Let's say Marvel decides to top DC's "All-Star" franchise, by turning Astonishing X-Men into a franchise of the stories of a-list Marvel licenses by a-list creators, and they're going to do an Astonishing Spider-Man book, by creators on par with Whedon & Cassady, Miller & Lee, and Morrison & Quitely. The basic idea would be a high profile accessible Spider-Man book, which hits the Top 5 every month.
What creators shouild Marvel go after for the book?
My list. The writers.
Mark Millar- He's one of the industry's biggest writers, and his twelve issue arc arc of Marvel Knights Spider-Man featured almost everything to love about Spider-Man, and was pretty much a Spider-Man artist's wet dream. He's written before about how he'd love to do more with the character, because all of the ideas he's come up with for the character while writing his first epic.
Roger Stern- He's almost universally considered the second best Spider-Man writer (after Stan lee of course) so he'd be the perfect writer for an All-Star Spider-Man type book. It would be wise to have it set while Peter Parker's still single, because Stern's not a fan of married Spider-Man. As for whether a book like this would survive when so many "Untold Tales" series have failed with the character, one need only look at the success of All-Star Batman & Robin/ All-Star Superman, Justice, or the Ultimate books. The one difference between it, and an Ultimate book would be that the events depicted could impact the regular books (ie- a new villain introduced for a storyline may come out of prison for a Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man arc.)
Jeph Loeb- His writing on Jim Lee's Batman wasn't the strongest, but it was the best-selling book of the month almost every time it came out, and one reason for this was that Loeb knew what fans wanted Jim Lee to draw. His twelve issues of Batman run included Killer Croc, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, the Huntress, Robin, Nightwing, Superman, Harley Wuinn, the Joker, Ra's Al Ghul, the Riddler, and more (which may be one reason why it was more successful than Azarello's Superman run.) His previous Spider-Man work, the Blue mini-series was enjoyable, especially with the variety of situations he placed Spider-Man in.
Dan Slott- He's an excellent writer, who wrote one of the best Spider-Man stories ever with Spider-Man/ Human Torch. A book like this could help his profile, but as a rule he would have to collaborate with an amazing a-list artist for the project to get the profile it deserves.
Steve Ditko- Probably an impossibility, but it would be an astoundingly big deal.
Kevin Smith-
He wrote a great Spider-Man in the first three issues of his Black Cat mini series, but the latter three issues were still not worth the wait. I'd want him to have a lot of lead time on this book, and he better make a hell of a pitch.
Joss Whedon- Because apparantly he wants to follow-up Astonishing X-Men with a Spider-Man run with Bryan Hitch.
The artists.
Bryan Hitch- See above. He's also one of Marvel's best artists, with Ultimates 2 having some of the best art ever done in the comic book form.
Steve Ditko- Don't tell me it wouldn't be an astoundingly big deal.
John Romita Sr- Perhaps the most popular Spider-Man artist ever. This would a great capper to one of the best careers in comics.
Todd Mcfarlane- One of the moist popular Spider-Man artists ever. A one year run on a title like this would help his reputation (and help him turn Spawn into a best-selling book again), and let's face it- he may need the money (he lost two major lawsuits recently, and his three million dollar baseball plummeted in value.) Watch his Spider-Man run outsell Jim Lee's Batman.
John Romita Jr- One of the best Spider-Man artists ever. He's said that he's waiting to return to the title, and I'd love it if he was given the opportunity to draw Spider-Man with his greatest allies, greatest enemies, and lots of new villains (as opposed to four issue arcs with Spider-Man VS new villains.)
David Finch- The man drew an excellent Spider-Man in New Avengers, and a Spider-Man Unlimited issue.
Neal Adams- He's probably the best regarded comic artist alive, who has not worked on Spider-Man. And it would be a great coup for Marvel with the talk that he'll follow Jim Lee on All-Star Batman & Robin.
What do you guys think? Could you see yourselves buying a book like this? Could you see a lot of other people buying a book like this?
One small detail. This book would differ from the new "Sensational Spider-Man" simply because it would have more popular creators, and because it will be independent from the other Spider books (ie- can be set in different eras.) I see Sensational Spider-Man as a book where creators you wouldn't associate with the character are given the opportunity to tell great stories. I also see it as more of a breakout book.
Results 1 to 15 of 81
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02-23-2006, 10:52 AM #1Moderator
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If there was an Astonishing Spider-Man book....
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02-23-2006, 10:57 AM #2Member
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I agree with all the names on your list except Kevin Smith.I've never really been a fan of any of his stuff,and I find him a little over-rated.
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02-23-2006, 11:00 AM #3More Donald than Charlie
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I'd have Stan Lee co-write an issue with Bendis. Man, that would be one messed up storyline.
- Art is whatever makes you feel human.
- "You are what you love, not what loves you." - Donald Kaufman
- "Deserve's got nothing to do with it." - William Munny
- "Acquiescence. It's not so hard, really. You. Just. Give. In." - Col. Ives
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02-23-2006, 11:01 AM #4AMAZING
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I don't know if I could handle ANOTHER Spider-man monthly, especially with Civil War coming up, lol!!! ;)
The only reason I wouldn't want JRJR on this book is because he should be pencilling Amazing Spider-Man, the flagship title! lol, ;)
Here are my picks, just because they were left off you're list.
Writer:
Ed Brubaker
It would be really cool to see what Brubaker could do with Spider-Man, and his incredible rogues gallery. I think he could write a KICK ASS story with the new Mac Gargan Venom!
Penciler:
Steve McNiven
His work on New Avengers has been Kick ASS!!!!
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02-23-2006, 12:22 PM #5New Member
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I wouldn't want Brubaker because he hates the Spidey marriage (see his Millarworld posts). Totally wrong writer for Spidey.
Originally Posted by Web_Spinner
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02-23-2006, 12:44 PM #6AMAZING
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damn. Whats with the marriage haters anyway! Lazy writers!
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02-23-2006, 12:53 PM #7Green Mist of Death
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That's a shame. I very liked his Spider-Man What If story. Originally Posted by jam1
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02-23-2006, 01:21 PM #8No, I'M Spider-Man!
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This is truly a dream-team, and the likelyhood of this actually happening is very close to zero but just for the hell of it...
Writer:
Neil Gaiman: I cannot begin to imagine the kind of stories Gaiman could come up with using the character, his enemies and his friends, but I can gurantee one thing, it will be amazing, spectacular, sensational and any other adjective you want to throw in there.
Artist
Greg Land: Pheonix Endsong was one of the prettiest books I have ever seen. Ultimate Fantastic Four has the best art in the entire ultimate line (yes, it even beats Hitch's Ultimates). And Land's MJ will make everybody a Spidey fan... guranteed....
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02-23-2006, 01:31 PM #9BANNED
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I think neither Slott nor Smith belong on this list: ( Smith's comic rep is tarnished by his unbelievable tardiness and at this point his name will most likely scare off potential buyers; and Slott is a decent scribe but his books don't sell, I doubt Marvel would risk a huge-profile book event like this thing you mention, on a non-name. Originally Posted by Cyberman
Everyone else you mentioned have either the sales clout or the industry gravitas and leverage to make such a book a huge deal.
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02-23-2006, 01:53 PM #10That One Guy
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Alan Moore and Alex Ross.
A man can dream, can't he?
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02-23-2006, 04:48 PM #11Moderator
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was happy to see so many responses so fast.
Two creators I forgot.
Jae Lee- The Dark Tower is going to be the biggest comics event of 2007, and the man has some free time before that (and perhaps between Dark Tower mini series.)
Brian Michael Bendis- He's Marvel's most popular writer. The only concern of having him on the book is whether it would hurt/ be lessened by Ultimate Spider-Man. If Roger Stern were on the book, Bendis may make a great cowriter (just to make it seem more contemporary.)
Alex Ross will be busy for the next two years with Justice. But that would be an insanely awesome team for 2009. Originally Posted by Chinchalinchin
You know what? That would be an awesome team, and I'm kicking myself for not thinking of either of them. Originally Posted by Iron Syndicate
Originally Posted by Web_Spinner
Brubaker may be a worthy writer, especially if his X-Men run becomes insanely succesful. He may not be "big" enough yet, but I see that changing within months.
The only reason I didn't list McNiven is his upcoming work on Civil War/ Ultimate X-men, but when he's done with that he can launch
Since the book's essentially a response to the popularity of the All-Star books, it could just be set in any era (my plan with Stern anyway.) Originally Posted by jam1
I admit that Slott would need a hell of an artist. Originally Posted by EmmettHULK
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02-23-2006, 04:55 PM #12returning to the flock
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I agree with you, but if someone of the people who post on the Ultimates boards reads this they are gonna flame your ass off because they label Greg Land as a "tracer", i find his art really suitable for an All Star type marvel project, but i don't think he's a big name...yet. as for my dream team: Originally Posted by Iron Syndicate
Writer: Cristopher Priest
Artist: Jhon Romita Jr. (or Mark Bagley)
I've always had the curiosity to read a Priest-written Spiderman project since he did excelent runs on both Deadpool and Black Phanter a couple of years ago. and i think that Jhon Jr. and Bags are the definitive Spidey artist, since they have kept working on the characters for so long...
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02-23-2006, 04:57 PM #13BANNED
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True, but I was just going by your All-Star analogy. Originally Posted by Cyberman
All-Star books so far have used superstar sellers for both art AND writing...(Lee,Miller,Morrison, Quitely), that's why if Marvel wanted to follow that model, they would probably not use Slott, even if they paired him with a superstar artist on a superstar character (don't forget that even Slott's Human Torch/Spidey bombed)...they will want an iron-clad guarantee that the book will sell... truckloads.
BTW...I like the idea of Alex Ross and Bendis.
Bendis knows his way around Peter, and both creators are currently hotter than hot with top five hits(New Avengers,Justice)
That would be the epitome of All-Star at least in terms of sales...
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02-23-2006, 05:22 PM #14Moderator
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One thing that's worth noting with Justice is that it's a Top-5 success/ pretty much honorary All-Star title. with an A-List franchise (like Spider-Man), an A-List artist, and a respected writer who isn't really popular. So there is a precedent for an All-Star book where the artist is a lot more popular than the writer. The artist still has to be insanely popular (Ditko, Romita Sr, Mcfarlane, Adams) even more so than anyone else who'd be accepted for the book. And the writer has to be respected (Kreuger had Earth X under his belt, and that's made a few Top 100 lists.) Originally Posted by EmmettHULK
Last edited by Mister Mets; 02-24-2006 at 12:04 AM.
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02-23-2006, 11:56 PM #15Swedish Shinigami
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Well since it would have to be a really a-list book it would have to have big a-list names. The only big a-list writer that I know can write Spider-man well is Mark Millar.
As for artist I would have to say either Mark Bagley or David Finch.
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