Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #4 and Story Arc Spoiler Discussion

[Jekyll]

Man I’m still loving this title! To me Tom Taylor is knocking it out of the park. I love Zdarsky but I guess I was in the minority that I didn’t care for his Spec title, looks like I’m in the minority again in that I am really enjoying this book

[PCN24454]

If I may ask, what would you suggest? I'm curious.

What makes it feel fanfic-y is how much it takes from old stories but doesn’t progress them.

Let’s say you have two people claiming that they had written an unfinished story. One of them is lying. How do you tell which one is lying? Have them both finish the story. The fake can only guess which way the plot is going to go while the genuine author will know what they were planning.

So much talk about OMD doesn’t really feel like a new idea or a progression of the story. The fact that that’s the only thing people can think just shows how stuck the narrative is.

Rather than have a fan fiction, let’s see what Taylor does on his own. It’ll be more rewarding than just more of the past.

[WebSlingWonder]

What makes it feel fanfic-y is how much it takes from old stories but doesn’t progress them.

Let’s say you have two people claiming that they had written an unfinished story. One of them is lying. How do you tell which one is lying? Have them both finish the story. The fake can only guess which way the plot is going to go while the genuine author will know what they were planning.

So much talk about OMD doesn’t really feel like a new idea or a progression of the story. The fact that that’s the only thing people can think just shows how stuck the narrative is.

Rather than have a fan fiction, let’s see what Taylor does on his own. It’ll be more rewarding than just more of the past.

Fair enough. I was just stating what I think could happen, not should happen.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

I really liked the story. I even liked Under York. I don't see how different that is from Zdarsky's Spectacular run which had stuff like long-lost sister who is badass SHIELD agent (which hasn't crossed into or mentioned in ASM once unlike the Jonah is now Spidey's screwup older sidekick/Alfred/Gordon thing...and who obviously is an impostor of some kind), a big time travel story to an alternate universe and other crazy shenanigans.

I do feel that Under York needs the Mole Man involved and I am a huge Mole Man fan, and I was hoping that Mole Man is the guy who brokered the Kingpin Under York deal. I don't think this needed to be a FF story on the other hand. Because Under York is just a small thread to do the whole neighborhood protects immigrant from xenophobic dictator thing, and you have Fisk as Mayor needing to act within the norms and institutions and not like a dictator authoritarian which fits with the complex idea of having a guy like Fisk as mayor.

I loved the art in FNSM#4, that brief panel in 8-Bit to recap the previous stuff, is the kind of wit you don't see too often. And I loved the double spread of Spidey action in that.

What I had issues is Spider-Man's mask being half-torn. I had issues in the final Spectacular issues where Spider-Man's only got a mouth covering mask/scarf thing exposing his hair and eyes as he hunted Morlun in Central Park...and I have issues here especially since Fisk gets a look at that. It makes willing suspension of disbelief a little harder. And I am getting irritated with "Battle damaged Spider-Man" if it happens all the time every issue and not for special big moments only.

[Snoop Dogg]

All of the Theresa stuff is just milking some good content out of Stan's error in the 60's and the time travel plots weren't parts of the Marvel Universe that we now have to believe has always existed.

If you are going to introduce an entire new part of the universe, ideally you should do it in FF, the franchise founded in the discovery of new and fresh concepts.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

All of the Theresa stuff is just milking some good content out of Stan's error in the 60's and the time travel plots weren't parts of the Marvel Universe that we now have to believe has always existed.

It's not up to you or anyone to decide and judge what "Stan's error" is. Theresa Parker being Peter's long-lost sister (so-called) and a badass agent (based transparently on Ultimate Jessica Drew) and a regular supporting character in Zdarsky's run mainlines a "family romance" into Peter's life far moreso than Stan Lee's original Annual where they were minor SHIELD figures who ran afoul of Red Skull and ended up being footnotes in the scheme of things, ever did. It's in many senses comparable to the Amazing Movies (of which Zdarsky apparently likes more than others do).

There's a reason she hasn't been mentioned in ASM in either Slott or Spencer's run, and for the matter in FNSM. As it is, I think she's a sentient AI robot product of the Robotparents and not really a living actual lost relative.

If you are going to introduce an entire new part of the universe, ideally you should do it in FF, the franchise founded in the discovery of new and fresh concepts.

Once upon a time yes, but since then new Marvel characters and discoveries cropped up in several different titles. Spider-Man and his verse after all was the corner that introduced the world to the Punisher, providing Kingpin to Daredevil, Dr. Doom began his elevation to Marvel-wide villain in ASM#5 (his first non-FF appearance), the Symbiotes which are now getting an entire new corner unto itself originated in Spider-Man too. The X-Men were the real center of Marvel from the 70s-early 2000s. And heck when Brian Bendis wanted to introduce Jessica Jones, he made her Peter's classmate.

Spider-Man has been just as much if not more of a gateway than FF has been. What matters is how the writer uses that. I don't mind Spider-Man dealing with Under York people if at the end of the day he goes back to the friendly neighborhood and the story sheds light on that. I mind far more Spider-Man becoming an industrialist out of something he didn't do or writing Peter Paker out of his own title for a year and a half. Under York is just a springboard for a big arc that binds Spider-Man closer to his neighbors, sets up a new ally in the force, and shows what Mayor Fisk actually means and gets up to.

[oldschool]

Thought this issue and arc was just ok; honestly, if you take out the poignant Aunt May subplot, it's pretty pedestrian. I suppose I am just a bit disappointed because, for the second time in as many years, Marvel promised a "street level" title and the relaunched PP:SSM largely dealt with time travel and allies while FNSM introduced a weirdo race living under NYC, something more suited to an FF book than a Spidey title. I also really dislike the habit of having a new character (the leader of the Under Yorkers in this case) surprising Spidey with his strength and ripping half his mask off with a single punch. Spider then spends the rest of the time walking around with his mask half off (and in front of Wilson Fisk, no less). That's just lazy and silly storytelling IMO. In any case, I am hopeful the Aunt May conversation issue will be a good rebound next month.