Related reads:Marvel Comics Unveils First-Look Preview of Amazing Spider-Man #1000
The Amazing Spider-Man #1000 is shaping up to be the biggest comic book release of September, if not the whole of 2026. This is the first time an ongoing Marvel series has legitimately reached the issue #1000 milestone, and Marvel is going all-out with a massive lineup of creators and new stories. But now, all eyes are on the main story from writer Joe Kelly and artist Pepe Larraz. Is Peter Parker about to face his worst nightmare?
That certainly seems like a distinct possibility in light of a new preview for this tale. Building on the cliffhanger ending from The Amazing Spider-Man #35, this story explores the fallout of Aunt May suffering a major stroke. Check out our updated preview gallery below to see more:
Marvel’s press release teases, “Destined to take its place in comic book history, the epic milestone issue marks a major turning point in Joe Kelly and Pepe Larraz’s acclaimed run with a pulse-pounding lead story that delivers the shocking fate of Aunt May and sets the stage for a revelatory showdown with the all-new super villain Ravage.”
Will Aunt May actually die in this issue? It wouldn’t be the first time Marvel has flirted with killing off the most important woman in Peter’s life. May previously “died” in 1995’s The Amazing Spider-Man #400, but it was later revealed that this was an actress hired by Norman Osborn to mess with Peter’s mind. May was also on death’s door in 2007’s Spider-Man: One More Day storyline, which ended with Peter making the hugely controversial choice to sacrifice his marriage with Mary Jane to Mephisto in exchange for healing May. Has May been living on borrowed time ever since?
However, this preview suggests a potentially different outcome. We can see that Peter arrives at the hospital just in time for May to awaken, only to discover she doesn’t recognize him. It seems her stroke caused major brain damage and memory loss. While she could well suffer another, fatal stroke in this issue, it’s also possible that Marvel is establishing a new status quo where May simply doesn’t remember her favorite nephew. That would be its own form of emotional torment for Peter.
The Amazing Spider-Man #1000 will be released on September 30. Check back with IGN then for a full breakdown of the big developments in this issue. Marvel will also release a second printing of the issue on October 28, with new sketch variant editions of Larraz and John Romita, Jr.’s covers.
For more, check out 6 comics to read to prepare for Marvel’s Wolverine and learn more about the new Marvel horror series Midnight Spider-Man.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.
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