The Amazing Spider-Man #539
In "Back in Black Part 1," Peter Parker is thrust into chaos when a sniper's bullet meant for him strikes Aunt May, leaving him torn between saving her and fleeing as a wanted man. With his identity exposed and the law closing in, Peter dons his black Spider-Man suit once more, plunging into a ruthless pursuit of the shooter while Mary Jane steps in to protect Aunt May’s secret. Written by J. Michael Straczynski and illustrated by Ron Garney, with inks by Bill Reinhold and colors by Matt Milla, this gripping issue marks the return of Spider-Man’s iconic black suit and sets a tone of raw urgency and emotional stakes. The cover by Ron Garney captures the moment’s intensity, a striking visual of Peter in shadowed silhouette against a cityscape.
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Aunt May has been shot by a sniper bullet meant for Peter and he frantically swings her to the hospital but, with his identity exposed and being wanted by the law, he has to leave her as a Jane Doe patient. Mary Jane goes to the hospital and gives a fake name while claiming that Aunt May is her relative. Peter begins his hunt for the sniper and cuts through the underworld in a violent and brutal fashion. To mirror his dark mood, he dons his black Spider-Man costume once again.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).