He’s dead.
Or at least, that's what the tombstone said. If you’ve spent any time digging through Marvel's massive back catalog, you’ve probably stumbled across that haunting image of a grave. The words Here Lies Spider Man aren't just a gimmick from a random 90s issue; they represent one of the darkest, most psychologically taxing eras in Peter Parker’s long, tragedy-filled life. We're talking about Kraven’s Last Hunt.
Most people think of superhero deaths as cheap marketing ploys. Usually, they are. But when J.M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck sat down in 1987 to bury the wall-crawler, they weren't looking for a sales spike. They were looking to deconstruct what makes a hero "super" and what happens when a villain finally, actually wins.
That Chilling Grave in Kraven’s Last Hunt
Let's get the context straight because it’s weird. Sergei Kravinoff—Kraven the Hunter—didn't just want to kill Spider-Man. He wanted to be him. He wanted to prove he was superior in every way.
In Web of Spider-Man #31, Kraven shoots Peter with a tranquilizer dart. He doesn't use a bullet. That’s an important distinction. He buries Peter alive in a coffin. For two weeks, Peter is underground. While Peter is literally rotting in the dirt (or so it seems), Kraven puts on a copy of the black suit and goes on a brutal, violent crusade against crime in New York.
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The image of the headstone with Here Lies Spider Man etched into the cold stone became an instant icon of comic book dread. It wasn't just a "what if" scenario. It was a visceral, suffocating look at mortality. You can almost feel the weight of the soil. Peter has to literally claw his way out of his own grave. It’s messy. It’s traumatizing. And honestly? It changed the tone of Spider-Man stories for a decade.
Why This Specific Moment Hits Different
Most comic deaths happen in a blaze of glory. Someone jumps on a grenade or fights a cosmic god. But Peter being buried alive? That’s a primal fear.
Kraven's Last Hunt worked because it treated Spider-Man like a human being rather than an invincible icon. When we see that grave, we aren't thinking about power levels or Multiverse theory. We’re thinking about Mary Jane waiting at home, wondering why her husband hasn't come back for dinner. The stakes were intimate.
The Semantic Legacy of Here Lies Spider Man
The phrase has popped up in various forms across the decades. Marvel loves a good callback. You see it referenced in the Ultimate Spider-Man run when Brian Michael Bendis actually did the unthinkable and killed off Peter Parker (the first time). You see echoes of it in the Into the Spider-Verse film when the blonde Peter Parker dies and the city mourns.
But the 1987 grave remains the definitive one.
Why? Because it wasn't about the end of a character's publication run. It was about the end of Peter’s innocence. Before this, Spider-Man was often seen as the "fun," quippy neighborhood hero. Kraven's Last Hunt and that specific tombstone proved that Peter Parker lived in a world where monsters didn't just want to rob banks—they wanted to erase your very soul.
The Collector’s Market and the "Grave" Issues
If you're looking for the actual books where this happens, you’re hunting for a six-part crossover.
- Web of Spider-Man #31 and #32
- The Amazing Spider-Man #293 and #294
- The Spectacular Spider-Man #131 and #132
Collectors chase these issues specifically for the Mike Zeck covers. The cover of Web of Spider-Man #32, showing Peter erupting from the mud in his black suit while rain pours down, is arguably one of the top five most famous covers in Marvel history. If you find a high-grade copy of #31, you're looking at a decent chunk of change, though it’s not "Action Comics #1" territory yet.
What Most Fans Get Wrong About the Death of Spider-Man
A lot of casual fans think Peter actually died in this storyline. He didn't. He was heavily drugged. Kraven used a potent sedative to mimic death, ensuring Peter would wake up eventually just to realize he had been defeated.
Another misconception? That this was a "Venom" story. While Peter is wearing the black suit, this takes place before he realized the suit was an alien symbiote (or, depending on the specific retcon timing you follow, it's the period where he was wearing a cloth version of the black suit). The suit represents his darker side, which makes the burial even more symbolic. He’s burying the "old" Peter.
The Psychological Toll
DeMatteis, the writer, has spoken at length in various interviews about the "spiritual" aspect of this story. He wanted to explore the idea of the "shadow self." When Peter emerges from the grave, he isn't the same. He’s angry. He’s faster. He’s less likely to tell a joke.
In many ways, the Here Lies Spider Man grave marked the birth of the "Modern Age" of Spider-Man. It paved the way for grittier stories like The Clone Saga (love it or hate it) and Superior Spider-Man. It taught writers that you could push Peter Parker to the absolute brink of sanity and he would still find a way to crawl back.
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Beyond the Comics: Media References
You’ve probably seen the tombstone in video games too. In the Spider-Man 2 game for PS5, there are several nods to the Kraven storyline. While they don't recreate the "buried alive" scene beat-for-beat, the influence of that 1987 arc is written all over Kraven's characterization.
Even in the MCU, the idea of Peter’s "death" or his identity being erased (as seen in No Way Home) plays on the same fears established in that graveyard. The fear isn't just dying; it's being forgotten. It's the world moving on while you're stuck in the dark.
The Artistic Impact of Mike Zeck
We have to talk about the art. If Mike Zeck hadn't captured the sheer claustrophobia of the coffin, the story wouldn't have worked. The way he uses shadows—not just black ink, but heavy, oppressive blocks of darkness—makes the reader feel like they're the ones under six feet of dirt.
When you look at the Here Lies Spider Man panel, the font choice is almost Victorian. It feels old. It feels permanent. It contrasts perfectly with the brightly colored, kinetic world of 80s Marvel. It was a visual gut punch.
How to Experience This Story Today
If you want to read the source of the "Here Lies" legend, don't just buy the individual issues unless you're a hardcore collector. It’s expensive and annoying to track down all six parts in good condition.
- Marvel Unlimited: The easiest way. Just search for "Kraven’s Last Hunt."
- Epic Collections: Look for the Spider-Man Epic Collection Vol. 17.
- Deluxe Hardcovers: Marvel releases "Gallery Editions" that showcase Zeck’s art in a larger format. Totally worth it for the graveyard scene alone.
What We Can Learn From Peter’s "Death"
This story teaches us about resilience. It’s a cliché, sure. But Peter Parker is the king of clichés for a reason. He’s the guy who gets hit the hardest and still gets up.
The grave was a test. Kraven wanted to see if Peter was just a man in a suit or something more. By crawling out of that grave, Peter proved that the "Spider-Man" identity wasn't something Kraven could just put on like a jacket. It was something earned through suffering and the refusal to give up.
Actionable Insights for Comic Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive deeper into this specific piece of Marvel lore or start a collection based on this era, here’s what you should actually do:
- Check the back matter: If you buy the trade paperback, read the introductions by J.M. DeMatteis. He explains the pitch process and how the story was originally rejected by DC (he wanted to do it with Batman first!).
- Hunt for the "Soul of the Hunter" sequel: Most people stop at the grave. But there’s a follow-up graphic novel titled Spider-Man: Soul of the Hunter that deals with the literal ghost of Kraven and Peter’s lingering PTSD from being buried. It’s essential reading for the full "Here Lies" experience.
- Verify the printing: If you're buying Web of Spider-Man #31 on eBay, make sure it’s not a later reprint. Check the price on the top left; the original 1987 issue was 75 cents.
- Observe the "Black Suit" era nuances: Take note of whether Peter is wearing the symbiote or the cloth suit in these issues. It changes the subtext of his "resurrection" and how he interacts with Mary Jane afterward.
The grave of Spider-Man isn't a symbol of defeat. It's a landmark of the character's endurance. Next time you see that image of the tombstone, remember it wasn't the end—it was just the darkest part of the night before Peter Parker clawed his way back into the light.