TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

Spider-Man General Discussion

Go To

This thread's for the Spider-Man comics and spin-offs, whether they're decades old or brand new.

  • Apart from the main Marvel Universe titles, Ultimate Spider-Man, Spider-Man "What If?" stories, crossovers, guest appearances in other books, Alternate Universe tales and things like Marvel's manga adaptations are all on-topic here.
  • Spider-Man 'family' books are on-topic (as are their own crossovers, guest appearances etc.) - e.g. Spider-Man 2099, Miles Morales, Spider-Woman, Silk, Spider-Gwen, Venom, Carnage, Black Cat, Red Goblin and Spider-Verse.
  • Characters and comics that originated in Spider-Man but are no longer directly connected to the spider-franchise (e.g. Punisher, Silver Sable) are not on-topic, unless you're discussing historical connections and crossovers. If in doubt, check before you write a long post. If this isn't the right place, there's a more general Marvel Comics thread which covers them.

Technically, Marvel's Infinity Comics (and their predecessors, Infinite Comics) are webcomics, not comic books, but it's fine to talk about their Spider-Man stories here.

Discussions that are only about Spider-Man adaptations in other media (films, video games etc.) are off-topic, but discussing the differences between the adaptations and the original comics is fine - as long as spoilers for the adaptations are tagged.

Please follow the spoiler policy rules - tag spoilers for the latest issues, for any previews or content leaks, and for off-topic comics. When including spoiler tags, try to write so that tropers can make an informed decision before viewing them (e.g. which series and issue will they spoil?).

     Original Thread OP 
Since everyone likes talking about him. I know little about him(Ironically,I got nearly all I know about him from a Batman thread),but he's apparently important so I made this thread. Enjoy.

Edited by MacronNotes on Jul 10th 2023 at 10:58:13 AM

miraculous Goku Black (Apprentice)
Goku Black
#27276: May 29th 2023 at 6:27:58 AM

You think spot will become a major rogue of miles in the comics after across. Miles totally needs more other than prowler and it allows to have someone without having to crib off Peter's.

"That's right mortal. By channeling my divine rage into power, I have forged a new instrument in which to destroy you."
RedHunter543 Crimson Paladin Since: Jul, 2016 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Crimson Paladin
#27277: May 29th 2023 at 6:28:02 AM

Uncle Ben is a minor character despite his role while Gwen Stacy is a love interest with more screen time.

[up] Miles has fought Hobgoblin a couple of times IIRC. I like it, every Spider needs a Goblin.

It feels nicely thematic since Miles and Roderick are technically successors to someone who died but came back.

Edited by RedHunter543 on May 29th 2023 at 9:29:23 PM

"The Black Rage makes us strong, because we must resist its temptations every day of our lives or be forever damned!"
Joshbones Since: May, 2015
#27278: May 29th 2023 at 7:14:01 AM

The thing with Gwen is she is treated much better in death than she ever was in life.

Uncle Ben was a nice guy in life and in death, no confusion there.

The character I'd compare Gwen to in death is honestly Jason Todd. Just the opposite way. For years after his death he was treated as a horrible sidekick and person and a failure for the narrative's sake when the reality was much less clean.

FKJ10 Since: Mar, 2012
#27279: May 29th 2023 at 7:24:22 AM

Yeah but Gwen was only cold to Peter....when he was being a dick to everyone because Aunt May was ill.

After warming up to Peter she was his biggest supporter defending his name at every chance while condemning Spider-Man

The worst you could say about Gwen is that her hatred of Spider-Man after her dad's death just led her to working with a racist "tough on crime" politician. But that was soon dropped after JJ kicked him to the curb.

Overall in Stan's own words Gwem was the perfect girl next door Peter could settle down with but MJ was the "firecracker"

RedHunter543 Crimson Paladin Since: Jul, 2016 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Crimson Paladin
#27280: May 29th 2023 at 7:31:19 AM

I think the problem with Gwen was that she was just too boring in spite of writer's attempts at making her the main love interest while MJ overshadowed her.

"The Black Rage makes us strong, because we must resist its temptations every day of our lives or be forever damned!"
FKJ10 Since: Mar, 2012
#27281: May 29th 2023 at 8:07:47 AM

You can see Gwen's trajectory from who was writing her at the time

Ditko: The alpha bitch that wanted Peter to notice her because he was smart, impressive and the only man to snub her as he was in full "I don't have time for you mode I'm a hero" mode.

Lee: The Daddy's girl that loves Peter is constantly worrying everytime he pulls the disappearing act and hates Spidey, while insecure and jealous of MJ. Also modeled after Stan's wife like Sue Storm.

Conway: The sweet but "nothing character" as Conway described her because he saw MJ as the better girl for Peter and ultimately got the axe leading to her most memorable moment the snap at the bridge

With Ditko and Lee Gwen would have gone somewhere but Conway just saw her as disposable compared to Aunt May and MJ when it came to axing a female character to make Peter miserable

Edited by FKJ10 on May 29th 2023 at 8:09:05 AM

HamburgerTime Since: Apr, 2010
#27282: May 29th 2023 at 8:18:45 AM

Lee intended MJ to be an "unattainable ideal," is what I've always heard.

HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#27283: May 29th 2023 at 8:25:58 AM

Yeah. But she overshadowed Gwen so badly, everyone flocked to her.

Conway himself was a fan when he came on board.

Although I am supremely bothered by the idea that Gwen is only a good character after she died.

Like....it's not just me right? Even if her death is the Unbuilt Trope of Stuffed in the Fridge, isn't that kinda the exact attitude that leads to both Stuffed in the Fridge and the deaths of beloved's third string characters and shit.

Doesn't it also imply that the writers had neither the interest nor the talent to actually make the character someone people would like.

One Strip! One Strip!
FKJ10 Since: Mar, 2012
#27284: May 29th 2023 at 8:31:06 AM

Yeah pretty much Conways description of Gwen just made me think

"Damn glad he wasn't writing anything like bleach or Orihime would have been dead in the arrancar arc"

lalalei2001 Since: Oct, 2009
#27285: May 29th 2023 at 8:37:37 AM

They tried to make Gwen popular but it didn't take. (Unless you were my dad, who thought Peter and Gwen would get married, and when she was killed he stopped reading Spider-Man comics.)

Edited by lalalei2001 on May 29th 2023 at 11:37:45 AM

The Protomen enhanced my life.
RedHunter543 Crimson Paladin Since: Jul, 2016 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Crimson Paladin
#27286: May 29th 2023 at 8:38:09 AM

I'd argue Ditko's Gwen was probably the most stand out and interesting of all the Gwens.

"The Black Rage makes us strong, because we must resist its temptations every day of our lives or be forever damned!"
HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#27287: May 29th 2023 at 8:40:37 AM

Maybe.

So perhaps the mistake was that Stan shifted her away from that characterization.

Then again, he could have never paired them together if he didn't actually make her someone who Peter would want to be with.

One Strip! One Strip!
windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#27288: May 29th 2023 at 8:52:48 AM

The worst you could say about Gwen is that her hatred of Spider-Man after her dad's death just led her to working with a racist "tough on crime" politician. But that was soon dropped after JJ kicked him to the curb.

It should also be noted that Gwen didn't know the guy was a racist and that Jameson only dropped him after Robbie found irrefutable evidence of him being a bigot. I'd say a young college student mourning the death of her father has a bit more leeway than an adult running a newspaper.

In fact, I'd say Jameson is the opposite of Gwen. Gwen had a few unpleasant moments that fans exaggerate to make her seem like some Bitch in Sheep's Clothing while Jameson's more horrible actions, particularly his sponsoring of supervillains, often get downplayed by fans. Nick Spencer is probably the writer who has done the most in decades to truly shine a light on Jameson's flaws.

FKJ10 Since: Mar, 2012
#27289: May 29th 2023 at 9:01:33 AM

[up][up][up]I'd say the problem it was too abrupt that Gwen went from hard tsun to dere for Peter and dropped her Regina George act for nice girl.

If she was slowly more warming up to a progressively nicer Peter and dropping her mean girl act to show the nice girl beneath would have been better.

Heck Peter didn't like MJ that much because he thought she was flaky and couldn't commit (She was repeatedly hitting on him while dating Harry)

It was only after Gwen's death did her layers peel off showing her free spirit party girl persona was to hide her pain from a broken home.

Edited by FKJ10 on May 29th 2023 at 9:02:32 AM

Joshbones Since: May, 2015
#27290: May 29th 2023 at 10:27:20 AM

[up][up]I feel like Jameson funding the creation of scorpion gets brought up every time Mac makes an appearance.

In general, Zdsrsky's the only writer in recent times who I'd say was especially nice to Jameson. He had that retcon that Jameson hired Peter out of sympathy for his uncle's death, after all.

Slott didn't really do him any favors at all. His time as mayor was probably him at his worst.

miraculous Goku Black (Apprentice)
Goku Black
#27291: May 29th 2023 at 12:05:36 PM

I don't know why that gets brought up so much?

Gargan being a genuine sociopath and becoming an Ax-Crazy killer isn't something he knew would happen. Like their was no indication of that till after the transformation.

"That's right mortal. By channeling my divine rage into power, I have forged a new instrument in which to destroy you."
windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#27292: May 29th 2023 at 12:34:24 PM

[up] That excuse would fly if he didn't go and repeat the same mistake with Smythe and the Spider-Slayers just five issues later. Plus, there's the fact he tried for so long to bury his connection to the Scorpion and faced pretty much no real repercussions for it while frequently calling Spider-Man a menace to society and even going as far as blaming him for the existence of supervillains in New York. Dan Slott's She-Hulk run has a great moment where Augustus Pugliese calls out this hypocrisy. https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tcejghk_2.jpg

Edited by windleopard on May 29th 2023 at 8:35:41 PM

knightstorm Since: Feb, 2022
#27293: May 29th 2023 at 12:55:02 PM

Honestly, a good story might have been Spider-Man suing Jonah for defamation of character and attempted murder.

Blueace Surrounded by weirdoes from The End Of the World Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Surrounded by weirdoes
#27294: May 29th 2023 at 1:05:26 PM

Or just Peter basically hunting him down, really.

Wake me up at your own risk.
RedHunter543 Crimson Paladin Since: Jul, 2016 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Crimson Paladin
#27295: May 29th 2023 at 1:08:39 PM

Peter wouldn't physically harm sour puss.

But Spider-Man suing for defamation would be funny.

At least Jameson and Spidey are actually friends now. I like that dynamic.

"The Black Rage makes us strong, because we must resist its temptations every day of our lives or be forever damned!"
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#27296: May 29th 2023 at 1:10:45 PM

I think that She-Hulk story was Spider-Man suing for libel or something. I'm checking marvel wiki for the issue in question and it doesn't actually say what the lawsuit was specifically.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Joshbones Since: May, 2015
#27297: May 29th 2023 at 1:32:46 PM

Basically, the suit ended with Spider-Man having to drop the lawsuit to protect his secret identity, because Peter himself contributed to a lot of the anti-Spidey propaganda with his pictures.

It's actually a surprisingly common occurrence for people who don't know Peter's identity to think him and Spider-Man hate each other.

Edited by Joshbones on May 29th 2023 at 1:34:27 AM

lalalei2001 Since: Oct, 2009
#27298: May 29th 2023 at 1:40:08 PM

That reminds me of Marvels where Phil Sheldon thought exactly that.

The Protomen enhanced my life.
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#27299: May 29th 2023 at 1:43:52 PM

Looking at the synopsis, Peter also had to admit on the stand that some of the pictures he took were faked.

Not a great look, in a court of law.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
RedHunter543 Crimson Paladin Since: Jul, 2016 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Crimson Paladin
#27300: May 29th 2023 at 1:44:58 PM

Doesn't help that back in the Lee-Ditko era, Peter would loudly say how much he hates Spider-Man in front of Flash.

"The Black Rage makes us strong, because we must resist its temptations every day of our lives or be forever damned!"

Total posts: 38,961
Top