Who do you think will write The Amazing Spider-Man after Nick Spencer?

[Revolutionary_Jack]

In Marvel's current stable of writers, the big writers would be Jason Aaron, Donny Cates, Ta-Nehisi Coates or Johnathan Hickman. It probably wouldn't be Hickman for several more years given that he just kicked off a big X-Men relaunch, and that seems to be his dream project.

Hickman is more of a team-books guy than a solo hero writer. That extends to his independent work too. So it's unlikely to be him.

Jason Aaron might be a possibility but he's got independent stuff and others and he's probably reached the "Move to DC" age or near-abouts. Has Marvel announced what he's doing next after King Thor wraps up?

Coates is plausible but he's got a budding literary career and other stuff to tempt him away. Cates is best placed of the lot to make the move.

Another possibility is that it's someone who hasn't exploded in popularity yet. Maybe a Dawn of X will do for one of those writers what Venom did for Donny Cates, or what being on the Brand New Day team did for Dan Slott, which will put them in a position where they can be seen as a plausible Amazing Spider-Man writer.

Exactly.

The final category would be someone who isn't currently working for Marvel, either one of DC's top writers (Tom King, Scott Snyder, Grant Morrison) or someone outside the big two.

Grant Morrison didn't exactly leave Marvel happily and he hasn't worked at Marvel after New X-Men wrapped up. Scott Snyder seems more plausible than King does of the two.

[Snoop Dogg]

Hickman wouldn't want it, Aaron likes writing Peter but might be done at Marvel after 2021, Cates is hot and wants it, Cates'll get it.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

Remember that whoever follows Spencer gets a shot at doing ASM #1000, Marvel would be aware of that and try and get a sense of occasion out of it when casting the net for the new writer.

For all we know, maybe they can get Bendis to defect back from DC with a run on ASM to go all the way to 1000. Bendis' work on USM made him the most influential Spider-Man writer of the 21st Century but he's never done a run on the flagship. So if you want a big name he's your guy.

[Inversed]

Remember that whoever follows Spencer gets a shot at doing ASM #1000, Marvel would be aware of that and try and get a sense of occasion out of it when casting the net for the new writer.

For all we know, maybe they can get Bendis to defect back from DC with a run on ASM to go all the way to 1000. Bendis' work on USM made him the most influential Spider-Man writer of the 21st Century but he's never done a run on the flagship. So if you want a big name he's your guy.

I don't know how I feel about Bendis doing ASM, he's already done one of the most well-defined Spidey runs in the character's entire history in USM, so it may just end up feeling like going back to the well rather than something new and interesting. I also don't think the distinction between "Amazing" and "Ultimate" matters too much to him, it's still "Spider-Man" and he wrote him alot.

Not to mention, DC has essentially thrown their entire basket of eggs investing into Bendis, they're not gonna let him go after just a few years. Now any of the other DC talents that could possibly be won over, I would be incredibly interested to see Scott Snyder's take on the book. He has very Dan Slott-levels of bombast that I would be really curious to see how it would play out in Spidey's world.

[WebSlingWonder]

Remember that whoever follows Spencer gets a shot at doing ASM #1000, Marvel would be aware of that and try and get a sense of occasion out of it when casting the net for the new writer.

For all we know, maybe they can get Bendis to defect back from DC with a run on ASM to go all the way to 1000. Bendis' work on USM made him the most influential Spider-Man writer of the 21st Century but he's never done a run on the flagship. So if you want a big name he's your guy.

He's not leaving DC. And who's to say Spencer won't try for 1000?

[WebSlingWonder]

I like everybody's suggestions here so far, but as for your question, the first that comes to mind contemporarily speaking is Jody Houser in the second year of the ASM: Renew Your Vows ongoing, which even got a follow-up in the three-part miniseries Spider-Girls crossing into Spider-Geddon and a one-page follow-up in Marvel Comics 1001. Historically speaking, I know that Ann Nocenti did some Spider-Man work back in the day, particularly a three-part crossover between ASM, Spectacular Spider-Man, and Web of Spider-Man called Life in the Mad Dog Ward and a story in Spectacular 213-214 that pitted Typhoid Mary from Nocenti's Daredevil run against Spider-Man. Louise Simonson also launched Web of Spider-Man for its first three issues and wrote the final two issues of Marvel Team-Up (starring Spider-Man) before that, as well as ASM Annual 19 which focused on Mary Jane Watson and debuted Spencer Smythe's son Alistair (better known since the 90s and onward as the Ultimate Spider-Slayer). That said, I do agree with you and some others here that have recommended Kelly Thompson, as I'd do the same after how she wrote Spidey and MJ in their brief appearance in Jessica Jones: Blind Spot.

Yeah but most of those were criminally short-term. Only Jody Houser like you mentioned has written a longer arc. (I actually didn't know Nocenti wrote that much Spidey, that's cool). But Thompson is already being lined up (she's in the lineup for "Full Circle" with Hickman, Spencer, Zdarsky) so she's got my vote.

But it's also entirely too soon to speculate this at all, in my opinion.

[Lukmendes]

I'm in no rush for Spencer's run to end. It's decent stuff, and doing fine for Marvel.

But he could be at the midway point of a respectable 70 issue run right now (if we include the bonus issues of "Hunted.")

My guess is that the next writer will be pretty big and exciting. This wouldn't really include writers who were on a well-received satellite book that didn't move sales charts (Peter David, Chip Zdarsky, Tom Taylor, Chris Yost.)

In Marvel's current stable of writers, the big writers would be Jason Aaron, Donny Cates, Ta-Nehisi Coates or Johnathan Hickman. It probably wouldn't be Hickman for several more years given that he just kicked off a big X-Men relaunch, and that seems to be his dream project.

Another possibility is that it's someone who hasn't exploded in popularity yet. Maybe a Dawn of X will do for one of those writers what Venom did for Donny Cates, or what being on the Brand New Day team did for Dan Slott, which will put them in a position where they can be seen as a plausible Amazing Spider-Man writer.

The final category would be someone who isn't currently working for Marvel, either one of DC's top writers (Tom King, Scott Snyder, Grant Morrison) or someone outside the big two. Top prospects would be the writers of the various all-ages graphic novels that are stomping Marvel and DC in terms of sales.

A final plausible choice is Henry Abrams if the mini-series sells well, and reviews are decent for the whole thing.

I fear that if they used Cates we'd get clones, since it looks like he's a fan of dark ages.

There's also the possibility of Knull being used, but eh, Knull is boring.

I honestly shiver in terror at the possibility of Tom King writing Spidey in any way, like, a big reason I don't care much about Slott is that he's too hit or miss, Tom King is that on steroids, for every Mr. Miracle or Omega Men or whatever else, there's also terrible stories Batman's The Gift, Batman#50, and of course, Heroes in Crisis... Plus if it's not great or horrible it can be like War of Jokes and Riddles, meaning really bland, so yeah, if they pick one of those, I'd really hope it's not him.

Snyder, honestly, I see this similarity between his writing style and Slott's, at least in his Batman run, although if Metal is any hint, he does like crazy aspects of comics more, but yeah.

Morrison, the most fitting thing for Spidey he could do is that he likes more optmistic stories, even when horrible things are happening, but his usual writing style of using silver age nonsense wouldn't be fitting, and I find his Wonder Woman Earth One to be really boring, and at least as far as volume 1, it didn't have silver age nonsense... But I'll admit I haven't read too much of him, maybe he can write a story well without using too much silver age nonsense.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

I don't know how I feel about Bendis doing ASM, he's already done one of the most well-defined Spidey runs in the character's entire history in USM, so it may just end up feeling like going back to the well rather than something new and interesting. I also don't think the distinction between "Amazing" and "Ultimate" matters too much to him, it's still "Spider-Man" and he wrote him alot.

True. I mean I don't have a great desire for Bendis to write ASM. Not that I dislike his stuff but I think he himself preferred his USM version of Spider-Man to ASM.

Not to mention, DC has essentially thrown their entire basket of eggs investing into Bendis, they're not gonna let him go after just a few years.

Well they want Bendis to write Batman (their biggest character) while he wants to make Superman work...so it's not like there isn't tension at DC with him there.

Now any of the other DC talents that could possibly be won over, I would be incredibly interested to see Scott Snyder's take on the book. He has very Dan Slott-levels of bombast that I would be really curious to see how it would play out in Spidey's wrld.

I am generally not a fan of Snyder's work on Batman but I thought Dark Knights Metal was a lot of fun...and after endless AU versions of Evil Superman and Holy Batmen, I am glad we finally have scumbag versions of Bruce out there. That was a darker-and-edgier Spider-Verse essentially. Snyder has a real sense of New York as well.

And who's to say Spencer won't try for 1000?

Well the assumption is Spencer won't be on the title for as long as Slott. If Spencer is to be on ASM till 1000, he would have to be there for 8 years at the current fortnightly schedule.

Spencer might do it of course.

[Huntsman Spider]

I don't know how I feel about Bendis doing ASM, he's already done one of the most well-defined Spidey runs in the character's entire history in USM, so it may just end up feeling like going back to the well rather than something new and interesting. I also don't think the distinction between "Amazing" and "Ultimate" matters too much to him, it's still "Spider-Man" and he wrote him alot.

Not to mention, DC has essentially thrown their entire basket of eggs investing into Bendis, they're not gonna let him go after just a few years. Now any of the other DC talents that could possibly be won over, I would be incredibly interested to see Scott Snyder's take on the book. He has very Dan Slott-levels of bombast that I would be really curious to see how it would play out in Spidey's world.

Considering Scott Snyder gave us Dark Nights: Metal, I could see him applying that kind of sensibility to the Spider-Verse mythos, as per the Web of Life and Destiny being part of the metaphysical foundation of the Marvel Multiverse, thus making Spider-Man (and his counterparts) as much a lynchpin of Marvel in-universe as in real-world merchandising and marketing. I could even see an alliance of evil Spider-Man counterparts integrating the motifs of various members of Spider-Man's rogues gallery just like the Knights of the Dark Multiverse did with members of the Justice League.

Yeah but most of those were criminally short-term. Only Jody Houser like you mentioned has written a longer arc. (I actually didn't know Nocenti wrote that much Spidey, that's cool). But Thompson is already being lined up (she's in the lineup for "Full Circle" with Hickman, Spencer, Zdarsky) so she's got my vote.

But it's also entirely too soon to speculate this at all, in my opinion.

Yeah, I can agree with all of that.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

I honestly shiver in terror at the possibility of Tom King writing Spidey in any way, like, a big reason I don't care much about Slott is that he's too hit or miss, Tom King is that on steroids, for every Mr. Miracle or Omega Men or whatever else, there's also terrible stories Batman's The Gift, Batman#50, and of course, Heroes in Crisis... Plus if it's not great or horrible it can be like War of Jokes and Riddles, meaning really bland, so yeah, if they pick one of those, I'd really hope it's not him.

My favorite Tom King Batman story is the one with Elmer Fudd. I do like Wars of Jokes and Riddles though. I agree however that King is better at the miniseries like Mister Miracle or The Vision then he is at ongoing and he's pretty uneven in that form. His Batman run has done well in getting into Bruce's skin and humanizing him as a character but it feels pretty well-trod over in other respects.

Morrison, the most fitting thing for Spidey he could do is that he likes more optmistic stories, even when horrible things are happening, but his usual writing style of using silver age nonsense wouldn't be fitting, and I find his Wonder Woman Earth One to be really boring, and at least as far as volume 1, it didn't have silver age nonsense... But I'll admit I haven't read too much of him, maybe he can write a story well without using too much silver age nonsense.

When Morrison wrote Batman his main idea was that every Batman story was canon, and some background scientist from an old Bill Finger story is somehow a guy called Dr. Hurt. His Batman run was the last time I followed the ongoing...such new ideas like Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson becoming Batman (and a better one than Bruce at that), new creepier villains like Prof. Pyg, and Batman Inc. and Talia as the ultimate villain for Batman.

I think if Morrison did Spider-Man he'd be like...all canon. The marriage, yes. Gwen Stacy/Norman...absolutely. Spider-Totem, yes. Baby May yes. Peter hitting MJ. Canon. Peter thinking about genocide with Jackal. canon. He'd make every thing Spider-Man writers swept under the rug canon and work with that.

[Snoop Dogg]

daniel kibblesmith asm or death

[Huntsman Spider]

My favorite Tom King Batman story is the one with Elmer Fudd. I do like Wars of Jokes and Riddles though. I agree however that King is better at the miniseries like Mister Miracle or The Vision then he is at ongoing and he's pretty uneven in that form. His Batman run has done well in getting into Bruce's skin and humanizing him as a character but it feels pretty well-trod over in other respects.



When Morrison wrote Batman his main idea was that every Batman story was canon, and some background scientist from an old Bill Finger story is somehow a guy called Dr. Hurt. His Batman run was the last time I followed the ongoing...such new ideas like Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson becoming Batman (and a better one than Bruce at that), new creepier villains like Prof. Pyg, and Batman Inc. and Talia as the ultimate villain for Batman.

I think if Morrison did Spider-Man he'd be like...all canon. The marriage, yes. Gwen Stacy/Norman...absolutely. Spider-Totem, yes. Baby May yes. Peter hitting MJ. Canon. Peter thinking about genocide with Jackal. canon. He'd make every thing Spider-Man writers swept under the rug canon and work with that.

That would be an awesome can of worms to open.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

That would be an awesome can of worms to open.

Morrison opens a can of worms and leaves behind a giant hydra for people to clean up after him. That's what he does. Look at what he did with New X-Men and his Batman run. And that's to his credit for better and worse.

And honestly it's what you should expect.

The truth is you don't get a talent like Morrison on your title without the expectation/promise that he gets to break and reshape some of your toys. Otherwise why would you hire Morrison?

When editors choose writers and others for their title there's a certain expectation. If you get Art Spiegelman to do an introduction for a series on Golden Age comics...well he's gonna get political because you're asking an openly left-wing guy to entertain the idea that your superhero comics (a genre he generally has no time for) matters. So you shouldn't complain when he writes a political introduction as in fact they did...

So that might be some reasons why Spider-Man editors would likely be careful in selecting to choose who writes ASM. Morrison won't come on board ASM unless he gets to do damage and editors need to consider if a little damage is what they need. When JMS came on-board, Marvel was coming out of bankruptcy and Spider-Man was in a mess after Clone Saga and its aftermath and JMS was a high profile name...so he was given carte-blanche to do the Spider-Totem and Aunt May reveal because that's what a big name like JMS would be interested in doing.

Spencer had a somewhat elevated profile when he started on ASM (certainly more than Slott when he started), and Joe Quesada had to tell him personally in a sitdown that he can have Peter/MJ back together. So I think he's been allowed license to do some damage...

[Huntsman Spider]

Morrison opens a can of worms and leaves behind a giant hydra for people to clean up after him. That's what he does. Look at what he did with New X-Men and his Batman run. And that's to his credit for better and worse.

And honestly it's what you should expect.

The truth is you don't get a talent like Morrison on your title without the expectation/promise that he gets to break and reshape some of your toys. Otherwise why would you hire Morrison?

When editors choose writers and others for their title there's a certain expectation. If you get Art Spiegelman to do an introduction for a series on Golden Age comics...well he's gonna get political because you're asking an openly left-wing guy to entertain the idea that your superhero comics (a genre he generally has no time for) matters. So you shouldn't complain when he writes a political introduction as in fact they did...

So that might be some reasons why Spider-Man editors would likely be careful in selecting to choose who writes ASM. Morrison won't come on board ASM unless he gets to do damage and editors need to consider if a little damage is what they need. When JMS came on-board, Marvel was coming out of bankruptcy and Spider-Man was in a mess after Clone Saga and its aftermath and JMS was a high profile name...so he was given carte-blanche to do the Spider-Totem and Aunt May reveal because that's what a big name like JMS would be interested in doing.

Spencer had a somewhat elevated profile when he started on ASM (certainly more than Slott when he started), and Joe Quesada had to tell him personally in a sitdown that he can have Peter/MJ back together. So I think he's been allowed license to do some damage...

Hmm, yeah, good assessment there, especially with Morrison and Spencer, the latter of whom did make a pretty big splash with Secret Empire before coming on Spider-Man, for better or worse.

[Lukmendes]

My favorite Tom King Batman story is the one with Elmer Fudd. I do like Wars of Jokes and Riddles though. I agree however that King is better at the miniseries like Mister Miracle or The Vision then he is at ongoing and he's pretty uneven in that form. His Batman run has done well in getting into Bruce's skin and humanizing him as a character but it feels pretty well-trod over in other respects.

That just makes me think that he'd be more fitting to write Adjectiveless Spider-Man than Abrams, because let's face it, Tom King's real talent is writing miserable characters, and that series being a mini with a miserable Peter, and yeah, it would really be the best place for him to write Spidey.

When Morrison wrote Batman his main idea was that every Batman story was canon, and some background scientist from an old Bill Finger story is somehow a guy called Dr. Hurt. His Batman run was the last time I followed the ongoing...such new ideas like Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson becoming Batman (and a better one than Bruce at that), new creepier villains like Prof. Pyg, and Batman Inc. and Talia as the ultimate villain for Batman.

Good points, I think you did tell me once that his New X-Men run introduced mutants who stayed around, and I at least know that Xavier's twin sister is one of 'em, so he has this talent for making characters, heroes and villains alike, and he could make interesting villains, since Spidey could have some new blood outside of silver age, specially since he only got like, 2 villains who had enough popularity to stay in the last years, Mr. Negative and Morlun

I think if Morrison did Spider-Man he'd be like...all canon. The marriage, yes. Gwen Stacy/Norman...absolutely. Spider-Totem, yes. Baby May yes. Peter hitting MJ. Canon. Peter thinking about genocide with Jackal. canon. He'd make every thing Spider-Man writers swept under the rug canon and work with that.

If Marvel allowed him to do all of that, they'd probably do a New X-Men and let him do whatever like dumbasses, then retcon away some/most/everything they normally wouldn't allow in the first place once he's out of the picture.

And I honestly doubt he would do an equivalent to that with Spidey, because ultimately, Morrison only really did that with Batman to bring back silver age stuff, 'cause it's really, really obvious he's a silver age fanboy, and Batman had his silver age adventures mostly erased post-crisis, so at best I could see him bringing back some forgotten villain, like say, Big Wheel or Hypno Hustler, or that meteor guy from Ditko's run and make them less goofy.

Of course, I could be wrong, but even a writer as unpredictable as Morrison, he has patterns, and silver age bias is the most obvious one, hell, I'd bet the whole "Magneto was possessed by some ancient bacteria" in New X-Men was just his excuse to have evil Magneto again.

Considering Scott Snyder gave us Dark Nights: Metal, I could see him applying that kind of sensibility to the Spider-Verse mythos, as per the Web of Life and Destiny being part of the metaphysical foundation of the Marvel Multiverse, thus making Spider-Man (and his counterparts) as much a lynchpin of Marvel in-universe as in real-world merchandising and marketing. I could even see an alliance of evil Spider-Man counterparts integrating the motifs of various members of Spider-Man's rogues gallery just like the Knights of the Dark Multiverse did with members of the Justice League.

Eh, we already got stuff like that with Spider-Otto, we even have a Spider-Norman somewhere, though I'm not sure if he has Green Goblin's power, but point is, it's been done already, though with few.

Also I detest Dark Nights Metal, so I'd prefer if he didn't repeat that.

Then again, Metal was all about Batwank, with 7 Batgods and all, Spidey doesn't have a Batgod equivalent with the fanbase or the writers, or at least not nearly as bad, so maybe it wouldn't be as bad, but I'd still vote against it 'cause I'm sick of evil counterparts, and Spidey had enough of those.