What do you think Peter’s (as Spidey) brand of humor should be?

To me, it feels like Spider-Man’s humor has become something that it never should have been. Lots of modern stories portray it as bad jokes he knows aren’t good, random pop culture references, topical observations, and a lot of self-deprecation. Kind of like a bumbling character from a sitcom. Though it really wasn’t these types of jokes or jokes at all for that matter that he utilized for most of his existence. Rather they were clever quips digging at who he was fighting.

What do you think about this? What brand of humor should Spider-Man employ?

[QUOTE=KurtW95;4544027]What do you think about this? What brand of humor should Spider-Man employ?[/QUOTE]

The funny kind.

[quote]To me, it feels like Spider-Man’s humor has become something that it never should have been. Lots of modern stories portray it as bad jokes he knows aren’t good, random pop culture references, topical observations, and a lot of self-deprecation. Kind of like a bumbling character from a sitcom. Though it really wasn’t these types of jokes or jokes at all for that matter that he utilized for most of his existence. Rather they were clever quips digging at who he was fighting.[/quote]

That might be the limitations of writers in trying, and failing, to write humor than a fault of the character. Spider-Man's humor being bad jokes, random pop culture references and so on, is down to Dan Slott's inability and limitatons as a writer.

It's hard to be funny. I recently read Mark Millar's Marvel Knights Spider-Man again. I like it, it's great but Peter's not especially funny there. Nor does Millar try and write him humorously. Yet he still feels like Peter, overly sensitive, and insecure.

Another dig at Slott? Here comes the Spider-Forum! XD
Kidding.

In all seriousness, I get what the OP is saying: his humor was funnier because he was using the situation to his advantage. Most of the times, it's a villain, and that villain gets annoyed at his quips as they're trying to kill him. One of the best examples of this comes from "Spectacular Spider-Man", where Doc Ock nearly kills Spider-Man and Peter replies, "My fans expect a certain amount of quippage in every battle."

It's true! Because that's Peter. When he's just making bad jokes and random pop culture references for no reason, I think that's the writers trying to turn him into a bite-sized Deadpool, which is not who he is.

So in all, I think Spider-Man is more of a balanced humor type: doesn't quip in actual dangerous situations to others, but when it's a random villain or one of his classics, then he'll do it.

But like Jack said, that's difficult to write well.

If I were to do a list of funniest Spider-Man writers, it would be -- Stan Lee, Conway, PAD, JMS surprisingly enough, and Nick Spencer.

Humor is incredibly subjective and not everyone writes humor the same way, but I think it's important that Spidey is cracking at least some kind of joke in a dangerous situation to ease his own tension or throw the bad guy off. Otherwise he just doesn't really feel like Spidey (looks at MCU Spidey and his lack of quips).

[QUOTE=Revolutionary_Jack;4544110]If I were to do a list of funniest Spider-Man writers, it would be -- Stan Lee, Conway, PAD, JMS surprisingly enough, and Nick Spencer.[/QUOTE]

I would agree, also add Paul Jenkins and Bendis (for USM, not 616)

[QUOTE=Frontier;4544125]Humor is incredibly subjective and not everyone writes humor the same way, but I think it's important that Spidey is cracking at least some kind of joke in a dangerous situation to ease his own tension or throw the bad guy off. Otherwise he just doesn't really feel like Spidey (looks at MCU Spidey and his lack of quips).[/QUOTE]

Except a quip is different than a joke and most interpretations since the turn of the century have had him attempt the latter with him knowing that they aren’t any good.

Modern writers like to make Spider-Man “the joke” rather than make jokes himself. This can be funny once in a while, but it gets boring and cringey really quick.

I think the best Spider-Man humor is him commenting on the irony of the situation and mocking his enemies. Add bits of other kinds as spice.

(IMHO, Brian Michael Bendis did the funniest Spidey in Ultimate and did it well.)

Spidey doing self deprecating jokes is in-character as long as he doesn't overdo it, and it mostly should be about his lack of luck, and sometimes mentioning his own flaws.

As for jokes he makes towards enemies, I think they're better if they mostly mocking taunts, I don't think pop culture references really work for Spidey, he feels more like a science nerd, not a pop culture nerd, so it'd feel more fitting if he was making jokes about the animal species his various enemies have, or more science related jokes, but shouldn't go too far either, as he keeps the jokes simple, just so enemies can understand 'em and get annoyed.

Edit: Oh, and as mentioned above, mentioning the irony of a situation works too, and I think occasionaly puns can work as well, though I'm thinking of this moment in particular when I think of a Spidey pun:

[video=youtube_share;CmJn4AXKivc]https://youtu.be/CmJn4AXKivc?t=32[/video]

Edit 2: I meant at 0:32, the time stamping didn't work lol

Spectacular Spider-Man did it perfectly and I wish other venues would follow suit. Marc Webb’s version was the closest in live action if you ask me.

[QUOTE=Revolutionary_Jack;4544110]If I were to do a list of funniest Spider-Man writers, it would be -- Stan Lee, Conway, PAD, JMS surprisingly enough, and Nick Spencer.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I'd agree with those. Shout out to BMB as well.

[QUOTE=Batman Begins 2005;4544352]Yeah, I'd agree with those. Shout out to BMB as well.[/QUOTE]

Ultimate Spider-Man certainly. 616 Peter not so much. Like his Peter doesn't come off well in The Pulse and New Avengers.

On the other hand, Bendis did 616 Jonah pretty well in Alias and The Pulse. And to do Spider-Man humor well, you really need to do Flat-Top well.

[QUOTE=KurtW95;4544027]To me, it feels like Spider-Man’s humor has become something that it never should have been. Lots of modern stories portray it as bad jokes he knows aren’t good, random pop culture references, topical observations, and a lot of self-deprecation. Kind of like a bumbling character from a sitcom. Though it really wasn’t these types of jokes or jokes at all for that matter that he utilized for most of his existence. Rather they were clever quips digging at who he was fighting.

What do you think about this? What brand of humor should Spider-Man employ?[/QUOTE]
It's not one or the other, it can be and has been both...
Spidey has always made silly pop culture reference quips.

[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/0LbMcHd.png[/IMG]

And could be hysterically self-deprecating

[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/nvdqxx3.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=Güicho;4544533]It's not one or the other, it can be and has been both...
Spidey has always made silly pop culture reference quips.

[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/0LbMcHd.png[/IMG][/QUOTE]

That example is still him cutting against his opponent and doesn’t feel unnecessary or forced.