Ben Reilly - Chasm gets a giga-buffed power upgrade and a surprising new MCU role
Ben Reilly just got a massive upgrade as Chasm - enough to maybe take on both the X-Men and Spider-Man together
Current X-Men/Spider-Man crossover Dark Web reaches its penultimate chapter in January 25's Amazing Spider-Man #18 from writer Zeb Wells, artists Ed McGuiness, Cliff Rathburn, Marcio Menyz, and Erick Arciniega, and letterer Joe Caramagna.
And just as Madelyne Pryor/the Goblin Queen moved from foe to friend in the previous chapter, Dark Web: X-Men #3, so too in Amazing Spider-Man #18 does Ben Reilly/Chasm get a surprising new status quo along with a significant power-up leading into the crossover's finale.
Spoilers ahead for Amazing Spider-Man #18
Amazing Spider-Man #18 picks up where Dark Web: X-Men #3 left off, with Madelyne Pryor reconciling with the X-Men and vowing to help end the terror of the demonic denizens of Limbo on Earth.
But Ben Reilly AKA Chasm isn't interested in surrender. He states he can wait as long as it takes for Peter Parker to fall under the spell that will allow Chasm to absorb his memories and take his place as the "true" Peter Parker.
Madelyne refuses to allow his fight to continue, breaking the memory-absorbing spell herself, vowing again to end Limbo's assault on Earth. However, Chasm's partner Hallow's Eve jumps in, throwing Madelyne off a cliff and stealing the scythe that gives Goblin Queen control of Limbo.
She gives it to Chasm, elevating him to the new King of Limbo - a position he vows to use to keep on sending Limbo demons to Earth.
As Spider-Man and his allies manage to cross the threshold from Limbo back to Earth, Chasm shows up to challenge him in his newly evolved form - just as Madelyne Pryor and the X-Men arrive to help Spider-Man defeat Chasm once and for all.
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The action reaches its conclusion in February 1's Dark Web: Dawn #1 one-shot, which caps off the entire Dark Web crossover.
Stay on top of all the new X-Men comics and new Spider-Man comics Marvel has planned release after Dark Web concludes.
I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)