Appearing in "What If... Spider-Man Became a Murderer?"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Uncle Ben
- The Burglar (Death)
- Aunt May
- Flash Thompson
- Liz Allan
- J.J. Jameson
- Betty Brant
- Dr. Curtis Connors
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Namor (On Magazine Cover)
- Martha Connors
- Billy Connors
Locations:
- Earth-9576 (Reality)
- Parker Residence
- Midtown High
- Daily Bugle Building
- Connors Residence
Items:
Vehicles:
- Police Cars
- Taxis
Synopsis for "What If... Spider-Man Became a Murderer?"
Immediately, Peter feels his remorse and tries to resuscitate the killer. With a loud scream of anguish, he realizes the mistake he’s made. He sneaks out of the building, but a homeless man spots him. With his testimony and the beaten corpse found by the police, it doesn’t take too long for the media to get what happened.
To say Peter is conflicted would be an understatement. With great power comes great responsibility, but what is his responsibility? To do the honest thing and turn himself in? To be there for Aunt May, who needs support in the wake of Ben’s death? To continue thwarting crimes with his strength? To leave it to the police because he might go too far again?
Jameson has a field day over the vilification of Spider-Man. Even when Spider-Man tries to save his science class from the Sandman, the media gets in his grill. To rub salt into the wound, Flash Thompson ends up being the one to defeat Sandman and get all the credit.
Peter quits being Spider-Man for a while and ends up becoming Dr. Conners’ assistant. Like clockwork, Conners transforms himself into the Lizard. Peter dons his Spider-Man threads once again and fights Lizard in a swamp. Using an antidote, Spider-Man reverts Lizard back to Conners.
The entire issue has been shown as Peter narrating from his prison cell. A guard comes to tell him it’s time. Grimly, Peter stands up.
As it turns out, they wanted him to do a suspended sentence, but he insisted on doing the full time for manslaughter. They let him off on parole after two years anyway. Peter first finds Aunt May waiting for him. She hands him a package which has a newly-stitched Spider-Man costume in there. With May’s blessing, Spider-Man lives again.