Spider-Writer Sundays: Terry Kavanagh

[Billium 3]

Welcome back for another sensational Spider-Writer Sundays, Spidey fans. This week we'll be talking about Terry Kavanagh, whom many of you may remember from back in the early '90s, particularly on Web of Spider-Man.
He gave us the WoS issue in which Peter Parker dons his metallic Spider-Armor (WoS #100). He also wrote some of the "Maximum Carnage" issues. He, perhaps, is most famous for his "Live and Let Die" arc, where he posed the question "Who is FACADE?" (A question still unanswered, which many of you, I am sure, are glad went unanswered). That particular story-line also killed off Peter's once rival, Lance Bannon. He was also behind many of the "Clone Saga" issues and stories.

I, myself, can't say I am a fan of his ("Live and Let Die" was so bad I couldn't finish it, so I had to skim the rest of the way). But what say you other Spidey fans? Let the discussion, commence!

http://spiderfan.org/credits/terry_kavanagh.html

[oldschool]

Ugh. Sorry but this guy is most definitely on my short list of worst stories ever written for Spidey. Just not much that I can think of to recommend here. Perhaps some of it was the era and some editorial direction but I found his stories to be lacking any real substance at all and very little follow-up or continuity; as I said, it may be a by-product of the 1990's style, but that didn't stop others from writing good stories. Bottom of the barrell for me, I am afraid.

[entzauberung]

Honestly, Kavanagh is the worst professional writer I've ever read.

[sirvk]

I haven't read much of his stuff, but I don't mind what I have read.

[oldschool]

Honestly, Kavanagh is the worst professional writer I've ever read.

See, I did not want to say that because I am not familiar with his other (non-Spidey) work but, yeah, on Spidey he is rock-bottom for me.

[Kevin Nichols]

"Live and Let Die" was so bad I couldn't finish it...
http://spiderfan.org/credits/terry_kavanagh.html

Live and Let Die was so bad that Terry Kavanagh couldn't finish it! Who the hell was FACADE anyway?!?

[oldschool]

Live and Let Die was so bad that Terry Kavanaugh couldn't finish it! Who the hell was FACADE anyway?!?

I know! I can only assume everyone felt the same way and so Marvel just moved on and never referenced it again.....still, I am mildly curious what endgame Kavanagh had in mind (if any!) while he was writing it.

[sirvk]

If I ever get a job writing Spider-Man, I'll bring Facade back.

[Aziz Abbasi]

This story is very nice
I enjoyed his Ben Reilly stories

[Duy]

If I ever get a job writing Spider-Man, I'll bring Facade back.

I would too, just because he gets SO much talk about him that I think bringing him back to reveal who he is is the only way to get us all to shut up about it.

[Aziz Abbasi]

I passed on that story, all that matters is knowing that some mysterious supervillain murdered Lance Bannon

Odd, I just mixed up Bannon with Leeds I almost typed in the wrong name

[entzauberung]

See, I did not want to say that because I am not familiar with his other (non-Spidey) work but, yeah, on Spidey he is rock-bottom for me.

I haven't read the famous Facade story, but there is a Web of Spider-Man two-parter with Firebrand and the Morlocks that people should check out because it's just so gloriously inept.

[David Walton]

Terry Kavanaugh wrote a really cool Cardiac story, where he had to perform surgery on one of his victims. I love that story.

His biggest impact on comics history is undoubtedly his suggestion that Marvel bring the clone back!

He must be pretty persuasive, because he was originally shot down, but brought the entire Spider-summit over to his side of the table.

[matthewaos]

Kavanagh gets a lot of dirt. He has writen some decent stories but none essential that I can remember. Pretty good choise for a thread. Let's all find three good stories of him.

[David Walton]

Kavanagh gets a lot of dirt. He has writen some decent stories but none essential that I can remember. Pretty good choise for a thread. Let's all find three good stories of him.

I think Kavanaugh wrote several well-crafted, enjoyable stories, but his best work was at a time when there were a lot of cooks in the kitchen. He strikes me as one of those writers of whom one might recognize his stories, but not the power behind it.

And he is the guy who suggested the Clone Saga...

I enjoy the Cardiac story immensely.