Peter Parker: Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #57
Background
Last issue, a good Sandman, an evil Sandman, and a child Sandman mysteriously appeared at Jones Beach, and Spider-Man showed up to try and sort the mess out. But shortly after his arrival, the confusion was magnified when a female Sandman appeared...
Story Details
Peter Parker: Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #57
| Editor: | Axel Alonso |
| Writer: | Zeb Wells |
| Pencils: | Sam Keith |
| Inker: | Sam Keith |
| Cover Art: | Sam Keith |
| Reprinted In: | Peter Parker: Spider-Man (Reprint TPB) #5 |
While evil Sandman terrorizes an innocent dog-walker, Spider-Man, good Sandman, child Sandman, and female Sandman try to sort things out. They come to the conclusion that each new manifestation of the Sandman is actually a different aspect of his personality: his good side, evil side, feminine side, and inner child. With that revelation, the four of them hop into a cab to go searching for evil Sandman.
They find evil Sandman before long, and he and good Sandman face off, and during the battle, child Sandman transforms into adolescent Sandman. Female Sandman breaks up the two combatants long enough to merge with evil Sandman, and then adolescent Sandman is absorbed as well. With the three Sandmans combined into one, the formerly evil Sandman is calmed somewhat, and behaving more like the Sandman used to. But before Spidey can convince the good Sandman to merge as well, the other Sandman disappears. And as soon as he does, Spidey discovers that all life has vanished from the good Sandman, and what's left of him crumbles to the ground.
Afterwards, Peter Parker sits in Flash Thompson's hospital room, explaining to his comatose friend that the good Sandman never really existed anyway, and that it was probably just a form of the Sandman's ego. Later on, back at Jones Beach again, a reassembled Sandman tricks a fruit stand owner into giving him free oranges.
General Comments
Alas, Peter Parker: Spider-Man has reached its end, and it's a shame to see it go out with such a whimper. Like last issue, Zeb Wells' story is again unfunny and boring, and Sam Kieth's moody, nightmarish art continues to seem entirely unsuited for a Spider-Man book. It's unfortunate that Marvel couldn't have come up with a better send-off for PP:SM, but maybe they thought that the return of the Sandman would actually be a big deal. I can't speak for everyone, but I know I sure wasn't interested.
Overall Rating 
Bye-bye, PP:SM. One web.