Classic Ultimate Spider-Man is new to me...

[wyokid]

I mean it's been a couple years short of a decade since I've read them, but yeah. The Year One film was bad too.

[Robbie_Jee]

The Sandman issue was out of this world.

[Wolverine12]

so here are some brief observations on #1-3

#1 - I met Kong, who at this point seems like a total d-bag. It'll be interesting to see how he becomes the kinda cool guy he is in the later issues that I've read.
Glad to see Peter was excited as he discovered his new powers... Much unlike Miles who seemed very not cool with the idea of having powers.
My favorite line was from the nurse, "Thick skin you got there"

#2- This is a totally fun issue. Peter tries out his powers, flipping around, sticking to walls, picking up a car.. breaks flashes hand with a block.. which was awesome because he didn't do anything crazy that would reveal he had powers, he just made flash look like a pansy.
I liked how this issue introduced Otto Octavius and showed that he really wasn't a very good guy even before he had the accident and went nuts.

#3- Another issue packed with content. Peter starts his short lived pro wrestling career, owns on the basketball court(which thank God he stopped because he really needs to avoid showing off out of costume), and Norman Osborne decides to experiment on himself.
I liked the idea to have Peter's costume be given to him by the wrestling boss rather than him making it at home. It never made sense that the original Spider-Man was able to make his costume at home. Just ask anyone who ever tried to make one.
My favorite part is Peter's line: "You know what Flash? How about you hop in the ring? And then when you lose - your family can sue his family"

More to come

I always find it enjoyable when we get a newer poster on here who hasn't had a chance to read the original run of the UU come here and talk to us about how great the stories are. It reminds me of the first time I read the stories. Glad to hear that you are liking the original USM run.

On a side not, reading your review of the original USM was more exciting than the first 3 issue with Miles lol.

[Trallis]

I always find it enjoyable when we get a newer poster on here who hasn't had a chance to read the original run of the UU come here and talk to us about how great the stories are. It reminds me of the first time I read the stories. Glad to hear that you are liking the original USM run.

On a side not, reading your review of the original USM was more exciting than the first 3 issue with Miles lol.

Thanks man, and thanks for reading them. These issues all seem designed to have a lasting impact on the story and characters.. so they're unlike a lot of ongoing comic series. I haven't come across a single throw away issue or throw away arc yet. The part I like most is finding moments in these issues that are relevant to much more recent issues. Having one writer on a book for so long is pretty awesome. It's a rarity, but it seems like any modern comic that's stuck with the same writer for it's entire run has been really popular. I'll be posting more of my thoughts shortly.. hoping I can touch on something awesome someone forgot about or maybe even something that wasn't noticed

[Russ840]

Thanks man, and thanks for reading them. These issues all seem designed to have a lasting impact on the story and characters.. so they're unlike a lot of ongoing comic series. I haven't come across a single throw away issue or throw away arc yet. The part I like most is finding moments in these issues that are relevant to much more recent issues. Having one writer on a book for so long is pretty awesome. It's a rarity, but it seems like any modern comic that's stuck with the same writer for it's entire run has been really popular. I'll be posting more of my thoughts shortly.. hoping I can touch on something awesome someone forgot about or maybe even something that wasn't noticed

Dude I'm still waiting on my copy. Cannot wait to re-read it. I look forward to hearing your opinions on the stories.

[batcowlives]

One of my least favorites was the three 2 issue story arcs of random team ups. They were still good but they were kind of eh. Still Ultimate Spiderman is my favorite comic series. Ultimate Venom arc was amazing and should be the inspiration for any movies with venom.

[Trallis]

Here are some thought on issues #4 &#5: This is the story that defines Peter's future as a superhero. After Spidey's big wrestling win he gets accused of stealing the petty cash. It's his introduction to the idea that wearing a mask makes him instantly guilty in the eyes of others. After escaping the mob of guys who have just turned on him for supposedly stealing the money just because he won't unmask, he's bitter towards the world and really selfishly doesn't bother to stop the robbery. This was done pretty much the same as in Amazing Fantasy, but no complaints there. What was done differently that I really liked was how he interacted with Uncle Ben just before the murder. In Amazing Fantasy, the last time he saw Uncle Ben before he was murdered they were laughing together and Ben and May gave him a new microscope which he enthusiastically thanked them for. Uncle Ben's death had an effect on him because he could have prevented it by stopping that armed robber, we all know that.. But in USM, things happened a lot differently and I think the way things happened added a lot more weight to the guilt that Peter would have to carry. His last two interactions with his Uncle were arguments, and both times he was very childish and ran away, one time whining about his father not being there which is a huge insult to Uncle Ben who has been there for him his whole life. After both arguments Ben, in his infinite wisdom and patience, still sees Peter for the good kid that he is and sees Peter's behavior as a tough phase he's going through. Peter never get's to know that Ben forgives him for running away and mouthing off because Ben gets killed. Another thing that adds weight to the situation when Peter runs off is that Ben had just given him the speech about "great responsibility". I really liked the wording of Uncle Ben's speech. In the original story, it was only established later on in the series that the wisdom had come from Ben, and in Amazing Fantasy #15 the line appeared in the narration box at the end of the issue. This time Bendis had the chance to write it into the plot, and he did it well. Ben words it in a way that can be applied to anyone's life, and not just someone with "great power". The speech is about the responsibility any gifted person has to use their gifts to make the world better for others. It's only later--after Ben is murdered, Peter tracks down and captures his killer, and realizes he could have prevented it--that Peter actually hears his Uncle's speech for the first time. And that's when Peter applies the wisdom to his own situation and says "For some reason, I've been given great power. And with great power then must come great responsibility". It's probably the greatest moral to ever come out of a super hero story and it couldn't have been executed better than Bendis did here. I'm not criticizing how it was originally done. Credit for the moral itself goes to the genius of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. But Bendis had the opportunity to make it even more special and he did.

This is an example of something I've been saying since I started reading USM.. Bendis took full advantage of the fact that the readers already loved the character and he didn't have to jump right into exciting spider-man stories. He paced it carefully and told a rich and colorful origin story with plenty of character development and emotional extremes in both directions. A lot of people seem to be complaining about Bendis' pacing lately in Miles Morales' story, and it makes me wonder if they've read these issues. Bendis has earned my faith with his work on a number of different comics. If he wants to tell a story with a slower pace, I trust that it's gonna be for a big payoff down the line. He proved that to be true in USM and I think he already has with Miles in UCMS #11

Okay that one was kinda long winded. I'll post some more reactions soon. Right now I'm just flipping through the issues I've already read and mentioning the things that stuck out when I first read them like a week ago.

[Trallis]

Issue #6 was pretty cool. Peter makes his webs and thanks his dead father for laying the groundwork, then proceeds to celebrate by web slinging around in his underwear. It was nice to have a light hearted moment to start off the issue because the rest was Peter breaking another desk and then the school getting attacked by Green Goblin. Even though everything's going horribly wrong, Peter jumps right into character when he gets into his costume. I think my favorite line in the series so far is "Big time super hero comin' through!" That belongs on a tshirt, I think. Another great moment is the Green Goblin reveal. I'd already seen shadowy images of him, I knew what helooked like, but the reveal was still awesome. Bagley used a full page just to capture how huge and intimidation he is. The contrasting image of him with Peter facing away from us and looking really tiny in the foreground is awesome. Green Goblin was always a tough villain, but he was never cool looking, now he's badass looking. I also like how he hasn't quite figured out what the "tingling thing" is yet.

[Wolverine12]

Issue #6 was pretty cool. Peter makes his webs and thanks his dead father for laying the groundwork, then proceeds to celebrate by web slinging around in his underwear. It was nice to have a light hearted moment to start off the issue because the rest was Peter breaking another desk and then the school getting attacked by Green Goblin. Even though everything's going horribly wrong, Peter jumps right into character when he gets into his costume. I think my favorite line in the series so far is "Big time super hero comin' through!" That belongs on a tshirt, I think. Another great moment is the Green Goblin reveal. I'd already seen shadowy images of him, I knew what helooked like, but the reveal was still awesome. Bagley used a full page just to capture how huge and intimidation he is. The contrasting image of him with Peter facing away from us and looking really tiny in the foreground is awesome. Green Goblin was always a tough villain, but he was never cool looking, now he's badass looking. I also like how he hasn't quite figured out what the "tingling thing" is yet.

That was a great issue.

[Trallis]

There's a bizarre coloring error in issue #33.. anyone notice this? Peter and Aunt May are holding each other after watching the family video.. Before this panel, May was wearing a purple half sleeved shirt, and Peter was in a white wife beater. In the first panel on page 10 Peter's wife beater is purple, and his hair is white. Aunt May's shirt is now white and her hair is brown. Weeeird

[NotSoFast]

Issue #13 is my favorite Bagley issue. Bendis handled that masterfully.

No way, Spidey revealed his identity to MJ waaay too early. Bendis should have waited longer, we had almost no time to see Peter dealing with being Spider-Man alone.

[batcowlives]

I really liked that issue but its weird to think that Ultimate Spidey was single for less than 30 issues of the entire run of USM or UCSM especially since the 616 Peter has so many issues with women.

[Spidey Fan Dan]

There's a bizarre coloring error in issue #33.. anyone notice this? Peter and Aunt May are holding each other after watching the family video.. Before this panel, May was wearing a purple half sleeved shirt, and Peter was in a white wife beater. In the first panel on page 10 Peter's wife beater is purple, and his hair is white. Aunt May's shirt is now white and her hair is brown. Weeeird

Woah! I just checked this out in my original first print USM Vol.3 Hardcover and you are absolotely right. The colourist coloured Pete with May's colours and May with Pete's colours! I've read this arc a hundred times and never noticed that.

This week i've been on holiday from work and on a whim decided to re-read Ultimate Spider-man from the beginning. I own every single individual issue of USM as well as all 12 oversized Hardcover volumes (all first printings) as well as the Bagley varaint Omnibus. I decided to read the floppies as I wanted to see all the old ad's from 12 years ago.

Back in the day I started reading USM from issue 22 and hunted down the previous 21 (and Wizard 1/2 issue). USM was my gateway into Spidey comics, although I had been a Spidey fan since I was a kid, thanks to the 90's Fox cartoon. Over time I kinda tuned out to USM and became more immersed in the 616 universe, officially jumping ship when Brand New Day began. But I carried on buying USM out of loyalty / habit and boy am I gald I did.

Don't get me wrong I LOVE what Dan Slott is doing in ASM these days (reminds me off the 90's cartoon season long story arc style). But for me, Ultimate Spider-Man is what I will be showing my kids one day. It captures the true essence of Spidey, being that he's a teenager.

One of my first obseravations re-reading USM (i'm up to issue 78) is the few references to stuff that happened in Ultimate Marvel Team-Up / X-Men. Such as Peter's first meeting with Doc Conners, his first encounters with Wolverine, his first encounter with Doctor Strange, and in fact the Super Hero assignment that is mentioned in the first Doc Ock arc(?) was actually shown in the Ultimate Spider-Man Super Special that capped off the Ultimate Marvel Team-Up run.

Luckily for me I own the Hardcover and single issues of UMTU as well.

But I recommend you check out UMTU too. All issues were written by Bendis and for the most part (except the FF issue) it's considered to be Ultimate canon.