Anyone else getting tired of cataclysmic Spider-Man storylines?

[Crash-Man]

Is anyone else getting tired of Spidey story arcs that feel as if Spidey's life, his family's life, and his secret identity hang in the balance?

I've been yearning for a long run of Spider-Man where our hero just does the hero thing, fighting bad guys and their maniacal schemes, and trying to keep his life together when he takes the costume off.

For quite a while now, the Spidey titles have been dominated by storylines that threaten Spider-Man and Peter Parker simultaneously, with major (and sometimes minor) players that know his secret identity.

It's almost as if a story isn't worth publishing these days if the stakes aren't as high as they can get, and in my opinion, that just devalues high-stakes events in general.


I'm not saying that all of these storylines are badly written...I just wish I could read a few arcs where the villain appears and Spidey deals with him as Spider-Man, without all of this "I know your identity and I'll just play this crazy game with your life" nonsense.


Anyone else feel this way? And any recent trades or TPBs where I can get my Friendly Neighbourhood fix?

[onizuka]

i know what you mean. i'm really enjoying pretty much all the current Spidey stuff being put out, but i know how it feels thinking back to simpler times.

however, this is just one of those things where you might like it one way, but i'm sure if things did get simple, there'd be just as many people calling Spidey's life boring.

that is also why i am looking forward to this new title by Peter David. i think maybe with this extra title we might see big stuff happen over at Amazing(thanks to JMS and his suberb writing) while David concentrates on writing hopefully a more friendly neighbourhood(hence the title of the ongoing) in his own book.

[Mister Mets]

Some of the best Spider-Man stories have been cataclysmic with threats endangering both Peter & Spider-Man.

"The Final Chapter." (Note- the Lee/ Ditko classic, not the Howard Mackie penned end to Volume 1.)
" Spidey & The Goblin Both Unmasked."
"The Night Gwen Stacy Died."
"Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut."
Kraven's Last Hunt
Spider-Man VS. Wolverine
"Coming Home."
And Mark Millar's creative run (which was meant to be the definitve Spider-Man story.)

[Charagon]

::returns from the hospital after laughing fit from seeing "Mark Millar" and "definitive" in the same sentence::

Yes, the best Spider-Man stories, and some truely craptastic ones, have been ones that hit Pete close to home. But you have to have them in moderation otherwise they lose their impact (you would think, being comic book readers and experiencing this from Marvel every other year, we'd all be aware of this).

This happened to Venom.

First time around: Holy !@#$! He knows who Peter is and could walk right up to him and kill him in his sleep if he wanted to without Pete's spider-sense ever going off!

Second time around: Oh damn, Venom's back! Pete barely survive the first time, how is he ever going to do it again?

Third time around: Venom's back again. I wonder how Spider-Man will beat him this time?

Fourth time around: It's Venom. Hum. Did his tongue get longer?

Fifth time around: Jeeze Venom, what are you thinking! Just kill him in his sleep and be done with it!

[Dark Soul # 7]

I know what you mean Crash-man and I agree more or less. But as long as the stories are good I´m not gonna complain. In the past you could go to Spectacular Spider-man for your normal Spidey vs villain fight but since that´s gone now. I think that we will see some of this in FNSM by Peter David after The Other.

Oh and Charagon, I thought Millar´s run on MK:SM was great. Now lets see if you can resist that unatural urge you have to insult me whenever I say what I just said.

[Crash-Man]

I enjoyed Millar's run as well, but it's the little things, like the "smitten as a kitten" page near the end with Black Cat, and the auction, that made the arc interesting for me. I also really appreciated Millar's strengthening of the second-tier villains again, and thei characterization. But I'm fed up of the Goblin and his diatribe, and even more fed up of the number of people who know Peter is Spider-Man.

[Charagon]

I would like to make one thing clear before this goes farther. I couldn't care less who or how many like Millar's abomination. The "story" (which was more like a rejected script for a Spider-Man video game) was a bigger POS than any other Spidey story in the last several years. Sins Past and Avengers Disassembled included. Twelve issues of mindless fights, mischaracterizations, and plot holes you could drive a truck through.

For some incomprehensible reason, people enjoy this dren as opposed to actual storytelling, and good for them. I don't care. If you take offense at me pointing out that the story was a piece of crap that's your problem. This isn't personal against anything but Mark Millar's POS.

I'd like people to stop hating on Venom and his early 90's series but you don't see me being insulted by it or taking it personally. In spite of my feelings towards the character (his book was actually the first comic series I collected regularly back in the day) I understand that he was misused and overexposed for a long time.

[Artemis1]

Is anyone else getting tired of Spidey story arcs that feel as if Spidey's life, his family's life, and his secret identity hang in the balance?

I've been yearning for a long run of Spider-Man where our hero just does the hero thing, fighting bad guys and their maniacal schemes, and trying to keep his life together when he takes the costume off.

For quite a while now, the Spidey titles have been dominated by storylines that threaten Spider-Man and Peter Parker simultaneously, with major (and sometimes minor) players that know his secret identity.

It's almost as if a story isn't worth publishing these days if the stakes aren't as high as they can get, and in my opinion, that just devalues high-stakes events in general.


I'm not saying that all of these storylines are badly written...I just wish I could read a few arcs where the villain appears and Spidey deals with him as Spider-Man, without all of this "I know your identity and I'll just play this crazy game with your life" nonsense.


Anyone else feel this way? And any recent trades or TPBs where I can get my Friendly Neighbourhood fix?

Totally agreed. Some of the best story lines in the Spidey-Verse are cataclysmic, but I wish they would go back to the classic Stan Lee/Steve Ditko era.

[Mr.Musgrave]

I would like to make one thing clear before this goes farther.

I think you've made this abundantly clear considering you mention it about every 10 friggin' seconds. The act is way past old. :rolleyes:

And yeah, these so-called cataclysmic stories need to go. Spider-Man is a street level hero and should be treated as such. The totems and clones and idiotic alien laundry stories need to go.

[Dark Soul # 7]

I would like to make one thing clear before this goes farther. I couldn't care less who or how many like Millar's abomination. The "story" (which was more like a rejected script for a Spider-Man video game) was a bigger POS than any other Spidey story in the last several years. Sins Past and Avengers Disassembled included. Twelve issues of mindless fights, mischaracterizations, and plot holes you could drive a truck through.

For some incomprehensible reason, people enjoy this dren as opposed to actual storytelling, and good for them. I don't care. If you take offense at me pointing out that the story was a piece of crap that's your problem. This isn't personal against anything but Mark Millar's POS.Understood. And I feel the exact opposite to the story. Hell I can´t wait for the hardcover. Now that we´ve settled that lets just burry the hatchets.

[Hellfan]

Totally agreed. Some of the best story lines in the Spidey-Verse are cataclysmic, but I wish they would go back to the classic Stan Lee/Steve Ditko era.

David Michelinie did great Spidey books! :)

[Dark Soul # 7]

David Michelinie did great Spidey books! :)One of the top ten Spider-man writers IMO.

[jam1]

Twelve issues of mindless fights, mischaracterizations, and plot holes you could drive a truck through.


This is how I feel about Millar's run too.

Am I tired of "catalysmic" Spidey storylines? Hmm, I'm excited about the Other but after it I kinda wish we'll get some good classic self contained stories without any life changing events.

[Huh?]

I don't mind any "type" of story as long as it is good. 3 good "cataclysmic" stories in a row is always better for me than 1 average Spidey vs. villain story.

[Alan2099]

Personally, I prefer when Spider-man's life and Peter's are pulling him in two opposite directions and he has to try to figure out how to do both.

You know, stuff like Jameson has got him going to one side of town for a job, but Dr. octopus shows up going the opposite way, or some villian has captured Peter and is holding him hostage until Spider-man shows up and Pete has to figure out how to do it.

Heck, just him trying to live a normal life and fight super villians at the same time works wonders. personally, I feel that Norman focusing on destroying Peter's life has took the series in a horrible direction.

[Avalanche]

I want to see a Spidey arc that only focuses on a super-villain that is entirely too strong for him in everyway, and I want it to last a long while. I want Spidey to be beaten to near death, no personal issues, just an all out grudge match. I miss that. I'm not saying I don't like the personal issues being dealt with, it enhances the character, but give us a break and a long break at that.

[Crash-Man]

I want to see a Spidey arc that only focuses on a super-villain that is entirely too strong for him in everyway, and I want it to last a long while. I want Spidey to be beaten to near death, no personal issues, just an all out grudge match.


Sounds like Morlun...and that's really close to a "cataclysmic" storyline.

I just want a super-villain who Spidey can fight without getting his costume torn apart, or pondering the end of his life, or contemplating ending his career as Spider-Man after this battle.

I just want Peter thinking about his present enemy the same way he thinks about his money worries or his tardiness: "Oh crap, then there's that..."

Someone he can fight and beat almost in time for class or dinner, make a joke or two about, and actually feel good about being Spidey for a change.

And the Spider-Books need more genuinely humorous situations, along the lines of that time Spidey had to wear a paper bag over his head.

[Charagon]

That's why I really like Tracer. He's doesn't sound like he'll have a vendetta against Spider-Man or he'll focus all his time and energy into ruining him. He's just a guy on the opposite side of the line doing his thing.