Brian Bendis: 'Spidey death brought tears'

Ultimate Spider-Man writer Brian Michael Bendis has admitted that killing off the book's title character moved him to tears.

The 'Ultimate Universe' incarnation of Peter Parker is to perish in this week's issue #160, a comic which Bendis describes as "very emotional".

He told The AP: "I won't lie to you, it's embarrassing to say this out loud. Tears were rolling down my face, I was very emotional in writing it. This is a character that I have stayed with the entire time, that I have been almost solely responsible for. It represents such a great deal of my life."

Ultimate Spider-Man #160 marks the conclusion of the 'Death of Spider-Man' event, a storyline which paves the way for a new character to take up the mantle of the arachnid superhero.

"It occurred to me that if Peter passed away in a meaningful way, he could be the Uncle Ben character to a new Spider-Man, which then continues it to be a real Spider-Man story. Then it became more than just, 'Oh my God, you killed him'," Bendis told USA Today.

Ultimate Spider-Man #160 arrives in stores this week. The new Spider-Man will make his debut in the Ultimate Comics Fallout series, slated for July.