Endings of Runs

[David Walton]

I'm surprised anyone was able to tell where it's from lol.

Yeah it's from that story, Spectacular #130, by that point Macendale had become Hobgoblin, but this story happens before Ned got killed, so it was still Roderick, and a crippled Hobgobling looked too funny to not use it as an avatar .

Oh, man, I loved that issue. I was a sucker for anything involving Harry Osborn dealing with his father's legacy. One of my favorite covers, too.

[David Walton]

Excellent points, David! Makes it even more frustrating that Marv didn't bow out after #200 and makes me wonder what he might have had planned had he finished his Black Cat story and what may have come afterward. As it was the Punisher 2-parter was just ok and the Dazzler issue was awful. Such a shame that his otherwise very solid run ended on such a low note and then ushered in pretty uninspired Denny O'Neill era but such c'est la vie.....

I don't think comic book writers were thinking in those terms in the late 70s and early 80s. Who would have imagined that people would still be reading and talking about these stories thirty years later? Or that pretty much everything from that era would eventually be collected in volumes designed for a bookshelf?

Anyone else think Norman may be killed off (again) in ASM #800? I can easily see it happening....Dan needs a big flourish and, frankly, Norman appears to be played out since his return nearly 20 years ago. I say it happens.

Interesting. It's certainly possible! I mean, there's no way Dan leaves the book without pulling another one of his infamous twists. I'll even go so far as to speculate...what if it's not Norman that gets infected? What if it ends up being Harry?

[DieHard200904]

I don't think comic book writers were thinking in those terms in the late 70s and early 80s. Who would have imagined that people would still be reading and talking about these stories thirty years later? Or that pretty much everything from that era would eventually be collected in volumes designed for a bookshelf?



Interesting. It's certainly possible! I mean, there's no way Dan leaves the book without pulling another one of his infamous twists. I'll even go so far as to speculate...what if it's not Norman that gets infected? What if it ends up being Harry?

What if Norman pulls a Darth Vader and dies in Harry's place just to save Harry? That would be unexpected for a selfish creep like Norman Osborn!!! I agree that I am tired of Osborn though, and tired of Ock as well. Maybe someone should go focus on Chameleon, Electro, Vulture, etc. and give those villains a turn at being the new big bad a-holes in Peter Parker's life?

[David Walton]

What if Norman pulls a Darth Vader and dies in Harry's place just to save Harry? That would be unexpected for a selfish creep like Norman Osborn!!!

The Lee/Romita Osborn was capable of doing just that, back when the Goblin was pretty much treated as a separate personality. Spidey even snapped him out of his Goblin persona one time by showing him Harry in a drugged out state, if memory serves. And I think your comparison is a good one, since Norman (like Vader) wants to share his villainous legacy with his son. He's been shown to care about Harry numerous times, in his own twisted fashion. Like when he hid out in Europe after returning from the dead because Harry had taken up the Goblin mantle and he didn't want to stand in his way. But I could also see him using Harry as a pawn in his conflict with Peter, even killing him if it came down to it. You just never know with Norman!

I agree that I am tired of Osborn though, and tired of Ock as well. Maybe someone should go focus on Chameleon, Electro, Vulture, etc. and give those villains a turn at being the new big bad a-holes in Peter Parker's life?

Norman Osborn is a unique villain because of his obsession with Peter. Most Spider-Man villains just want what they want and Spidey gets in the way. Personally, I think Norman should have stayed dead, as Venom served the role of the villain obsessed with the hero's personal life quite nicely. Even though Venom moved past that eventually it just goes to show that you can create new characters to step in and fill that void.

I tend to think the big bads should be kept to a minimum in Spider-Man's world. I like that most of his villains are just guys trying to pull off their next big heist or take revenge on someone who wronged them, so they're basically like, "You know, Spidey, I wouldn't even have to kill you if you'd just step aside and let me do my thing!" I still prefer the idea of Ock as the guy who really doesn't give a damn who Spider-Man is behind the mask.

[Mister Mets]

Excellent points, David! Makes it even more frustrating that Marv didn't bow out after #200 and makes me wonder what he might have had planned had he finished his Black Cat story and what may have come afterward. As it was the Punisher 2-parter was just ok and the Dazzler issue was awful. Such a shame that his otherwise very solid run ended on such a low note and then ushered in pretty uninspired Denny O'Neill era but such c'est la vie.....

The O'Neil era would likely have been the same if it had kicked off with #201 or with #207.

I have seen Amazing Spider-Man #206 on a worst of list from a fan of Wolfman's run who thought that it retconned some interesting developments (Jonah's mental breakdown) so that's something else that had been seeded.

[arosenbarger]

JM DeMatteis/Sal Buscema - great end of run together. (not including Maximum Carnage)

Al Milgrom - PPTSSM run.

[oldschool]

The O'Neil era would likely have been the same if it had kicked off with #201 or with #207.

I have seen Amazing Spider-Man #206 on a worst of list from a fan of Wolfman's run who thought that it retconned some interesting developments (Jonah's mental breakdown) so that's something else that had been seeded.

I agree about O'Neil's run----I was just pointing out that a few sub-par Wolfman stories then led into a pretty fallow period for the title that lasted until Stern's arrival.

And, yes, it's too bad that Marvel got cold feet on the JJJ breakdown sub-plot; that would have been a pretty bold and rich with possibility story to explore.

[David Walton]

I agree about O'Neil's run----I was just pointing out that a few sub-par Wolfman stories then led into a pretty fallow period for the title that lasted until Stern's arrival.

And, yes, it's too bad that Marvel got cold feet on the JJJ breakdown sub-plot; that would have been a pretty bold and rich with possibility story to explore.

Maybe Slott will end his run by revealing that the last 600 issues have all taken place inside Jonah's head.

[Scott Taylor]

Maybe Slott will end his run by revealing that the last 600 issues have all taken place inside Jonah's head.

Someone should just do an entire issue with different characters waking up from dreams that represent years of stories. JJJ wakes up, then MJ wakes up, then Aunt May, etc. I vote for Chip Zdarsky to write it.