The Amazing Spider-Man #274 (1986)

“Lo, There Shall Come a Champion!”

Rating: 5/5

Writer: Tom DeFalco
Artist: Ron Frenz

After an alien fleet of spaceships attacks Beyonder, he wipes them and every trace of their species from existence. Then decides to completely erase the multiverse from existence. He goes to a being called Mephisto who convinces him to take part in a wager. If Mephisto’s champion Spider-Man can hold fast to his fulfillment and morals while under attack of Beyonder’s champion, Zarathos (the living spirit of vengeance), the multiverse will be spared destruction for 24 hours. If not, the multiverse is annihilated. Beyonder sends Zarathos to Earth, where he torments Spider-Man on his way to save Kingpin from an assassination attempt with visions of passed loved ones that he has failed in some way and tries to convince him that all his efforts are worthless and that he should just live for himself. He fights his old foe Green Goblin and fights Zarathos, who calls himself many names like the Ravager of Souls. He takes off Zarathos’s mask and sees Uncle Ben. Spider-Man struggles to maintain his sense of responsibility and knocks Zarathos’s block off. Then he saves Kingpin from being assassinated. Beyonder honors the wager and spares the multiverse from destruction for 24 hours.