Ultimate Marvel: Earth-2/Spider-Man: A Web of Life

Ultimate Marvel: Earth-2/Spider-Man: A Web of Life is the first issue and chapter of Ultimate Marvel: Earth-2. It is the first chapter of Spider-Man's arc.

Featured Characters

 * Spider-Man / Peter Parker (first appearance; flashback and main story; origins revealed)

Supporting Characters

 * Starforce / Liz Danvers Rogers (first appearance)
 * Mary Jane Watson (first appearance)
 * Black Cat / Felicia Reilly (first appearance)
 * Hiro Hamada (first appearance)
 * Carlie Cooper (first appearance)
 * Iron Man / Tony Stark (first appearance)

Antagonists

 * Frightful Five
 * Klaw / Ulysses Solomon Klaue (first appearance)
 * Beetle / Abner Jenkins (first appearance)
 * Power Princess / Thundra (first appearance)
 * Wizard / Bentley Wittman (first appearance)
 * Dragonman (first appearance)

Other Characters

 * Ben Parker (first appearance; flashback only; deceased)
 * Mayor Steve Ditko (first appearance)
 * Stan (first appearance)
 * Joseph Robinson (first appearance)
 * The Unseen / Nick Fury

Premise
Spider-Man works to stop the Frightful Five from destroying New York with a nuclear bomb implanted in the power plant. This issue also makes some brief introductions to Ultimate Earth-2.

Plot
Issue starts with the Unseen viewing the creation of a new alternate reality, also referred to as "Ultimate". He names that reality "Ultimate Earth-2", where most known heroes share the same principles as they counterparts from other known realities, "but with some rather different patterns".

It later continues with Peter Parker / Spider-Man swinging around New York while he is heard narrating his principles. "'Alright, everybody. Let's do this again one last time. My name is Peter Parker. I was bitten by a radioactive spider... and for this last one year, I've been the one and only Spider-Man. I’m pretty sure you know the rest. I couldn't save my Uncle Ben, who died right after I was bitten by a spider, but I did carry on the one lesson he taught me: that Great Power will always come with Great Responsibility. Since then, I've been fighting criminals and saving the citizens whenever and wherever I'm needed. So far, no one else knows my secrets except the people I love and trust the most. Those including my aunt May, my cousin Felicia, who's been fighting crime as Black Cat, and my beautiful girlfriend Mary Jane Watson. And so on, whether I'm wanted or not by citizens... even this loudmouth from D.B. J. Jonah Jameson... I will fight for what's right. And let nothing and no one stop me.'"

Later on, New York citizens are panicking when the Frightful Five (Klaw, Thundra, Wizard, Beetle and Dragonman) announce their plan to destroy the city with a nuclear bomb implanted in the Central Power Plant unless the Mayor surrenders for their bargains. Seemly unable to contact other superheroes, the Mayor does so. But just as the bargain begins, the Mayor is quick is turn the tables on the Five and smashes the trigger to prevent them from detonating the bomb.

The Mayor is soon revealed to be actually Spider-Man in nanotech-powered disguise and a fight issues. Klaw attempts to send hijacked Hammer Industries armored drones to attack the city, but they are intercepted and destroyed by Tony Stark / Iron Man, Felicia Reilly / Black Cat and Liz Danvers Rogers / Starforce. Just as the rest of the Five are defeated, Klaw attempts to trigger the bomb in time mode and escape in his own. Spider-Man manages to prevent him from escape by webbing him down. Klaw taunts that Spider-Man should either have to decide between catching him and saving the city as he "cannot do both". Spider-Man proves him wrong by leaving Klaw webbed in the air and defusing the bomb, saving the day.

As the Frightful Five members are arrested and argue over their failure, Spider-Man swings around the city while the citizens (including Peter's friends) praise him for his success. Spider-Man concludes with a narration monologue saying: "It's been a good run. But this is just the beginning.". The Unseen (watching and hearing the event) agreeing with Spider-Man's words: "This is just one chapter. More have yet to be written.".