 Comic book historian Peter Sanderson criticized the story for using a supernatural element to retcon the marriage and not maturely dealing with the issue of divorce , arguing the writers had forgotten stories where Spider @-@ Man dealt with his causing the death of Uncle Ben , drugs and child abuse . He wrote , " I expect there are people who are professional comics writers and editors , and people who will someday become professional comics writers and editors , who are outraged that Marvel had Spider @-@ Man make a deal with the devil . And these present and future writers and editors will be determined to undo it . We shall see whether it takes twenty years this time , or much less . " He found the story better than the Clone Saga in the respect that it altered an aspect of canon , instead of erasing it entirely . He also criticized the idea of a hero making a deal with one as evil as Mephisto , effectively the devil . 
