A great hardcover book I recently got is Spider-Man: The Icon by Steve Saffel. And though I’ve not read any other books by him, he did a great job. I could tell: He either is a big Spidey fan, or he did a lot of research on the subject. Though, I figure it’s a combination of both.

You know how sometimes you read a book, and you could tell the author really didn’t know the subject and that he was probably just writing it for a paycheck?

Not here. I could tell Steve knows his stuff and he got those little details there, that makes me know this guy is a big fan.

It covers everything from his origins, the comic books, the media, the action figures. It really is an encyclopedia of Spider-Man history. So if you haven’t seen it, it is worth checking out.

Spider-Man The Icon by Steve Saffel, great book! I give it 4 out of 4 stars.

Rob

I wonder what you think of in regards of Amazing Spider-Man shipping three times a week. With a different creative crew handling chores the next week. Basically, one creative team picking up the story of the team before them.

Personally I think it sucks. This so reminds me of the 90’s Superman books. Where the books had a continuing story, yet the creative team was different each issue.

And this happened a lot in the 90’s with comic books. I  think in the last few years , especially  for the trade paperback market.  We the readers WANT TO SEE, a stable creative team handling one book uninterrupted.

A revolving team handling the same story makes for a disjointed feel. And the flow is made all jagged as a result.

The end quality work is a mix of good and bad, the narrative seems off and the books feel is not smooth at all.

I hope this Amazing Spider-Man idea is dropped soon. Make a new series and keep a stable crew in each book. And make them tell different stories without one being tied to the other.

What’s next? Will we have a big crossover and the usual revolving door artist take over if a book is behind schedule?

Rob

Is anyone else catching the Animated Spectacular Spider-Man series? It’s quite good and worth a look. Not only is the animation nice, but the stories are gel real well and they have a continuity, where one story element leads to a future story down the line.

I might go so far as to say in recent times, it’s the best Spidey series to date. I liked the early 90’s cartoon, but there were so many stories in that series I didn’t like. I was never a fan of Morbius and yet huge plots revolved around him. Or they had the Forgotten Warriors multi-part epic and things of that sort. Basically, a bunch of episodes, story wise I could not get into.

And the MTV one of a few years ago, wasn’t anything really special. No wonder it was canceled so quickly.

But the Spectacular Spider-Man is doing a great job so far, and check it out if you can.

I have a DVR which is basically Tivo, and I just program it to tape all the episodes.

And speaking of which, if you don’t have a DVR type device, you might look into getting one. Until I had it, I didn’t realize how much easier it makes viewing your favorite shows.

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:

====

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.

I think we are living in the Golden Age when it comes to comic books, or related properties in live action films.

Never before has it happened, like in the past few years, where there are films based on comic book concepts.

Just go to the big screen and what do you see in the playing now board?

Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and now Iron Man and the Hulk.

As well as films on smaller comic book publishers, such as the vampire horror called 30 Days of Night.

Comic book related material is popping up all over the film industry.

And that’s not even counting animated features, or things going direct to DVD or a television show based on such material.

It’s a good time for comic books in other media. While the Spidey movies may be wrapped up for now. Or going in a new direction.

The animated Spectacular Spider-Man is a great series. And it is put together much better then I thought it would. I’m glad to see it took it’s source material from the main Spider-Man books, and not the Ultimate Spider-Man books.

And it’s great to see the Big Man as a top character for once and I hope the big reveal of who it is, is the same guy from the comic world.

MAJOR Spider-Man Spoilers on the Brand New Day comic

I just read the Spider-Man comics called One More Day that ended with Amazing Spider-Man issue 545.

And YES F’n Marvel Editor in Chief Joe Quasada got his forced wish and removed the Spidey marriage. It is COMPLETE crap!

Also Peter Parker’s exposed public identity was erased from the minds of the world. As for the unmasking to the public last year in Civil War, I figured this whole reset One More Day story was planned since then. That’s why the unmasking bit didn’t matter and they went with it.

Peter and Mary Jane make a deal with Mephisto, who is the devil like character in Marvel Comics, to save Aunt May.

This story called One More Day was a magic reset button. And magic in this title should not affect a character in a permanent change like this. It’s just wrong on this type of books real world premise.

Just some points wrong with the One More Day I found:

1. What happened to Aunt May was a natural part of life. Who is Peter to F’ with the cosmic circumstances and mess with natural law? What gives him that right?

2. Making a deal with a devil? Do you even have to go any further then that. To know it’s wrong.

3. When the devil mentions God, don’t you think: Hey, if the devil wants to strike out at God and use me to do so. Maybe I shouldn’t interfere with what God wants. Much less side with the devils goals and his plans.

4. What gives Peter the right to tamper with the WORLDS memories? What gives him that responsibility? That is the OPPOSITE of being responsible. And what about papers and videos and all that? Even if the worlds minds were erased what of media and disks? What of beings like androids remembering the truth?

Either: Spidey History from a certain point was changed from what we know and all went differently. Or history happened and retroactive it was changed. But then that would mean you would have to wipe out all video and such evidence.

Plus isn’t it Dr. Strange’s goal to stop such things happening in this realm? Where is he to protect Earth? Or the other cosmic mystics to prevent changes like this? Should not there be consequences and a need to set things right on the cosmic balance?

5. Let’s see the choice now: Save an old aunt who will eventually go. Or give up the love of your life, and you future with her? Plus if Aunt May knew what was happening, don’t you think she’d choose to go cause it’s her time. Knowing he’s in good hands with MJ his wife and to bless their future together.

6. This choice just goes against the mindset of Peter Parker as a character. It is not logical his choice and actions. And way out of character. And speaking of out of character, Peter to reveal his identity public was Way out of Character. It’s just not something he would.
7. Is Peter still so immature and can’t control his emotions, that he has not grown up and realized when it’s time to let go? Doctor Strange’s speech to Peter earlier in the story was right on the money.
In the end OMD Peter, should have been tempted and then decide not to, cause it was not right and against the natural laws. Sure he might, in a what if type desire to stop what must be, but that’s all he’d do. And sure he’d cry and all that, but in the end know he chose the right path.

But let’s face it, THE TRUTH as many have said: It’s crap and this is CLEARLY a story and idea that was FORCED by Quasada to do. He’s for years publically stated how he wanted the marriage gone.

I used to like him as Editor In Chief but this story is another example that shows his time is done. It’s clear to me at least that Marvel needs a new EIC in charge cause Quasada is done and needs to go.

I also read the first issue of Brand New Day, the new Status Quo there making up. And it looks like they deaged him. Peter appears in his 20’s just out of college, and living with Aunt May again. Harry Osborn is alive again, and doesn’t know Peter is Spidey and hates Spidey. He seems like the movie version Harry Osborn.

Their hanging out in a club and got something like 3 new girls they hangout with.

It really is a de facto: Reset Button hit.

As I read on wiki:

“The reset button technique (based on the idea of status quo ante) is a plot device that interrupts continuity in works of fiction. Simply put, use of a reset button device returns all characters and situations to the status quo they held before a major change of some sort was introduced. Often used in science fiction television series, animated series, soap operas, and comic books, the device allows elaborate and dramatic changes to characters and the fictional universe that might otherwise invalidate the premise of the show with respect to future continuity. Writers may, for example, use the technique to allow the audience to experience the death of the lead character, which traditionally would not be possible without effectively ending the work.

The term may be based on the reset button found on a video game console or computer. When pressed, such a button automatically restarts the machine, losing any unsaved data.

The danger of the reset button is that the audience will become frustrated and cynical because they are expected to suspend disbelief and emotionally invest in the characters, yet know that anything the characters do to improve their selves or their world is destined to be futile, since a change in either would require the show to have continuity rather than be stand-alone episodes. Audiences are forced to conclude that it is too painful to care in the first place about the characters or their world, so why bother watching the show at all?”

Also since all strings are connected the whole continuity is F’d up.

Example is ASM issue 299 Mary Jane first met Venom and told Peter. Who then went to investigate. Without MJ there, no one tells Peter and the whole issue of how he learns or meets Venom is messed.

Or for that matter just about any and every storyline. Cause without MJ there, his reactions would have been different and stories changed, or events did not happen as they have.

But really, I think it’s clear to say that Marvel now, and has for the past 5 to say 10 years shown it’s true colors of a corporate entity and that’s all these characters are. There is no heart there anymore.

As a business first, this Spidey example shows, that in comics there is only the “illusion of change”, cause with corporate owned characters the reset button will EVENTUALLY be hit, no matter what anyone else may say. New management will see to that.

From the Marvel website showing the new villains. It’s like people FORGOT how to make cool characters. All the visuals suck and none will be the next Venom or even Carnage. A character with a cool visual and design that lasts.

And while the “Illusion of Change” is a concept in comics I heard a lot. This really does ring true. As does the end of the Wiki quote. Why Bother with Spider-Man books anymore?

It really DOES NOT matter. They have in effect reset the book to a 20 something Peter and you know the relations can never lead to marriage. And you know the status quo and developments of the characters are all in effect going nowhere and can’t progress farer then we saw. My example I thought of is this:

You see a magic trick, then you are showed how it’s done. You can’t go back to seeing the magic trick again cause it won’t surprise or intrique you anymore. Same goes for Spidey now.

You saw the behind the scenes, the development of the chraracter. Now Marvel is trying to show the magic trick again and pull the curtain in front of you. But it won’t go with me or other long time fans, cause we’ve seen what’s behind the curtain and the magic trick revealed. Trying to fool us into making stories we chould care about, on a deaged Peter and his world put back into Status Quo of decades ago. Won’t matter anymore. The books are not written for us anymore and that’s okay with me.

And in a way it’s funny they had to go to the extremes of using a magic way out and rewriting history to end it. They had to use a reset button extreme to get what Quasada wanted. And as said, it really doesn’t matter. You make and read matter the stories you like, and the history thereof from the creators you like. The rest can really be deleted crap cause it’s from another creative team who is following their own ideas and not related to the team before them.

This won’t stop me from enjoying the trades and Essentials I get, currently reprinting 70’s material.

Rant over, thanks for reading hope it made sense.