The Spectacular Spider-Man #262

Part four of "The Gathering of Five" lands with real weight in this October 1998 issue, and the cover by Norman Felchle sets the stakes immediately — Spider-Man lunges forward against a city skyline wrapped in barbed wire, while inset panels below tease two separate civilian dramas: a stern older man reacting to something unseen, and a dark-haired woman holding what appears to be a document. The bold cover copy promises "Choices — That Will Change Their Lives Forever," and with writer John Byrne steering this chapter alongside artist Luke Ross, the tension feels earned rather than manufactured.