Comic book history can be funny, not in the laugh out loud funny. But in the: That’s pathetic storytelling writing.

Way back in Amazing Spider-Man #400 Aunt May told Peter she knew he was Spider-Man. And that she’d have been a fool not to have figured it out.

But then she died. Only to return, because the one who died was another woman completely, who only looked like Aunt May. And Norman Osborn hired this actress and gave her the information about Peter being Spider-Man.

(Read that last paragraph again. I’m not joking. That’s how it was explained away.) And YES the obvious question is: What kind of fool would not know his own family members and could be tricked like that.

A case of Pure Stupid writing. No other way around it. To explain away Aunt May dying and her knowing Peter’s identity.

Then in Amazing Spider-Man (volume 2) #35, #38 Aunt May discovers Peter unconscious all bloody from a battle, in his Spider-Man costume. And learned once again Peter was Spider-Man.
So what happens?

She gets shot, almost dies and thanks to the help of the Devil as in Marvel’s version with Mephisto, she gets better. And forgets Peter Parker is Spider-Man again.

So as it stands currently, Aunt May does not know Peter Parker is Spider-Man.

Even though it’s been shown twice, she can handle the truth.

And once again the “magic reset button” is hit. Characters return to status quo, and cannot grow. While we witness more examples of the comic book mantra of “the illusion of change”.

Where what seems permanent and real, can be in the next issue be wiped out and made undone, with no consequences and things returning to a state of decades ago.

Example like this show in a bad way, storytelling that is not funny, but rather pathetic.

I was scanning my comics and came across the 90’s Spider-Man Clone Saga. You know the one with the Scarlet Spider / Ben Reilly who replaces Peter. The killer clone Kaine, Scrier, Judas Traveller and all the rest.

Looking back, I wonder if you think this was a good moment for Spidey history?

I know back then, I was angry and pissed off. Even worried the Peter we knew would be a clone. Since those were the story hints, and it came true.

And this guy we just met, turns out to be the real Peter Parker. I admit it was frustrating times then.

But looking back on it now, I have no emotional ties to that series.

I thought there were a ton of plot holes, and things left unexplained. And perhaps, it’s best left that way. No reason to bring it up again.

And I never liked the idea of Norman Osborn returning. It also cheapened the whole Gwen Stacy storyline to do this. Yet, if that’s what was needed to get rid of Ben Reilly, then that’s what had to happen.

(And speaking of plot holes, I’ll just mention one. And not the list I jotted down a long while ago that I have somewhere.

But if Norman Osborn has a healing factor that repaired his heart. Why can’t it repair his skin and he has a huge scar? That whole thing of having a scar does not add up.)

Overall, I didn’t like the clone saga because Peter should not have a brother / clone running around their. It changes the dynamic of the book too much, knowing there is another Peter out there. And another guy with the same powers as him and doing basically the same hero work. I guess the word I’m looking for is diluted. And that’s what having a clone out there does for Peter. And worse is that in terms of his social life, this brother / clone changes his whole family situation.

And the thought of a clone who kills people with Peter’s DNA, that of Kaine is not a good thing. If he didn’t have Peter’s DNA, I could like Kaine. But on that principal alone, I did not like him.

When all is said though, outside of MC2 and Spider-Girl which doesn’t count in terms of mainstream continuity. All elements, characters, villains have been swept under the rug and forgotten.

Maybe I should be upset,but I’m actually okay with that. And for those clone saga fans, don’t worry. I’m sure some writer years from now will dig up these characters and use them again.

Every era of Spidey books introduces a bunch of new characters, usually villains. But only a rare few have sticking power and last. The rest are forgotten or barely heard from again. Ever notice that?

It makes me thing on a new topic of: Why do some Spidey villains go on to greatness and become members of Spidey’s villain gallery. While others, popular for a time, just fade out. Make rare if any appearances, and are forgotten. And can not be considered part of Spidey’s rogues gallery, cause they never really lasted.

Hi All,

It was Free Comic Book Day at your local comic book shop, so I hope you went and picked up some good stuff. Among Spidey fare we had Marvel Adventures. It seems kind of weird seeing Spidey / Iron Man / Hulk on the cover as a sort of team it looks like. And looking at Marvel Adventures covers, I thing this trio would make for a good team book. Am I the only one thinking this?

Though written for a younger audience perhaps, I thought this was a good showing by Marvel with some great art and story. And hey it’s free, so I hope you got it.

Thinking more about One More Day and Spider-Man, I thought of this:

- Isn’t the whole point of Spider-Man since the very first appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15 that there are consequences to Peter’s actions. And then he has to deal with those consequences.

As in: Not getting the Devil to clean up his mess and heal Aunt May, or to erase his Public Unmasking. Which Peter Parker did of his own Free Choice.

Instead of dealing with his consequences, He makes a deal with the Devil to deus ex machina his mistakes.

- If the Devil can bring back long dead Harry Osborn, why can’t he bring back Aunt May if she dies when it hits midnight? And why not bring back Uncle Ben and Gwen Stacy while he’s at it? Maybe Peter should’ve asked his new buddy for more in the bargin.

You know, give up his first born in the process right? Umm… which in a way he did if you look closely at the story. Technically it is two girls cause don’t forget May ‘Mayday’ Parker. If he’s not with Mary Jane, then that never happened.

- Peter’s whole thing is about responsibility right? Since when is having ANY deal with the Devil, over ANY topic a responsible thing to do?

-Plus if it’s Aunt May’s time to go, don’t you think Peter should at this point in his life and maturity, be man enough to grow up and accept it?

Remember in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, the wisdom of Yoda about Attachment. How Anakin Skywalker had to learn to let go. He couldn’t and that is what led to Anakin’s downfall.

Instead Peter Parker has the same attachment problem and it led to his downfall as well.

How to clean up the mess?

The Unmasking can be cleaned up so easy. Make the Skrull Invasion topic public knowledge. Then say Peter Parker was a Skrull Spider-Man and used to frame the real Peter Parker, who is not Spider-Man. How this whole thing was a scam with a bigger agenda.

Basically blame the Skrulls for the Spider-Man unmasking.

- Aunt May healed? No big problem here, just say against all odds she did recover. You can even say it was the love and presence of Peter there that helped give her strength to pull through.

- Bring back Harry Osborn? Just say the poison that killed him only put him in suspended animation like Wonder Man. You can even play up the fact he lost the last few years of his memory and doesn’t remember those Green Goblin years. With the option of him not remembering he’s the Goblin at all. You can play this return and what happens after it many different ways.

Instead this Spider-Man deal with Mephisto will be remembered as a long running joke in the comics community. Such as what Wizard does with Iron Man a drunk all the time. And this event One More Day, SHOULD BE remembered and mocked by fandom. For the bad idea it is, and for a Peter Parker who is acting way out of character and immature. And not the person we know.

I believe long time, respected Spider-Man writer Roger Stern once said something to the regard of, Spider-Man being one of the most noble, pure hearted heroes out there. With Captain America a close second. Or something along those lines, don’t quote me. I read this in an interview a while ago.

Does Spider-Man: One More Day, show any of these qualities of character?

Or does it show an immature irresponsible ‘hero’, who has attachment issues of letting go, and is willing to make a deal with a force of evil, to get what he wants. All the while, throwing away his future, to hold on to the past. And giving up a vow and committed sacred bond under God, “Those Whom God Hath Joined Together Let No Man Put Asunder” to make a deal with the Devil?

Yeah, I thought so too: One More Day, what a storyline. A high quality piece of work that was logical, in character and showed how responsible Spider-Man is as a hero. I guess that’s the current Marvel Comics world were reading, and the responsible things their heroes do.

Looking back on all the Spider-Man costumes that were produced over the decades. Such as the Scarlet Spider, Ben Reilly costume variation, the recent Civil War Iron Spidey look.

Which are your 2 favorite costumes? In order of preference.

For me they are:

1. Classic Red/Blue with the under the arm webbings. (An element that’s forgotten a lot of times.)

2. The Black Costume. Just because visually it is so different, and other then the eyes, it didn’t take much inspiration from the original look, and went in a whole new direction. Yet the final look is quite impressive.

Your turn?!

I was on a comic forum and posted this reply. Thought it was worth putting here. It concerns how people writing the books now. Such as on Superman, Spider-Man and all those icons you know. How the books published now. None of them feature the work of the original creators who made them.

Making the books now are people who never created them.

It’s a bit heady stuff, and you might need to be a fan or know more to understand the context. But I hope what I’m getting across can be understood.

Some context is: (When I say Lee I mean Stan Lee and Ditko is for Steve Ditko. For those who didn’t know.)  They co-created Spider-Man. Lee on writing, Ditko on art. Back then it wasn’t a direct full script writing. Lee would give his artists an outline. The artist was free to pace and draw the story how he felt fit, and whatever elements he wanted, the artist would put in such as how the story would go.

Then Lee would see the art pages and then make up the caption dialogue on the spot. Then they would look at and edit the art or writing. But usually there wasn’t much to do. Just fix a panel or part of a page here or there for the book.

Also Kirby is for Jack Kirby, he was the artist with Stan Lee who co-created the Hulk character.

The Silver Age refers to an explosion of new character’s made in the ’60’s. Most think it had a cut off point and every book after was a new age. I disagree and think every book ended at a certain point in their run. They did not all end at the same time.

Anyway here it is:

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For me any other creator who takes over another’s creation. That creation is no longer the same, or at least as legitimate.

I hate to say it but “the real and true” Spider-Man left after Ditko left the book.

It’s tough when two or more people create a book. If it is one person who made a book or certain character. When he leaves, then the character is truly in another’s hands and not the real creators.

With a co-creation we still have one of the creators, in this case Lee, and there is still a legitimate creative hand there. It’s different, but not the same. If that makes sense.

Because let’s face it, if Ditko were still on it. The series would Never have went the way Romita and Lee brought the book. It would have been vastly different.

But after Lee left in the early 100’s. And other’s hands took over the book. Then the creation is truly not the work of it’s creators. It becomes something else entirely.

Another example is the Hulk, I know other’s filled in, but it wasn’t a long gap and Kirby was back. But after Kirby had no creative hand in the series for a long time and Lee left. Then the character lost it’s creators.

I think it’s okay if a creator, or the creator of a character series takes a leave. But when his hand is entirely gone from the series. The it becomes something else the character. Not quite true to what it once was.

I used to think like others that the books and characters keep going and going.

One thing I like on Manga is there is usually a series end and that’s when it’s creators leave and wrap up the book. No one else takes over. With superhero comics when one person leaves, another just takes over.

I mean in books would you consider a Lord of the Rings material legitimate and canon if it were not written by Tolkien?

Would you consider a Star Wars movie legitimate if Lucas had no hand in it?

Yet in superheroes, when it’s characters creators leave a series. It’s still seen as legitimate work.

I wonder why? Just because a publisher put a label on it approved and printed it? Think about it, if you wrote the title and had an artist to draw it. Then Marvel printed it. Your work would be considered just as legit as the writers at Marvel now. It’s the fact that they put a label and approve it that makes the difference. But just like them, you never created these characters. So the line between fan and pro in this regards I think is thin.

The Silver Age had endings. But not one vast cutoff point that others like to use. Each series was different, and ended at a different time. But when Lee left the writing, and others took over the books of all his co-creations. Then the last gasp of the Silver Age was truly over.

Other writers are more true to the original writing by Lee, but it’s not the same either way. It just varies by degree who is closer to that original vision. Some bring it close and others bring a far different perspective.
Working for a company where you have no cretive control or rights, such as Marvel or DC  your creation can be ripped and changed from you and you can’t do a thing about it.

Sadly the Marvel Comics now I think have become just as commercial as DC Comics and the heart is not there. The creators who were around then or worked with the original creators are long gone.

Look who is at Marvel now. Young guys in there 30’s mostly. I remember for example Mark Miller saying he only read a few Wolverine issues, the best stories of his, and not the rest and wondered why read his crap stories?

Then I thought, many fans and I have read more stories and therefore know the character better then him. Yet Mark Miller is writing the book.

I realized when it gets to that point, where the reader has more knowledge of the character, then the books writer. I thought:

A. Writing comics is easier then I thought. Or to fake it and can get by, even if you don’t know the character well.

B. Such a book is not worth following.

Also on the boards in the Spectacular reboot a few years ago, the writer whose name I forgot was asking for information about Carnage. Then I was like, I know more about Carnage then him, yet he’s going to write the character and barely knows him.

I think comics writing has become too serious now and real world. The current MU is just not fun or worth following anymore. If I wanted real world, I’d look at the papers.
I’ll get to a more fun topic next time. Too much thinking on this post.