As Dark Web continues, Marvel’s most sinister Spider-Man just upgraded his most valuable spider-power – at a very high cost.
The following article contains spoilers from Amazing Spider-Man #16, on sale now from Marvel Comics.
Chasm may believe that his memory loss is only causing him pain, but Amazing Spider-Man #16 (by Zeb Wells, Ed McGuinness, Cliff Rathburn, Marcio Menyz, and VC’s Joe Caramagna) revealed that he did get something out of it. Apparently, the fall into the batch of chemicals also enhanced his natural abilities. Now, his Spider-Sense doesn’t just warn him about danger but attacks anything that would try to hurt him, among other new abilities this makes him even more of a threat.
While this makes Chasm an especially dangerous foe, it also proves something else – Spider-Man’s abilities can be improved. Granted, this method is not without its problems, but it creates a path forward where the Wall-Crawler can consider experimenting with his abilities even further. This could also be an opportunity for him to move up the power hierarchy of Marvel’s many superheroes.
Chasm Has Upgraded Spider-Man’s Powers
Ben Reilly’s transformation altered the nature of his powers. While he retains all of Spider-Man’s basic abilities, he now possesses psionic abilities that make them much more versatile. The most obvious upgrade is his Spider-Sense. As many fans know, this power alerts Spider-Man of impending danger, but Chasm now has the ability to launch barriers of psionic energy to throw back anyone who tries to hurt him.
His Spider-Sense suddenly goes from a defensive ability to an offensive one, adapting to what Chasm needs at the moment. That wasn’t the only change though, it seems that Chasm can now alter his web fluid with the same psionic power, crafting it into weapons that he can wield against his enemies. Overall, he has taken Spider-Man’s power and given them a weird twist. So, his fall into those chemicals did leave him with some benefits.
Peter Parker Could Potentially Enhance His Own Spider-Man Abilities
What has happened to Chasm could be a blueprint for Peter Parker going forward. Thus far, he has only ever tried to enhance his suit, opting for new gadgets or ways to improve his web shooters. Chasm’s upgrade proves that this is the wrong way to evolve. Spider-Man could experiment to discover new ways to enhance his natural abilities. There have been times when Peter’s Spider-Sense has been more trouble than it’s worth.
If Peter could gain the same offensive capabilities then his Spider-Sense would become a much more useful power. A change in powers would be an adjustment for him, but they would be more reliable than his current gadgets because they would not run the risk of malfunctioning at critical moments. The question Spider-Man needs to ask himself now is if Chasm’s powers can be replicated in a safer way.
