Superior Spider-Man #4 *spoilers* and discussion

[E. Wilson]

My biggest problem with this issue is that Massacre is unghodly boring. I know he's not meant to be particularly deep, and he's just a foil to project Peter, Jonah, and now Spock against, but still...we spent way too much time with him in this issue, which is worse considering that everything else going on is much more entertaining. Also, if Kafka was to be killed, she should have been killed by someone she had some actual history with, like Vermin, Carnage, Shriek, or Chameleon, not this cipher.

As to the big reveal on the last page...I'm totally game.

[JayBee]

When Peter made a comment about him seeing Aunt May, I really wanted peter to shut up and stop talking. He gets worse and worse every week.

I actually feel the opposite. I am really enjoying watching Peter freak out over every little thing Doc Ock does.
I am actually really enjoying this series a lot so far! I think it is great how Doc Ock really seems to be out doing Peter even if he is kind of rude and sleazy in the process.

On a side note did anyone else have an issue with the AR on the last panel? It seemed to fuse one with a bunch of the editors reading something and a voice over that made it impossible to hear the editors. I was bummed because I noticed that jeanine schaefer was among them and I actually met her a few years ago when she was working at DC and was one of the nicest people that I have ever met.

[Dr. Chaos]

I look forward to reading this. I think is the first book I've ever read where I can't help but indulge in rampant spoilers that only make me more excited to read it.

Can't wait to see that last page tonight.

Seriously, FINALLY! When's the last time we actually saw him in that costume? Like eight years ago?

I love the consistent minor slipups Ock makes too. I'm honestly expecting for the big "face off" with Peter in their mind to end with Ock coming out on top but being outed to the world as an imposter. That would make for a legit redemption arc where he could continue heroics despite having everything crumble around him. It also gets us back into a "down and out" Parker.

That won't happen. Theres only one way this story will end.

Doc Ock is a villain at heart who is stealing a life that will never be his. He would gladly murder Peter all over again to keep this body when he could just as easily transfer himself to a clone bred version of his own body.

There is no redemption for Otto Octavius, he'll be armed with tentacles and terrorizing new york by the time this is all over and he's given up becuase he thinks being a real hero is too hard. He is a vicious sinister human being and a ticking time bomb.

He'll defeat Peter in the next fight thinking he's won for good but Parker will take the fight in possibly another form (hitching a ride on the living brain before Doctor Octopus can finish him off maybe?)

In any case, I think Superior is meant to be deceptive in nature. Dan Slott has said he wants to make Doc Ock Spidey's #1 villain and he's planning to do that by trying to get the readers to sympathize, feel sorry for and root for him before he screws it all up. That and Dan's run has seemed to focus on people coming into great power and totally abusing it for selfish ends in the end like Alpha and Hobgoblin.

It's why I'm largely going to remain a cranky curmudgeon/JJJ when it comes to Doc Ock showing positive qualities.

[0bsessions]

That won't happen. Theres only one way this story will end.

After everything that's happened in the last three months of Spider-Man comics, are you really prepared to make such sweeping declarations about what won't happen?

[Dr. Chaos]

After everything that's happened in the last three months of Spider-Man comics, are you really prepared to make such sweeping declarations about what won't happen?

You mean the death of Spider-Man that was proven to not be dead at all?

Doctor Octopus is not going to become a hero anymore than Peter is going to start to grow old, have children or move to the suburbs and start a garden in his backyard. He's one of Spider-Man's biggest villains in all forms of Spider-Man storytelling and it'll stay his regular status quo.

For good or ill, these characters have very specific roles to fill and if you stretch them away from that, it can only be temporary.

It's cool to enjoy the ride, Superior Spider-Man is a very interesting read even if I would prefer the protagonist to be someone who isn't going to go back to trying to kill everybody when things turn back to normal. I'm not denying anybody that, I like the book too. It just always surprises me to see Ock reeling people in knowing he's going to betray them.

I'll stop right there though because I feel I'm starting to sound abit too cynical about the book.

Great issue!

[0bsessions]

The Masters of Evil are not going to become heroes anymore than Peter is going to start to grow old, have children or move to the suburbs and start a garden in his backyard. They're some of the Avengers' biggest villains in all forms of Avengers storytelling and it'll stay her regular status quo.

For good or ill, these characters have very specific roles to fill and if you stretch them away from that, it can only be temporary.

See what I did? Feel free to apply the same logic to Magneto too (I can count the times he's shown up as a legitimate villain since UXM 150 on one hand, he's spent at least as much time as an associate of the X-Men since then after being their biggest villain). Never say never. Hell, remember that one time Doc Ock showed up in a film? Remember what he did at the end? Redemption arc, boom.

Now, I'm not saying it's the most likely thing to happen or even that it's remotely probable. I'm just saying you shouldn't second guess a guy who's swerved the fanbase as much as Slott has in the last few years.

[ngroove]

Kafka's dead?

Way to go, another unessesary bring back from the bus, for the sole purpose of fridging, when a replacement successor could have sufficed (since Kafka was supposed to be long fired fifteen years ago anyways). Way to go.

Soooooo still not reading it.

[nosocialize100]

After everything that's happened in the last three months of Spider-Man comics, are you really prepared to make such sweeping declarations about what won't happen?

Seriously! Slott has made us believe anything can happen and stories can end very quickly. The first Alpha issue made me think he'd be around for months...then two issues later goodbye Alpha! I wouldn't be surprised if SpOck's story is over in 2 months.

[Lars C]

Way to go, another unessesary bring back from the bus, for the sole purpose of fridging, when a replacement successor could have sufficed (since Kafka was supposed to be long fired fifteen years ago anyways). Way to go.

Soooooo still not reading it.

I didn't think Kafka died? Just had her eye taken? It was nice to see her again, but it was cruel...

[0bsessions]

Seriously! Slott has made us believe anything can happen and stories can end very quickly. The first Alpha issue made me think he'd be around for months...then two issues later goodbye Alpha! I wouldn't be surprised if SpOck's story is over in 2 months.

Conversely, I could see it lasting for a while. He dragged out the Hobgoblin thing for, what, two years? The Ock dying thread lasted for like three and a half years.

I've given up on trying to anticipate where Slott's going with any expectancy of accuracy. All told, I consider it a good thing.

[nosocialize100]

Conversely, I could see it lasting for a while. He dragged out the Hobgoblin thing for, what, two years? The Ock dying thread lasted for like three and a half years.

I've given up on trying to anticipate where Slott's going with any expectancy of accuracy. All told, I consider it a good thing.

Certainly a good thing to not be capable of anticipating a story.

[0bsessions]

Certainly a good thing to not be capable of anticipating a story.

I'd also be open to him finishing it up quickly, just for fan reaction. The guy has caused the highest concentrated of nerd rage I have ever seen. Inside of a year he's managed

"Omgyoucantgivespideyasidekickohgodalphasuckswhywo ntthisendohitsoverohmygodkingsleyisbackforgoodohno whesinrussiabooyoucantkillcurtconnorsoffitsintrins ictohischaracterohheyhesstillinthereomgyoucantkill peterohheypeterisback"

Good luck reading that without spaces, but that's pretty much the last year of Spidey in a nutshell. The dude knows how to mess with emotions.

[nosocialize100]

I'd also be open to him finishing it up quickly, just for fan reaction. The guy has caused the highest concentrated of nerd rage I have ever seen. Inside of a year he's managed

"Omgyoucantgivespideyasidekickohgodalphasuckswhywo ntthisendohitsoverohmygodkingsleyisbackforgoodohno whesinrussiabooyoucantkillcurtconnorsoffitsintrins ictohischaracterohheyhesstillinthereomgyoucantkill peterohheypeterisback"

Good luck reading that without spaces, but that's pretty much the last year of Spidey in a nutshell. The dude knows how to mess with emotions.

You know when you put it that way it makes me think he'll be remembered for the entire work rather than a select few stories. Instead of a couple memoriable stories like say Chris Claremont and Days of Future Past it'll be one giant middle finger to the Spidey fans lol. And I mean that in a good way.

[LooneyKoala]

Certainly a good thing to not be capable of anticipating a story.

Definitely. One of the things I'm loving about Slott's run

I'd also be open to him finishing it up quickly, just for fan reaction. The guy has caused the highest concentrated of nerd rage I have ever seen. Inside of a year he's managed

"Omgyoucantgivespideyasidekickohgodalphasuckswhywo ntthisendohitsoverohmygodkingsleyisbackforgoodohno whesinrussiabooyoucantkillcurtconnorsoffitsintrins ictohischaracterohheyhesstillinthereomgyoucantkill peterohheypeterisback"

Good luck reading that without spaces, but that's pretty much the last year of Spidey in a nutshell. The dude knows how to mess with emotions.

I'd love it if he wrapped it up within a couple of months! Not because I don't like it (I actually really do like it! ) but because it would be so funny to watch reactions after he's caused so much anger! Haha!

And that was a challenge to read... But I did it

[nosocialize100]

Definitely. One of the things I'm loving about Slott's run

:

It's also nice it's not super duper serious like J. Michael Straczynski's run.