Starting in February Marvel is putting its most famous superhero through a mandatory costume change in Spider-Man: Back in Black, a coordinated event that runs through a number of issues of three different Spidey books including Amazing Spider-Man #539-#542 (written by J. Michael Stracynski), Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #17-21 (written by Peter David), and Sensational Spider-Man (written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa).

Following the traumatic events chronicled in Civil War with his identity revealed (see 'Marvel's Civil War Gets Major Media Attention'), Spidey is on the run from the 'authorities' and forced to go underground and back to his black duds.  Excitement ensues in this comic book event that is big enough to require its own explanatory title, the Spider-Man: Back in Black Handbook, which features a plethora of writers including Mike Fichera, Ronald Byrd, Al Sjoerdsma, Stuart Vandal, Anthony Flamini, Michael Hoskin, Jeff Christianson, Sean McQuaid, and Madison Carter.