WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Amazing Spider-Man #76, on sale now from Marvel Comics.
In Amazing Spider-Man #75, Peter Parker teamed up with Ben Reilly to take on the U-Foes. However, their battle ended abruptly when an attack from Ann Darnell/Vapor creates a noxious gas that Peter accidentally inhales. The gas downed Peter, leaving his fate unclear. Now, Amazing Spider-Man #76, by Zeb Wells, Patrick Gleason, Marcio Menyz and VC's Joe Caramagna, reveals just what happened afterward -- and things go from bad to worse.
Between the two issues, Ben brings Peter to the hospital. Soon, Mary Jane Watson arrives, getting to Peter's room just as he starts to have a seizure. As Peter reveals with his narration, his body senses the radioactive danger inside him, which is causing huge problems for his vitals. Still, Peter ends up stabilizing enough to talk.
Over the course of Amazing Spider-Man #76, it seems like Peter will recover sooner rather than later. The doctors even remark on Peter's incredible constitution, amazed at what he's been able to endure without dying. It's clear, though, he's nowhere near healthy.
Eventually, Ben arrives to talk to Peter. Walking back his bravado from Amazing Spider-Man #65, Ben asks for Peter's permission to be Spider-Man. Peter ends up relenting, saying that Ben deserves to be Spider-Man. After getting Peter's blessing, Ben leaves.
And that's when things take a dark turn. After Ben goes, Peter reveals to Mary Jane that he can no longer feel his body. Peter then has a seizure, as his body is shutting down on him. Amazing Spider-Man #76 then ends with Peter slipping into a coma.
Currently, future solicitations for Amazing Spider-Man indicate that Peter will eventually recover, but this certainly wouldn't be the first time a comics company faked or changed one of those. If Peter does recover, there's also no telling just what shape he'll be in and how long Ben will serve as Spider-Man. It's clear the coma is meant to protect Peter's body from itself, but such extensive damage is likely to keep him out of commission for a very long time. That means Ben is going to have to fill Peter's super suit in a big way and prove he's responsible enough to wield his newly found great power.