Why I'm dropping Ultimate Spider-Man

[The Red Hood]

I don't have as many problems as some folks here with USM's continuity. My biggest problem with the book, and the main reason why I stopped getting it for the time being, is because of pacing. As with most of Marvel's titles now, USM is geared towards trade paperbacks. I would much prefer stand-alone or two-part stories to these drawn out, five and six part stories. The honest, ugly truth that Bendis and Marvel won't admit is that these stories are more padded than a school girl's bra at senior prom. The stories Bendis is stretching out to six issues really only needs two issues, maybe three at the most.

Of course, Marvel's argument is that "hey, we're more sophisticated today. We need more time to tell a story than did the old farts back in the day, guys like Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, who, even though they are the reasons we even have a frakking job today, were essentially just telling kiddie stories with no substance." And blah blah blah, on it goes.

I gave up on ASM with "Sins Past," and I gave up on the Marvel U Spidey with the debut of the organic shooters. After the horrid and completely unoriginal introduction of the Hobgoblin in USM, I'm done with that title. I am looking forward to Peter David's Friendly Neighborhood title, but ONLY if this "The Other" "even" doesn't frak it up.

'Hood

[Uncensored]

I started reading USM with the Hobgoblin arc. As soon as I saw Harry turn into a Hobgoblin monster, I'll never read it again.

That, and there's so much teen drama it feels like an episode of Degrassi High.

[Rob H]

...but... but... but that was such a great show!

[Dark Soul # 7]

I dropped the title after the Geldoff kid.
That just bore me to death.
And I had had enough of the six part stories that could´ve been told in thre parts.

[Batfan Beyond]

...but... but... but that was such a great show!


I agree i liked Degrassi Junior High too.It was a great show.

[Mister Mets]

I dropped the singles as of the beginning of the last storyline, and plan on just buying the trades. I do enjoy the book, but I believe that I'll get a better experience reading the stories in a single setting without the advertisements, and all that.

I believe that Bendis's books are padded, but not in the obvious way. He seems to write issues that would be perfect if they were 14-18 pages, but don't work as well when stretched to 22 pages an issue. This is why I believe Ultimate Spider-Man should become a straight to the trade book. It would give Bendis more freedom regarding page counts.

[Dussan]

I dropped the singles as of the beginning of the last storyline, and plan on just buying the trades. I do enjoy the book, but I believe that I'll get a better experience reading the stories in a single setting without the advertisements, and all that.

I believe that Bendis's books are padded, but not in the obvious way. He seems to write issues that would be perfect if they were 14-18 pages, but don't work as well when stretched to 22 pages an issue. This is why I believe Ultimate Spider-Man should become a straight to the trade book. It would give Bendis more freedom regarding page counts.

I got a subsrcription, but I see the wisdom. I got into the USM because of the TPB's and how the stories moved so well.

Also I'm a manga reader so I can understand wanting to tell a more complex story and writing them like a novel.

[Core]

I got a subsrcription, but I see the wisdom. I got into the USM because of the TPB's and how the stories moved so well.

Also I'm a manga reader so I can understand wanting to tell a more complex story and writing them like a novel.

I agree that the stories move well, and one of the things I enjoy about the stories Bendis is telling in USM is that they aren't as episodic as the tales in many other titles on the shelves. The stories often flow/blend rather smoothly into each other from one arc to the next. That's one of the reasons I can understand Cyberman's point about the stories reading better in trades; it's easier to appreciate the overall pacing and flow when you are reading it in a large chunk. This is one of the books that I buy in the monthly instalments, but I do find that I enjoy some of the arcs more when I'm re-reading the issues back-to-back.

I think one of the problems with USM comes with naming the arcs after the character(s) being introduced in the arc. If the story introducing the Ultimate version of the Hobgoblin hadn't been labled "Hobgoblin" for 4 issues before we saw the appearance of the arc's title character, I bet fan response to the arc as a whole would have been better.

[chicainery]

I think one of the problems with USM comes with naming the arcs after the character(s) being introduced in the arc. If the story introducing the Ultimate version of the Hobgoblin hadn't been labled "Hobgoblin" for 4 issues before we saw the appearance of the arc's title character, I bet fan response to the arc as a whole would have been better.


Good points. I totally agree.

I have no problem with Ultimate Spider-man...it's one of the first books I read the day it comes out.

[Charagon]

I stopped after I read the same storyline twice. I'll come back if Peter and Kitty hook up.

[Huzzah!]

i borrowed a buddies spidey comics and if i myself were reading ultimate spiderman i would have dropped it with the mary jane bridge toss with no death. It was a sign of weakness on bendis' part.


But say i decided to give it another chance

I would have dropped it during the venom story line because it was so awful


But say i picked it up again

I would have dropped it when they killed Gwen because it seems like Bendis is content to simply retell old spiderman stories like most ultimate writers, and i friggin hate that

Be original guys.

the whole ultimate liine needs to be killed off and redone....

Sure you sacrifice the great ultimates but everything else blows. Just get millar back on for ultimates

[Dussan]

i borrowed a buddies spidey comics and if i myself were reading ultimate spiderman i would have dropped it with the mary jane bridge toss with no death. It was a sign of weakness on bendis' part.


But say i decided to give it another chance

I would have dropped it during the venom story line because it was so awful


But say i picked it up again

I would have dropped it when they killed Gwen because it seems like Bendis is content to simply retell old spiderman stories like most ultimate writers, and i friggin hate that

Be original guys.

the whole ultimate liine needs to be killed off and redone....

Sure you sacrifice the great ultimates but everything else blows. Just get millar back on for ultimates


your making no sense.

The whole point for the Ultimate series is to retell the classics but slightly updated without completely ruining continuity.

Would I have preffered Gwen had lived, yes.

Would I have preffered a more thorough symbiote arc? Hell yes.

However Spidey has been around, what? 40 50 years now. It took Spiderman that long through several uninteresting story arcs to get where he is today, and we still use the same old villains and same old formula. Ultimate line has done something new and that is show Spiderman in todays light while having him go through the same things (slightly modernized) that makes the MU Spidey the man he is now.

He will one day marry Mary Jane Watson.

He will one day be friends with Flash Thompson

He will go through many if not all the character defining moments that the MU character has gone through.

Reason why I love it. I don't read the really old comic books, cause they are annoying as hell to read, with there ridiculous artwork and dialogue, however some of the really great moments in alot of Marvel characters lives happened then.

Alot of the problems I see is that you can't do right or wrong with the Ulimate line up. If you deviate from the MU stuff, your ruining continuity, if you follow continuity (like X-Men and Spiderman are doing in the last few arcs) then they get nailed for retelling old stories.

Enjoy it for what it is.

[The Red Hood]

^^^I'm sorry, but a lot of those "really old comics" you mention are lightyears better than a lot of Marvel's recent stuff. Don't so easily dismiss the work of Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, Roger Stern, and others. It was a different time, but their work is still inspiring the field today, and in my opinion, not nearly enough.

'Hood

[The Shadow]

^^^I'm sorry, but a lot of those "really old comics" you mention are lightyears better than a lot of Marvel's recent stuff. Don't so easily dismiss the work of Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, Roger Stern, and others. It was a different time, but their work is still inspiring the field today, and in my opinion, not nearly enough.

'Hood
I agree.

The Ultimate line is nothing but a rehash. Sure it's got some enjoyable moments and all, but there's NOTHING better than the originals!

[Huzzah!]

your making no sense.


I'm making perfect sense. You may disagree with what i have to say but I'm getting sort of tired of posters trying to come off as sagely and applying terminology not apt to try to come off as some sort of intellectual superior...so lets cut that out shall we? Comments such as yours are like grease and flaming is bound to break out with that kind of disregard for others posters.



The whole point for the Ultimate series is to retell the classics but slightly updated without completely ruining continuity.

And that is spineless unnecessary garbage. There was this x-men series call Professor X and the X-men. It took the first 18 issues of X-men and did just that. It retold old stories in modern settings. And it was canceled and rightfully so, because it had no purpose. It was just fan service. I want something inspiring, not slocky crap. The best of the ultimate line is the ultimates and it is the one that does the most with the ultimate universe and you know changes things so i have a reason to read it. I already have back issues i don't want to see the same damn storylines over and over again because its trite and pointless.

The ultimate line is largely uninspired crap. You don't need Bendis or Vaughan on these books because they are so scared to actually establish themselves in any meaningful way their talents are wasted.

You cant be a cover band for all your life. You need to start writing new material

[kudlaty_true]

The Ultimate line is nothing but a rehash. Sure it's got some enjoyable moments and all, but there's NOTHING better than the originals!


Hm. Some are, some are not. For example, i'm reading now EVERY single one comic book with spidey, and I'm close to year 1980 now, that is something about ASM#200 and SSM#40. (and in the meantime USM, when it comes out) And I have to say, that Every single one Ultimate gives me chills, while in Amazing and Spectacular case it's more like one on 20,30 issues that's readable, and one in 50 makes my day.
Maybe it's the drawings, colors etc, but it's obvious that there are more advanced techniques and stuff. Maybe it's the script.. that's definately it, but now there are different times, there's no 'corny' dialogues, stuff is better shown, and have more common sense to every story, much more detailes can be covered. But that aspect cost 6 issues instead of 2-3...
And to the classics... Last story that i've read that I've liked VEEERY much was first appearance of Carrion. The first carrion of course. The decayed clone of prof Warren. Great pencil, ingenious script (I'm reading spider for the first time, of course), and THE AWSOME character of Carrion. It was THE best, most terryfing, with most powerfull and death bringing abilities that was created in these 200 or so issues of Spider-man, plus he had known the identity of our hero, plus he was a bit insane, plus he had a grudge with spider, plus plus plus... he was just plain an simple SCARY AS HELL. And one more thing. He was untapped (don't know if it's the right word for unused as it could have been) and killed of so quickly, for one simple reason. He was too dangerous to be left alive. But back to the topic. Five, maybe seven stories really have left me with my jaw opened for 200 comic books. (Of course many yet before me, including Kraven's last hunt, about which i have heard so much). With the ultimate title, it seem to be once every 2-3 month.

[Geardaddy]

I left Ultimate Spider-Man in the middle of the Hobgoblin arc. Once it became clear that the Hobgoblin was going to be a monster ala the Green Goblin, I was done.

It wasn't just that. I've just grown tired of the book. What started as a great idea and solid concept, seems to have worn out with me. Perhaps a new creative team would entice me to return, but as of right now, I don't even miss the book. That's when you know it's time to move on.

I also gave up on Amazing after 'Sins Past' and MK Spidey after Millar's arc. I am currently reading ZERO Spidey books, and miss it greatly, but until some things change, I will continue to watch from afar.

Sounds like the Human Torch/Spidey mini was a success, so I'll be sure to pick up the TPB when it hits the shelves.

Just my .02

[Huzzah!]

PAD spideywill probably be good. here's hoping

[Hulkamaniac]

PAD spideywill probably be good. here's hoping


DITTO!!! big time, I love PAD and I hope he can revive Spidey for me, I cant stand most of the stuff that came out until recently, I never got into Ultimate Spidey( i also think its just rehash and just cant afford more titles)
and the reg titles were garbage for so long I even forgot to even think about Spidey outside of the movie theatre. But Pad on spidey and Spidey's affiliation with the New Avengers gots me interested again. So heres hoping and praying!

[Headhunter]

The Ultimate line is nothing but a rehash. Sure it's got some enjoyable moments and all, but there's NOTHING better than the originals!
I always had a problem with how the dialogue was stilted, the pencils/inks was highly volatile, the colours were plain, and the overall production values were always subpar in earlier comics. Maybe it's unfair to compare different eras in comic book history, but it's undeniable that classic (Golden, Silver Age) comics are a hard sell for fans who didn't grow up in that era. The 616 continuity is largely bound to the conventions of those times, to avoid alienating longtime readers.

Maybe it's just me, but the Ultimate line doesn't need to be radically different; an update for current times and steady improvement across the board was all I ever wanted. I'm pretty happy with what we've got.

[DarkCrisis]

Only problem I have with Ult Spidy is they are all angst filled Emo Spidy books.


"Boo hoo why me. why does the villian want to fight! I deserve this booo hoo I miss Gwen and BEn... why did I break up with MJ for the 32nd time! Oh woe is me....!"

I expect Ult Peter to start cutting himself while listening to The Cure any issue now.

[Dussan]

Only problem I have with Ult Spidy is they are all angst filled Emo Spidy books.


"Boo hoo why me. why does the villian want to fight! I deserve this booo hoo I miss Gwen and BEn... why did I break up with MJ for the 32nd time! Oh woe is me....!"

I expect Ult Peter to start cutting himself while listening to The Cure any issue now.

Dude, he is going through some jacked up stuff!

Rather then blaming the Green Goblin for kidnapping Gwen and then tossing her off a bridge, Parker actually contributed to Gwen's death.

Rightfully so, her death is partly his fault.

His reactions to what happend to Harry Osborn. All of it in line with what a 15 year old would go through.

[BlackKnight]

I always had a problem with how the dialogue was stilted, the pencils/inks was highly volatile, the colours were plain, and the overall production values were always subpar in earlier comics. Maybe it's unfair to compare different eras in comic book history, but it's undeniable that classic (Golden, Silver Age) comics are a hard sell for fans who didn't grow up in that era. The 616 continuity is largely bound to the conventions of those times, to avoid alienating longtime readers.

Maybe it's just me, but the Ultimate line doesn't need to be radically different; an update for current times and steady improvement across the board was all I ever wanted. I'm pretty happy with what we've got.

So you are comparing what the paper and ink and how it was printed to today, hmm well that is hardly fair.

The Ultimate line was supposed to be different not a rehash of old stories.

[Headhunter]

So you are comparing what the paper and ink and how it was printed to today, hmm well that is hardly fair.
I was referring to the techniques used. That said, I realize it's not particularly fair...but lower quality is lower quality.

The Ultimate line was supposed to be different not a rehash of old stories.
Hasn't every Marvel initiative promised that? Aside from Grant Morrison's New X-Men, I can't think of one that actually delivered (amongst ongoing titles)...

Edit: X-Force/X-Statix is another I suppose, but it go so out of control that it lost any sense of cohesion.

[Hawk]

I've enjoyed every single issue of Ultimate Spider-Man.

[Kid Seven]

X-Static hardly lost cohesion, and the difference is 'different' versus 'radically different'. Morrison's X-'men: radically different. (See also Millar's Ultimates) Ultimate Spiderman: different. (See also Ultimate X-men, Morrison's JLA).

[Alan2099]

So you are comparing what the paper and ink and how it was printed to today, hmm well that is hardly fair.
If they could knock at least 50 cents off the cover price of issues, I'd rather have the old style paper and coloring.

[Dial Tone]

I lose more and more respect for Bendis as a writer everytime I see him padding something. He takes advantage of the reader by doing that. He already has his arc lengths planned for a good deal into the future, so it's evident that he's not writing the stories naturally, but writing them for the trade, and it shows in the declining quality of his work, but he's too stubborn to realize it.

[Kevinroc]

I read the title in TPB form only. Man, I got a much different perspective than you guys and don't have anywhere near as many problems with the title.

[SpecialAgentPunk]

I only read one issue of USM, #78, and that was enough to scar my eyes. I didn't know Bendis could write so horribly.

[kudlaty_true]

horribly? Read USM 80, u change ur mind i hope

[monkeyaxslash]

you guy's suck just because there some bad issues you just bad mouth the ultimate spider-man seres you guys have no loyety at all. Ultimate spider-man is the best

[Thrice]

Ultimate spiderman is one of the better books. I for one perfer the longer story arcs. Having norman turn into the hobgoblin was cool. Whats really funny is you idoits who can't appreciate a good comic dont matter worth squat. All of you stop buying ultimate spiderman it will still be a top selling book.

[Dark Soul # 7]

Ultimate spiderman is one of the better books. I for one perfer the longer story arcs. Having norman turn into the hobgoblin was cool. Whats really funny is you idoits who can't appreciate a good comic dont matter worth squat. All of you stop buying ultimate spiderman it will still be a top selling book.
you guy's suck just because there some bad issues you just bad mouth the ultimate spider-man seres you guys have no loyety at all. Ultimate spider-man is the best
Stop telling us that we´re idiots or that we suck just because we don´t like a comic book that you guys like.
I´ve been bored with it for months now and I just decided to dropp it so I can get something I find more intressting.
Besides buying it is just helping Bendis with his master plan to take over Marvel.

[Will.S]

Besides buying it is just helping Bendis with his master plan to take over Marvel.
What the hell are you talking about?

[monkeyaxslash]

Besides buying it is just helping Bendis with his master plan to take over Marvel.[/QUOTE]

bendis deserves to take over he's that good

[Alan2099]

No. He's not. He's not even close to that good. Especially if you prefer your comics to .. oh... actually have things happen in them. Things like people trying to hide their secret identity, getting into fights, having stories that are well paced and wrap up everything.

You know, the whole general oprincipal of basic comic writting.

[Dark Soul # 7]

What the hell are you talking about?
Ah, he´s gotten to you.
Damn, it´s too late to save most people on this board.

[Hellfan]

Alot of people call me an idiot and I love Ultimate Spider-man - the only book I REALLY feel excited about getting my hands on (right now).

[Arrjay]

I agree that the stories move well, and one of the things I enjoy about the stories Bendis is telling in USM is that they aren't as episodic as the tales in many other titles on the shelves. The stories often flow/blend rather smoothly into each other from one arc to the next. That's one of the reasons I can understand Cyberman's point about the stories reading better in trades; it's easier to appreciate the overall pacing and flow when you are reading it in a large chunk. This is one of the books that I buy in the monthly instalments, but I do find that I enjoy some of the arcs more when I'm re-reading the issues back-to-back.

I think one of the problems with USM comes with naming the arcs after the character(s) being introduced in the arc. If the story introducing the Ultimate version of the Hobgoblin hadn't been labled "Hobgoblin" for 4 issues before we saw the appearance of the arc's title character, I bet fan response to the arc as a whole would have been better.

You said pretty much all that I was going to say right here.

I read the title in TPB form only. Man, I got a much different perspective than you guys and don't have anywhere near as many problems with the title.

This is also how I read most of my comics. I personally just find it much more enjoyable to sit down with a T.P.B than a monthly. It's a thorough read. I really enjoy Ult. Spidey too. We area minority it would seem. Which is mighty unfortunate.

I've enjoyed every single issue of Ultimate Spider-Man.

So have I. I'm also extremely sick of people bitching about the goblin monsters.

[Hellfan]

The goblin monsters are too cool! I remember saying: "holy s...." to myself when I saw Norman in Goblin form the first time. Just wait, he's gonna be great in Videogame also.

[Alan2099]

So have I. I'm also extremely sick of people bitching about the goblin monsters.
And I'm extremely sick of the fact that they exist.

[Arrjay]

And I'm extremely sick of the fact that they exist.

Well Alan, you can't please everyone.

[Alan2099]

Exactly and your complaints are no more valid than mine.

I'm just louder.

[Dark Soul # 7]

Exactly and your complaints are no more valid than mine.

I'm just louder.
When you don´t like something you usually are louder.
But I´m with you on this.

[motoyanni999]

LOOK Bendis is a Great Writer tell me one thing wrong with his writing techniques. Because no matter if you like him or not he has an impressive history in Comics and its not because hes overhyped

[rockgrant]

I can honestly say that I don't understand dropping a book because you disagreed with a plot point or direction change. If you don't like the way the book is written, or the art just isn't your thing, then fine. But to stop reading a book that you admittedly enjoy just because you think giving Spidey organic shooters is dumb, or because you think Gwen was misrepresented--well that's just typical fanboyish stubbornness. Do you really think your $3 a month boycott is going to cause Marvel to reverse continuity just to bring you back in? I too think the organic webshooters were a pointless attempt to make the book more like the movie, but it's not going to stop me from enjoying my Spidey comics. In fact, the organic shooters have had no bearing whatsoever on the quality of the Spider-Man line. To put it more simply, QUIT YER BITCHING.

I agree with you about Ultimate. I just bought the trades for a while, and that was actually a much more enjoyable experience. The only reason I started picking up the individual comics was because I just got too damn impatient.

[Alan2099]

LOOK Bendis is a Great Writer
In your opinnion, perhaps. Not mine.

tell me one thing wrong with his writing techniques.
He's horrible at fight scenes.

He seems to have a dislike of costumes, preferring people to either be mutant freaks or fighting ins treet clothes, if somebody does wear a costume, expect them to get unmasked. Alot.

His story usually have a very good build up, but almost always reach an anticlimax and then just sort of stop.

On that note, he's decompressed style has run wild. he typically takes 6 issues to tell stories that could be done in 2 or 3.

I don't find his dialog very realistic.

He's bad at letting character share the spotlight. Typically if more than one major important person is there, you can almost always tell which one his favors and which characters are Just there.

He's bad with continutiy. There's tons of problems I could point out from New Avengers alone.

Is that enough problems for you?


Because no matter if you like him or not he has an impressive history in Comics
No. He's just written alot of stuff. I wouldn't call his history impressive at all.

and its not because hes overhyped
I can aprtialy agree with this. It's not JUST because he's overhyped. It's also because he's one of Quesada's goldenboys right now.

[Siddon]

Hmm............ why is he the golden boy oh yeah the four huge franchises he is running right now (House of M, Ultimate Spider-man, Daredevil, New Avengers). Personally I don't like his writing as much as other Marvel writers but I would never call him a bad writer thats like saying Barry Bonds is a bad hitter because you don't like him. His record speaks for itself and its a top-notch freaking record.

[foxfire]

Wow...
Newsarama is doing a feature on the 5 year anniversary of the Ultimate line, and Bill Jemas had this to say back in 2000:

"Jemas said the new line would pride itself on single-issue stand-alone stories."

And this gem from Bendis:

"Wolverine won’t always be around, when he is it will be special,” Bendis said. “I want him to be more mysterious.”

[Jake V]

Wow...
Newsarama is doing a feature on the 5 year anniversary of the Ultimate line, and Bill Jemas had this to say back in 2000:

"Jemas said the new line would pride itself on single-issue stand-alone stories."

And this gem from Bendis:

"Wolverine won’t always be around, when he is it will be special,” Bendis said. “I want him to be more mysterious.”
I can see Jemas' vision getting changed when they realized that most new readers would be getting their comics from book stores rather than comic book stores.

And the Bendis quote is pretty much moot because they didn't end up going with his proposal.

[Neolucifer]

Maybe it's unfair to compare different eras in comic book history, but it's undeniable that classic (Golden, Silver Age) comics are a hard sell for fans who didn't grow up in that era. The 616 continuity is largely bound to the conventions of those times, to avoid alienating longtime readers.

Exaclty i dont think you can blame someone for not enjoying Kirby's art , or any of the older guys . You cant blame a youngster for thinking a jim lee drawing is way cooler ...
Of course most will have a minimum of respect for the genre's precursors and founders , but in the same way you cant be mad at someone not liking pac man or space invaders , and enjoying instead the lastest R type with better designs and gameplay :D

Some of you are right to drop the book , since you know what ? You might not be the target audience of USM . Whatever was the original goal , it clear after 80 issue that its goal is retells and a few new twist on classical stories .

yes many of those stories exist already , and are available in prints , however there are quite a few i dont feel like reading again , mainly because of the outdated art , and also because of the NOW corny and also possibly outdated dialogue .
We all probably at least once laughed reading some old batman and robin dialogue , and all the gay jokes from a few pictures and the whole idea of a bachelor billionnaire getting a young boy as a ward . Not to mention the (imho bad) influence of the 60s tv serie . But once the laughter was toned down i'm left with a story i cant get into or get to like , so hell yea i'm all for a book of classic remakes with Jim Lee :D .

Now its ok to really enjoy and like the old material and dislike those new versions of the classics , but then some people should just avoid the book without getting mad and please spare us the "OMG how dare heeee defile the holy works of the 60s and 70s by doing a remake!!" act , people INDEED knows its only a retell , and people INDEED happens to enjoy it for that very reason.

[Alan2099]

Honestly, I have no problem with retelling stories in another format or style. I just don't care for how it was done here or the chaanges they made. If you ask me, the 90s Spidey cartoon is a much better exapmple of how to do things right. New takes on stories without butchering the old too much. (with some exceptions of course. Nothing's perfect.)

[Neolucifer]

And that opinion is fine , weither we agree or not . I just find some's people way of bashing it quite funny , a bit like dissing Army of the Dead coz its an horror flick , when .. hum well its precisely an horror flick :D . Now you just avoid it if you dont like the genre , or even when you do like the genre , if you dont enjoy it .

PS : Just got my copie of the Ultimate spidey annual . Sure the identity of the "new girlfriend"" is no earthshaking events happening in 5 comics , sure it doesnt make the USM book the new Watchmen , nor does it even really shakes for now the ultimate verse , but its sure is one of those nice twist and changes that will keep me interested in the book.

[Charagon]

The identity of Spider-Man's new girl friend is the most interesting thing Spider-Fans have had to look forward to for a long time.

Better yet, it wasn't a complete dissapointment.

[sephirothskiller]

Yeah, the girlfriend thing works well because Bendis does good dialogue, I think the overall quality of his work may be suffering because of the mass amount of comics he manufactures every month.

I prefer Vaughn in the Ultimate Universe. I have to say one of my favourite arcs in USM is when Spidey changes bodies with Wolverine, just because it has a snappy pace to it. What disgusted me is when Bendis said in book two of that arc "Even I couldn't stretch this out to three books." He practically admitted putting in filler!!! I don't mind three part arcs and the occasional four part, but anything beyond that might as well be a miniseries. It's rediculous. I also think that we are seeing way to many big cells, built to take up space so that writers don't have to do as much story.

[brian2322]

The Spidey and Wolverine switch was one of your favorite arcs, are you serious?
But Bendis does REALLY stretch things out like in issue 81, there was a two page spread of Peter walking around school lookin sad as usual, which could have been like half a page. Still its a great book and Bendis is a great writer.

[stealthwise]

I dropped this book after the overwhelmingly disappointing "Hobgoblin" arc, but the annual was great. I'm thinking of just picking up the title in trade and reading it that way, it's a lot better to read all four/five/six issues at once and getting a feel for the story that way, as Bendis doesn't always write stories with the greatest flow (or cliffhangers, another lesson he could learn from BKV).

[Alan2099]

The Spidey and Wolverine switch was one of your favorite arcs, are you serious?
Well, it's MY favorite.

[monkeyaxslash]

alot of people are droping this tittle because of the hobgoblin arc but it was just one arc and theres alot of people saying that bendis has lost it and is not a good writer any more but every title has a bad arc and i for one think that bendis is still the best he's been there sinse the beging and i hope he never leaves.

[The Defenestrator]

Hmm............ why is he the golden boy oh yeah the four huge franchises he is running right now (House of M, Ultimate Spider-man, Daredevil, New Avengers). Personally I don't like his writing as much as other Marvel writers but I would never call him a bad writer thats like saying Barry Bonds is a bad hitter because you don't like him. His record speaks for itself and its a top-notch freaking record.
Wha? Bendis is on 'roids and his comics should all have asterisks next to them in the price guides?

And by the way, I agree with anyone who says the "18 issues a year" thing that started with the Venom arc severely damaged the overall quality of this book and led to even more padding. The quality of the book has been extremely inconsistent, with the worst of the recent arcs being "Carnage" and "Hobgoblin." "Warriors" is a big improvement, but the impending arrival of Ultimate Omega Red really has me wanting to put my wallet away.

[Erebus]

USM is going a little fast. They made the death of Gwen stacy after like, what, 20 issues? What are they gonna do when they've used up all the major events in ASM? Surely not make up original stories!

[Chris Thomas]

my pathetic ultimate noob input:

I have only read the first trade, and as a mid-70's to mid-80's spidey geek, I thought it was a weak rehash with almost no innovation. also, the art was not my cup of tea.

the thing though that made me never ever want to read another was the acrobatics that peter did in his underwear. just didn't need to see that.


btw--generally, I am a bendis fan--think he does some awesome stuff at times. just not this. ug.

[Adem]

USM is going a little fast. They made the death of Gwen stacy after like, what, 20 issues? What are they gonna do when they've used up all the major events in ASM? Surely not make up original stories!

Actually Gwen died on issue #63.

[Sharcque]

I think USM is the best Ultimate book boing today, and the 2nd best Spider title (Spiger-Girl is 1st). As for the teen angst compaints, well, he is a teen-ager. And as the single dad of 2 teens myself, I can tell you Peter is written very much in touch with today's teens. I'll never drop this book (until JMS says that Carnage killed Gwen b/c he was pissed at her b/c of a one night stand he had with her, and she wouldn't let him see her little Carnage babies that look like Pete. :p )

[The Defenestrator]

I think USM is the best Ultimate book boing today, and the 2nd best Spider title (Spiger-Girl is 1st). As for the teen angst compaints, well, he is a teen-ager. And as the single dad of 2 teens myself, I can tell you Peter is written very much in touch with today's teens. I'll never drop this book (until JMS says that Carnage killed Gwen b/c he was pissed at her b/c of a one night stand he had with her, and she wouldn't let him see her little Carnage babies that look like Pete. :p )
The creepy thing about that is that Ultimate Carnage's love-face would look like Pete's dad's...

[Ravenheart]

I've read and enjoyed USM since day 1.Sure some of the stories can get a little boring.I wasn't all that crazy about the Geldolf story either but for the most part,its a pretty entertaining book.

[The Red Hood]

UPDATE FOR THOSE WHO CARE:

I decided to return to USM after reading so much about the Warriors arc and the Annual, not to mention the fact that the current MU Spider-Man is heading in a direction I fear I won't like ("Big status quo changing event! What we really mean: stunt that will alienate fans of good writing and character development while doing nothing lasting or interesting for one of comics' best characters!)

I loved "Warriors" and the annual (though not the art...terrible). I'm back in the USM fold.

'Hood

[monkeyaxslash]

many people say that they droped the title after the hobgoblin arc and they reternd in the worrier arc so technecly they didn't really drop it just like miss one issue in betewn.

[Morbidious]

I always had a problem with how the dialogue was stilted, the pencils/inks was highly volatile, the colours were plain, and the overall production values were always subpar in earlier comics. Maybe it's unfair to compare different eras in comic book history, but it's undeniable that classic (Golden, Silver Age) comics are a hard sell for fans who didn't grow up in that era. The 616 continuity is largely bound to the conventions of those times, to avoid alienating longtime readers.

Maybe it's just me, but the Ultimate line doesn't need to be radically different; an update for current times and steady improvement across the board was all I ever wanted. I'm pretty happy with what we've got.


And You'll be eating those words and saying the same thing us 30 somethings are saying now, to the generation after you
! Stuff like, "Oh I think the older USM was much much better than this newer one!" :D But dont worry, it is inevitable. There's really nothing you can do about it but just wait, watch and see for yourself! :p