Warning: Spoilers for Amazing Spider-Man #46
Sin-Eater is back, and as one of the most devastating villains to face Spider-Man he has definitely left his mark on the hero. Now that Sin-Eater is back from the dead, he is back to his old M.O. But this time he has some new tricks up his sleeve, making him a lot more dangerous — but a lot less deadly? His new abilities end up turning Sin-Eater into an anti-hero better than the Punisher himself.
On the surface, the Punisher (Frank Castle) and Sin-Eater (Stan Carter) are similar characters in motives and operation. Both were civilian heroes in their own right — Frank Castle an ex-marine, Stan Carter a police detective and former agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. After both suffered a tragic loss, they decided to take matters into their own hands and deal out their own version of vigilante justice. Frank Castle became the anti-hero the Punisher, acting as judge, jury and executioner as he takes on a one-man war against street level crime. As Sin-Eater, Stan Carter turned his focus on anyone he found were “sinners”.
From the very first issue of Nick Spencer’s run of Amazing Spider-Man in 2018, the series has been teasing a new grotesque villain known as Kindred. This villain has seemingly been pulling the strings behind the scenes of all major events recently happening to Spider-Man and Mary-Jane. And thanks to Kindred, Sin-Eater is back from the dead, given another lease on life to reign terror on Spider-Man and super-powered people he deems sinful. But it is now revealed that Sin-Eater didn’t only get a second chance at life from Kindred, but also a major power upgrade as well.
In Amazing Spider-Man #45, the low leveled super-powered villain known as Overdrive is killed at the hand of Sin-Eater with his shotgun. Spider-Man witnesses the murder first hand, and it brings him back to the horror of DeWolff’s death years ago by Sin-Eater. The issue ends with Overdrive awaking, appearing unharmed — reborn. It is then revealed in Amazing Spider-Man #47 that Sin-Eater’s new powers do not kill those he shoots, but ‘cleanses’ them of their sins as he takes on not only their sins, but also their powers as his own, with the victims later awakening reborn anew. The victims of Sin-Eater awake, aware of their past digressions and are mournful for the sins they have committed in the past.
In Amazing Spider-Man #46, Sin-Eater continues his rampage, cleansing villains of their sins, and their powers as he becomes more powerful as he ‘kills’ more villains. Sin-Eater ends the violent rampage of the Lethal Legion as they take over a science experiment at Empire State University, and he is actually applauded by the audience for ‘killing’ the villains and saving countless innocents. As nefarious as Sin-Eaters plans may end up being, his new powers actually make him better suited as a hero. He now has the ability to cleanse villains of their sins while not killing them, his victims even become reformed and become model inmates in Ravencroft. He no longer kills these villains, actually giving them a second chance. And because he takes on not only their sins, but their powers as well, he removes the choice of the villains to return to a life of crime and exploit their powers for the wrong reasons.
The Sin-Eater is now allowing villains to truly have a second chance at being model citizens, something the Punisher does not. But however noble Sin-Eater’s new abilities make him out to be, his motives definitely remain evil, as he seems to relish in the thought of making Spider-Man watch as he butchers the villains in front of him. As Sin-Eater vanishes from the fight, he leaves with an ominous statement. Sin-Eater believes Spider-Man’s brand of justice is finished, that the people want something better — something more pure. And they will soon be ready to receive his gift… whatever that means. Ominous threats aside, Sin-Eater is becoming a powerful threat to other villains, as he continues to steal super powers. This will allow him to go toe to toe with more powerful sinners, giving them a second chance at redemption, whether they want it or not.
Amazing Spider-Man #46 is available now at your local comic book store or direct from Marvel Comics!
