Marvel still unsure on what to do with its most well-known hero, Spider-Man
In the character’s six decades of existence, this is arguably the most exciting period to be a Spider-Man fan. There is a wealth of superb stories in a variety of forms: an outstanding PlayStation game with a sequel coming, a brilliant animated film (with a sequel also in progress), a successful live-action trilogy of films, as well as many previous films, animated series, and video games. These are great stories that demonstrate why the character has been popular for over fifty years. However, there are also some bad stories that make one question how the good stories made it this far.
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At the beginning of this year, the story Dark Web concluded. It follows Ben Reilly, the clone of Peter Parker, the Amazing Spider-Man, who has lost his memories of their shared life. To regain them, Ben takes on the alter-ego of Chasm and partners with Madelyne Pryor, the Goblin Queen of the supernatural domain Limbo, to unleash demons on Manhattan. The goal is to force Peter to relinquish his memories by consuming an infernal fruit, thus transferring them to Ben.
I have been observing one of the most iconic and beloved characters in pop culture, Spider-Man, in The Amazing Spider-Man comic book. It is apparently tailored to be accessible to new readers. In the first issue, Peter Parker has apparently done something to displease most of the people in his life. He is now seen spending time with Norman Osborn, who has supposedly put his villainous Green Goblin days behind him after the Sin-Eater used a magical shotgun to erase his misdeeds. Although it is not clear what this means, Norman is seemingly determined to atone for his past and live a life of virtue.
At the same time, Norman’s wrongdoing has taken shape as a being called Queen Goblin, the beast other self of cloned analyst Dr. Ashley Kafka (a lot occurring there), and Mary Jane detests Peter so much that she’s gone and got engaged to a person with two youngsters – not that she and Peter were even in a relationship at any rate. Furthermore, not once does anybody take advantage of the incredible play on the words “dull web”.
This is certainly not the least favorable period in Spider-Man comics; they are in fact the most impressive they have been in recent. Zeb Wells’ writing is humorous and light-hearted, even though it focuses on a dejected Peter. His collaborator in art, John Romita Jr., is a long-time Spider-Man artist who uses a unique, rectangular style and a hard-working attitude that is ideal for straightforward Spider-Man comics. This is the charm of Spider-Man, isn’t it? The ordinary hero who can still manage to smile even when everything crumbles around him, who battles evil replicas and confronts personified sins of homicidal maniacs?
In 2023, it is amusing to consider the premise of reading The Amazing Spider-Man. While other comic series and spin-offs from the primary book have been successful (Joe Kelly and Chris Bachalo’s Non-Stop Spider-Man being an illustration), Marvel has had a lack of understanding of who its iconic Spidey title is made for in much of the past decade. It is a form of circular reasoning: The Amazing Spider-Man is read by those who read The Amazing Spider-Man, and people continue to read it because it is available to be read.
For years, Marvel has promised that Spider-Man will be returning to his roots, yet time and time again the character has been drawn into his own complex, and often contentious, history. It appears that The Amazing Spider-Man is not invested in creating a connection with readers, instead opting to focus on its own messy history of controversial characters (clones, symbiotes, etc.). This is likely the only explanation as to why the series continually revisits its most divisive moments.
In recent times, comics situated on the outside have been tackling this issue. Chip Zdarsky’s ‘Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man’ was a homage to the initial stories of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s webhead, and it had a meaningful ending about the significance of Spider-Man. Tom Taylor and Juann Cabal’s 2019 comic, ‘Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’, looked at Peter Parker and his dual identity as part of an area, creating a group of people in a New York City apartment building for Spider-Man to collaborate with and assist. These comics can be given to newcomers, those intrigued by movies or animations about Spider-Man and seeking more experiences.
It is difficult to think of any current Amazing Spider-Man storyline that would elicit a positive response. This twice-monthly series is a laborious exercise in brand promotion, yet, in spite of its flaws, there is still a devoted fan base that appreciates the transformation and reinterpretation of the franchise by different creators. However, it is improbable that this would draw any additional followers. Instead, new admirers are likely to turn to the films and video games that present modern takes on this beloved hero, only to be dismayed by the comic’s lack of appeal. It is a pity that such potential fans are treated with hostility.
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