Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider Appreciation 2019

[Huntsman Spider]

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

I like that idea. I like it a lot. While my personal ideal is for Ben and Kaine to patch things up and basically be a spider-powered version of the Winchester brothers from Supernatural, I can understand you wanting to put some distance between them. It could be something like what happened with Peter and Otto at the end of Go Down Swinging and Spider-Geddon, where they recognize that they've both changed a lot and agree to stay out of each other's way as long as they're serious about changing for the better and making a fresh start. After all, they've both defined themselves vis-à-vis each other for so long, it's time they figured out who they were on their own.

[Obsidian Spider]

Check out @spectacular_spidergram for a fun Ben story told with action figures! Cool use of Instagram!

[Obsidian Spider]

So when is Ben going to show up in Absolute Carnage? I know he has died a bunch of times but I’m sure the codex is still with him or whatever silly reason. Could we see Spider-Carnage again?!

[Huntsman Spider]

So when is Ben going to show up in Absolute Carnage? I know he has died a bunch of times but I’m sure the codex is still with him or whatever silly reason. Could we see Spider-Carnage again?!

I'm guessing it'll happen, if it does, in the ASM tie-in issues, which would also have Carnage-Norman, still under the delusion he's Cletus Kasady, as the main villain.

[Venomous Mask]

So when is Ben going to show up in Absolute Carnage? I know he has died a bunch of times but I’m sure the codex is still with him or whatever silly reason. Could we see Spider-Carnage again?!

Hopefully we'll see him and Kaine again. Maybe Ben could be an infiltrator into Carnage's army, being able to control the symbiote due to his previous exposure to it.

[Kurolegacy]

So when is Ben going to show up in Absolute Carnage? I know he has died a bunch of times but I’m sure the codex is still with him or whatever silly reason. Could we see Spider-Carnage again?!

Yea it’s definitely weird that Ben hasn’t been involved in this considering he was the host of Carnage once and even showed up on the screen as a target. We could have at least been given an Absolute Carnage: Scarlet Spider one-shot to feature him.

[Pav]

Yea it’s definitely weird that Ben hasn’t been involved in this considering he was the host of Carnage once and even showed up on the screen as a target. We could have at least been given an Absolute Carnage: Scarlet Spider one-shot to feature him.

I would buy at least three copies.

-Pav, who supports his boy...

[Sectal]

What I think is unfair is that Kaine hasn’t been mentioned, especially since he lobotomized Cletus is their previous battle.

[Starman]

Yea it’s definitely weird that Ben hasn’t been involved in this considering he was the host of Carnage once and even showed up on the screen as a target. We could have at least been given an Absolute Carnage: Scarlet Spider one-shot to feature him.

He's a clone of a clone of a clone, etc. Would he even have the cortex (or whatever it's called) in him? Or would every copy of him have one?

[HypnoHustler]

It’s really annoying how Ben and Kaine have been completely absent since the end of Spidergeddon 9 months ago. If they’re dead that’s one thing, but they’re alive and just sitting there in the toy-chest unused. I think Spidey editorial goes through phases... sometimes they’re in a “no clones” phase and other times a “let’s embrace the clones” stage. Maybe after the lukewarm response to ‘Dead No More’ and the Peter David SS series, they’ve decided to sideline him again.

[Huntsman Spider]

It’s really annoying how Ben and Kaine have been completely absent since the end of Spidergeddon 9 months ago. If they’re dead that’s one thing, but they’re alive and just sitting there in the toy-chest unused. I think Spidey editorial goes through phases... sometimes they’re in a “no clones” phase and other times a “let’s embrace the clones” stage. Maybe after the lukewarm response to ‘Dead No More’ and the Peter David SS series, they’ve decided to sideline him again.

Considering "Dead No More" completely butchered Ben's character and Peter David's subsequent Scarlet Spider series ended up on a serious downer note for anyone looking forward to Ben ultimately coming out of it even somewhat better, one really has to wonder what Marvel was thinking when it decided that was the best way to revitalize him for old and new readers.

[classicgmer]

It’s really annoying how Ben and Kaine have been completely absent since the end of Spidergeddon 9 months ago. If they’re dead that’s one thing, but they’re alive and just sitting there in the toy-chest unused. I think Spidey editorial goes through phases... sometimes they’re in a “no clones” phase and other times a “let’s embrace the clones” stage. Maybe after the lukewarm response to ‘Dead No More’ and the Peter David SS series, they’ve decided to sideline him again.

Eh I'm not really all that surprised especially as it pertains to Ben with how much of a lukewarm reception his last ongoing got and I'll take Ben sitting on the shelf for an extended period if it results in something better than what we got with the PAD written book.


Not quite sure where Ben is suppose to show up in relation to Absolute Carnage but I might give it a look depending on what word of mouth is and whatever the format is.

[Kurolegacy]

He's a clone of a clone of a clone, etc. Would he even have the cortex (or whatever it's called) in him? Or would every copy of him have one?

Somehow Eddie’s son inherited the codex from Anne so it’s possible that it could have been passed through cloning. Besides, it causes a bit of a plot hole in that Carnage can’t possibly accomplish his goal because of Ben’s original body turning to dust if Ben doesn’t have it.

[Pav]

Just a heads-up to other Ben fans: Cosmic Ghost Rider Destroys Marvel History is currently 99¢ an issue on Comixology, and #2 and #6 feature an appearance from our boy Ben.

-Pav, who lives near Canada...

[Huntsman Spider]

Just a heads-up to other Ben fans: Cosmic Ghost Rider Destroys Marvel History is currently 99¢ an issue on Comixology, and #2 and #6 feature an appearance from our boy Ben.

-Pav, who lives near Canada...

Oh, yeah. Ben as Canadian Spider-Man is awesome. Would he get recruited by Alpha Flight?