What Spider-Man Stories Can Be Told By Rebooting The Marvel Universe?

[Mister Mets]

Batman: Eternal features the return of a noteworthy figure from the comics.

In the end of the second issue, it's revealed spoilers:

that Carmine Falcone is back in Gotham City. In the old DCU he had been in two of the most noteworthy Batman stories ever, Year One and the Long Halloween. And then he was killed off. He was also a figure in the films, played by Tom Wilkinson. In the new 52 DC, they're able to reveal that he never died, that he was chased out of Gotham City by the arrival of the rogues. Now that they're not beholden to prior continuity, DC is able to tell a new type of story that doesn't fit as well with any other character, showing someone who existed before Batman, and before the batvillains, making an effort to take the city back.

end of spoilers

Let's say Marvel decides to reboot the Marvel U in a similar manner, so that the main book features a Peter Parker who has been Spider-Man for a few years, but isn't as beholden to specific elements of continuity. What do they gain by this? What type of stories can they tell that would be tougher to do now?

I'll note that I'm not in favor of rebooting the Marvel U, but I think it's interesting to consider the advantages of the other side.

[Aruran.]

I think if you reboot the MU, Peter would have to be much younger. The only reason why they would reboot would be to put Peter in highschool or maybe his first year of college again. It allows Marvel to sell hard-luck, straped-for-cash Peter again, and this time he it would understandable why he can't get a job. At the same time they wouldn't be pressured to marry Peter with anyone cause Peter would be way to young for it.

With all of that, you can get Gwen Stacy and make a bigger build up to her death, use Ned Leeds and other characters who have died in the past. The reboot is always designed for new-readers, not the long term reader. At one point Marvel might do it, considering they thought about replacing the 616 with the Ultimate Universe.

[Spider-Man]

Isnt that kind of what we have nao. Both Chapter One and Brand New Day served as mini-reboots. The deaths of both Norman and Harry Osborn were two of biggest events in my life, and they brought back both characters like it was nothing. Amazing #122 is one the most remembered issues ever and they cheapened it's ending with the Goblin impaling himself and didn't even blink.

There's absolutely no continuity they won't ignore if they don't feel like it, don't kid yourself otherwise.

[Gus]

I thought that was what Ultimate Spider-Man was for? I'm not particularly interested in rebooting and losing grown-up Peter.

That being said... high school/college Peter has a defined, rich group of friends that's pretty great, and the Gwen/Mary Jane dilemma is priceless. That's what I would want.

[The4orTy67]

I really want Marvel to create a new imprint, like they did with Ultimate Marvel. Ultimate Spider-Man was what got me into comics.

I'd like to have the feeling that I am witnessing a new world grow, so pleaseee create something new.

[Mister Mets]

I thought that was what Ultimate Spider-Man was for? I'm not particularly interested in rebooting and losing grown-up Peter.

That being said... high school/college Peter has a defined, rich group of friends that's pretty great, and the Gwen/Mary Jane dilemma is priceless. That's what I would want.

I could see them going for Peter Parker as a college student. That way he'll have been Spider-Man for a while, so Marvel wouldn't have to consistently feature the first encounters between Spider-Man and supervillains.

It also lets them go with the Gwen/ MJ dynamic.

[John Ossie]

Batman: Eternal features the return of a noteworthy figure from the comics.

In the end of the second issue, it's revealed spoilers:

that Carmine Falcone is back in Gotham City. In the old DCU he had been in two of the most noteworthy Batman stories ever, Year One and the Long Halloween. And then he was killed off. He was also a figure in the films, played by Tom Wilkinson. In the new 52 DC, they're able to reveal that he never died, that he was chased out of Gotham City by the arrival of the rogues. Now that they're not beholden to prior continuity, DC is able to tell a new type of story that doesn't fit as well with any other character, showing someone who existed before Batman, and before the batvillains, making an effort to take the city back.

end of spoilers

Let's say Marvel decides to reboot the Marvel U in a similar manner, so that the main book features a Peter Parker who has been Spider-Man for a few years, but isn't as beholden to specific elements of continuity. What do they gain by this? What type of stories can they tell that would be tougher to do now?

I'll note that I'm not in favor of rebooting the Marvel U, but I think it's interesting to consider the advantages of the other side.

It's a tough one to think of what they could gain, other than new readers with a more new reader friendly series. I mean I would've said the Gwen/MJ dynamic like you've said Mister Mets but it could be argued that they've done or could do it in the Ultimate Universe anyway.

[powerpackers90]

it depends on how it works with the other marvel books in the reboot universe worked. If it's a DC Reboot with the 5 year gap to throw old stories/new back stories, or if this reboot starts with everyone origins.

If I was editor i'd have everyone start issues 1-4/5 with origin stories taking place between 2 years before the reboot and now. Peter Origin story would be a year before the reboot and the basic origin story, Teenager Peter Parker it bitten by a radioactive spider, use powers to become famous, let's burglar get away, his uncle is shot, finds killer and finds out it's the same guy, and learns about Great power and responsibility. Peter would be a 18 year old Senor at Midtown High with Flash and Liz. then after origin story it would time skip a year later and every Stan Lee/Ditko story up until his first day in ESU are still in cannon with updates to a 2013-14 world. Peter is a freshman at ESU, Gwen, Harry, and Flash are there like in the classic ESU Stories. only it be different Peter and Gwen wont just start dating cause spider-man gets in the way, and Harry and Peter share a dorm together but first don't get along, and Mary Jane is introduce in the second arc.

The Bugle will be like the movies kinda with websites and a cable news network, Johan will be Johan, Robbie will be the former editor of rival Daily Globe before Johan bought them out and he and Johan will but heads, Foswell will be killed of in the first story arc by the Kingpin trying to shut him up, and Because of that Ned is promoted to crime division, and Betty is promoted from secretary to Leed's old spot. Peter will be both photographer and sometimes help set up the bugles webpages and social media. Eddie Brock will be the former Daily Globe Photographer trying to get a job at the Bugle by any means.

Villains will be updates of the classics and new guys, like Norman will be known here as The Goblin to the readers, and will see his son's roommate Peter as more of a son then Harry. Otto will be behind the scenes making a new Sinister Six, and he will be the one that makes Mob Hitman Aleksei Sytsevich into The Rhino, Bank Robber Herman Schultz into The Shocker, Crusher Hogan looking for revenge on Spider-man for ruining his career as the Grizzly, Hydro-Man here Mary Jane's ex Boyfriend from Pittsburgh turned Stalker, and Finally Jack O'Lantern who is Roderick Kingsley who doesn't like his Jack O'Lantern Code name and wants to find a new one. they will be the sinister six. Kingpin will be like the animated series evil mob boss pretending to be humanitarian Wilson Fisk. also after the black suit story Eddie will become venom.

[Sardorim]

If Marvel did a New 52-like Reboot I would cease to read Marvel just I like did with DC.

Only big names and some b-listers would survive a full blown reboot that deages characters, all the new characters or those that came out years after the originals would be SOL.

[normanosborn]

You could not kill Gwen early on and continue a triangle drama with her and MJ.

[Cmbmool]

Wasn't this the original idea ending of OMD before Joe Q changed it all ?

[Alan2099]

For starters, you could get a lot more use out of Eddie Brock. The guy was nobody before he became Venom. She him working with Peter for a while to build up their rivalry. Heck, maybe they even went to college together.

[normanosborn]

For starters, you could get a lot more use out of Eddie Brock. The guy was nobody before he became Venom. She him working with Peter for a while to build up their rivalry. Heck, maybe they even went to college together.

Excellent idea. Also his personality could be defined much better because it tends to fluctuate from full on "KILL SPIDER-MAN" to "SAVE INNOCENTS" to "CURE SPIDER-MAN" to "KILL SPIDER-MAN" again. I was happy when he got cancer because his character seemed to stabilize for a while.

[dddaaavvv]

I thought that was what Ultimate Spider-Man was for? I'm not particularly interested in rebooting and losing grown-up Peter.

That being said... high school/college Peter has a defined, rich group of friends that's pretty great, and the Gwen/Mary Jane dilemma is priceless. That's what I would want.

How about Gwen NOT get killed off and let that relationship play out the way it was supposed to? After all she was originally written to be the love of Peter's life. Let the writers play with this scenario and if they really want to kill someone off, get rid of Aunt May. She really should be dead of old age by now anyway! Or have HER get dropped off a bridge. Same conflict, same guilt, different character, different direction for Peter's life.

[Scott Taylor]

Marvel can't do a reboot. The fact that they have not is about the only thing anymore that differentiates them from DC.

But if they did...

The biggest advantage would be that they could pick the location of the reboot. In OMD, they were able to cherry pick a time and place (the wedding) and effectively change all the stories between then and now. If they were smart, they would not touch the Ditko era or much of the Romita era. Reboot things to around issue #100, I think, and redo the six-arm Peter story. From there, have things play out much longer and more professionally between Peter and Gwen. Actually build up more animosity between Norman and Peter. Just draw things out alot more rather than rush to the Norman/Gwen moment in 20 issues.