Spider-Man: Life Story #4

[Revolutionary_Jack]

On the one hand, I think Spider-Man: Life Story #4 is the weakest of the four chapters thus far. That being said, it's still great! Who would've thought Chip Zdarsky could make a Clone Saga that's shorter, less complicated, and which doesn't suck?

Spider-Man: Life Story No. 4: The Clone Saga remixed

I like LF#4 least as well, but that's because I don't have any emotional connection to the Clone Saga the way I do to the stories of the earlier eras.

It's interesting that you say that it feels like an end to the series. I don't entirely agree with that but I see what you mean by that. As for Peter signing away his company, I see this as a chance for Peter to become a high school teacher that he was in the JMS era. A humble, self-effacing friendly neighborhood job that always did suit him perfectly.

[bat39]

Well...that sure was a twisty issue. Not as much as the 70's one...but close enough!

spoilers:

So I actually believed that the Peter we'd been following WAS the clone and 'Ben' was the real Peter! It would have been interesting to see how they'd handle it...either Ben dies and the Peter we followed took over, or the Peter we followed got to retire to his family and we carried on the series with the 'real' Peter AKA Ben. But, mirroring how the story panned out in actual publishing history, it turned out to be a double-twist - and a neatly executed one at that! I love how they tied up so many loose ends from previous issues, with regards to Doc Ock, the Osborns, and the Clone Saga, without the issue feeling cluttered at all. The pacing was perfect and a whole lot better than the pacing was last issue. I loved how Harry's death, while different, mirrored his death in the original comic and Spider-Man 3, Norman's death scene looks to be a version of the classic one at first (aiming his glider at Peter and then having it impale him), but they cleverly subvert that by having Peter destroy the glider and Norman die of a heart attack. Interestingly, Otto survives this issue and flees...which makes me wonder if we'll get some version of the 'Superior Spider-Man' story in the last issue. As far as the next issue goes, I think its possible that Ben dies and Peter moves back to NYC with MJ and the now teenaged kids. I still lean towards the idea that Peter's son, Ben Parker Jr., becomes the new Spider-Man ala Ultimate Peter Parker. Ben Reilly gives Peter his mask, which kinda looks like how Ultimate Spider-Man's mask looked in the very first arc - red without the webbing. Maybe the younger Ben takes that mask and assumes the mantle of Spider-Man. And Civil War could see him being drafted by the pro-Registration forces and allying with Tony Stark - which would make for some interesting drama between him and Peter. For the last issue, Miles Morales is definite. Dunno about Spider-Gwen though. They seem to have totally ignored the Gwen clone/'Helen Parker', who's daughter could have been Spider-Gwen. I do wonder, if they do 'Spider-Verse', then it might be an interesting idea to have the 72 year old Peter in the end meet up with 616 Spidey...

end of spoilers

[Yvonmukluk]

Well...that sure was a twisty issue. Not as much as the 70's one...but close enough!

spoilers:

So I actually believed that the Peter we'd been following WAS the clone and 'Ben' was the real Peter! It would have been interesting to see how they'd handle it...either Ben dies and the Peter we followed took over, or the Peter we followed got to retire to his family and we carried on the series with the 'real' Peter AKA Ben. But, mirroring how the story panned out in actual publishing history, it turned out to be a double-twist - and a neatly executed one at that! I love how they tied up so many loose ends from previous issues, with regards to Doc Ock, the Osborns, and the Clone Saga, without the issue feeling cluttered at all. The pacing was perfect and a whole lot better than the pacing was last issue. I loved how Harry's death, while different, mirrored his death in the original comic and Spider-Man 3, Norman's death scene looks to be a version of the classic one at first (aiming his glider at Peter and then having it impale him), but they cleverly subvert that by having Peter destroy the glider and Norman die of a heart attack. Interestingly, Otto survives this issue and flees...which makes me wonder if we'll get some version of the 'Superior Spider-Man' story in the last issue. As far as the next issue goes, I think its possible that Ben dies and Peter moves back to NYC with MJ and the now teenaged kids. I still lean towards the idea that Peter's son, Ben Parker Jr., becomes the new Spider-Man ala Ultimate Peter Parker. Ben Reilly gives Peter his mask, which kinda looks like how Ultimate Spider-Man's mask looked in the very first arc - red without the webbing. Maybe the younger Ben takes that mask and assumes the mantle of Spider-Man. And Civil War could see him being drafted by the pro-Registration forces and allying with Tony Stark - which would make for some interesting drama between him and Peter. For the last issue, Miles Morales is definite. Dunno about Spider-Gwen though. They seem to have totally ignored the Gwen clone/'Helen Parker', who's daughter could have been Spider-Gwen. I do wonder, if they do 'Spider-Verse', then it might be an interesting idea to have the 72 year old Peter in the end meet up with 616 Spidey...

end of spoilers

spoilers:

Not to nitpick, but Ben's mask was very clearly the Scarlet Spider mask. I mean, I'm sure the kids are going to play a role in the last two issues somehow.

end of spoilers

[boots]

Well...that sure was a twisty issue. Not as much as the 70's one...but close enough!

spoilers:

So I actually believed that the Peter we'd been following WAS the clone and 'Ben' was the real Peter!

end of spoilers

that's the cool thing about this series, for a second you could believe it would go either way.