best known for his work on two licensed toy properties whose adventures occurred in the Marvel Universe: the Eagle Award-winning Micronauts and the long-running Rom. An attorney, he also worked as a public defender...
and Sal Buscema
Sal Buscema
Silvio "Sal" Buscema is an American comic book artist, primarily for Marvel Comics, where he enjoyed a ten-year run as artist of The Incredible Hulk...
, the acerbic Jean DeWolff had been a supporting character in the Spider-Man comics since her first appearance in Marvel Team-Up
Marvel Team-Up
Marvel Team-Up is the name of several American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series featured two or more Marvel characters in one story...
#48 (August 1976), and was familiar to readers as one of Spider-Man's few allies in the police force. According to Peter David, "The Death of Jean DeWolff" came about at the behest of Jim Owsley, at that time editor of the Spider-Man books: "I was going to be started on Spectacular Spider-Man and editor Jim Oswley wanted to shake up Spider-Man and the fans. He wanted to see a story in which Jean DeWolff was killed and there were all sorts of cover ups in the police department. So in answer to the second most-asked question I get at conventions, the answer is – Owsley wanted to kill her. Not me. I actually had storylines planned with her alive."
Owsley himself said, "I didn't much care for the whimsical tone of Spectacular Spider-Man, and tried to nudge writer Al Milgrom
Al Milgrom
Allen "Al" Milgrom is an American comic book writer, penciller, inker and editor, primarily for Marvel Comics. He is known for his 10-year run as editor of Marvel Fanfare; his long involvement as writer, penciler, and inker on Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man; his four-year tenure as West...
out of the seat in favor of the brilliant newcomer Peter David... I put Peter David and Rich Buckler on Spectacular, focusing on stories with a serious, "grown-up" tone and more complex themes." David combined Owsley's idea of killing off Jean DeWolff with story ideas of his own: "I wanted to do a story in which Spider-Man was confronted by a villain committed crimes so heinous, so appalling, that Spider-Man was pushed to the edge and over. It always struck me as unrealistic how super heroes could turn fights on and off. When you're in a fistfight, adrenaline flows, your heart is thumping. If you knock the guy down and he's not getting up, most times you kick him because you're so pumped and angry. You don't back off and say "Had enough?" Usually someone has to pull you off the guy. I wanted to do that to Spider-Man because I felt it would bring some hard-edged reality to him. I also wanted to do a story underscoring the philosophical differences between Daredevil and Spider-Man... "The Death of Jean DeWolff" incorporated all three stories to varying degrees. This was accomplished when Owsley came over to my house early one evening and stayed until after midnight as we hammered out all the kinks in the story in a marathon, four-issue’s-worth head-banging session."
Jim Owsley has recalled the impact of the shotgun-blast ending of Part 3 of the story, "a cliffhanger so intense, in fact, that we briefly considered pulling it. It scared the crap out of me, and I was 23. I was imagining soccer moms buying [Spectacular Spider-Man] for their kids by rote, not realizing Sin-Eater was blowing away Betty Brant Leeds inside."
Peter David revealed that the idea of the Sin-Eater came from an identically-named character in the 1979
1979 in film
The year 1979 in film involved some significant events.- Major events :* March 5 - Production begins on Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.* May 25 - Alien, a landmark of the science fiction genre, is released....
television film The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel
The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel
The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel is a 1979 television film directed by Guy Green.-Plot:Set in the 1930s, a female doctor returns to her birth town in the Blue Ridge Mountains after she had spent a certain period in the big city. She now has the intention of helping the poor residents...
, as well as claiming that "virtually no readers, judging by the letters, tumbled to Stan Carter being the Sin-Eater, even though much of his dialogue fairly screamed it. I knew they wouldn't. First off, I named him Stan. Stan is a friendly name to readers after years of association with Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
. Second, I made him Jewish. Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
said if you want to have someone who evil intent must be hidden, make him Jewish and have him speak in semi-Yiddish inverted sentence order. You know. Like Yoda
Yoda
Yoda is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, appearing in the second and third original films, as well as all three prequel trilogy films. A renowned Jedi master, Yoda made his first on-screen appearance in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back where he is responsible for...
. ("So a murderer that makes me?") Readers will mentally categorize this as someone who is friendly and even comic relief. Works it does."
David also praised the story's artist, Rich Buckler, "whose dynamic and energetic storytelling and gritty texture brought the story to pulsing life. He gave it the kind of down-and-dirty feeling that we were looking for. Kind of Spidey meets Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues is an American serial police drama that was first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. Chronicling the lives of the staff of a single police precinct in an unnamed American city, the show received critical acclaim and its production innovations ...
."
Reception
At the time of its original publication, "The Death of Jean DeWolff" was considered to be a groundbreaking comic book story. Peter David noted that "we flew in the face of standard comic book tradition by giving a character, not a noble death in battle at the climax of the story, but an inglorious death, in her sleep, at the beginning." The antagonist of the story is not a supervillainSupervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
with fantastic powers, but a psychopathic vigilante with a shotgun; also, rather than presenting the bylines at the beginning of each installment, the stark, white-on-black credits were presented dramatically in the last panel of each chapter.
"The Death of Jean DeWolff" is still considered to be one of the most popular and acclaimed Spider-Man arcs, collected by Wizard Magazine in its "Best of Spider-Man" hardcover edition. Comics Bulletin called the story an exploration of "moral relativism amongst superheroes, the flaws of the criminal justice system, and the feelings of rage and desire for vengeance", lauded the "organic and convincing" clash of values between idealist Daredevil and pragmatic Spider-Man. Daredevil is seen as more mature, but also "selfish" (he kept his secret identity instead of saving the judge's life), and Spider-Man is seen as "righteous, but blinded" for doing what his conscience tells him but giving in to bloodlust. The arc was called "not perfect, but successful and dark" and was given four out of five stars.Spider-Man: The Death of Jean DeWolff, Comics Bulletin
Peter David has recalled mixed emotions about the arc: in a 1990 installment of "But I Digress", his then-weekly column in the Comics Buyer's Guide
Comics Buyer's Guide
Comics Buyer's Guide , established in 1971, is the longest-running English-language periodical reporting on the American comic book industry...
, David stated he was unnerved by the stream of fan mail demanding he bring DeWolff back, and how "Spidey Editor Jim Owsley was even told by confident fans at an Atlanta Con, "Nah, she's not really dead."" David however firmly refused to bring her back, arguing a resurrection in a comic book death
Comic book death
In the comic book fan community, the apparent death and subsequent return of a long-running character is often called a comic book death. While death is a serious subject, a comic book death is generally not taken seriously and is rarely permanent or meaningful...
-style would weaken the story. David also stated that this story established him as a writer, but he was also pigeonholed as a writer of grim and gritty stories. In 1990, David conceded that "people still tell me that "The Death of Jean DeWolff" is their favourite of my work. Time has passed, and I think I've done better since...Still, if I never wrote another word, readers still felt this story was the best I've ever done, I suppose I could live with that."
Quotations
"What's that pounding? At the door? In my head? I wonder why I feel so relaxed? And I wonder... Why was I just thinking about my life just now?" (Jean DeWolff's final thoughts, in "Part 1: Original Sin".)"You don't understand. I really want to clean your clock for you. And my analyst said not to repress frustration." (Spider-Man to one of Mr. Popchik's muggers, in "Part 1: Original Sin".)
"Hitler deserved to die... And so do assassins and cop killers. Scum like that. Whatever else he is, Spider-Man is not one of those." (J. Jonah Jameson to Joseph "Robbie" Robertson, in "Part 1: Original Sin".)
"Was she doing some sort of study on me? No, she would have kept that at her office. She kept these because she liked them. But...she never said anything particularly warm to me. Heck, she usually chewed me out. It can't be. She couldn't have cared for me. Why didn't she ever say anything if she felt... And maybe I would have... We could have... It can't be true. She was always so cool, so aloof. Blast it, why did she have to be that way?" (Spider-Man reacting to Jean's apparent romantic interest in him, in "Part 2: Sin of Pride".)
"Bless you Father, for you have sinned." (The Sin-Eater, before he shoots Father Bernard Finn in "Part 2: Sin of Pride".)
"I am stunned that the police are unable to protect a holy man in this city. I just hope that, since Reverend Finn was Black
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, he will not receive short shrift at the hands of the detectives." (public statement of Reverend Jackson Tulliver, in "Part 3: He Who is Without Sin".)
"I did not like Captain DeWolff, nor Judge Rosenthal. They were both honest...and honest people bore me. But someone who kills Priests I have no truck with. Priest killers polarize cities, and such cities are harder to control." (The Kingpin to Spider-Man, in "Part 3: He Who is Without Sin".)
"This was putting a man in fear for his life for your own reasons. And I don't care how noble your motives were. It still stinks." (Daredevil to Spider-Man, in "Part 3: He Who is Without Sin".)
"No. It can't be. If you can't tell the victims from the killers anymore, then there's nothing..." (Spider-Man, when confronted with evidence that Stan Carter is the Sin-Eater, in "Part 3: He Who is Without Sin".)
"I wanted Jameson because he opposes masked vigilantes. I killed the priest because he opposed capital punishment
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
. I killed the judge because he coddled criminals. And I killed Jean DeWolf...because I felt like it." (The Sin-Eater to Betty Leeds, in "Part 4: All My Sins Remembered".)
"You were laughing at me all along, right, Carter? Acted like a friend when it was all a sick joke. You disgusting..." (Spider-Man to Stan Carter, in "Part 4: All My Sins Remembered".)
"I try to aid the justice system. Supplement it. But you... You try to supplant it. Be judge, jury, and executioner, all rolled into one. I don't know all the answers, but that isn't one of them." (Daredevil to Spider-Man, in "Part 4: All My Sins Remembered".)
"You're twisting everything! You should be a lawyer." (Spider-Man to Daredevil, in "Part 4: All My Sins Remembered".)
"Wonderful. Just wonderful. I've got a political and PR
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
hot potato. And now you're saying because your scientists screwed up...I may have a accept an insanity plea. The public's going to crucify us! This lunatic kills Black priests, for pity's sake. But it's possible that the doctors could certify him "okay" after a year of medical observation...and he could walk with no jail time." (District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
Tower to a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in "Part 4: All My Sins Remembered".)
"We have to have our system, Peter, or it falls apart. And, if it doesn't work, we make it work. We don't just ignore it." (Matt Murdock to Peter Parker in "Part 4: All My Sins Remembered".)
"Mayhem!"
The third part of the "The Death of Jean DeWolff," "He Who is Without Sin," includes a one-page scene featuring a thief dressed as Santa ClausSanta Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
. This storyline was later resolved in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #112 (Mar. 1986); in this same issue, it is revealed that Ernie Popchik was released from jail after the grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
refused to indict him. In "Mayhem!" (Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #113, Apr. 1986), Mr. Popchik, hounded by the media, returns to Aunt May's boarding home. The muggers he shot at, seeking revenge, break into the home and take Mr. Popchik, Aunt May, and the other boarders hostage. Spider-Man manages to subdue three of the muggers, before defeating the leader by webbing his gun. At this point, Aunt May's fiancé, Nathan Lubensky, opens the blinds, and a police sniper outside shoots and kills the leader. Aunt May is unnerved by Nathan's actions, which led to the youth being killed unnecessarily. Mr. Popchik feels guilty for causing the situation and leaves Aunt May's home.
"Return of the Sin-Eater"
Peter David later brought the Sin-Eater back in a three-part storyline in The Spectacular Spider-Man #134-136 ( Jan.-March 1988), drawn by Sal Buscema and inked by Vince CollettaVince Colletta
Vincent Joseph Colletta was an American comic book artist and art director best known as one of industry legend Jack Kirby's frequent inkers during the 1950s-1960s period called the Silver Age of comic books...
. Although this storyline (informally known as "Return of the Sin-Eater") was less acclaimed that its predecessor, it did explore the origin of the Sin-Eater, and his attempted rehabilitation, in depth (it also revealed why Carter really killed Jean DeWolff: he was in love with her, and that made his Sin-Eater persona jealous). Set approximately one year after "The Death of Jean DeWolff" (by which time, Peter Parker had married Mary Jane Watson
Mary Jane Watson
Mary Jane Watson, often shortened to MJ, is a fictional supporting character appearing, originally, in Marvel comic books and, later, in multiple spin-offs and dramatizations of the Spider-Man titles as the best friend, love interest, and one-time wife of Peter Parker, the alter ego of Spider-Man...
), the sequel revealed the extent of Stan Carter's physical incapacitation as the result of his beating at the hands of Spider-Man, and Spider-Man's own feelings over crippling Carter. After his arrest, Carter was put in psychological and medical care. S.H.I.E.L.D purged all the drugs from his system, but Carter still had visions of his Sin-Eater persona, as well as being unable to walk or talk properly. After his release, Carter had trouble readjusting to society, and was perpetually haunted by visions of his alternate persona the Sin-Eater, as well as having to deal with continuing public outrage over his crimes. Finally succumbing to his madness, Carter put on his Sin-Eater costume, took a shotgun, and threatened to kill a child right in front of the police. After casting the hostage aside and aiming his weapon at the police, Carter was shot and killed; it was then discovered that Carter's own shotgun was empty. Carter's final words were "I've.... won. Sin-Eater d-dead. Now I can live..." Carter had become so troubled that he believed that he and the Sin-Eater were two different people. Peter David described the conclusion of this story as a "dramatic, tragic, and perhaps, merciful ending" for Stan Carter.
Venom
Further repercussions caused by the Sin-Eater come to light in The Amazing Spider-ManThe Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the adventures of the fictional superhero Spider-Man. Being the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a monthly periodical and was published continuously until it was...
#300 (May 1988), which reveals that Daily Globe journalist Eddie Brock
Eddie Brock
Eddie Brock is a fictional character created by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane. A comic book supervillain, Brock's earliest appearance is a cameo in Web of Spider-Man #18 before making his first full appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #299 as Venom...
had written an exposé of the man who claimed to be the Sin-Eater, Emil Gregg. Unfortunately for Brock, Gregg was a compulsive confessor, and the revelation of Stan Carter being the real Sin-Eater led to Brock being fired and losing his wife. An angry Brock blames Spider-Man (who captured the real Sin-Eater) for the derailing of his career and life, the catalyst which resulted in his becoming the super-villain Venom
Venom (comics)
Eddie Brock is a fictional character created by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane. A comic book supervillain, Brock's earliest appearance is a cameo in Web of Spider-Man #18 before making his first full appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #299 as Venom...
. This story, written by David Michelinie
David Michelinie
-Biography:Some of his earliest work is for DC Comics's House of Secrets and a run on Swamp Thing , following Len Wein and preceding Gerry Conway, illustrated by Nestor Redondo. Michelinie did a run on Aquaman in Adventure Comics which led to the revival of the Sea King's own title in 1977...
, retcons
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
the events of "The Death of Jean DeWolff," in which Gregg's claim to be the Sin-Eater was not publicly revealed via a newspaper story by Eddie Brock: dressed as the Sin-Eater, Gregg outed himself by storming into the Daily Bugle and threatening to kill J. Jonah Jameson, and was identified after he was subdued and arrested. Also, Gregg was originally presented, not as a prankster, but as a mentally-troubled man who truly believed he was the Sin-Eater after overhearing Stan Carter's voice.
Other versions
The Ultimate MarvelUltimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel is an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring reimagined and updated versions of the company's superhero characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. The imprint was launched in 2000 with the publication of the series...
version of Jean DeWolff (Jeanne DeWolfe) died in Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man was a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
Annual #2 by Brian Michael Bendis
Brian Michael Bendis
Brian Michael Bendis is an American comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim for his self-published, Image Comics and Marvel Comics work, and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics, with his books selling consistently highly for over a...
and Mark Brooks
Mark Brooks (comics)
Mark Brooks is a comic book artist currently signed to an exclusive contract with Marvel Comics.-Career:Brooks has worked on Marvel Age, Cable & Deadpool and Ultimate X-Men...
. She was shot by the Punisher (who has a similar modus operandi to the Sin-Eater, but is usually shown as a protagonist) for being corrupt.
Collected editions
The storyline has been collected as a trade paperbackTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
and as a hardcover:
- The Death of Jean DeWolff (96 pages, December 1990, ISBN 0871357046). This edition contains "The Death of Jean DeWolff" from Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #107-110, with an introduction and afterword by Peter David. Cover art by Rich Buckler.
- Marvel Premiere ClassicMarvel Premiere ClassicMarvel Premiere Classic is a line of hardcover comic book collections, compiling older Marvel Comics series in a standardized reprint format. Each edition features two covers—the standard cover and a numbered "variant" cover for the comic book direct market, which are published in limited numbers...
: The Death of Jean DeWolff (168 pages, July 2011, ISBN 978-0-7851-5721-2 [regular edition], ISBN 978-0-7851-5722-9 [variant edition]). This edition contains "The Death of Jean DeWolff" from Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #107-110, and "Return of the Sin-Eater" from The Spectacular Spider-Man #134-136, with re-colored art, and full-page reproductions of all seven issues' original covers. However, it omits Peter David's introduction and afterword from the 1990 trade paperback. Cover art by Sal Buscema & Mark Texeira (regular edition), and Rich Buckler (variant edition).