Warning! Spoilers ahead for Non-Stop Spider-Man #1
The death of Gwen Stacy will most likely always haunt Spider-Man, but that doesn't mean he can't at least try to atone for that past failure, which he does during his college days. And, no, he doesn't make the attempt in the classroom or while doing his homework. It transpires at the most inopportune time: When he's already in the process of being ambushed.
This new series comes at a time when Kindred has already forced Spider-Man to confront his sins and inherent flaws in Amazing Spider-Man. Suffice it to say, Spidey has many demons to contend with, and even though Non-Stop Spider-Man's Peter Parker has yet to undergo such an unpleasant and eye-opening experience with Kindred, the heroic act of saving his overdosing friend could exonerate him with fans as Kindred made quite a compelling case about the web-slinging hero.
Written by Joe Kelly with art by Dale Eaglesham and Chris Bachalo, Non-Stop Spider-Man #1 follows Peter Parker in college after his investigation of a fellow student who overdoses gets cut short when he almost literally jumps into the laps of the Moschino Mafia. During the chase that inevitably ensues, Spider-Man receives a phone call from a friend who is, ironically, overdosing at that very moment. His taking the call and then deciding to rescue her despite his awkward predicament puts his life even more at risk than it already is, but that doesn't hinder his rescue attempt in the slightest.
However, is Spider-Man's attempt at saving his friend and atoning for his past mistakes successful? It currently looks like that's the case, but just seconds before he does ostensibly save her, there's a moment when he might have put his friend in more jeopardy as he did with countless others. By coming to her aide, Peter, in turn, brings the Moschino Mafia to her who are in hot pursuit of the superhero. Some might argue that he needed to be there because she was dying so he had no choice. While her life might be hanging in the balance, there's no definitive proof that she will die, as not all ODs result in death. Luckily for Spidey, he knocks out the last mafia member before he can hurt her.
But what if Peter arrived on the scene and didn't put his attackers out of commission? They could have killed his friend, resulting in Peter's negligence causing yet another death. But he's still not out of the woods yet, nor is his friend. For both his and her sake, let's hope Spider-Man didn't put her life in even more danger as he did with Gwen Stacy.