For a comic(1) book hero, it's the ultimate taboo(2). 

In the latest edition of the Marvel comic "Civil War" on sale, Spiderman does the unthinkable(3) and removes his Spidey mask to publicly reveal his hidden identity.

"I'm proud of who I am, and I'm here right now to prove it," the legendary(4) webslinger(5) tells a press conference called in New York's Times Square, before pulling off his mask and standing before the massed ranks(6) of reporters as newspaper photographer Peter Parker.

"Any questions?" Parker asks in the final panel(7) of the issue, amid a barrage of(8) camera flashes.

In a statement, Marvel trumpeted(9) the revelation as "arguably the most shocking event in comic book history."

The seven-issue "Civil War" series, launched in May, sees Marvel's writers taking on the topical issue of civil liberties.

Following a showdown(10) between a group of superheroes and supervillains(11) in which hundreds of innocent civilians are killed, the government passes the Super-Hero Registration Act, requiring all superheroes to reveal their identities and register as "living weapons of mass destruction."

Marvel's roster(12) of invincible crime fighters is split into two bitterly opposed factions, with one camp -- championed by the likes(13) of Spiderman -- in favour of the new law and the other, including Captain America and his ilk(14), refusing to relinquish(15) anonymity(16).

"It's about which side you are on and why you think you are right," said Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Joe Quesada.

背景介绍：神奇漫画是一家美国漫画书公司，从二十世纪六十年代起就是美国最大的两个漫画公司之一。它的作品有《恶灵战警》、《蜘蛛侠》、《X战警》、《神奇四侠》、《夜魔侠》等。

1. comic：连环画的

2. taboo：禁忌

3. unthinkable：不可思议的

4. legendary：传说中的

5. webslinger：撒网的人，吐丝的人

6. rank：列，阶层

7. panel：画板