Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider Appreciation 2019

[Obsidian Spider]

Can’t have any symbiote traces if you’re a clone of a clone of a clone of a clone, etc

[Spiderfang]

Reilly is slated to appear in "xx" story line >> probability of dying skyrockets.

I swear being a Ben Reilly fan in 2019 is more harrowing than it was back in the 1990's.

[HypnoHustler]

While I certainly didn't find PAD's rendition of Ben to be the greatest thing ever, I appreciate him trying something different. It's too bad that the series became a jumble of ideas.

I'm excited that Ben's appearing in the Carnage series, just because it'll be great to see him again; but his time was Spider-Carnage was one of my favorite storylines, so it'll be nice to see that referenced.

-Pav, who can't imagine they'd kill him off again so soon...

They can’t (or definitely shouldn’t) kill Ben in a Carnage mini series, but Ben will also play too small a part to beat him in it. Carnage will probably just mess up Ben a bit to send a message, like he did to Robbie’s wife in that Cosmic Carnage story from the 90s. I don’t know, I don’t have any great hopes for that cameo. It’ll probably just be a page or two in a montage of Carnage going after a lot of different people.

[HypnoHustler]

Reilly is slated to appear in "xx" story line >> probability of dying skyrockets.

I swear being a Ben Reilly fan in 2019 is more harrowing than it was back in the 1990's.

The silver lining is if he does “dies” it’ll be meaningless and easily retconned by the next person that wants to write him, unlike his real editorially-mandated death in ‘Revelations’ which was to definitively end the clone saga.

[Pav]

They can’t (or definitely shouldn’t) kill Ben in a Carnage mini series, but Ben will also play too small a part to beat him in it. Carnage will probably just mess up Ben a bit to send a message, like he did to Robbie’s wife in that Cosmic Carnage story from the 90s. I don’t know, I don’t have any great hopes for that cameo. It’ll probably just be a page or two in a montage of Carnage going after a lot of different people.

I've been hoping for a single issue focused on Ben vs Carnage.

-Pav, who still wants Scarlet Carnage to be a thing...

[boots]

Can’t have any symbiote traces if you’re a clone of a clone of a clone of a clone, etc

depends on the quality of cloning

if it’s a photocopy of a photocopy...yeah degradation may happen

if it’s like making a copy of a jpeg on your computer? indistinguishable

[Obsidian Spider]

I wish they would dedicate a mini series or even an annual or one-shot to having Peter have a sit down with Ben and Kaine.

For someone so obsessed with responsibility and not currently having a marriage or family or any major commitments, you’d think he’d prioritize his brothers. Having people out there made from your DNA and looking like you should have you riddled with guilt. Not just for what they might do that would be indirectly your fault but also just to see how they’re doing.

If I had a clone, we’d be best friends! Who could relate to your problems more. Comics never explore that opportunity. The perks of having a copy of yourself. At the very least we’d be text buddies to talk about how we weren’t liking the latest season of Game of Thrones.

[Huntsman Spider]

I wish they would dedicate a mini series or even an annual or one-shot to having Peter have a sit down with Ben and Kaine.

For someone so obsessed with responsibility and not currently having a marriage or family or any major commitments, you’d think he’d prioritize his brothers. Having people out there made from your DNA and looking like you should have you riddled with guilt. Not just for what they might do that would be indirectly your fault but also just to see how they’re doing.

If I had a clone, we’d be best friends! Who could relate to your problems more. Comics never explore that opportunity. The perks of having a copy of yourself. At the very least we’d be text buddies to talk about how we weren’t liking the latest season of Game of Thrones.

Hmm, definitely, especially since Ben's sane again, more or less.

[Tien Long]

I wish they would dedicate a mini series or even an annual or one-shot to having Peter have a sit down with Ben and Kaine.

For someone so obsessed with responsibility and not currently having a marriage or family or any major commitments, you’d think he’d prioritize his brothers. Having people out there made from your DNA and looking like you should have you riddled with guilt. Not just for what they might do that would be indirectly your fault but also just to see how they’re doing.

If I had a clone, we’d be best friends! Who could relate to your problems more. Comics never explore that opportunity. The perks of having a copy of yourself. At the very least we’d be text buddies to talk about how we weren’t liking the latest season of Game of Thrones.

This would be great! Yeah, I'd want Peter, Ben, and Kaine to really forge that sense of brotherhood. It's different from the relationship he has with other characters. I mean, with Miles, it's still a mentorship. I guess the toxicity of the Clone Saga is still prevalent .

In any case, I'm catching up on Ben Reilly's time as Spider-Man. I mentioned this before, but while I was really against Ben being Spider-Man back in the day, I find myself enjoying his exploits now. Up to the part where Jessica has just found out his identity. Hits a lot of the Spider-Man tropes of life falling a part and still managing to get by.

[Obsidian Spider]

Getting some much-needed Ben time over on Zdarsky/Bagley’s Life Story.

Spoilers for Life Story #4 to follow.

I am really loving this story (I know it has its own thread) and was eagerly anticipating how they handled Mr Reilly in the 90s issue. I wish he had donned his scarlet duds but the hoodie was a nice touch and how they handled the clone saga remix was great.

The real-time aspect of the story is very interesting. In 616 continuity, Ben was gone for, what? 5 years before he returned when Aunt May was dying? Here, it’s been 20 years! Would he even want his life back?

Can’t wait for the next issue. We won’t get to see Scarlet but Ben will be Spidey proper for longer than he ever was in the 616.

Also, have you guys seen the Hot Toys Scarlet Spider toy they just announced?! Looks SO good!!

[Sectal]

That Ben took a lot of inspiration from Kaine

[Spiderfang]

Getting some much-needed Ben time over on Zdarsky/Bagley’s Life Story.

Spoilers for Life Story #4 to follow.

I am really loving this story (I know it has its own thread) and was eagerly anticipating how they handled Mr Reilly in the 90s issue. I wish he had donned his scarlet duds but the hoodie was a nice touch and how they handled the clone saga remix was great.

The real-time aspect of the story is very interesting. In 616 continuity, Ben was gone for, what? 5 years before he returned when Aunt May was dying? Here, it’s been 20 years! Would he even want his life back?

Can’t wait for the next issue. We won’t get to see Scarlet but Ben will be Spidey proper for longer than he ever was in the 616.

Also, have you guys seen the Hot Toys Scarlet Spider toy they just announced?! Looks SO good!!

...aaaand of course it's a toy fair exclusive

[Huntsman Spider]

...aaaand of course it's a toy fair exclusive

Yeah, that's a shame. I do like your icon, though. Spider-Man/Backlash was my favorite Marvel/Wildstorm crossover comic besides Spider-Man/Gen13.

[boots]

...aaaand of course it's a toy fair exclusive

wow. toys have come a long way

[Spiderfang]

I wanted to bump this with an updated list of Reilly appearances for Scarlet Spider collectors:

* The Complete Clone Saga Epic Books 1-5
* The Complete Ben Reilly Epic Books 1-6
* Scarlet Spider (Kaine) Books 3 & 4
* Spiderverse (Spiderverse Vol 3/#9, Scarlet Spiders 1-3)
* Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy
* Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider books 1-5
* Spidergeddon

New Idea for Ben Series

I also think Ben needs a new angle, now that the clone Vegas/fake jackal stuff is over with I'd like him to star in a traveling series where he travels around the U.S. (and Canada) to find himself, while fighting crime. I figure that since most everyone seems to agree that the "real" Ben has been dead since the 1990's, and recently has been through a boatload of traumatic events that he has a lot to reflect on. I'd also like to see appearances from past Scarlet Spider characters from the 90's as well as villains.

What I don't want, I don't want Ben being hassled or harassed or manipulated by super omnipotent god-beings (i.e. Death, Mephisto). I don't want to read about Ben Reilly catching up on his life and experiences up to his death at the hands of Norman Osborne when suddenly Galactus appears and decides to make Ben a herald or else he blows up the earth. I don't want Ben and Kaine to be a constant recurring issue in every volume, yes I realize that when they last left off (as far as Scarlet Spider #5 goes) Ben tried killing Kaine, and even aside from that they still have a lot of patching up to do and while it should be referenced and brought up at a good interval in the story, it absolutely should not take precedence over Ben's sojourn.

All in all I think that the climax of the series could culminate in Ben realizing that he can still be his own character and a crime fighter without having to worry about being in Peter's shadow, and can resolve to either get revenge on Osborne or merely confront him (it was Norman who originally killed him after all). Others' ideas of course are welcomed and encouraged