Could some explain 'The Other' for me

[Zombienorthstar]

I missed this as im generally not a Spiderman reader...could someone explain the gneral gist of the story?

[Will.S]

Basically The Other puts the Spider-Man origin in a new light in that the spider that bit Peter was actually mystical in nature and chose to pass it's gifts in it's dying stages onto Peter due to his upbringing which made him the ideal warrior as a hunter.

During the Coming Home story Spider-Man injects himself with radiation which eventually along with future doses begins to poison his body to a point where he rebirths himself but with the spider aspect becoming a bit more dominant which is seen in his new powers added onto his usual skill set. It's also added to his repertoire to advance him to be ready for future threats in the same nature as Morlun.

[ShinySteelBrit]

I haven't read it either but was hoping to maybe use it in my dissertation on superheroes, would you guys say it is possible to see Peter as a chosen one from this arc? Also what do you guys mean by rebirth, in a resurrected sense or some thing different? Finally if all this is the case is there a trade that I can grab to reference it properly?
Dan

[Harold of the Rocks]

I think a trade has already been announced. Someone will drop a link soon enough if you don't find it at Marvel.com.

To elaborate on Will S's. take (Will, I think you gave a good background leading into The Other but really didn't summarize the story at all). I think the thread totally implies spoiler, so I'm gonna summarize with this being the warning!!



So because of the mystical/magical elements that might be tied into Spidey's origin, he is hunted by a creature who feeds on Totemistic energies from humans linked to animal totems (Morlun, sort of a vampiric energy hunter). Pete's found to have some serious illness that is terminal (yet never specifically revealed)... he's been fainting, dizzy spells, what not. Turns out that Morlun has returned to feed on Pete again, maybe because he knows Pete will die anyway and he needs to get to him before that happens. This time, Morlun fatally injures Pete. Pete saves MJ and kills Morlun right before he dies. Yes, he dies. Later, while the New Avengers are consoling the grieving Parkers, something breaks out of Pete's cadaver and escapes Stark tower. It sets up a cocoon of sorts, and eventually after some crazy visions that elaborate on the nature of Pete's powers and how he has always supressed some of the more 'ugly' parts of his powers, Pete is offered a chance at rebirth...if he 'embraces the spider'. He 'hatches', with some new powers and all his previous injuries/wounds healed. Even his childhood tonsillectomy is 'undone'. All seems to be just jiffy, but we learn that something else has also developed in a cocoon. It turns out to be 'The Other', a sort of amalgamation of spiders that takes a human form. It feeds on what's left of Pete's body after completely overwhelming Stark Tower in spiderwebs. When Pete (as Spidey) confronts it, he is reminded of something he had in his rebirth visions. A question is posed to him... are you the man who dreamed of being a spider, or the spider who dreamed of being a man? Are 'The One', or are you 'The Other'. This 'Other' tells him that it is the exact opposite of Spidey. It gets away after a short and inconclusive melee. MJ knows about how Pete killed Morlun (she's the only one), while Pete is the only one who really 'knows' the full extent of what he went through (but don't tell me he's not confused!!).

Is Pete a 'chosen one'? In some ways, yes. He is told he is the perfect hunter, much like a spider... because he buried his rage, but never let go of it. Because he wanted vengeance on those who would cause others harm, and so forth. So, the "Great Weaver" 'sent him back', but not without a cost (presumably his changes).

Opinions vary widely on this, as you can expect. I didn't find it offensive, and enjoyed the whole run. Others hated it, usually because they don't like the premise of mystical/totemistic elements to Pete's origin. If you don't like that concept, I find it hard to believe you'd enjoy this arc. I think those that do enjoy it tend to feel that it is not 'retconning' Spideys; origin as much as adding another way of viewing the irradiated spider-bite incident (did the spider choose him? did the spider have powers to grant before being irradiated, and was dying because of the radiation, seeking to grant its powers before it died?). I'm not trying to speak for anyone else, but trying to give you an idea of if you may like it or not depending on how you feel about the potential mystical elements to Pete's origin.

[Will.S]

I think a trade has already been announced. Someone will drop a link soon enough if you don't find it at Marvel.com.

To elaborate on Will S's. take (Will, I think you gave a good background leading into The Other but really didn't summarize the story at all). I think the thread totally implies spoiler, so I'm gonna summarize with this being the warning!!



So because of the mystical/magical elements that might be tied into Spidey's origin, he is hunted by a creature who feeds on Totemistic energies from humans linked to animal totems (Morlun, sort of a vampiric energy hunter). Pete's found to have some serious illness that is terminal (yet never specifically revealed)... he's been fainting, dizzy spells, what not. Turns out that Morlun has returned to feed on Pete again, maybe because he knows Pete will die anyway and he needs to get to him before that happens. This time, Morlun fatally injures Pete. Pete saves MJ and kills Morlun right before he dies. Yes, he dies. Later, while the New Avengers are consoling the grieving Parkers, something breaks out of Pete's cadaver and escapes Stark tower. It sets up a cocoon of sorts, and eventually after some crazy visions that elaborate on the nature of Pete's powers and how he has always supressed some of the more 'ugly' parts of his powers, Pete is offered a chance at rebirth...if he 'embraces the spider'. He 'hatches', with some new powers and all his previous injuries/wounds healed. Even his childhood tonsillectomy is 'undone'. All seems to be just jiffy, but we learn that something else has also developed in a cocoon. It turns out to be 'The Other', a sort of amalgamation of spiders that takes a human form. It feeds on what's left of Pete's body after completely overwhelming Stark Tower in spiderwebs. When Pete (as Spidey) confronts it, he is reminded of something he had in his rebirth visions. A question is posed to him... are you the man who dreamed of being a spider, or the spider who dreamed of being a man? Are 'The One', or are you 'The Other'. This 'Other' tells him that it is the exact opposite of Spidey. It gets away after a short and inconclusive melee. MJ knows about how Pete killed Morlun (she's the only one), while Pete is the only one who really 'knows' the full extent of what he went through (but don't tell me he's not confused!!).

Is Pete a 'chosen one'? In some ways, yes. He is told he is the perfect hunter, much like a spider... because he buried his rage, but never let go of it. Because he wanted vengeance on those who would cause others harm, and so forth. So, the "Great Weaver" 'sent him back', but not without a cost (presumably his changes).

Opinions vary widely on this, as you can expect. I didn't find it offensive, and enjoyed the whole run. Others hated it, usually because they don't like the premise of mystical/totemistic elements to Pete's origin. If you don't like that concept, I find it hard to believe you'd enjoy this arc. I think those that do enjoy it tend to feel that it is not 'retconning' Spideys; origin as much as adding another way of viewing the irradiated spider-bite incident (did the spider choose him? did the spider have powers to grant before being irradiated, and was dying because of the radiation, seeking to grant its powers before it died?). I'm not trying to speak for anyone else, but trying to give you an idea of if you may like it or not depending on how you feel about the potential mystical elements to Pete's origin.
Yeah you pretty much summed it up how it went down in the story, I just didn't feel like doing a whole big summary so there you have it.

[Crash-Man]

Here's my synopsis of The Other:


Suck.

[filthysize]

Basically, Peter eats Morlun's head and grows into a cocoon.


Yeah.

[blackbolt]

A synopsis of the hardcover says it contains "Amazing Spider-Man" No. 525-528, "Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man" No. 1-4, and "Marvel Knights Spider-Man" No. 19-22.
Would you be able to understand it by only reading either ASM or FNSM or MK:SM, or do you need to read all three of them?
I hope that made sense.

[Petertime]

A synopsis of the hardcover says it contains "Amazing Spider-Man" No. 525-528, "Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man" No. 1-4, and "Marvel Knights Spider-Man" No. 19-22.
Would you be able to understand it by only reading either ASM or FNSM or MK:SM, or do you need to read all three of them?
I hope that made sense.

It was marketed (and numbered The Other: Part X) so that you had to read them all to get the story. Also, instead of the regular writers doing "their" comic, they wrote several issues in a row. Ex. Peter David didn't write Friendly.... 1-4, he wrote FNSP 1, ASM 525, Marvel Knights 19, which were subtitled "The Other: Parts 1-3"

That said, there were definitely entire issues that could be skipped and still have the story make sense. (Not trying to be hard on the writers...but I missed part 5 or 6 when I was rereading the story and I didn't realize it till later)

All in all, there are several better Spider-man comics worth hunting out over this one....but that's just my recommendation, do what make you happy.

[chickrockguitar]

Thanks for the Summery. I didn't read it either. I didn't have enough money to pick up all those issues...

Hmm. Well, it didn't really interest me. And I really don't like the new Costume. I see it as an Iron Man Wannabe. I hope they bring back the old costume soon. Even the black one was better than this new one...

[Harlock]

Thanks for the Summery. I didn't read it either. I didn't have enough money to pick up all those issues...

Hmm. Well, it didn't really interest me. And I really don't like the new Costume. I see it as an Iron Man Wannabe. I hope they bring back the old costume soon. Even the black one was better than this new one...
They're bringing the old costume back as part of the Civil War stuff.

Oh, also the new costume can look like any other costume or like Peter is not wearing anything at all.