Is it time for a hard reboot on Spidey?

[oldschool]

I don't know, on one hand there have been plenty of retcons and the like to the point cleanup might be necessary...

On the other hand, I think they will go the Ultimate route and keep Peter a teenager perpetually if they were to reboot in this day and age... So I don't know if he would be allowed to grow if they started him off in high school again.

But that's just it: a reboot doesn't necessarily mean they have to start him off in high school all over again. This is fiction: why not start it off with Peter as a 25-year old (or whatever) and, since we are already familiar with most of the supporting cast/villains they could just fill in the gaps as we go along.

[Tuck]

But that's just it: a reboot doesn't necessarily mean they have to start him off in high school all over again. This is fiction: why not start it off with Peter as a 25-year old (or whatever) and, since we are already familiar with most of the supporting cast/villains they could just fill in the gaps as we go along.

With so many Spider titles being published, they could do what Rucka did with Wonder Woman and start at present while telling the new version of the origin at the same time . . . even continue that way to hit the major beats at least.

Marvel talks about preserving the character for each generation, but we all have a Peter who was a Boomer teenager. Ultimate was a Millennial. Holland was (I think we're calling them) Digital Natives. To me, that keeping the character for each generation works better if there are reboots.

[steeplejack2112]

No thanks.

[Prof. Warren]

Did you read what I wrote? I said I don't think it should be rebooted, personally. And I just asked the question of what everyone else thinks, not that I think Marvel should or shouldn't do something based on my personal like or dislike. Lastly, I think Spidey suffers from the "illusion of change" more than other characters due to editorial jerking him back and forth between differing ages and tones. Batman, by way of comparison, has stayed fairly true to the same tone for decades now.

Whether you personally feel it should be rebooted or not, you laid out an argument as to why it should be and I would think the points you made concerning the title reflect your own feelings towards it, especially as you offered no counter argument as to why a reboot would be a mistake.

And comparing Batman and Spider-Man is comparing apples and oranges. Batman is always going to be portrayed a certain way, with little fluctuation. He's the grim avenger, whose personal life as Bruce Wayne seldom takes center stage, whereas Peter's tumultuous everyday life is always going to be as much a part of the book as his time as Spider-Man. Also, Peter has never been jerked back and forth between ages. He's progressed to the mid-20s range and has hovered there ever since and will continue to do so.

[Cloudman]

I don't want a hard reboot, but Slott has screwed the pooch by making Peter an internationally renowned billionaire playboy. There's just no way of turning Pete back into a regular guy after that; they either had to stick with the 'Parker Industries' era or never do it in the first place. Maybe after 100 issues or so it'll be lost to the annals of history, but for the moment the story is in a very weird place, lacking either the innovation of Pete running a huge corporation or the traditional appeal of Pete's dorky, joe schmoe life.

[Scott Taylor]

Nah. A hard reboot would not gain anything in the long run because all that continuity would still be loved and would still exist, officially or not. They'd still have a character who's had thousands of stories told about him and who's been through practically everything.

But also the title is still doing well financially, which makes a reboot out of the question. Why break what is not broken?

[Miles To Go]

Why break what is not broken?

What they did in 2007 says hi.

[oldschool]

I don't want a hard reboot, but Slott has screwed the pooch by making Peter an internationally renowned billionaire playboy. There's just no way of turning Pete back into a regular guy after that; they either had to stick with the 'Parker Industries' era or never do it in the first place. Maybe after 100 issues or so it'll be lost to the annals of history, but for the moment the story is in a very weird place, lacking either the innovation of Pete running a huge corporation or the traditional appeal of Pete's dorky, joe schmoe life.

Yeah, the character has been jerked back and forth quite a bit over the last 20 years or so which is why I wonder if a hard reboot may happen. I realize these things happen with other characters (Captain American has been killed, replaced by 2 different characters, resurrected, lost his super soldier serum, aged to 90 and been a sleeper Hydra Agent all over the last decade) but it's hard to figure what Spidey is defined by anymore.

[Miles To Go]

it's hard to figure what Spidey is defined by anymore.

The most likable version the last few years has been defined by fatherhood, where as the mainline one is defined, it seems, by focus committee

[oldschool]

I do agree that the more time that goes by, the larger and more significant the plotholes become as villains/supporting cast all have gone through multiple permeations and it's almost impossible for the creators to keep it all straight, let alone the readers.

[Pav]

No.

There's no reason to do so.

Continuity hiccups only bother you if you let them.

If you aren't having fun reading the comics anymore, don't read them.

If you don't like Peter anymore, stop reading about him.

it's hard to figure what Spidey is defined by anymore.

With great power comes great responsibility.

You're welcome for the reminder.

-Pav, who still enjoys Spidey comics...

[Miles To Go]

If you don't like Peter anymore, stop reading about him.

"Don't like it? Don't watch/listen to/read it" didn't shut anyone with functioning critical faculties up in 2007, it is not going to shut anyone up in 2017.

With great power comes great responsibility.

You're welcome for the reminder.

Until you deal with the devil by the pale moonlight

[Vanguard-01]

It is LONG past time for a hard reboot, actually. Just about the only way I may even CONSIDER coming back to the Spider books.

[Pav]

"Don't like it? Don't watch/listen to/read it" didn't shut anyone with functioning critical faculties up in 2007, it is not going to shut anyone up in 2017.




Until you deal with the devil by the pale moonlight

I'm not trying to shut anyone up. It's not my job, nor is it one of my interests.

Also, I don't let one bad story ruin my enjoyment of all stories.

For those people who can't get over the bad stories enough to enjoy the good ones, again I say unto you: maybe you should go read something else.

-Pav, who doesn't need the attitude...

[Miles To Go]

It is LONG past time for a hard reboot, actually. Just about the only way I may even CONSIDER coming back to the Spider books.

Just erase the last ten years. DC did away with five years and have been more than fine.