Spider-Man: Reign

In the grim, dystopian future of a retired Peter Parker, Kaare Andrews’s Spider-Man: Reign (Marvel, 2008–present) presents a standalone, mature take on the web-slinger. This single-issue debut imagines an aged, weary Spider-Man forced out of retirement in a world that has outlawed superheroes, exploring themes of loss, legacy, and the cost of heroism. Andrews’s stark, painterly art and uncompromising storytelling make this a haunting, self-contained vision of Spider-Man’s final act.