Most Overrated Spidey Stories

[oldschool]

Got to thinking about certain Spidey stories that some like to anoint as some of the greatest ever and that I have read and reread yet cannot agree. Thought it might be interesting to post some that others seem to love and christen amongst the best Spidey tales ever but that we cannot agree with; please note: it is ok if you like the story, but the point here is to pick a story that others have presented as "one of the best ever" and support why you don't agree. OK? I'll start with:

*Mark Millar's "Marvel Knights" story

I thought this story started out great! I really believed that it was going to be epic.....but then it quickly morphed into a 90's style "mashup" that featured way too many classic foes either misrepresented and/or working together where they should not have been. I abhor the way Doc Ock was treated in this story and thought that it stretching believablity way too far to have all those villains work together. Throw in Aunt May being abducted and put in mortal harm yet again and Norman behind it all yet again and you end up with a groaner especially after such a build up.

Worst of all was the clumsy subplot of Spidey "unmasked" and JJJ believing the ridiculous notion that it was his son with absolutely no follow up nor any reference to the dozens of times Spidey fought his son as Man-Wolf or, oh I don't know, Spidey first appearance ever when he saved Col. Jameson's space shuttle!!!

This story screwed the continuity pooch in one of the worst ways imaginable and trampled on some great characters like Ock. It astounds me that some consider it a great Spidey tale.

[Rahul]

New Ways to Die.

There were so many excellent concepts in it, but the execution completely ruined it for me , and I don't know why its considered the best Spider-Man story in recent times. Plus the art wasn't up to JR jr's standard.

[oldschool]

Originally Posted by Rahul

New Ways to Die.

There were so many excellent concepts in it, but the execution completely ruined it for me , and I don't know why its considered the best Spider-Man story in recent times. Plus the art wasn't up to JR jr's standard.

I agree JRJR's art fell off after first chapter and I would say that there was not the payoff there should've been at the end (but nor was there any ridiculous twists as in Millar's tale) but it was still a solid tale, just not epic.

[Jim Thompson]

Originally Posted by oldschool

Got to thinking about certain Spidey stories that some like to anoint as some of the greatest ever and that I have read and reread yet cannot agree. Thought it might be interesting to post some that others seem to love and christen amongst the best Spidey tales ever but that we cannot agree with; please note: it is ok if you like the story, but the point here is to pick a story that others have presented as "one of the best ever" and support why you don't agree. OK? I'll start with:

*Mark Millar's "Marvel Knights" story

I thought this story started out great! I really believed that it was going to be epic.....but then it quickly morphed into a 90's style "mashup" that featured way too many classic foes either misrepresented and/or working together where they should not have been. I abhor the way Doc Ock was treated in this story and thought that it stretching believablity way too far to have all those villains work together. Throw in Aunt May being abducted and put in mortal harm yet again and Norman behind it all yet again and you end up with a groaner especially after such a build up.

Worst of all was the clumsy subplot of Spidey "unmasked" and JJJ believing the ridiculous notion that it was his son with absolutely no follow up nor any reference to the dozens of times Spidey fought his son as Man-Wolf or, oh I don't know, Spidey first appearance ever when he saved Col. Jameson's space shuttle!!!

This story screwed the continuity pooch in one of the worst ways imaginable and trampled on some great characters like Ock. It astounds me that some consider it a great Spidey tale.

Millar's story missed on all marks for me, too. Certainly one of the most over-rated one's ever done, I think. (But take this with a grain of salt, folks; I'm not a Mark Millar booster.)

[Jim Thompson]

Originally Posted by Rahul

New Ways to Die.

There were so many excellent concepts in it, but the execution completely ruined it for me , and I don't know why its considered the best Spider-Man story in recent times. Plus the art wasn't up to JR jr's standard.

Also agreed. While the art didn't bother me as much as it did some (though I agree it got progressively worse as the story went on), I thought this was a mish mash of ideas thrown together. Certainly there were cool ideas here, but they seemed to almost cancel themselves out as they were competeing with one another. Add to that I think Spider-Man uncharacteristically put someone in mortal harms way (Bullseye), and the arc was an incredibly disappointing one for me.

[The Complicated]

Originally Posted by Jim Thompson

Also agreed. While the art didn't bother me as much as it did some (though I agree it got progressively worse as the story went on), I thought this was a mish mash of ideas thrown together. Certainly there were cool ideas here, but they seemed to almost cancel themselves out as they were competeing with one another. Add to that I think Spider-Man uncharacteristically put someone in mortal harms way (Bullseye), and the arc was an incredibly disappointing one for me.

I always thought that those "magic" bullets were just designed to hurt Spider-Man and not kill him so it wouldn't kill Bullseye. I can't believe that Norman would let some low level goons and Bullseye get the honor of killing his most hated foe and Spidey would probably know that.

[tornshattered]

Kraven's Last Hunt

[Jim Thompson]

Originally Posted by The Complicated

I always thought that those "magic" bullets were just designed to hurt Spider-Man and not kill him so it wouldn't kill Bullseye. I can't believe that Norman would let some low level goons and Bullseye get the honor of killing his most hated foe and Spidey would probably know that.

What in the story led you to that thought? I think I might have missed something there (though, of course, unless they also explained that Spider-Man knew that, then I still have my original problem with the story.)

[The Complicated]

Originally Posted by Jim Thompson

What in the story led you to that thought? I think I might have missed something there (though, of course, unless they also explained that Spider-Man knew that, then I still have my original problem with the story.)

I might be wrong and I can't look for proof because I don't have access to that issue right now but I seem to remember that those bullets were only meant to incapacitate Spidey.

[whiteshark]

Originally Posted by oldschool

Got to thinking about certain Spidey stories that some like to anoint as some of the greatest ever and that I have read and reread yet cannot agree. Thought it might be interesting to post some that others seem to love and christen amongst the best Spidey tales ever but that we cannot agree with; please note: it is ok if you like the story, but the point here is to pick a story that others have presented as "one of the best ever" and support why you don't agree. OK? I'll start with:

*Mark Millar's "Marvel Knights" story

I thought this story started out great! I really believed that it was going to be epic.....but then it quickly morphed into a 90's style "mashup" that featured way too many classic foes either misrepresented and/or working together where they should not have been. I abhor the way Doc Ock was treated in this story and thought that it stretching believablity way too far to have all those villains work together. Throw in Aunt May being abducted and put in mortal harm yet again and Norman behind it all yet again and you end up with a groaner especially after such a build up.

Worst of all was the clumsy subplot of Spidey "unmasked" and JJJ believing the ridiculous notion that it was his son with absolutely no follow up nor any reference to the dozens of times Spidey fought his son as Man-Wolf or, oh I don't know, Spidey first appearance ever when he saved Col. Jameson's space shuttle!!!

This story screwed the continuity pooch in one of the worst ways imaginable and trampled on some great characters like Ock. It astounds me that some consider it a great Spidey tale.

I agree with almost everythyng you say there.
Surelly to have that amount of enemies joining forces without a reasonable explanation didnt worked to well.
And Doc Octopus use in that story was not very handled IMO as well.

But in defence of that story,was it not published undeer the "Spider-Man Knights" label?
I thought the stories that are published under that label dont have to be that attached to continuity per say.
By other words i thought under that label was a solid story just for itself.

But surelly if you put the story inside the continuity it surelly gets bad enough.

[Matt Linton]

At the time it was published, the Marvel Knights line was still in continuity.

[whiteshark]

Originally Posted by Matt Linton

At the time it was published, the Marvel Knights line was still in continuity.

Alright.
Didnt knew that,i thought all Marvel Knights stories were published a bit out of continuity.

[whiteshark]

I will add to this thread.

Peter David run in Spectacular Spider-Man and Web of Spider-Man back in the 80`s.
Not taking any merit from the writter,but i dont think his work in the Spider-Man title from that time were any good.
All the others writters working in the Spider Titles looked better IMO.

By the other hand i think his work in Hulk and Friendly Neighberhood Spider-Man is great.

[Jim Thompson]

Originally Posted by whiteshark

I will add to this thread.

Peter David run in Spectacular Spider-Man and Web of Spider-Man back in the 80`s.
Not taking any merit from the writter,but i dont think his work in the Spider-Man title from that time were any good.
All the others writters working in the Spider Titles looked better IMO.

By the other hand i think his work in Hulk and Friendly Neighberhood Spider-Man is great.

You really think The Death of Jean DeWolff story was over-rated?

[whiteshark]

Originally Posted by Jim Thompson

You really think The Death of Jean DeWolff story was over-rated?

The writter did one good story(the one you mention),and thats it.
I was speaking generally.
Surelly The Death of Jean DeWolff is a alright story.
But the rest is bad enough IMO.