rockgrant
07-08-2007, 02:57 PM
A few days ago I began an extensive rereading of the JMS issues. Here's some things that I've noticed my second time around:
- Though a lot of people complained about it, the issues with mystical elements are JMS at his best. The Morlun and Shathra stories are classics, and feature the best kind of Spidey stories, with the webslinger facing near-impossible odds and, through sheer wit and determination, coming out on top.
- That said, there's way too much Dr. Strange. For awhile there he's practically a supporting character.
-"Happy Birthday" is a fantastic story marred by a cheesy ending. Seriously, how many times do we have to see Peter talk to Uncle Ben "one last time?"
-The Mary Jane returns issue would be an absolute classic if it didn't rely on so many ridiculous coincidences. I mean, come on, Peter, Mary Jane, Captain America, and Dr. Doom all at the same airport at the same terminal at the same time? In DENVER, of all places? When I read a comic book I allow my disbelief to be suspended moreso than I would in a novel or a movie, but this is just too much. That said, the scene with Peter and MJ embracing at long last with Peter telling MJ that he needs her still brings a tear to my eye.
- Speaking of Mary Jane, she's the most interesting character in the book. She's funny, girly, strong, independent, mysterious, flirty, ambitious--you can really see why Pete loves her so much. To borrow a sentiment from the recent Sensational annual, there's a sense that Peter will never quite figure her out, will never really understand her completely, and that's what keeps their love so fresh and exciting and new. JMS, unlike a lot of other writers, hasn't forgotten the party-girl facade that MJ put up for so many years to keep people from getting too close to her. His MJ has developed from this personality, allowing people like Peter and May inside but still keeping her guard up, still keeping some of her innermost thoughts and secrets to herself. My absolute favorite MJ moment: she's leaving NY for an audition in LA, and she breaks her embrace with Peter suddenly, turning around for a quick, "See ya, Tiger," before she walks away. Classic MJ.
- JMS seems to recognize that he's the first writer in a long time to really get MJ right. May tells MJ regarding her movie career, "they've just used you as a good-looking face, as a plot device. You haven't actually played a character yet."
- I haven't gotten to "The Other" yet, but I'm of the opinion that "The Book of Ezekiel" definitely should've been the end of the Spider-Totem stories. It's a perfect ending, and one of my all-time favorites.
- Peter is FUNNY. His jokes are a bit corny sometimes, but when he's on, he's really on. And JMS is great at putting him in humerous situations as well. After May gives him some tips about washing his costume more often, several characters throughout the issue comment that he smells like bleach. Another great moment is when Spidey's perched on a car and a police officer pulls up next to him. Spidey says, "I bet the New York travel laws don't have anything covering this!" The cop smiles, and the next panel shows Spidey holding a ticket. "Hm, guess they do." The scene where Peter orders a dozen raw oysters "with a dozen tiny swords as well, y'know, so they at least have a fighting chance" was particularly funny as well.
- The costume Leo Zelinsky designs for Peter is the costume that the doomed future Peter wears in "Happy Birthday." Most of you probably already know this, but I never noticed it. It's a nice touch, creepy and forboding.
- There are far too many "Thank you God, for MJ. I know I don't deserve her, but thanks" scenes. They're cheesy and they get old quickly.
- Detective Lamont just has to know that Spidey is Peter (well, obviously he knows now that everyone does, but I mean before he was unmasked.) Peter gives him the letter from Gwen with the front side obscured by a steel plate, threatening both Lamont and his family if he attempts to remove it and read what's written. But Lamont certainly reads the text he manages to get for Spidey from the other side, which has Peter's name on it. Obviously, Spidey wouldn't be this protective of anything that wasn't written to him, so at the very least Lamont must know his name is Peter.
-There are countless jokes about New Jersey being an awful place to live.
- A lot of the action seems to take place in the Bronx. At one point (I think in "Happy Birthday,") Peter tells someone "This is how we do things in the Bronx!" before hitting him. I find this odd, as there's really never been a connection between Peter and the Bronx. Maybe that's where JMS is from?
- Another note on location. Does anyone know where Peter lives during this time period? I've found no mention of it. I'm assuming it's somewhere in Manhattan, but beyond that, I have no idea. JMS NEVER uses those little top-lefthand-corner boxes that tell you where the action is taking place. This is something I really miss from the Spider-Man books. Having been to NY twice and being fairly familiar with the city, I always found it pretty cool to know exactly what part of the city the action was taking place. It made the stories seem more grounded and real. One of the coolest things I did last time I was in the city was walking across the Brooklyn bridge. I could literally see Spidey and Goblin fighting it out above one of the tressels, Gwen falling and Spidey snagging her with a webline. You just don't get that feeling of geographical realism in JMS's stories, because he never tells you where you are.
- The term "two-fer" pops up at least 3 times.
Any other thoughts or additions? PLEASE, nothing pretaining to Sins Past in this thread, I'd like to discuss the other aspects of JMS's run rather than have this turn into yet another bitch-fest.
- Though a lot of people complained about it, the issues with mystical elements are JMS at his best. The Morlun and Shathra stories are classics, and feature the best kind of Spidey stories, with the webslinger facing near-impossible odds and, through sheer wit and determination, coming out on top.
- That said, there's way too much Dr. Strange. For awhile there he's practically a supporting character.
-"Happy Birthday" is a fantastic story marred by a cheesy ending. Seriously, how many times do we have to see Peter talk to Uncle Ben "one last time?"
-The Mary Jane returns issue would be an absolute classic if it didn't rely on so many ridiculous coincidences. I mean, come on, Peter, Mary Jane, Captain America, and Dr. Doom all at the same airport at the same terminal at the same time? In DENVER, of all places? When I read a comic book I allow my disbelief to be suspended moreso than I would in a novel or a movie, but this is just too much. That said, the scene with Peter and MJ embracing at long last with Peter telling MJ that he needs her still brings a tear to my eye.
- Speaking of Mary Jane, she's the most interesting character in the book. She's funny, girly, strong, independent, mysterious, flirty, ambitious--you can really see why Pete loves her so much. To borrow a sentiment from the recent Sensational annual, there's a sense that Peter will never quite figure her out, will never really understand her completely, and that's what keeps their love so fresh and exciting and new. JMS, unlike a lot of other writers, hasn't forgotten the party-girl facade that MJ put up for so many years to keep people from getting too close to her. His MJ has developed from this personality, allowing people like Peter and May inside but still keeping her guard up, still keeping some of her innermost thoughts and secrets to herself. My absolute favorite MJ moment: she's leaving NY for an audition in LA, and she breaks her embrace with Peter suddenly, turning around for a quick, "See ya, Tiger," before she walks away. Classic MJ.
- JMS seems to recognize that he's the first writer in a long time to really get MJ right. May tells MJ regarding her movie career, "they've just used you as a good-looking face, as a plot device. You haven't actually played a character yet."
- I haven't gotten to "The Other" yet, but I'm of the opinion that "The Book of Ezekiel" definitely should've been the end of the Spider-Totem stories. It's a perfect ending, and one of my all-time favorites.
- Peter is FUNNY. His jokes are a bit corny sometimes, but when he's on, he's really on. And JMS is great at putting him in humerous situations as well. After May gives him some tips about washing his costume more often, several characters throughout the issue comment that he smells like bleach. Another great moment is when Spidey's perched on a car and a police officer pulls up next to him. Spidey says, "I bet the New York travel laws don't have anything covering this!" The cop smiles, and the next panel shows Spidey holding a ticket. "Hm, guess they do." The scene where Peter orders a dozen raw oysters "with a dozen tiny swords as well, y'know, so they at least have a fighting chance" was particularly funny as well.
- The costume Leo Zelinsky designs for Peter is the costume that the doomed future Peter wears in "Happy Birthday." Most of you probably already know this, but I never noticed it. It's a nice touch, creepy and forboding.
- There are far too many "Thank you God, for MJ. I know I don't deserve her, but thanks" scenes. They're cheesy and they get old quickly.
- Detective Lamont just has to know that Spidey is Peter (well, obviously he knows now that everyone does, but I mean before he was unmasked.) Peter gives him the letter from Gwen with the front side obscured by a steel plate, threatening both Lamont and his family if he attempts to remove it and read what's written. But Lamont certainly reads the text he manages to get for Spidey from the other side, which has Peter's name on it. Obviously, Spidey wouldn't be this protective of anything that wasn't written to him, so at the very least Lamont must know his name is Peter.
-There are countless jokes about New Jersey being an awful place to live.
- A lot of the action seems to take place in the Bronx. At one point (I think in "Happy Birthday,") Peter tells someone "This is how we do things in the Bronx!" before hitting him. I find this odd, as there's really never been a connection between Peter and the Bronx. Maybe that's where JMS is from?
- Another note on location. Does anyone know where Peter lives during this time period? I've found no mention of it. I'm assuming it's somewhere in Manhattan, but beyond that, I have no idea. JMS NEVER uses those little top-lefthand-corner boxes that tell you where the action is taking place. This is something I really miss from the Spider-Man books. Having been to NY twice and being fairly familiar with the city, I always found it pretty cool to know exactly what part of the city the action was taking place. It made the stories seem more grounded and real. One of the coolest things I did last time I was in the city was walking across the Brooklyn bridge. I could literally see Spidey and Goblin fighting it out above one of the tressels, Gwen falling and Spidey snagging her with a webline. You just don't get that feeling of geographical realism in JMS's stories, because he never tells you where you are.
- The term "two-fer" pops up at least 3 times.
Any other thoughts or additions? PLEASE, nothing pretaining to Sins Past in this thread, I'd like to discuss the other aspects of JMS's run rather than have this turn into yet another bitch-fest.