I just reread "Torment"

[Mister Mets]

I just reread "Torment" (the first five issues of Mcfarlane's Spider-Man run) and was surprised by how well it help up.
The art's amongst the best Mcfarlane's ever done (which makes it amongst the best the character's ever had) but the writing (Mcfarlane's first) was pretty good, perfectly conveying a happy Spider-Man in love with his wife, and later a disoriented poisoned villain under attack by a mysterious enemy. It's one of the creepiest Spider-Man stories I've ever read, and there's an incredible sense of doom & tension in every issue. There are some flaws, but it easily ranks in my Top 50 (and I've read a lot of Spider-Man comics.)
I remember tracking down the individual issues when I was in middle school, and it's certainly held up better than most other Spider-Man stories I read in that period.
Anyone else have fond/ bad memories about it, or read it recently?

And I've gotta say- I really love this cover.
http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/4049/400/4049_4_005.jpg

[Cody H]

Yeah, I've re-read it a few times and it's a pretty enjoyable tale. I'd agree that it represents some of Mcfarlane's best work on Spider-Man as far as art goes, and it's a change of pace from the usual Spidey story. There are times when it seems like Todd's trying a little too hard with the dialogue but that's only a minor concern.

[DBZ MAN]

Too dark. But Thats what you get when Todd gets on board. The villain was a tad dull but he didn't have much else to work with at the time. A satisfying read.

[brahmabull]

I find it funny that allot of people now say they hate the series or his writing. That book came out around 15 years ago and it was dark and dealt with real things and the detail in the art was great now you see guys like Loep, Millar, Bendis and others doing this same things and they are genuis. Im not saying Todd is a better writter than they are but that was his 1st writting gig. He did the art the inks and the writting and meet his deadlines with this story and you see Marvel and DC cannot meet theres and they have different people doing the art inking and writing.

[KYTouchMassage]

I find it funny that allot of people now say they hate the series or his writing.

Yup. Guilty of that.


He did the art the inks and the writing and meet his deadlines with this story and you see Marvel and DC cannot meet theres and they have different people doing the art inking and writing.

Yeah, some of my favorite creators can't meet deadlines for #%!*.

*Sigh* I'll go re-read it.

Bunch of jerks.
I'm trying to get my hate on, but you keep presenting reasonable, valid points.

[Mark Thorson]

I find it funny that allot of people now say they hate the series or his writing.

Actually, I've always said that.

[Chris S.]

It's been awhile since I read this, but I rememeber really enjoying it. McFarlane's story telling may not have been amazing, but I liked the dark factor. Peter is a boy from the streets, and I like seeing him in his atmosphere. I was surprised that on Spiderfan.org they give this story a horrible review.

I really wish I had my back issues so I could go pull this out now you got me thinking about it.

[Mister Mets]

I find it funny that allot of people now say they hate the series or his writing. That book came out around 15 years ago and it was dark and dealt with real things and the detail in the art was great now you see guys like Loeb, Millar, Bendis and others doing this same things and they are genuis. Im not saying Todd is a better writter than they are but that was his 1st writting gig. He did the art the inks and the writting and meet his deadlines with this story and you see Marvel and DC cannot meet theres and they have different people doing the art inking and writing.

Loeb, Millar, Bendis, and others aren't geniuses for doing the same things Mcfarlane did, but for doing them better. 15 years later it really doesn't matter whether Mcfarlane met deadlines. None of what you say takes into consideration whether or not his writing/ art is good, or bad.

That said, I do think his art was exceptional, amongst the best the character ever had. I thought his writing was pretty good, and perfectly conveyed a desperate disoriented Spider-Man in a very strange struggle. I also enjoyed his happier Spider-Man in the first issue, slightly arrogant and happily married, which contrasted well with him later being in the battle of his life.

There were some weird similarities with later works, in that Bendis/ JMS would write five issue storylines with one big battle, but I doubt they were ripping off what Mcfarlane did, although he could be credited with being one of the earliest "widescreen style" writers.

[brahmabull]

I did not say that they were copying him all Im saying is what he was doing is now what is hot. Maybe if marvel would have been more supportive all the image guys might still be doing some marvel work here and there instead of my way or the high way mentality Marvel had back then. As for his art I belive it was its best during his 15 issue run. As for deadlines it does matter these guys are getting paid big time dollars now compaired to back then and they cant even make there deadlines. Now I know everybody doesnt make there deadlines but when it is your blockbuster hits, Thats all Im saying.
http://www.spawn.com/news/events/mocca/images/piece.dc01.jpg

[drinkblatzbeer]

real fun story...
actually, i loved most of mcfarlane's adjectiveless spidey run...
anyone know if platt's first moon knight cover was an homage to the cover posted at the top of this topic?

[Mister Mets]

Just reread it again.
Still holds up.

It's a fast read, but it's intense with great visuals.

It's kinda odd that in interviews about his Spider-Man run, Macfarlane keeps excusing the poor writing here (his first effort on the character) when A) it was pretty good, and B) better than the remainder of his run.

[Venom]

You're not gonna believe this, but I've never read "Torment". I bought the first part back at Christmas when the owner was doing his back issues half price sale, but I didn't have enough for the other parts. Even in the half price sales they're expensive. I want to read it as a whole so I haven't read the first part yet. Not to worry though, the next half price back issues sale is next month so I'll buy the other parts then.

[Mister Mets]

You're not gonna believe this, but I've never read "Torment". I bought the first part back at Christmas when the owner was doing his back issues half price sale, but I didn't have enough for the other parts. Even in the half price sales they're expensive. I want to read it as a whole so I haven't read the first part yet. Not to worry though, the next half price back issues sale is next month so I'll buy the other parts then.
The first part's essentially a self-contained prologue. Kinda ahead of its time in how "little" happens (ie- Spider-Man doesn't meet or fight the Lizard.)

I was lucky enough to get the issues a few years ago when they were readily available in dollar bins.

But it is the type of story you'll reread a lot. Hope you can get the issues at a reasonable price. And bump this thread when you do.

[TROUBLEZ]

I thought it was great at the time. When the run first started I couldn't wait for the next issue to come out to find out what the hell was going on, who was behind it, etc. Looking back it's not all that, and it seems forced to always put "And Rise Above it all" in the dialogue, but I like rereading from time to time.

[TROUBLEZ]

As far as creepy atmosphere, both the writing and art was good in that aspect.

[xarathos]

I read McFarlane wanted to use one of the Spidey's original villians, but they were all tied up with Sinister Six thing in Amazing, so he got Lizard, Calypso, and a corspified Kraven.

[Chubber]

I thought it was a great read (both when it came out and when I recently re-read it) and the art is just awesome. But I must add, parts of the dialog, especially the captions, are more than a little corny, but the story itself is solid.
I enjoyed the 2-part hobgoblin arc that followed it also. Admittedly more for the art than the story. I just wish he had stayed with the title longer, as I never really cared for Spawn.