Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider Appreciation 2019

[Spiderfang]

I would get Todd Dezago or Paul Jenkins, would probably be a better fit for a post-clone saga Ben story.

[Restingvoice]

The first time I saw Ben Reilly was smack dab in the middle of Clone Saga. I don't know the issue, but Mary Jane was angry at him for trying to be Peter Parker, and Parker himself was depressed in a park bench for being a clone, and The Jackal was haunting, edging him the whole time.

[Scarlet Spider-Man]

I would like to see Ben confront Norman.

[Spiderfang]

I would like to see Ben confront Norman.

I would like to see Ben drop Norman off of a 30 foot skyscraper and see if he survives.

[HypnoHustler]

I would like to see Ben drop Norman off of a 30 foot skyscraper and see if he survives.

First, he has to impale him through the spine though.


Now for a serious answer, unfortunately he would survive. Peter basically did that to Norman when he threw a bag of lit pumpkin bombs into his gut and he crashed into the building below in the same issue Ben died in PP:SM #75.

[Huntsman Spider]

First, he has to impale him through the spine though.


Now for a serious answer, unfortunately he would survive. Peter basically did that to Norman when he threw a bag of lit pumpkin bombs into his gut and he crashed into the building below in the same issue Ben died in PP:SM #75.

The one time Peter made a serious, deliberate effort at killing Norman Osborn, but because of that retconned-in accelerated healing factor, Osborn lived to keep on being a menace. That said, I think it'd be worth it to see Ben confront Norman if Norman ever regains enough of his marbles from the end of Go Down Swinging to be a threat again.

[Kurolegacy]

The one time Peter made a serious, deliberate effort at killing Norman Osborn, but because of that retconned-in accelerated healing factor, Osborn lived to keep on being a menace. That said, I think it'd be worth it to see Ben confront Norman if Norman ever regains enough of his marbles from the end of Go Down Swinging to be a threat again.

This is Osborn we’re talking about. Being Peter’s arch enemy and all, there is no if, only when.

[boots]

The first time I saw Ben Reilly was smack dab in the middle of Clone Saga. I don't know the issue, but Mary Jane was angry at him for trying to be Peter Parker, and Parker himself was depressed in a park bench for being a clone, and The Jackal was haunting, edging him the whole time.

pretty much describes the whole clone saga

[boots]

I would like to see Ben confront Norman.

i'd buy that

[Restingvoice]

The next one was in 90s Spider-Man. He has blond hair change his hairstyle to differentiate himself from Peter Parker. I kinda like this clean cut blond version. Very handsome.

BenCartoon2.jpg

[Huntsman Spider]

This is Osborn we’re talking about. Being Peter’s arch enemy and all, there is no if, only when.

Point. Just waiting for the when.

The next one was in 90s Spider-Man. He has blond hair change his hairstyle to differentiate himself from Peter Parker. I kinda like this clean cut blond version. Very handsome.

BenCartoon2.jpg

Ah, yes. I always wondered what happened to 90s TAS Ben Reilly after he and the other A/U Spider-Men were returned to their worlds following the "main" Spider-Man's victory in saving all reality. Given the right mess Spider-Carnage left his world's New York City in, I'd suspect that anyone bearing a spider symbol would be tarnished by association.

[HypnoHustler]

Norman sees Ben as beneath him, since he’s only a “copy” in his eyes. He only tries to kill him in ‘Revelations’ as a way to hurt Peter. Now that Peter seemingly no longer cares about Ben, Norman probably won’t go after him. So it’s up to Ben to hunt down Norman. Also, let’s not forget that Norman killed his mentor and father figure, Seward Trainer. So he has multiple reasons. “Goblin Hunt” has a nice ring to it...

[boots]

Norman sees Ben as beneath him, since he’s only a “copy” in his eyes. He only tries to kill him in ‘Revelations’ as a way to hurt Peter. Now that Peter seemingly no longer cares about Ben, Norman probably won’t go after him. So it’s up to Ben to hunt down Norman. Also, let’s not forget that Norman killed his mentor and father figure, Seward Trainer. So he has multiple reasons. “Goblin Hunt” has a nice ring to it...

maybe a storyline for ben could be cleaning up and settling scores. not just in his own life, but peter's too (they share memories). peter has a life and responsibilities and a moral code that prevents him going on revenge fueled hunts, but ben could do it.

in a way, the clone conspiracy was partly about that; righting the wrongs in both their lives. this would be a further exploration of the concept

[Spiderfang]

I figured out a way to completely overwrite/hand-wave the events of Scarlet Spider; make everything appear as one massive illusion by Mysterio. We saw him with his daughter, he came into some kind of ancient power while there, he hates Spider-Man and could probably figure messing with his clone would lead him to the Spider-Man himself.

[HypnoHustler]

I figured out a way to completely overwrite/hand-wave the events of Scarlet Spider; make everything appear as one massive illusion by Mysterio. We saw him with his daughter, he came into some kind of ancient power while there, he hates Spider-Man and could probably figure messing with his clone would lead him to the Spider-Man himself.

What would be hand waved? Do you mean just SS#24-25? That I'm okay with. But I wouldn't want the entire 2 year PAD run to be retconned if that's what you mean.

Nothing personal, but I'm generally not a fan of "it was all a dream/ it was all an illusion" stories. I find them to be a cheap cop-out. I don't even like them when they retcons runs I'm not a fan of. For example, PAD basically did that to Bruce Jones 'Incredible Hulk' run when he came back for a few issues in the mid 2000s. I thought the Jones run was convoluted and overwrought, but I still thought it was a terribly lazy "out" for PAD just to have years of stories turn out to be an elaborate illusion by Nightmare.

Anyway... I think Clone Conspiracy #5 pretty much fixed Ben. He's back to "factory settings" as he said. Which means he probably just wants a normal life again, and isn't hunting down people on a 'revenge' list, tempting as that scenario may be.

I'd love to see him go back to 'The Daily Grind', but as others have said it's probably a Starbucks now. 😔