Is It Time For A NEW Web-Swinger?

[ZT4]

Brand New Day should have been all about a relaunching everyone could stomach...instead we got the final, definitive character-rape of an iconic figure who has been trerated with as much malice by his editors as Peter suffered at the hands of condescending Thompson-herded crowds.

And it was all because nobody knew what to do anymore with a Peter who had accomplished virtually everything sans the diaper-changing duties.

They had the solution during The Clone Saga, Ben Reily, but he became as much a victim of the unclear destination of the Saga and fan boycotting as Peter did. He was fine as Scarlet Spider, fans liked him as his own person, but he could'nt be presented as the "real" Peter Parker.

The Clone Saga gave Peter his happy ending, they did'nt need to make Ben his clone, he could've been someone else who was bitten by a Spider, a victim of random circumstances, that Peter would make his apprentice and train, and then relinquish the batton too.

And if not Ben, then why not someone else? Is it finally time to risk giving the coustume to someone else? We're preparing to embrace Bucky as Cap, but he's familiar. What about Kyle Rayner? Even Timm's Terry Mcguiness?

And with the Red Hulk spearheading Loeb's title...that's undeniable proof Marvel did'nt need to keep the same character around if all that is required is changing the face.

Granted, Kyle did'nt last, to many fans chagrin, but he lasted long enough to gain a fanbase and prove a generational heir can succeed in a role held by a "definitive version"

And let's not forget that Hal's turn to evil was considered as flawed as OMD. With the praise BND is getting is a parralel of Kyle's beggining as GL...you hated how we got here, but you like where we're at.

So is it time we took a risk again? Embrace the ideas that Cap and Hulk are taking with Spidey? I say yes

[Red Lotus]

they did this before, but it didn't last long. Just like 3 issue.

[ZT4]

I don't know what makes DC so...durable at it and Marvel not so...

[DDM]

Ben Reilly attempted to replace Peter Parker was the one true Spider-Man in the early 1990's; as a result, Marvel literally lost their core fans. It has taken Marvel over a decade to get new fans or retrieve the original fans.

I am one of those fans who have not read Spidey since The Clone Saga. I just don't see the Peter Parker I've read before, although Marvel tried their best to restore Peter Parker being the one true Spider-Man.

I can see Marvel doing a similar stunt again given the current editors seem blind about Marvel's past mistakes.

[DDM]

I don't know what makes DC so...durable at it and Marvel not so...

Although they are in the comic book publishing business, they have very different universes & characters. One would not write Peter Parker as Clark Kent.
The Marvel Universe is established to be an interactive universe where Spidey is likely to run into the FF on his way to somewhere else. Marvel's characters have flaws, but they are also very much HEROES.

[Sean Whitmore]

I don't know what makes DC so...durable at it and Marvel not so...

DC isn't exactly the best example of legacy heroes these days.

Hal Jordan is back, Kyle Rayner is just a face in the crowd
Oliver Queen is back, spoilers:

Connor Hawke is brain-dead

end of spoilers
Hourman robot is dead, Hourman I has been resurrected.
Bart Allen is dead, Wally West is back. (True, he's a legacy hero too, but still)

It's an untenable situation. The iconic heroes will never be replaced, because it's ingrained in the public consciousness that they are who they are. This goes for Batman, Superman, and, I'd argue, now Spider-Man.

And as for lower-tier heroes, who could easily be replaced, there's always gonna be some nostalgic writer who wants to bring back the original model. Ben was doomed from the start, and any newcomer will ultimately meet the same fate.


SEAN

[DarKye]

Let's make MVP replace Peter as the true Spider-Man. While one of them goes to work, other can go wallcrawling and the last one... Huh, stays home and plays videogames or something. Then they rotate turns.

THREE SCARLET SPIDER-MEN.


That would totally work.

[ZT4]

DC isn't exactly the best example of legacy heroes these days.

Hal Jordan is back, Kyle Rayner is just a face in the crowd
Oliver Queen is back, spoilers:

Connor Hawke is brain-dead

end of spoilers
Hourman robot is dead, Hourman I has been resurrected.
Bart Allen is dead, Wally West is back. (True, he's a legacy hero too, but still)

Wally is thankfully still the exception to the rule, Bart I felt was'nt ready to be Flash, but his death was still a pitiful decision.
I don't think there's one person who thinks that WON'T be retconned eventually.

Wally's "my" Flash just as Married Peter was "my" Spider-Man. He's also lasted, generations wise, longer than Kyle and Connor in the role for about twenty years or so, that's a milestone for anyone succeeding anybody, so it makes sense to keep what clearly worked.

[rZi]

My original post was a bit cruel so i'll try to be constructive (sorry sean :p)

Thinking back to the clone saga of the 90's i rememeber everyone being really hyped about what Reily would bring to the table as the scarlet spider as it was the first time it had been done with full commitment.

If the steel spider somehow got a new arm it'd be hilarious. I can't really think of anyone else to take the mantle unless a clone of some kind. OR THE SPIDER-MUGGAH!

[Sean Whitmore]

Oh, I'd buy The Spectacular Spider-Mugger.

Think about it: Make it a MAX book, get Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon on it? Are you kidding me? I wish I could subscribe tomorrow!


SEAN

[matthewaos]

It's funny how DC can do this all the time (except for Batman and Superman) and marvel can't, or won't.

[CyberCoyote]

The great part about the mask is you can pass it on. I'd have no problems with a story where Pete faces making a deal with the Devil and passes the mantel along to a new Spider-Man. I wanted Ben to last, I'd take him back again.

[Monty_Cristo]

Eric O'Grady should get the spider-powers. or Dan Slott can just keep on doing what he's doing. :)

[Red Lotus]

It's funny how DC can do this all the time (except for Batman and Superman) and marvel can't, or won't.

Marvel does do this. Look at Cap now. How about Ghost Rider, Antman, Daredevil, Iron Man.

[Alan2099]

Marvel does do this. Look at Cap now. How about Ghost Rider, Antman, Daredevil, Iron Man.

Better example, Human Torch.