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  1. #1
    BAMF!!!!! KurtW95's Avatar
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    Default What do you think Peter’s (as Spidey) brand of humor should be?

    To me, it feels like Spider-Man’s humor has become something that it never should have been. Lots of modern stories portray it as bad jokes he knows aren’t good, random pop culture references, topical observations, and a lot of self-deprecation. Kind of like a bumbling character from a sitcom. Though it really wasn’t these types of jokes or jokes at all for that matter that he utilized for most of his existence. Rather they were clever quips digging at who he was fighting.

    What do you think about this? What brand of humor should Spider-Man employ?
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  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by KurtW95 View Post
    What do you think about this? What brand of humor should Spider-Man employ?
    The funny kind.

    To me, it feels like Spider-Man’s humor has become something that it never should have been. Lots of modern stories portray it as bad jokes he knows aren’t good, random pop culture references, topical observations, and a lot of self-deprecation. Kind of like a bumbling character from a sitcom. Though it really wasn’t these types of jokes or jokes at all for that matter that he utilized for most of his existence. Rather they were clever quips digging at who he was fighting.
    That might be the limitations of writers in trying, and failing, to write humor than a fault of the character. Spider-Man's humor being bad jokes, random pop culture references and so on, is down to Dan Slott's inability and limitatons as a writer.

    It's hard to be funny. I recently read Mark Millar's Marvel Knights Spider-Man again. I like it, it's great but Peter's not especially funny there. Nor does Millar try and write him humorously. Yet he still feels like Peter, overly sensitive, and insecure.

  3. #3
    BANNED WebSlingWonder's Avatar
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    Another dig at Slott? Here comes the Spider-Forum! XD
    Kidding.

    In all seriousness, I get what the OP is saying: his humor was funnier because he was using the situation to his advantage. Most of the times, it's a villain, and that villain gets annoyed at his quips as they're trying to kill him. One of the best examples of this comes from "Spectacular Spider-Man", where Doc Ock nearly kills Spider-Man and Peter replies, "My fans expect a certain amount of quippage in every battle."

    It's true! Because that's Peter. When he's just making bad jokes and random pop culture references for no reason, I think that's the writers trying to turn him into a bite-sized Deadpool, which is not who he is.

    So in all, I think Spider-Man is more of a balanced humor type: doesn't quip in actual dangerous situations to others, but when it's a random villain or one of his classics, then he'll do it.

    But like Jack said, that's difficult to write well.

  4. #4
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    If I were to do a list of funniest Spider-Man writers, it would be -- Stan Lee, Conway, PAD, JMS surprisingly enough, and Nick Spencer.

  5. #5
    Moderator Frontier's Avatar
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    Humor is incredibly subjective and not everyone writes humor the same way, but I think it's important that Spidey is cracking at least some kind of joke in a dangerous situation to ease his own tension or throw the bad guy off. Otherwise he just doesn't really feel like Spidey (looks at MCU Spidey and his lack of quips).

  6. #6
    BAMF!!!!! KurtW95's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frontier View Post
    Humor is incredibly subjective and not everyone writes humor the same way, but I think it's important that Spidey is cracking at least some kind of joke in a dangerous situation to ease his own tension or throw the bad guy off. Otherwise he just doesn't really feel like Spidey (looks at MCU Spidey and his lack of quips).
    Except a quip is different than a joke and most interpretations since the turn of the century have had him attempt the latter with him knowing that they aren’t any good.
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  7. #7
    BANNED WebSlingWonder's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Revolutionary_Jack View Post
    If I were to do a list of funniest Spider-Man writers, it would be -- Stan Lee, Conway, PAD, JMS surprisingly enough, and Nick Spencer.
    I would agree, also add Paul Jenkins and Bendis (for USM, not 616)

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Revolutionary_Jack View Post
    If I were to do a list of funniest Spider-Man writers, it would be -- Stan Lee, Conway, PAD, JMS surprisingly enough, and Nick Spencer.
    Yeah, I'd agree with those. Shout out to BMB as well.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Batman Begins 2005 View Post
    Yeah, I'd agree with those. Shout out to BMB as well.
    Ultimate Spider-Man certainly. 616 Peter not so much. Like his Peter doesn't come off well in The Pulse and New Avengers.

    On the other hand, Bendis did 616 Jonah pretty well in Alias and The Pulse. And to do Spider-Man humor well, you really need to do Flat-Top well.

  10. #10
    Extraordinary Member Güicho's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by KurtW95 View Post
    To me, it feels like Spider-Man’s humor has become something that it never should have been. Lots of modern stories portray it as bad jokes he knows aren’t good, random pop culture references, topical observations, and a lot of self-deprecation. Kind of like a bumbling character from a sitcom. Though it really wasn’t these types of jokes or jokes at all for that matter that he utilized for most of his existence. Rather they were clever quips digging at who he was fighting.

    What do you think about this? What brand of humor should Spider-Man employ?
    It's not one or the other, it can be and has been both...
    Spidey has always made silly pop culture reference quips.



    And could be hysterically self-deprecating

    Last edited by Güicho; 09-02-2019 at 06:08 AM.

  11. #11
    BAMF!!!!! KurtW95's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Güicho View Post
    It's not one or the other, it can be and has been both...
    Spidey has always made silly pop culture reference quips.

    That example is still him cutting against his opponent and doesn’t feel unnecessary or forced.
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  12. #12
    Extraordinary Member Güicho's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by KurtW95 View Post

    Quote Originally Posted by Güicho View Post
    It's not one or the other, it can be and has been both...
    Spidey has always made silly pop culture reference quips.

    That example is still him cutting against his opponent and doesn’t feel unnecessary or forced.t
    ... while making silly pop culture reference.
    That's specifically why I chose it, it's both! Silly pop culture reference and quip against his opponent.

    Hence my point to you, it's not one or the other, as you describe and your thread implies.
    He can and has always done both!



    Quote Originally Posted by Güicho View Post
    And could alwaysd be hysterically self-deprecating too.

    Also LOL "Star Wars 2".
    1978, It didn't have a name yet!
    Last edited by Güicho; 09-02-2019 at 06:33 AM.

  13. #13
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    Deadpool fans basically have the same dilemma.
    In the old Kelly/Priest runs, while a comic relief character, Deadpool has always had a subtle dramatic, even tragic, undertone.

    I think the same goes for Spider-Man. Even when he tries to add some levity to tragic situations, you usually can feel the true inner feeling of the character.
    In more recent stories quips are made just as jokes and nothing more. They are not the reaction to traumatic experiences or to soft up a dire situation or a distraction for enemies.
    Humor, when done well, adds incredible depth. When it's done the modern way, for the most part, comes out immature and self-contained.

  14. #14
    Kinky Lil' Canine Snoop Dogg's Avatar
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    The only time where Spider-Man himself was the funniest thing about his book was in Ultimate. The dude referenced That's So Raven in 2019.
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  15. #15
    Incredible Member ermac's Avatar
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    Jon Stewart's type of humor

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