The Spider-Man Thread

**TimothyCallahan** · 08-30-2008, 10:20 PM

Grant Morrison said, and I quote, "I couldn't write Spider-Man. He's too specific."

I know exactly what he means, although who wouldn't love to see Morrison try to write Peter Parker's annoyingly witty banter?

But as I type this, I happen to be wearing an old-school "Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends" t-shirt, and I just finished writing a review for next week's "Amazing Spider-Man" issue. I'm not really a Spidey guy, but I've been enjoying the series ever since "Brand New Day," and "Ultimate Spider-Man" singlehandedly justifies the entire existence of that line.

Here's how much I care about the whole marriage controversy, by the way: 0%

Here's how much I like Spider-Man comics over the past few months: quite a bit.

What do you think about Spider-Man, in all of his incarnations?

**section 8** · 08-31-2008, 12:01 AM

Clone saga aside it is a great title, not my fav, but great.

**Cayman** · 08-31-2008, 12:05 AM

I feel much more interested in reading Amazing right now than I have in years.

**deantrippe** · 08-31-2008, 12:09 AM

I wasn't outraged at the decision to devil-wish away Peter and MJ's marriage so much as I was incapable of understanding the decision, since I grew up with that as an important part of the Spidey mythos. It really just seemed to me like the creators behind this push couldn't write married life or women well, and wanted to find a way out of having to attempt either in any meaningful way.

I had a hard time reading the issues during the devil-wish storyline, so I dropped it, and afterwards found it hard to take the series seriously while the devil-wish alternate universe was (I assumed) temporarily in place. I could deal with Spidey popping up in Avengers titles, but Peter's appearances in his own book just seemed fake to me. Like Age of Apocalypse without the cool new costumes. Heh.

That said, I've finally picked the book back up again for the New Ways To Die storyline. I don't understand all the new status quo stuff, or why barely anything seems to be happening per issue (what is this, Superman?), but the art is incredible and the writing is very welcoming.

Questions: Why does Spidey know that people knew his secret identity but don't anymore? Why is Harry Osborn starting Starbucks?

Awesome Things: I love Ben Urich's Front Line paper. I'm glad to hear MJ and Pete were still together during the times I thought they were. Anti-Venom.

Basically, it'll be hard for me to not read a book with this many solid creators on board, but I just don't get the point of it. I'm trying to care. Slott's Pete dialogue is really good. I can do this.

**deantrippe** · 08-31-2008, 12:11 AM

The back-up story with Waid and Granov is awesome, too.

**TimothyCallahan** · 08-31-2008, 12:27 PM

I don't really understand all the details of the new status quo, but here's what I gather:

1. Peter remembers that everyone used to know his identity but he doesn't remember being married to MJ.

2. All of the MJ and Peter stuff happened, except they were just shacking up and were not married.

3. Even if they reboot it and have everyone re-remember the marriage, that still won't invalidate the stories going on now at all.

4. Harry needed something to do, so Starbucks, jr. it is.

I don't see why they couldn't have brought these creators on and still done kickass stories with a married Peter, but they didn't and now the book is actually good for the first time in a long time.

(And the "barely anything happening" per issue is a complaint I have with a lot of comics, but at least this one comes out so often, I don't mind as much.)

**TCJohnson** · 08-31-2008, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by TimothyCallahan

1. Peter remembers that everyone used to know his identity but he doesn't remember being married to MJ.

I don't think this one is right...I don't think Peter remembers that people used to know his identity.

**TimothyCallahan** · 08-31-2008, 02:23 PM

But doesn't Peter say something to that effect in a recent issue? Or am I making that up?

**deantrippe** · 08-31-2008, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by TimothyCallahan

But doesn't Peter say something to that effect in a recent issue? Or am I making that up?

No, you're right. I don't get it either, but Peter is surprised that Norman Osborn doesn't remember his identity anymore, and notes that no one does. What?

**Sean Whitmore** · 09-01-2008, 02:00 AM

Originally Posted by TCJohnson

I don't think this one is right...I don't think Peter remembers that people used to know his identity.

He has to, doesn't he? He knows he was once on Tony's side during the war, so at the very least, the government would had to have known his identity at the time.

SEAN

**Michael P** · 09-01-2008, 03:27 AM

Marvel's Dirty Little Secret: They have no plan. They had no plan. They were just praying (or perhaps simply deluded enough to think) no one would care what exactly had changed. Now they're playing catch-up by the seat of their pants.

Schadenfreude: The only means of enjoying Spider-Man left to me. I'll take what I can get.

**TimothyCallahan** · 09-01-2008, 10:27 AM

They have no plan. They had no plan. They were just praying (or perhaps simply deluded enough to think) no one would care what exactly had changed. Now they're playing catch-up by the seat of their pants.

I don't think this is true, but then again, isn't this how comics were written for nearly 50 years? Is it so bad if they're just making it all up as they go along? And if so, why?

**Cayman** · 09-01-2008, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by Michael P

Marvel's Dirty Little Secret: They have no plan. They had no plan. They were just praying (or perhaps simply deluded enough to think) no one would care what exactly had changed. Now they're playing catch-up by the seat of their pants.

Schadenfreude: The only means of enjoying Spider-Man left to me. I'll take what I can get.

This doesn't seem to mesh with all the interviews I've read.

Are you privy to some inside info?

**GRANT!** · 09-01-2008, 10:42 AM

I've been enjoying most of the Brand New Day stuff (mostly the Dan Slott stuff). It's definately one of the lighter reads out there but it's been pretty fun. ANd the emphasis on new bad guys has been great. Only a few stand out though like Paperdoll and Overdrive but I appreciate the effort. And the art has been great for the most part. Marcos Martin, Chris Bachalo, Steve McNiven, John Romita Jr. Some great looking issues. The thrice monthly thing is kind of killing me though. I almost think Marvel should just publish a fat 72 page monthly Spider-man book. Might actually do better with kids.