MILESTOONS

ENGAGED. REX MORGAN, 46, physician, to June Gale, 46, registered nurse; over dinner at Anton's. "June, I've waited too long to say this," began Dr. Morgan's proposal-something of an understatement, considering that the pair's relationship dates back to 1949, though it was studiously platonic until earlier this year. Summer nuptials are planned. The bride will retain her maiden name.

PATERNITY ACKNOWLEDGED. By UNCLE DUKE, 21, con man/diplomat/substance abuser, now running an orphanage; in Aspen, Colorado. Lab tests revealed that "Earl," a child in Duke's care with a similarly high forehead and a penchant for shades is, in fact, Duke's son by a stripper. The proud father's reaction: "The feds won't pay me to take care of my own kid."

EXPECTING. PETER PARKER, 33, photojournalist who moonlights as Spiderman, and his red-haired wife MARY JANE PARKER, 29; a child, their first; in New York City.

DIED. FARLEY, 16, faithful and beloved dog of the Patterson family; of a heart attack triggered by his heroic but strenuous rescue of the family's youngest child, April, from a rain-swollen river; somewhere in Canada.

DIED. PROFESSOR CHARLES XAVIER, 32, founder of the "X-men," a group of paranormally gifted, socially conscious mutants; of an accidental zapping by his son Legion during a shoot-out with archenemy Magneto; in Haifa, Israel. Adding to the tragedy is the fact that due to Legion's ability to travel through time, he killed his father 20 years in the past, thus creating an alternate reality in which the X-men don't exist.

"DIED." CLARK KENT, 56, journalist; in an attack on Kent's family and friends; in Smallville. Following the discovery by supervillain Conduit (a.k.a. childhood friend Kenny Braverman) that Superman and Clark Kent are one and the same, the Man of Steel has allowed the world to assume-for now-that Kent perished in the Conduit-led assault.