WARNING! Spoilers to The Amazing Spider-Man #49, in stores now!
What do you do when your opponent is just unstoppable, no matter how many punches you land or what you throw at him? You figure out how to make him pump the brakes, which Juggernaut. Having to temporarily ally himself with his nemesis the Green Goblin when Sin-Eater's forces took over Ravencroft, the wall-crawler reused an old trick from the first time he faced Cain Marko to stop the Sin-Eater in his tracks, if only for the time being.
In Amazing Spider-Man #229-230 by Roger Stern and John Romita, Jr, Juggernaut's accomplice Black Tom Cassidy tasks Cain with finding Juggernaut's powers protected him until he was able to break free and resume his criminal activities.
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In Amazing Spider-Man #49, Nick Spencer is ed by artists Ryan Ottley, Humberto Ramos, and Mark Bagley to depict the conclusion of the 'Sin-Eater' storyline. As Peter and his temporary ally Norman Osborn have evaded Sin-Eater and his forces with secret subterranean tunnels and bases, it isn't enough to stop Stan Carter, especially with his latest power upgrade. Nick Spencer's script repeatedly references Spider-Man's first battle with the Juggernaut whether its Ryan Ottley's Spider-Man leaping around trying to land multiple blows to the gigantic Sin-Eater or Mark Bagley's Osborn asking Spidey how he defeated the Juggernaut the first time. Although Spidey doesn't see any wet cement, he gets an idea to use Norman's EMP to replicate those circumstances. While Spider-Man's words fail to sway Stan from his mission, his strength is able to barely withstand Sin-Eater's power while Norman redirects the EMP's power to create a powerful enough tremor to liquidate the floor.
This homage to this classic story is well done as Spencer and his collaborators take inspiration from Stern and Romita Jr's story while also making it their own. Despite everything Spider-Man throws at this temporary Juggernaut, nothing seems to deter him. But with the help of his long-time nemesis, he's able to think of a plan instead of literally stumbling into one. Just like with the Juggernaut, Peter's battle is a test of strength but instead of getting himself beaten while holding on for dear life, he's holding the line while hoping he's bought Norman enough time. With the ground becoming fluid, Spidey is willing to sacrifice his life in order to make sure this old trick keeps Sin-Eater down but decides last minute that life is good and it's not his time to die.
His victory is soured by the inevitable betrayal from Norman Osborn who isn't thrilled with the circumstances but willing to improvise as long as he gets to kill Spider-Man. While Peter is saved by the Order of the Web, the defeat and removal of Osborn will do little to stop the chain of events already in motion. As the series overarching villain Kindred ominously walks through a cemetery, we see a series of cliffhangers that include Sin-Eater's hand ri from the ground. Just like it was with the Juggernaut, it would appear Sin-Eater is not done with Spider-Man or any of his remaining enemies.
