Spider-Man 3: Serious Fanboy Anti-criticism
March 14, 2007 | Leave a Comment
I felt it was finally time to weigh in on a couple ridiculous criticisms I’ve seen circulating on the net related to the upcoming Spider-Man 3 movie:
1) Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane appearing in the movie at the same time
It is absolutely true that Peter fell in love with Gwen before MJ. However, MJ was first referenced in Amazing Spider-Man #15 (1964) and fully appeared for the first time in #42 (1966). At this point they immediately begin dating. This of course annoys Gwen Stacy who first appeared in issue #31 (1965) and has a crush on Pete. Eventually Peter ditches MJ due to her apparent shallow superficiality. He promptly dates Gwen, and as MJ is dating Harry Osborn (Pete’s roommate) all of them hang out together regularly. MJ continues to show interest in Peter to Gwen and Harry’s disliking. Eventually Gwen is killed at the hands of the Green Goblin in issue #121 (1973). The writers do this because the seriousness of their relationship can only lead to marriage logically and they do not want Spider-Man to have aged this much so soon.
After this tragedy, Peter and MJ have a bit of a rekindling, but they never manage to get things together. It is not until issue #258 (1984) that MJ reveals that she knows his secret identity and she has matured to a point where they establish a solid relationship that has mostly remained to this day. The movie has certainly approached this in a slightly different way, but not as far off as some have claimed, nowhere near enough to “ruin the film” or make anyone “hate Raimi”.
Seriously though, can anyone deny Howard’s hotness as Gwen?
Actually, if we want to get all weird about this, Betty Brant showed up in Amazing #4 and was definitely the first significant girl Peter dated!
2) Venom’s teeth and tongue are too small
When Todd McFarlane (visual creator of Venom) first drew the character, it was without the large pointy teeth and tongue. Later, Erik Larsen adds these things plus a ton of green drool when he replaced McFarlane as the lead artist on Amazing. Since then these visual elements have always been repeated, as well as exaggerated, with each new artist that draws Venom. Raimi’s choice to use a fairly stripped down “original” Venom probably made for a much easier character to portray on screen.
On that note, here’s a new picture to enjoy of Spidey actually fighting with Venom:
Tags: amazing spider-man, Betty Brant, erik larsen, gwen stacy, mary jane, mary jane watson, movie, sam raimi, spider-man, spiderman, spiderman 3, todd mcfarlane, venom
2006 in Review: Year of the Comic
December 31, 2006 | Leave a Comment
I read more comic books this year than anyone should. Honestly. I read hundreds. My collection expanded at least five times, I became the largest comic customer at the local shop, my monthly expense reaching into the hundreds of dollars. My intention was to review each major title or series I read, so I could look back on how I felt about them. In many cases I could, but my pace of consumption far exceeded my capability to write. So… here are a few of the comics I read that were most significant.
Titles I Already Followed
Amazing Spider-Man this was a big year for Spider-Man. He died and was reborn with new powers in The Other, he got the new iron spidey costume from Tony Stark, he revealed his identity in response to the registration act in Civil War, and as most recently switched sides and gone on the run. A banner year for Mr. Parker and J. Michael Straczynski has done a good job towing us along through all of this.
Sensational Spider-Man - a renaming of Marvel Knights: Spider-Man, this Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa written title has been fairly solid with nice tie-ins to the larger events occurring around it. Issue #28 particularly stands out as a story that follows one of Peter Parker’s students and how Parker’s identity being revealed effects this kid. A great single issue and the start of this run. Clayton Crain has been remarkable with his art on the few issues he did. This is an understatement, Crain is possibly the best artist currently working at Marvel. In particular, his covers will take your breathe away.
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man - I’ve had mostly a hate relationship with the Peter David written book. I even called for him to be fired at one point… Recent issues have been much better.
Ultimate Spider-Man - Bendis and Bagley have taken this title into dangerous territory as they explore the infamous Clone Saga. They seem to be handling it well and I still read this book immediately upon its arrival. I am sad that Bagley will be leaving the title in 2007 and also regret the foreshadowed and destined breakup of Peter and Kitty Pryde in the title. I liked the pairing and the stories they created.
Spider-Girl turned Amazing Spider-Girl - a bit of a roller coaster here with the cancellation following issue #100 and the subsequent creation of Amazing Spider-Girl. Tom Defalco has continued to make this title fun and engaging. I hope for at least 100 more…
Ongoing Titles I’m Now Following
Astonishing X-Men - All I can say about this title is holy crap Joss Whedon is awesome. If you like X-Men or Joss, you must read this book. His character portrayal, group dynamics, plot lines and action sequences can not be beat. It is no mistake that this is the only X-book I follow. Whedon made me love Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost who I previously had no notion of. I can’t wait to see what 2007 brings as it is sad to see him leaving this title. Can’t Marvel get him to write three or four for them?!?
Irredeemable Ant Man - this brand new Robert Kirkman title is funny and interesting. We’re only 2 issues in, but I’m liking it so far.
Marvel Spotlight - A great way to get to know artists and writers in greater detail. A lot of what I’ve picked up for back issues or checked out in new titles has been directly related to what I’ve read highlighted here.
Ms Marvel - Love it. See previous commentary.
New Avengers - This series has made my life exceptionally expensive… Almost any new character Bendis introduces here is portrayed in such an interesting way I need to read more about them (Spider-Woman, Ms Marvel, Sentry, etc). For more, see my previous comments.
Nextwave - I’ve already said it, Nextwave Rocks. This Warren Ellis written and Stuart Immonen drawn book is by far the funniest monthly Marvel puts out. It’s a strange humor, but one that appeals to me greatly. Unfortunately, it has to come to an end. Marvel has canceled this title, issue #12 will be the last. Fortunately both are off to places where I will still follow them. Ellis is taking over Thunderbolts with issue #110, a new exciting team spinning out of Civil War. Immonen will take over for Bagley on Ultimate Spider-Man.
Runaways - I started reading this purely for background on the Civil War tie-in. What I found was a deep love for Brian K. Vaughn. He is now in the same place in my regards as Bendis and Whedon. This series is just plain amazing and I recommend it to everyone. I’ve hooked Sara and Jenny, I intend on having my mother read this! Unfortunately, Vaughn is leaving Runaways and Marvel. The good news is this book will be taken over by none other than Joss Whedon! I hate to see Vaughn go, but I couldn’t ask for a better replacement.
Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane - This Sean McKeever written book is great. It lead me to read Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man and I am not sorry. I hope Marvel soon realizes McKeever for the talent he is and gives him a higher profile more serious book. See my previous thoughts.
X-Men First Class - Only a couple issues old, Jeff Parker has created an X-Men title set in the past, that I find highly entertaining. This is the original cast of the X-Men with Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Professor X. These are stories during simpler times wit less back story and continuity. Often comics like this are done poorly, but in this case I find myself being drawn into another X-book.
Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man - Again, McKeever is a wonderfully underrated author. If Bendis ever leaves Ultimate Spider-Man I’d love to see McKeever as his replacement. He understands and writes high school age Peter Parker better than anyone. Unfortunately this is a title geared toward younger readers (like all his stuff) so we can never really know if McKeever possesses the capability of exploring deeper plots.
Marvel Adventures: The Avengers - This title is still relatively new, but I like the team line-up: Iron Man, Captain America, Storm, Spider-Man, Hulk, Giant Girl, and Wolverine. Jeff Parker is doing a fine job with this title.
Limited Series, Incomplete
These are limited series that stretch into 2007 and in turn I have yet to complete.
Annihilation - This was not an event I ever intended on paying attention to. The cosmic side of the Marvel Universe never really interested me. However, I read Annihilation: Nova and was hooked. Not by Nova, but by Drax the Destroyer. This misunderstood villain and his “sidekick” Cammi interested me a great deal. I now intend on seeking out the older Drax mini series about him and Cammi. These two were enough to sell me on following the entire event. The Silver Surfer title was also good, but I was unimpressed with the Ronin and Super Skrull titles. The main event is still going on and I’m yet to pass judgment on it as a whole.
Beyond! - This is terrible. I’m halfway through issue #5 out of 6 and I can hardly go on. I originally purchased this because Spider-Man was on the cover and soon found out what a mistake that was. This is Marvel’s version of the Surreal Life with only C-list characters showing up. The story is miserable and the art matches. McDuffie and Kolins have done nothing for their readers here. Barring a startling conclusion issue, I would not recommend this to anyone.
Civil War - The many tie-ins and side stories have made this an expensive event for me, but worth every penny. The core title is fantastic. Millar and McNiven make a great team and I don’t even mind the delay they caused. This book stands to effect all of the Marvel Universe with rippling effects. Iron Man vs Captain America is just one small part of this crossover masterpiece. My only complaint is the occasional continuity stumble. (how did Sue leave Reed exactly?!?) As a whole the tie-ins have been exceptional, with Paul Jenkins’ Front Line standing out as arguably the best comic cross over tie-in ever. There are no words. Stay tuned for more write-ups on Civil War.
Eternals - Neil Gaiman is putting together an interesting story here that brings these underutilized characters back into play in the Marvel U. Unfortunately I am one of the few who hates John Romita Jr’s art. I’m having a hard time getting over it to enjoy Gaiman’s story.
White Tiger - Tamora Pierce, famed for writing stories involving young heroines, raises the prestige of a new female heroine to the Marvel Universe: White Tiger. This is the fourth Marvel hero to take on the role of White Tiger. Pierce has not disappointed, but we’re only two issues in. I love the female comic character, this seems like a good match for me.
Limited Series - Completed
These are limited series that I read completely.
1602 - My first introduction to Neil Gaiman and I was most impressed. I was also impressed by Andy Kubert’s art. I now understand why he was a big loss when he left for DC. If you enjoy the breadth of characters in the Marvel Universe and also like alternate re-imaginings, this is a book for you. I intend to try out some of the 1602 spin-offs and maybe venture outside Marvel to experience the critically acclaimed Gaiman masterpiece Sandman.
House of M - This is the only Bendis written series I’ve ever disliked. There are major failures with tie-ins. See my previous write-up.
Kitty Pryde - Shadow and Flame - Whedon made me fall in love with Kitty and this was the first mini-series devoted to her that I could find. It is enjoyable, but not stellar.
Last Planet Standing - Set in the Spider-Girl alternate Marvel Universe, this DeFalco Galactus story is wretched. I enjoy the Avengers Next crew, but the story here is flimsy and contrived. Not worth reading by a long shot.
Marvel Zombies - My first experience with Robert Kirkman. This story spins out of Ultimate Fantastic Four and is a lot of fun. A bit disturbing and entirely like Chinese food, it does not leave you at all full an hour after reading.
New Mangaverse - An interesting Manga-style take on the Marvel Universe. If no one has noticed yet, I love alternate universe re-imaginings. I would not discount writer CB Cebulski’s ability to tell an engaging comic story. Hopefully he’ll find his way onto a more mainstream title.
Secret Wars - See previous discussion.
Secret War (2005) - The Bendis written event that left Nick Fury on the run and absent from the Marvel U. I found this enjoyable and engaging. An event that has had lasting impact which is even effecting the current Civil War event. Highly recommended to fans of Spidey, Cap, Fury, the Avengers, Luke Cage, etc.
Spider-Woman: Origin - Single handedly Bendis made Spider-Woman cool again when she appeared as a key member of the New Avengers. This limited series adds to the depth and intrigue of Jessica Drew, simultaneously establishing a reasonable and hopefully definitive origin for her character.
The Sentry - Intrigued by his membership in the New Avengers, I explored the original Sentry mini-series. Not a good choice… Read my detailed thoughts on this. I’m glad to have not judged Paul Jenkins by this alone.
Ultimate Daredevil and Elektra Wonderful. Read full writeup.
Ultimate Elektra Terrific. Read full thoughts.
Ultimate Iron Man - Orson Scott Card puts together the most interesting Iron Man portrayal ever. Read my full thoughts.
Ultimate Galactus Trilogy - Long, drawn out, full of potential, tragically executed. There is really no more to say about this major Ultimate-verse event. Don’t get me wrong there are some great moments in this, but in the end it is enirely cobbled together. I may need to read this through once again and fully analyze why it sucked and where it failed.
Canceled Titles
These are old titles which have come to be canceled
Alias - I will soon be purchasing the Omnibus edition of this and writing a detailed analysis of why this is the greatest thing Bendis ever wrote and why I love it so very much. At the moment this is the absolute best comic series I read this year. In it’s time it was quite popular and Bendis voluntarily canceled the title to avoid “jumping the shark”. The story of Jessica Jones is continued in The Pulse.
The Pulse - After reading Alias, this is an unfortunate let down. The depth and grit from Alias is all washed away. I found myself reading these few issues and wishing there was more Alias… There are still good aspects to this book, it is written by Bendis. Ben Urich is further developed into a character positioning him nicely for his role in Civil War. I wanted more of Jessica and less of the Daily Bugle, but alas it was not to be. Fans apparently agreed as this book was canceled. I hope Jessica Jones has her only series revived after the dusts settles on Civil War.
Back Issues
These are chunks of an existing title I decided to read.
Amazing Spider-Man #1-111 - here is where it all started. Stan Lee and Steve Ditko establish over 75% of the most significant members of Spider-Man’s rogue gallery way back then. Very few villains since have stuck. This is the golden age of Spider-Man and worth reading for any fan. Just remember, there is a lot more reading in comics back then…
Cable & Deadpool #1-32 - After reading the Cable & Deadpool Civil War tie-ins, I had to know more about Deadpool. This is the second funniest book Marvel publishes. (Just a hair behind Nextwave). Fabian Nicieza writes Deadpool with witty, quick dialog that truly stands out. Deadpool has quickly skyrocketed up my list of favorite Marvel characters. Sometimes the plots in these books are thin, but again, the dialog from Deadpool makes up for it completely.
The Ultimates #1-13 - Mark Millar’s skewed take on the Avengers. Read my detailed take on this.
Ultimate Fantastic Four #1-23 - Loved it. Read more. On a sidenote, Greg Land’s art in this book may be my favorite in all of Marvel, in close competition with Crain and McNiven.
Ultimate X-Men #1-65 - not as good as the other Ultimate books, but entertaining nonetheless. I intend to catch back up on this series in 2007.
Young Avengers #1-12 - Like Runaways, I decided to read Young Avengers back issues in preparation for understanding the Civil War tie in. I found this to be an entertaining read, Alan Heinberg does put together an interesting new team. All the story lines are engaging, but nothing truly stands out about this book. Although, Jim Cheung’s art is amongst the best at Marvel. I am looking forward to more from the YA and have enjoyed their high level of involvement in Civil War.
That’s it. A “quick” rundown of what I read in comics this year. If you’ve made it this far, I’m shocked, and hope I’ve touched on at least some new comic that you might pick up and try out. There is a wealth of good comics being produced today, I hope more people realize that there is more to Marvel than their movies.
Tags: "astonishing x-men", 1602, alias, amazing spider girl, amazing spider-man, Annihilation, Back Issues, bendis, Beyond!, Cable & Deadpool, Cancelled Titles, civil war, comic, comics, friendly neighborhood spider-man, house of m, Irredeemable Ant Man, Kitty Pryde - Shadow and Flame, last planet standing, Limited Series, marvel, marvel spotlight, Marvel Zombies, ms marvel, new avengers, New Mangaverse, nextwave, Ongoing Titles, runaways, secret war, secret wars, Sensational Spider-Man, spider-girl, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, spider-woman, The Pulse, the sentry, The Ultimates, Ulti, ultimate daredevil and Elektra, Ultimate Elektra, ultimate fantastic four, Ultimate Galactus Trilogy, ultimate iron man, ultimate spider-man, Ultimate War, ultimate x-men, White Tiger, X-Men First Class, Young Avengers
New Thunderbolts Lineup
October 16, 2006 | 1 Comment
Warren Ellis (Nextwave) will partner with Mike Deodato (New Avengers and Amazing Spider-Man) will take over Thunderbolts beginning with issue #110.
This is an ideal time for a creative change with the T-Bolts. Following the events leading up to the startling conclusion of Civil War #2, we’ve seen much of the roster for the Thunderbolts shaken up. Three of the most lethal and frightening Marvel villains unite on this team: Venom, Green Goblin, and Bullseye. Ellis and Deodato promise to provide a dark and disturbing take on a team who can often sway between hero and villain.
Can these evil characters have turned over a new leaf with superhero registration? Can they be trusted to police other villains? This is their opportunity for redemption and I’ll be there watching as many of these characters are sure to unravel.
I picked up a few T-bolt issues leading into and through Civil War. I was surprised to find myself intrigued by the prospect of this team of villains turned hero. Many of them have ulterior motives, some good, some bad. This is a book that always keeps readers guessing. If Ellis does as well with this as he does with Nextwave, this is sure to make my monthly pull list.
Tags: amazing spider-man, bullseye, Green Goblin, hero, mike deodato, new avengers, nextwave, thunderbolts, venom, villain, warren ellis
A New Spider-Man Costume
January 16, 2006 | 13 Comments
Marvel is showing a new Spider-Man costume on their site. This red and yellow suit looks far more like the Iron Man colors than the more common red and blue or even black that Peter has donned in the past.
Apparently coming out of the major events of The Other (not yet concluded), Spider-Man will be gaining new powers and Tony Stark (Iron Man) has designed him a new costume. Peter has been getting a lot of assistance from Stark over the last few months. His house was destroyed and May and Mary Jane are all living in the Avengers tower with Peter. He’s always been very independent, but this growing reliance on Stark is a major departure for him.
Some interesting tidbits from the Marvel article:
Peter recieves this new costume to help him adjust to his newest developments, as well as giving him some added muscle! […]
Every “gift” has its cost, and this new look for Spidey will signal the beginnings of change, especially as it comes on the eve of the upcoming Civil War. […] how much in debt is Peter’s loyalty to Tony Stark going to cost him in the long run?
I guess I’ll know more in February when Amazing Spider-Man #529 arrives and this new costume is revealed in it’s entirety. Between new powers which will be revealed this week and the new costume next month, I’m salivating for my comics to arrive. I partially hope Peter says no to this, or requests a redesign or something. Don’t get me wrong, I think it looks cool, but yellow?!?
Tags: amazing spider-man, blue and red, comic, comic book, comic books, comics, costume, iron man, marvel, new costume, parker, peter parker, spider-man, spiderman, stark, the other, tony stark, yellow, yellow and red
New Avengers, New Comics Legend
November 23, 2005 | 5 Comments
Over the last few months of reading Amazing Spider-Man, a continually running core plot point has been his membership in a newly reformed Avengers. Never having been a huge Avengers fan, I wasn’t initially very interested, but this interest has slowly increased.
I just completed reading New Avengers Volume 1: Breakout, which collects New Avengers #1-6. After completing this, I was hooked. The writing was just all out fantastic. I hadn’t been this excited about a comic since the Ultimate Spider-Man Collection. It was then it hit me.
Bendis wrote Ultimate Spider-Man, and he also wrote New Avengers. In fact it was him who dissolved the original Avengers. That series has been compiled in the aptly named Avengers Disassembled.
Bendis has also been involved in writing Daredevil, Ultimate X-Men, Ultimate Fantastic Four. In the meantime he created and wrote Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Secret War, Alias, Powers, and House of M. He’s also responsible for bringing Spider-Woman and Luke Cage back to life.
I’m looking forward to getting my hands on as many Bendis written stories as I can. As far as I’m concerned he’s a living legend like Stan Lee, Frank Miller, Jack Kirby, or Steve Ditko. In 5-10 years all the comics based movies will be driven by the characters and worlds Bendis is creating and expanding right now.
Tags: alias, amazing spider-man, avengers, bendis, book, breakout, brian michael bendis, comic, comic book, comic books, comics, daredevil, fan, fantastic four, frank miller, house of m, jack kirby, marvel, marvel team-up, new avengers, powers, secret war, spider-man, spider-woman, spiderman, stan lee, steve ditko, ultimate, ultimate fantastic four, ultimate spider-man, ultimate x-men, ultimates, x-men