Amazing Spider-Man #1000 was released today (but only if you don't count #442-788 and #802-999, which were never published). Spider-Man belongs to a specific genre of literature, the bildungsroman, or "coming of age" story, the story of how a youth becomes an adult. But in Peter Parker's case, it's a very long story, one that is never allowed to come to an end. Douglas Wolk compared it to "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" in the "Spinning in Circles" chapter of his 2021 book All of the Marvels: "Peter is not yet -- never yet -- the person he needs to become... The Spider-Man story is about growing up, and failing, and growing up some more, and failing again, and clawing one's way back up again."
Wolk goes on to say that "some of [Spider-Man's] readers want to see him get on with it and grow up already." Count me among those readers. Prior to 1998, Marvel had provided readers with multiple "jumping off points"; after 1998, every "new number one" represents a different cycle. The one that did it for me is "One More Day."
"Sins Past" had already soured me on the franchise, but "One More Day" was where I drew the line.
(In retrospect, I would take that back at least as far as "The Final Chapter.")
I still check in from time-to-time, but each new direction is increasingly obviously another turn in the cycle: in one he's a high school science teacher; in another, a corporate mogul; in another, Mary Jane is a super-model and they live in a penthouse. Which brings us up to today's #1000.
I didn't buy it.
If anyone here did, I invite your comments.
Replies
I didn't buy it. I bailed on the franchise just before Spider Island and haven't regretted it yet. The science teacher job was perfect for Peter Parker, just like the TV news anchor job was (less) perfect for Clark Kent. In both cases, it would only work if they gave up being superheroes. How do you sneak away from a job that has you front-and-center? In Peter’s case, it was even worse because he would arrive at the job looking like he just left a bar fight. Clark being a reporter who is always in and out and Peter being a roving newspaper photographer were brilliant ideas from their creators.
The worst idea they ever had was, of course, wishing away Peter’s and Mary Jane’s baby and wiping out their marriage. Revealing that Peter was Spider-Man led directly to Aunt May’s death. I’m sure that Aunt May would have nixed all of the agreements with (the/a) devil just so she could come back to life.
The fear that Peter having a wife and child would turn off all of their readers was nuts. I’m willing to bet that it hasn’t hurt Superman’s sales.
I think the worst idea they ever had was having Peter and Mary Jane get married in the first place, especially so because it was a tie-in to the Amazing Spider-Man newspaper comic strip. Talk about the tail wagging the dog. Were there really that many newspaper readers affecting the sales of the comics to make this stunt worthwhile?
The comics all too often change elements to conform to what's happening in the TV or movie adaptations of same, when they should just do what they do and let them do what they do.
Wasn't Stan Lee writing the strip at the time? That may have been a factor.
I liked and still like the marriage. It was a natural and logical form of character development. But it is true that it also changes the character concept. Not an inherently bad thing IMO, but it may not fit everyone's expectations.
If anyone here did, I invite your comments.
I haven't gone to the comics shop yet this week. I'll probably get it when I do. But I could always change my mind!
But I'm with you, Jeff -- Byrne's "Chapter One," "Sins Past" and "One More Day" were all turn-offs. I don't remember when, exactly, I stopped reading Spidey but it was after those events soured me. I did read one later stretch for some reason -- maybe the lead-up to #900? -- but it didn't induce me to stick around.
Wasn't Stan Lee writing the strip at the time? That may have been a factor.
I think you're right.
I don't remember when, exactly, I stopped reading Spidey...
I do. It was 2010. (See "The Day I Stopped Buying Spider-Man.")
Oh yeah!
Captain Comics said (in 2010)
I discovered Amazing Spider-Man. More to the point, I discovered Peter Parker. You know the guy: Stan Lee wrote him, and Steve Ditko drew him. Bespectacled, thin, small, bookish, smart as a whip, picked on by bigger boys. A kid who never met a gym teacher who didn't bully the hell out of him. Remember him?
Well. You know where this is going. That was me. I latched onto Peter Parker like a life preserver.
My first Spider-Man was Volume 1, number 9, Electro’s debut issue. I returned from a short break from comics just as this issue went on sale, right after my father’s death. I was a good student. Peter was probably better. I was bullied. Unless someone touched me, I just used words. The one time I took a swing at someone was when he pushed me from behind. I missed, but he got the point. He later was killed in Vietnam while trying to save another guy. I honor him. Neither Peter nor I had siblings. Peter’s father-figure died when he was 15. My father died when I was 15.
Laugh it up, children -- before 1968, you could buy Marvel's entire monthly output for 96 cents, plus tax.
Money was always a problem, even before my father died. We could only afford to go to the beach or to a free amusement park, which is no longer free. Thankfully, ten- or twelve-cent comics were affordable as was black and white TV.
OK, fine. I bought it and read it.
My Verdict: "OK, but not overwhelming."
The cover I bought: The one with characters from the strip's earliest years. I liked it.
SPOILER SPACE:
On a completely unrelated note, the Superman character that I would bring back if I could would be the old Earth-Two Alexei Luthor. Yeah, I know that Brainiac killed him off, but a guy like that would have a Plot Device to escape with, only it lands him on the present day Earth-Zero, where he has utter contempt for both Superman and Lex, and just goes around making trouble for everyone.
This has been today's Idea That No One But The Baron Is Interested In. Thank you, drive through.
END SPOILER SPACE
First Story: Aunt May has had her 90th Annual Cardiac Event. ("Free hot dogs and ballons for the kiddies! Come on down!") Pete's long-lost Cousin Sales Gimmick who is secretly the villain Ravage (Wasn't there already a Ravage?). Ravage is trying to steal Peter's place in Aunt May's memories. (Is he going to do this for the nine thousand who remember Pete as well?) anyway, they have an Epic Battle which is continued next issue. I won't be buying that one, so if any of you do, fill me in on what happens, as if I couldn't guess.
Second Story: In the far future, Assisted Living Spider-Man is tormented by visions of Gwen Stacy, which turn out to be the work of Mysterio, who is terminally ill and wants to be a jerk one last time. You know, if one of your enemies is an illusion-caster, shouldn't you always think of them when you start seeing impossible things?
Third Story: On the day of Harry Osborn's funeral, Pete is tormented by visions of Harry and Norman. Not Mysterio, this time.
Fourth Story: By Frank Miller and Peach Momoko, not a combination that I would've thought of. Some guys in red robes turn a girl into a spider-monster, but Pete rescues her. "THE END?" Who cares?
Fifth Story: Uncle Ben takes Young Peter to see the wrestling matches. Present-day Pete goes to see Crusher Hogan wrestle Demolition-Man.
Sixth Story: Pete is summoned to Avengers Mansion, but he's delayed because of a villain fight. He arrives late and Cap is there and tells him that it's the anniversary of Pete's first public appearance as Spider-Man. Tony (Is he dead? It seems like they're talking about him in the past tense.) has left Peter a tacky statue. Ah, it's Bendis. Figures.
Seventh Story: Larry Lieber (Wow, he's gotta be gettin' up there!) pens a tale in which Pete and MJ are sitting in the park, and Pete gets drawn back in time, where he teams up with the Rawhide Kid. Probably my favorite story of the whole thing.
Interlude: Tribute pages to Steve and Stan, with art by Phil Noto.
Eighth Story: The story of the cop who was there in the studio when Spider-Man didn't stop the burglar.
That's it. There's some text pages where they ask creators about their favorite Spider-whatevers, but I haven't been bored enough to read them yet.
On a completely unrelated note, the Superman character that I would bring back if I could would be the old Earth-Two Alexei Luthor. Yeah, I know that Brainiac killed him off, but a guy like that would have a Plot Device to escape with, only it lands him on the present day Earth-Zero, where he has utter contempt for both Superman and Lex, and just goes around making trouble for everyone.
So he'd join forces with Mr. Mxyzptlk and Obnoxio the Clown* and form the League of People Who Just Want to be a Dick to Everyone?
I think I'd read that.
*Since Mxyzptlk is involved, Obnoxio could be brought in from 616.
That wasn't the djrection that I was thinking of going. Interesting idea, though.
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