Does something feel off with Peter Parker?

[Chris S.]

Now I know this is a topic discussed everywhere but I feel lost. I just started a thread about the worth of your ASM collection. Now don't think I am considering selling my collection; really the opposite.

I've found in recent months that ASM just isn't intriguing me like it was before BND. I don't want this to turn into a BND bashing thread which I'm sure it will.

I just have had a hard time getting into ASM ever since the dissolving of the marriage. I just don't find myself being as passionate about the character as I once was. The fact alone that I have been reading X-Men is testament to that.

This may be the rambling of a Spider-Man Zombie finally breaking free of the spell cast upon me as an 8 year old but I just feel lost.....

I truly hope the issues leading up to 600 will make me put down the X-Men books and get back into Spider-Man.

[Matt Linton]

I think it's different for different people. I've been reading Spider-Man for almost twenty years, but I've rarely been more than a casual fan. It (whether Amazing, Web, Spectacular, Friendly, etc) was usually just a book I read and kind of liked (or, at times, didn't). BND and the issues that followed have been at the top of my reading list. It's not Shakespeare, or even Sandman, but it's the most consistently fun and enjoyable read for me.

[Chris S.]

I think it's different for different people. I've been reading Spider-Man for almost twenty years, but I've rarely been more than a casual fan. It (whether Amazing, Web, Spectacular, Friendly, etc) was usually just a book I read and kind of liked (or, at times, didn't). BND and the issues that followed have been at the top of my reading list. It's not Shakespeare, or even Sandman, but it's the most consistently fun and enjoyable read for me.

I'm not saying the writing is bad by any means. I have enjoyed it and we have gotten some high caliber stories. It just doesn't feel the same.

[Matt Linton]

I can understand that. It's still "Spider-Man", but in a lot of ways, it's a very different Spider-Man than before.

[RDMacQ]

I've been a pretty big fan of Spider-Man since I was a child. In fact, I can't remember there being a time when I DIDN'T love Spider-Man. And I still do, to an extent. However, due to recent events with the character I can't help but feel that some of the magic has been lost. This isn't just and OMD thing- although that does contribute to my feelings on the matter- but starting with Spider-Man 3 my feelings on the character began to sour. I do feel that the character has taken a step backwards, in terms of progression, characterization and overall likability, all under the auspices of "fixing" him or "preserving" his appeal for future generations. I understand that the creative forces enjoy their jobs and feel that they are doing what they feel is best for the character, however I can't help but feel that their attachment to a previous era of doing things may be clouding their judgement as what may be "best" for Spider-Man and his mythos.

[CyberHubbs]

I'm not saying the writing is bad by any means. I have enjoyed it and we have gotten some high caliber stories. It just doesn't feel the same.

For every fan, there is a moment when the fantasy is broken. The dissolving of the marriage was quite possibly that moment in your case. For others, it could have been the Clone Saga or Gwen's death. Heck, for a select few it might have even been the marriage to begin with.

It happens to everyone at some point or another. You can't go thirty years of reading the same comic without finally coming to a point where something upsets you so much that you have to step away for a while, or longer. Especially as you get older, and you're not quite the wide-eyed youth you once were that could simply shrug a bad occurence off and still pick up the next issue.

I honestly don't know the cure for it. Walk away for a bit, see how you feel in a few more months? Or its time to walk away for good. We all say our goodbyes eventually.

[Matt Linton]

I've been a pretty big fan of Spider-Man since I was a child. In fact, I can't remember there being a time when I DIDN'T love Spider-Man. And I still do, to an extent. However, due to recent events with the character I can't help but feel that some of the magic has been lost. This isn't just and OMD thing- although that does contribute to my feelings on the matter- but starting with Spider-Man 3 my feelings on the character began to sour. I do feel that the character has taken a step backwards, in terms of progression, characterization and overall likability, all under the auspices of "fixing" him or "preserving" his appeal for future generations. I understand that the creative forces enjoy their jobs and feel that they are doing what they feel is best for the character, however I can't help but feel that their attachment to a previous era of doing things may be clouding their judgement as what may be "best" for Spider-Man and his mythos.

I think it's sort of a "Crisis" (in the DC sense of the word) sort of thing. Superman's the perfect example. There are people who absolutely love the pre-Crisis Superman, and people who absolutely love the post-Crisis/Man of Steel Superman. And, of course, there are people who love or hate both. Both are "Superman", though.

What some call a regression, others think of as back to basics. While OMD/BND derailed the character for some, others feel it got the character back on track.

More specifically, while you feel that an attachment to a previous era is clouding the judgment of those working on the book now, others might feel that your attachment to endless progression and unbroken continuity is clouding your judgment when that progression is in the "wrong" direction.

[Grapeweasel]

For all the hoopla, it's been about as bland a 50 issue stretch as ASM has ever experienced.

[TF_loki]

For every fan, there is a moment when the fantasy is broken. The dissolving of the marriage was quite possibly that moment in your case. For others, it could have been the Clone Saga or Gwen's death. Heck, for a select few it might have even been the marriage to begin with.

It happens to everyone at some point or another. You can't go thirty years of reading the same comic without finally coming to a point where something upsets you so much that you have to step away for a while, or longer. Especially as you get older, and you're not quite the wide-eyed youth you once were that could simply shrug a bad occurence off and still pick up the next issue.

I honestly don't know the cure for it. Walk away for a bit, see how you feel in a few more months? Or its time to walk away for good. We all say our goodbyes eventually.

That's pretty much it and I think every fan gets it on every long running series at some point. I've been off X-men for 5 or so years for similar reasons. Sometimes you just have to walk away for a while...

[BlackToe]

That's pretty much it and I think every fan gets it on every long running series at some point. I've been off X-men for 5 or so years for similar reasons. Sometimes you just have to walk away for a while...

Thats what I did for most of the 90's. Then I discovered Spawn, Heavy Metal and reconnected with Dark Horse favs.

[Jim Thompson]

For all the hoopla, it's been about as bland a 50 issue stretch as ASM has ever experienced.

It's really starting to have the feel the book had for me in the 70s -- no real earth-shattering moments for the character, just a long run of fun, okay stories.

[Jim Thompson]

Thats what I did for most of the 90's. Then I discovered Spawn, Heavy Metal and reconnected with Dark Horse favs.

Too bad we don't have stuff today like Eerie, Creepy, The Rook, Vampirella, 1984 and the rest of the Harris line!

Now that would be great!

[Leocomix]

Something was off before but now it's fine.

[RDMacQ]

I think it's sort of a "Crisis" (in the DC sense of the word) sort of thing. Superman's the perfect example. There are people who absolutely love the pre-Crisis Superman, and people who absolutely love the post-Crisis/Man of Steel Superman. And, of course, there are people who love or hate both. Both are "Superman", though.

What some call a regression, others think of as back to basics. While OMD/BND derailed the character for some, others feel it got the character back on track.

More specifically, while you feel that an attachment to a previous era is clouding the judgment of those working on the book now, others might feel that your attachment to endless progression and unbroken continuity is clouding your judgment when that progression is in the "wrong" direction.

The thing with Superman, though, is that it was a clean break. Everything that came before Crisis no longer happened, and everything after Crisis was a new beginning. That got wonky over the year, but the Crisis of Infinite Earth's was meant to be a brand new start, with an updated origin, new relationships and re-examinations of the relationships between the characters. With Spider-Man, its not a clean break. It's saying "this part never happened, but this part did. This part didn't happen, but maybe it did, maybe it didn't." Its not clear. With Superman, you knew what did or didn't count.

And I am not particularly attached to one having Spider-Man one specific way. Married, single, either way if fine by me, just tell me a good story and treat me like an intelligent adult. I don't get the feeling that is what is happening. I don't need an endless series of progression, but I would like to have the sense that the character won't be frozen in amber for all eternity in order to preserve his appeal. We know that he doesn't have to BE a certain way in order for people to become attached to him or enjoy his stories. So this insistence by certain creators that the character HAS to be this way, and CAN'T do this or else his appeal will be diminished I feel is damaging to the character and his mythos. And what one regards as back to basic, others can regard as lazy and uninspired storytelling. The character may be easier to write, but that doesn't mean he is more interesting to read. The character is far more than his marital status, and the focus on getting him back to this certain point ignores so much that can be done with the character and his mythos. And if the focus is on going back rather than forging ahead, than the franchise is going to face troubles since it is making things better for a previous generation of fans rather than making things interesting for the current generation.

[Jim Thompson]

The thing with Superman, though, is that it was a clean break. Everything that came before Crisis no longer happened, and everything after Crisis was a new beginning. That got wonky over the year, but the Crisis of Infinite Earth's was meant to be a brand new start, with an updated origin, new relationships and re-examinations of the relationships between the characters. With Spider-Man, its not a clean break. It's saying "this part never happened, but this part did. This part didn't happen, but maybe it did, maybe it didn't." Its not clear. With Superman, you knew what did or didn't count.

That approach certainly did help them in their efforts -- and gave them an opportunity to re-tell some popular tales with a fresh perspective, taking into account modern audience sensibilities. For example, the re-telling of the first meeting between Batman and Superman. Had Marvel gone that route, they could have done the same thing for the first meeting between Spider-Man and the FF.