I don't think I've read an issue since #600, but it was a fan-fucking-tastic Doc Ock issue.
The setup: it starts out with a flashback to Doc Ock's first appearance, complete with his original lab coat and the Stan Lee dialogue.
Then he gets punched in the head.
And then it's a montage of him getting punched in the head a bunch of times over the course of the past 45 years.
And then the story is about him finding out he has serious head trauma and is dying.
So he tries to do something special, really make a difference, redeem himself -- and he tries to perfect New York City with technology, usher in a new age using his scientific genius.
Unfortunately his subconscious mind gets in the way and even as he's doing his best to help, he's unconsciously trying to kill Spider-Man and ruin Aunt May's wedding and other assorted petty supervillain things.
Anyway. Like I say, I haven't been keeping tabs in the meantime, but that was kind of the beginning of Techno-God Doc Ock -- but it was really a wonderfully bittersweet character piece, as well as legitimately damn funny (in addition to the punch-in-the-face montage, it's a Spidey/Torch teamup issue).
I've said before that I've been a fan of Slott since he wrote the Ren and Stimpy comic when I was a kid. Again, I haven't been keeping up, but I hear good things.
I haven't read the spoilers yet so I don't know what the big deal is in 698 -- I expect Marvel will leak it to all the papers Wednesday anyway. But I suppose in answer to the question of "How can you care if you know it's all going to be Reset Button'd anyway?", well, you evaluate each story and arc on its own merits. Yes, we all knew Bruce was going to be back in the cowl sooner rather than later, but that doesn't take away from the Dick-and-Damian Batman and Robin being completely fucking awesome.
Maybe it's another example of the readers identifying with the heroes: we take our small victories even though we know nothing's ever really going to change in any significant way.