What Did You Love About JMS's Amazing Spidey Run?

[MrV]

I have to say J. Michael Straczynski's run from Amazing Spider-Man #471 (original numbering, printed as ASM Vol. 2 #30) to Amazing Spider-Man #545 was among my favorites for how radical it was. I could say this run is comparable to Grant Morrison's New X-Men in terms of how many changes it tried to bring and how few stuck around in the end. Nevertheless the effort is well appreciated.

Not seeing the classic villains was a nice change, as they had grown pretty stale until the Gauntlet and Grim Hunt revived interest in them, and I bet I am in the minority who considers the Ezekiel VS Morlun VS Totem Spider-Man stories ingeniously refreshing. I also feel Aunt May became a much stronger character thanks to JMS.

Those who are fans of JMS and his run in Amazing Spidey are welcomed to come discuss what they enjoyed most and where they would have liked the stories to go, had they not been retconned away by One More Day and Brand New Day.

[chicainery]

I really enjoyed JMS' and JRjr's run on Amazing Spider-man. I feel they complemented each other very well and I have read and reread their Amazing run a few times.

[MrV]

I really enjoyed JMS' and JRjr's run on Amazing Spider-man. I feel they complemented each other very well and I have read and reread their Amazing run a few times.

I loved having Peter as a high school teacher, it was something I could relate to very well at time of publication. I loved those character moments when Peter stood up for his students and even helped one with his personal problems. It had a very similar feeling to films like "Freedom Writers," "Stand and Deliver" and "The Great Debaters." What about you?

[Kevinroc]

I thought the original Morlun story was just okay. I know a lot of other people really love it but I always thought it was a pretty standard hero/villain battle. That being said, once Aunt May found out, I was overjoyed. It really did shake up the dynamic between Peter and May. And it's an element that I miss after One More Day.

I never really missed the classic villains in Amazing because they tended to stick around the satellite titles like Peter Parker, Spectacular and Marvel Knights/Sensational. Spidey could always use new antagonists.

While I wasn't wild about MJ being written out following some of the horrible stories that had come before, JMS did an effective job of weaving her back into the narrative. And their reconciliation was well-handled. The JMS run was essentially a love story and all together was a pretty good one (except for... you know).

A lot of people forget this but there were a lot of funny little moments during the JMS run. May giving the kid a look as he was about to look at porn, MJ finding out May knew Peter's secret, the banter between Peter and MJ (too many examples).

And while the later half of the run gets a lot of controversy, I did enjoy the New Avengers arc. And I found Back In Black a pretty exciting story.

[MrV]

I thought the original Morlun story was just okay. I know a lot of other people really love it but I always thought it was a pretty standard hero/villain battle. That being said, once Aunt May found out, I was overjoyed. It really did shake up the dynamic between Peter and May. And it's an element that I miss after One More Day.

I never really missed the classic villains in Amazing because they tended to stick around the satellite titles like Peter Parker, Spectacular and Marvel Knights/Sensational. Spidey could always use new antagonists.

While I wasn't wild about MJ being written out following some of the horrible stories that had come before, JMS did an effective job of weaving her back into the narrative. And their reconciliation was well-handled. The JMS run was essentially a love story and all together was a pretty good one (except for... you know).

A lot of people forget this but there were a lot of funny little moments during the JMS run. May giving the kid a look as he was about to look at porn, MJ finding out May knew Peter's secret, the banter between Peter and MJ (too many examples).

And while the later half of the run gets a lot of controversy, I did enjoy the New Avengers arc. And I found Back In Black a pretty exciting story.

I actually looked forward to seeing Aunt May in every issue. Her relationship to Jarvis was cute as well.

Wish that Spidey had kept his Totem powers though.

[Kevinroc]

I actually looked forward to seeing Aunt May in every issue. Her relationship to Jarvis was cute as well.

Wish that Spidey had kept his Totem powers though.

Too bad Jarvis turned out to be a Skrull.

[MrV]

Too bad Jarvis turned out to be a Skrull.

I didn't read Secret Invasion... did Skrull-Jarvis genuinely love May at least?

[Kevinroc]

I didn't read Secret Invasion... did Skrull-Jarvis genuinely love May at least?

After One More Day, everything about May/Jarvis was completely dropped. There really is no answer to this question.

[MrV]

After One More Day, everything about May/Jarvis was completely dropped. There really is no answer to this question.

Only the distant memory of their untold love story remains... kind of tragic to be honest. T-T

[Spidey_Legend]

Ironically, JMS was the only one writer who made me like the old crap fool of May Parker. Before and After that I hate the old croot at the point of wanted her being killed in every issue.

[TheAltarOfMyEgo]

What I loved most was when it ended.

[ShaggyB]

Not much. The art was good at times. I did like the 911 issue.

[ShaggyB]

What I loved most was when it ended.

hahahaha, ZING

[pedroparkero]

JMS wrote the best married peter parker, had the best characterization of may and mary jane. Love his 1st half of his run.

[Venomous Mask]

Those who are fans of JMS and his run in Amazing Spidey are welcomed to come discuss what they enjoyed most and where they would have liked the stories to go, had they not been retconned away by One More Day and Brand New Day.

Were all the Spider Totem events really retconned, or are they just being ignored by current writers?

I have only read a bit of his run. I wasn't too fond of Morlun or the Spider Totem stuff, and Ezekiel felt like one big cliche, but his run was a massive breath of fresh air after Mackie.