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Spider-Man General Discussion

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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

knightstorm Since: Feb, 2022
#27401: May 31st 2023 at 9:42:20 AM

Due to the nature of the "it was because of magic" stories like OMD and this Paul stuff...all out of character actions can be waved off as brainwashing. Far from character driven writing...but par for the course for 15 years now...

RedHunter543 Crimson Paladin Since: Jul, 2016 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Crimson Paladin
#27402: May 31st 2023 at 9:51:50 AM

I'm sure in about 20 years, this story will be retconned to make sure MJ will look slightly better.

"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
#27403: May 31st 2023 at 12:42:32 PM

I wouldn't hold my breath as they still haven't retconned MJ convincing Peter to go through with the deal with Mephisto....

RedHunter543 Crimson Paladin Since: Jul, 2016 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Crimson Paladin
#27404: May 31st 2023 at 5:48:59 PM

Hoping the new Spider-Verse movie will wash off the nastiness in this run.

"The Black Rage makes us strong, because we must resist its temptations every day of our lives or be forever damned!"
Nofix from Over there Since: Jan, 2015
#27405: May 31st 2023 at 7:02:36 PM

The fact that MJ is pretty much his canon interest in just about every adaption, including that one, must be excruciating to editorial.

And I love it.

windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#27406: May 31st 2023 at 9:45:06 PM

[up]As much as they seem (key word being "seem") to like playing the convenient villain to fans, I doubt editorial is sweating much over how often MJ is the main love interest in adaptations.

RedHunter543 Crimson Paladin Since: Jul, 2016 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Crimson Paladin
#27407: May 31st 2023 at 9:46:23 PM

Yeah.

Though it does hinder their attempts at replacing MJ as a love interest with how the adaptations make her the wife of Spidey.

"The Black Rage makes us strong, because we must resist its temptations every day of our lives or be forever damned!"
Dracoblade Since: May, 2009
#27408: May 31st 2023 at 10:29:42 PM

My first introduction to Spidey was the '90s animated series, where it was MJ who was thrown off the Brooklyn Bridge and disappeared into a portal.

Of course, I was aware enough to know that wasn't what happened in the comics — clearly Mary Jane died, and they just edited that down to appeal more to the kids.

...wait, she's still alive in the comics? Then what about the bridge thing? ...Who the heck is "Gwen"?

RavenWilder Since: Apr, 2009
#27409: May 31st 2023 at 10:38:25 PM

[up][up] Of course, as the MCU shows, the MJ that Peter falls for need not be Mary Jane - just introduce someone with the same initials (like "Michelle Jones") and you're good to go.

lbssb The sleepiest good boi Since: Jun, 2020 Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
The sleepiest good boi
#27410: May 31st 2023 at 11:03:17 PM

It's like Superman and the "L.L." initials; if your initials are "MJ" then you're going to be important in Peter Parker's life.

Which means somewhere in the multiverse is a reality where a certain basketball star is Spider-Man's best friend.

Disney100 Marathon | DreamWorks Marathon
FKJ10 Since: Mar, 2012
#27411: Jun 1st 2023 at 2:31:03 AM

[up][up] Then we meet Gwen in the penultimate episode and she's Armored Spider's wife who is living his best life out of all the Peter's.

That makes three times when Peter has the "best life" Gwen is his wife

Armored Spider in TAS

House of M Spider-Man initially

Punisher Spider-Man

Ironic

Edited by FKJ10 on Jun 1st 2023 at 2:49:37 AM

Zarius Since: Nov, 2012
#27412: Jun 1st 2023 at 4:31:36 AM

Steel Spider is a total jerkass though

RedHunter543 Crimson Paladin Since: Jul, 2016 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Crimson Paladin
#27413: Jun 1st 2023 at 4:32:58 AM

And Punisher Spider-Man is a psychopathic killer who basically only saves Gwen thanks to a convenient scaffolding.

"The Black Rage makes us strong, because we must resist its temptations every day of our lives or be forever damned!"
TargetmasterJoe from Velocitron Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: I like big bots and I can not lie
#27414: Jun 1st 2023 at 8:11:06 AM

Though it does hinder their attempts at replacing MJ as a love interest with how the adaptations make her the wife of Spidey.

Which begs the question: Why keep doing it? It's clearly a losing battle at this point. And every time they fight it, the battle's apparent loss-ness only gets more and more noticeable!

Heck, when even a freaking Marvel Encyclopedia from last year refers to MJ as Spidey's wife, that shows the nigh-invulnerability of the Peter/MJ ship.

At what point do we reach the straw that breaks this particularly stubborn camel's back? Take the hint already, Marvel! It's not even a hint anymore!

Edited by TargetmasterJoe on Jun 1st 2023 at 11:11:25 AM

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#27415: Jun 1st 2023 at 8:11:58 AM

According to editorial they totally don’t have a rule against Peter and MJ being together totally definitely not, it’s definitely entirely writer preference!

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
HamburgerTime Since: Apr, 2010
#27416: Jun 1st 2023 at 8:24:36 AM

Going by Brevoort’s statement that I posted earlier, it seems like they’re not opposed to MJ herself, they’re opposed to Peter having one consistent love interest. Presumably if it had been Gwen, or Betty, or Felicia or whoever who’d been the smash hit with the fans decades ago, it’d be her getting this treatment today.

TargetmasterJoe from Velocitron Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: I like big bots and I can not lie
#27417: Jun 1st 2023 at 9:12:32 AM

[up][up] ...Why does that sound like a Suspiciously Specific Denial?

[up] But if the readers (or most of them at least) are into Peter/MJ, then why refuse that from them? Why not just have some separate, Elseworlds book that tosses the consistent love interest angle? It's not like Spider-Man doesn't have a multiverse thing going on. (He says when ATSV is literally coming tomorrow.)

Edited by TargetmasterJoe on Jun 1st 2023 at 12:13:02 PM

HamburgerTime Since: Apr, 2010
#27418: Jun 1st 2023 at 9:26:48 AM

According to Brevoort, editorial feels, or at least he does, that the central appeal of Spider-Man is that when he’s not a superhero he’s an awkward young man Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life. Giving him a source of constancy, like a stable love life, is felt to take away a big part of what makes him unique.

RavenWilder Since: Apr, 2009
#27419: Jun 1st 2023 at 9:29:21 AM

Under that framework, you could still have Spider-Man be married, it just couldn't be a healthy marriage.

Mrph1 he/him from Mercia (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: This is not my beautiful wife!
he/him
#27420: Jun 1st 2023 at 9:38:51 AM

[up] Just give him a healthy open marriage with MJ and a chaotic lovelife with his other partners. And MJ can have the same - she can even keep seeing Paul.

That'll tick all the boxes and keep ALL the fans happy, right?

Or is that only an option for certain Krakoan mutants... evil grin

Zarius Since: Nov, 2012
#27421: Jun 1st 2023 at 9:49:26 AM

An interesting point raised about Paul from this scathing roundtable review of the issue.

How do we know Paul himself isn't a creation of his version of Rabin?

Perhaps one for WMG?

Edited by Zarius on Jun 1st 2023 at 9:49:58 AM

FKJ10 Since: Mar, 2012
#27422: Jun 1st 2023 at 9:59:49 AM

@Zarius Arrogant jerk but clearly and effective hero and loving husband as his Gwen was able to tell the main Peter wasn't hers just by his reaction to her.

@Red Hunter 53 I wouldn't call Punisher!Peter psychotic as in his internal monologues his motives for offing his rogues were pragmatic. He let most of them go initially but they just kept coming back for more.

He killed the Sinister 6 after they kidnapped Aunt May and Betty Brant, Osborn was to save Gwen. The only one that was pre meditated was Kingpin.

Heck him saving Gwen was also because he was no nonsense, shot Goblin mid monologue and caught Gwen at a lower angle with the scaffold.

Edited by FKJ10 on Jun 1st 2023 at 10:01:05 AM

Zarius Since: Nov, 2012
#27423: Jun 1st 2023 at 11:17:55 AM

Spider-Man#9

Everyone's new favourite Spider-Boy here to save us

TargetmasterJoe from Velocitron Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: I like big bots and I can not lie
#27424: Jun 1st 2023 at 7:11:34 PM

Oh Christ.

Apparently there's a second printing cover of ASM #26 regarding you-know-who's death and my god, it's not enough to call it insulting.

Using Ms. Marvel #1 from 2014 as a backdrop for more Spider-Manpain is...ARGGGHH.

lbssb The sleepiest good boi Since: Jun, 2020 Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
The sleepiest good boi
#27425: Jun 1st 2023 at 8:30:05 PM

[up]Fuck you, Zeb Wells, or Marvel editorial, or whoever the hell's idea all of this was. Fuck. You.

Disney100 Marathon | DreamWorks Marathon

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