Spider-Men II #5

[doomeye56]

Miles was always going to get a name change. Sure I figured it would be in like 5 years after a massive drop or gain popularity and some editor decided its time for a re branding for marketing purposes. This seems like Bendis wanting his toys for him self so he is going to alter them before he turns them over.

[CentralPower]

Ultimate is for all intents and purposes dead. The line did it's thing, Ultimatum dropped the ball and it hadn't recovered since. Concepts like the Ultimates, Miles, and The Maker, are things worth exploring, but it had so much more potential dead than it does alive.

My point exactly. There are survivors from the old "Ultimates" imprint in mainline Marvel. Ewing brought back several more characters in "Ultimates" (2016 series). And, now, there is a new Ultimate universe. That is an awful lot of baggage for an imprint and series that had more or less run its editorial course nearly a decade ago.

You're kidding, right? Can you elaborate? I didn't read the last two issues.

Actually, that pretty well sums it up.

There was no way that this was going to deliver on 5 years of expectations and waiting, especially with Bendis.

Bendis is an execution guy, not an idea or concept man. His ideas are very light. His follow-through sucks.

He derailed the Gillen/Taylor "Iron Man" run to set up for his run on the series. Bendis wanted to do the adoption angle, which obligated Gillen to introduce an entirely new variation of Arno Stark (as the "real" Stark baby). As good as Gillen's run was, it added a huge amount of baggage to make the adoption (almost) work. Bendis also said that his run was thematically inspired by the end of the third "Iron Man" movie.

There is no evidence of follow-through or thought to those things in his run. His run has some good, readable, moments. But, it is light on ideas and follow-through.

The problem applies to "Spider-Men" and its sequel.

[Michael Watkins]

I think he's kind of lacking in the execution department,imo. I've always seen his 'magic' being the artists that they set him up with. I've never read a bendis story because of the writing. it's always because of a Maleev, a Lark, a Deodato jr. a Mcniven, etc. might as well be chuck austen writing.

[Sardorim]

Well,,we knew UU was restored, without Miles and co., as Ultimate Jessica joined the Web Warriors.

[exile001]

might as well be chuck austen writing.

Woah, there. We've all had a drink, but let's not say something we'll regret in the morning. Lol.

But yeah, this series was complete garbage. I didn't even like the art.

I knew I was in for a bad time when Peter's reaction from SM1 was (clearly ret-conned) to finding no trace of a 616 Miles Morales online. Nope. No-one would ever react like that. It just does not make any sense.

In fact, it makes even less sense now that Miles has been folded (ret-conned) INTO 616. The story was pointless, meandering and unnecessary. Also, why was Peter involved in this? It was a Miles story start to finish and Peter could have been better utilised as a guiding figure for Miles for one issue as Miles questions himself (will I become him? Will I tarnish your/our legacy?), rather than hovering throughout the whole arc adding little.

And why even shoe-horn 616 Miles into being Fisk's (previously unheard of) best friend/second in command? What purpose did this serve?

Did it make Fisk more human? Not really, and even if it had, to what end? It doesn't jibe with the Kingpin Bendis was also writing in Defenders (where 616 Miles was shoe-horned as a cameo).

Did it add anything to have Miles help Fisk take power (another retcon)? Not really, if anything, it diminishes Fisk slightly to rely so closely on another person (other than Vanessa, who DOES humanise him).

And the ending, sending Miles to UU. What does that solve/resolve? Miles shows no true remorse for his actions. He isn't seeking redemption. He isn't hinted to become that universes Spider-man. He is, at the start, a selfish man who happens to pick the right side. He is, at the end, a selfish man who gets everything he wants. What a great character arc! In fact, in 4/5 issues I believe he mostly just sits in a vehicle!

Would it have killed Bendis to give the two Miles' (Mileses, whatever) an interesting conversation? Page upon page of dialogue are what he is best at!

[SpiderClops]

Woah, there. We've all had a drink, but let's not say something we'll regret in the morning. Lol.

But yeah, this series was complete garbage. I didn't even like the art.

I knew I was in for a bad time when Peter's reaction from SM1 was (clearly ret-conned) to finding no trace of a 616 Miles Morales online. Nope. No-one would ever react like that. It just does not make any sense.

In fact, it makes even less sense now that Miles has been folded (ret-conned) INTO 616. The story was pointless, meandering and unnecessary. Also, why was Peter involved in this? It was a Miles story start to finish and Peter could have been better utilised as a guiding figure for Miles for one issue as Miles questions himself (will I become him? Will I tarnish your/our legacy?), rather than hovering throughout the whole arc adding little.

And why even shoe-horn 616 Miles into being Fisk's (previously unheard of) best friend/second in command? What purpose did this serve?

Did it make Fisk more human? Not really, and even if it had, to what end? It doesn't jibe with the Kingpin Bendis was also writing in Defenders (where 616 Miles was shoe-horned as a cameo).

Did it add anything to have Miles help Fisk take power (another retcon)? Not really, if anything, it diminishes Fisk slightly to rely so closely on another person (other than Vanessa, who DOES humanise him).

And the ending, sending Miles to UU. What does that solve/resolve? Miles shows no true remorse for his actions. He isn't seeking redemption. He isn't hinted to become that universes Spider-man. He is, at the start, a selfish man who happens to pick the right side. He is, at the end, a selfish man who gets everything he wants. What a great character arc! In fact, in 4/5 issues I believe he mostly just sits in a vehicle!

Would it have killed Bendis to give the two Miles' (Mileses, whatever) an interesting conversation? Page upon page of dialogue are what he is best at!

I think every writer after this is going to ignore this series completely, just like that Chuck Austen run on X-Men.

[Frontier]

In fact, it makes even less sense now that Miles has been folded (ret-conned) INTO 616. The story was pointless, meandering and unnecessary. Also, why was Peter involved in this? It was a Miles story start to finish and Peter could have been better utilised as a guiding figure for Miles for one issue as Miles questions himself (will I become him? Will I tarnish your/our legacy?), rather than hovering throughout the whole arc adding little.

Bendis said we would be seeing Peter's reaction to all the other Spiders his legacy here, but that was really one page and a few panels worth of content in a five issue mini-series.

And why even shoe-horn 616 Miles into being Fisk's (previously unheard of) best friend/second in command? What purpose did this serve?

I think he was going for a mirror of Miles' relationship with Ganke.

[CentralPower]

Austen is deliberately malignant, which Bendis is not. (Bendis writes reprehensible characters. But, the writes them as being reprehensible. Austen writes reprehensible as normal.)

Bendis is readable. He is like pizza. It ain't gonna be bad. But, it ain't gonna be memorable.

[Mister Mets]

I think every writer after this is going to ignore this series completely, just like that Chuck Austen run on X-Men.

I'd expect the big stuff (Miles wants his own name, the Ultimate Universe is still around) will matter in the long term, and that's impressive enough for a five issue mini-series.

[Frontier]

I'd expect the big stuff (Miles wants his own name, the Ultimate Universe is still around) will matter in the long term, and that's impressive enough for a five issue mini-series.

That's been developing in his main title anyways, and Generations. I don't think this really added anything to it aside from, possibly, Miles seeming definite on finding a new name for himself.

The Ultimate Universe being back being relevant will probably depend on what Marvel does with it going forward.

But altogether I don't think that all justifies this series existing or running for as long as it did.

[jackolover]

What did Bendis really describe here in Spidermen II? He introduced the question, “Was there a Miles Morales in the 616”? Then he had to answer the question, “Then where has Miles been the whole time”? The answer had to be about a character who had stayed off the radar, and would keep staying off the radar. I think that had to be a given.

[Project37]

My collection of variant covers didn't stick the landing either...

https://i.imgur.com/wkTxKtC.jpg

Not to mention that the Marvel logo is on the wrong side on issue 5. *sad trombone*