Spider-Man March 2021 Solicitations

[Revolutionary_Jack]

My mistake. He is still seen celebrating Christmas many times though.

A lot of secular people celebrate Christmas and in fact that's kind of what led to the holiday shedding a big chunk of its religious significance. That's why conservatives get all huffy about how Christmas has become about shopping and not Jesus.

So Peter celebrating Christmas does not inherently mean that he's Christian or religious. I mean even Jewish people who are especially secular do Christmas trees and stuff like that.

Him (and Mary Jane) choosing to get married in a secular civil service, and Lee insisting on that, is a much bigger indicator of what the co-creator believed and presented Spider-Man to be, in terms of religious identity and so on.

[NC_Yankee]

A lot of secular people celebrate Christmas and in fact that's kind of what led to the holiday shedding a big chunk of its religious significance. That's why conservatives get all huffy about how Christmas has become about shopping and not Jesus.

So Peter celebrating Christmas does not inherently mean that he's Christian or religious. I mean even Jewish people who are especially secular do Christmas trees and stuff like that.

Him (and Mary Jane) choosing to get married in a secular civil service, and Lee insisting on that, is a much bigger indicator of what the co-creator believed and presented Spider-Man to be, in terms of religious identity and so on.

It is important to know that Stan Lee like many in the comic book industry ( such as Jack Kirby) were Jewish ( so naturally Peter and Christianity are not tied together). One character whose religion mattered ( and still does ) is Ben Grimm ( who is Jewish). It is important to note that Both Forest Hills ( Pete’s home) and Yancy Street ( meaning Delancey St) are Jewish areas of New York. I also think that Stan and the rest wanted to make Peter as commercially viable as possible which means he is not doing Mass @ St Patrick’s Cathedral before fighting bad guys, nor is he an atheist.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

It is important to know that Stan Lee like many in the comic book industry ( such as Jack Kirby) were Jewish

Yeah but they didn't have the same sense of identity. Stan Lee was, typical to many young men of his community at the time, was assimilationist, who believed that "Americanism" i.e. the US constitution, patriotism, land of opportunity and all that, was enough of a susbstitute and alternative to religion which was typical of early mid-20thC secular Jewish identity. Jack Kirby was more religious and religiously observant, though he was also somewhat idiosyncratic as well and not someone you can pin down to any single school of Judaism.

A lot of writers and artists of the early comics days were Jewish but they were also individuals with their own ideas, thoughts, experiences, and philosophies. They were not a monolith. Likewise, they didn't have a uniform attitude to comics. Not all of them thought that commercial work for newspapers, monthlies, children's comics and so on would lead them to think "this is a medium in which I can express my personal beliefs and identity".

Will Eisner, also Jewish, and largely secular, felt far more comfortable exploring those issues in his graphic novels like "A Contract with God" than he ever did when he worked on "The Spirit".

I also think that Stan and the rest wanted to make Peter as commercially viable as possible which means he is not doing Mass @ St Patrick’s Cathedral before fighting bad guys, nor is he an atheist.

Ultimately for Peter, his Uncle Ben and Aunt May mean more to him than any organized religion.

So the question is moot.

[Ursalink]

I have my suspictions about Spidey's "new suit". Since the whole Kindred issue is around One More Day, apparently, something tells me Spidey's new suit could actually be... A new version of the Black Suit. And if Eddie brock is really going to stay dead for a time, maybe the symbiote and Peter will bond again. (They did it against the Red Goblin, after all).

Shame Flash is dead... for now, anyways. Think he would have been a good host for Toxin.

I have been saying the same thing for a long time. Toxin first simulated Spider-Man's appearance, then, in its last adventure along with Eddie Brock, it adopted a similar look to "Agent Venom". Anti-Venom was really useful as a medical hero, but white is not a color for a soldier. So, I will say that is Toxin is actually returning, MAYBE Flash will do it too.

[NC_Yankee]

Yeah but they didn't have the same sense of identity. Stan Lee was, typical to many young men of his community at the time, was assimilationist, who believed that "Americanism" i.e. the US constitution, patriotism, land of opportunity and all that, was enough of a susbstitute and alternative to religion which was typical of early mid-20thC secular Jewish identity. Jack Kirby was more religious and religiously observant, though he was also somewhat idiosyncratic as well and not someone you can pin down to any single school of Judaism.

A lot of writers and artists of the early comics days were Jewish but they were also individuals with their own ideas, thoughts, experiences, and philosophies. They were not a monolith. Likewise, they didn't have a uniform attitude to comics. Not all of them thought that commercial work for newspapers, monthlies, children's comics and so on would lead them to think "this is a medium in which I can express my personal beliefs and identity".

Will Eisner, also Jewish, and largely secular, felt far more comfortable exploring those issues in his graphic novels like "A Contract with God" than he ever did when he worked on "The Spirit".



Ultimately for Peter, his Uncle Ben and Aunt May mean more to him than any organized religion.

So the question is moot.

The financial aspect to Spider-Man was and still is huge and Marvel wants him as non-controversial as possible ( especially before the drug issues). Let me tell a story: There was an actor named Albert Finney. He was the favorite to win the Best Actor Oscar, he admitted to being an atheist and lost the Award. He said to his dying day that is why he lost. This is something that Stan Lee was very aware of. He knew an atheist Peter will turn off millions and a overly religious Peter would turn millions of others off, so they avoided the issue.

[primenumber101]

The financial aspect to Spider-Man was and still is huge and Marvel wants him as non-controversial as possible ( especially before the drug issues). Let me tell a story: There was an actor named Albert Finney. He was the favorite to win the Best Actor Oscar, he admitted to being an atheist and lost the Award. He said to his dying day that is why he lost. This is something that Stan Lee was very aware of. He knew an atheist Peter will turn off millions and a overly religious Peter would turn millions of others off, so they avoided the issue.

You know, its kind of funny because recent Spider-Man media tends to emphasizes Peter as a scientist and even portrays him as an atheist, particularly during Dan Slott's Run and Marvel's Spider-Man Cartoon (Which ironically, Dan Slott has lot of influence on) Heck, even comics for Spider-Man PS4 has Game!Peter emphasizes on science and skeptical about supernatural.

[blackspidey2099]

You know, its kind of funny because recent Spider-Man media tends to emphasizes Peter as a scientist and even portrays him as an atheist, particularly during Dan Slott's Run and Marvel's Spider-Man Cartoon (Which ironically, Dan Slott has lot of influence on) Heck, even comics for Spider-Man PS4 has Game!Peter emphasizes on science and skeptical about supernatural.

I think the social ramifications of atheism are essentially non-existent now, in comparison to when Peter was created. That's probably why modern interpretations are less hesitant to portray Peter as one, since it's far less likely to cause any sort of financial consequences for Marvel. I don't really think Peter's faith (or lack thereof) matters though, so I'm fine with it being nebulously defined and inconsistent across various stories.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

You know, its kind of funny because recent Spider-Man media tends to emphasizes Peter as a scientist and even portrays him as an atheist,

Huh...being a scientist does not mean someone is an atheist.

...particularly during Dan Slott's Run and Marvel's Spider-Man Cartoon

Show me the Spider-Man cartoon episode that showed Peter was an atheist.

Heck, even comics for Spider-Man PS4 has Game!Peter emphasizes on science and skeptical about supernatural.

None of that means that he's implicitly an atheist or anything. Being skeptical of supernatural and so on is common in Abrahamic religions they see supernatural stuff like ghosts, fairies and so on, as basically pagan.

I think the social ramifications of atheism are essentially non-existent now,

That's not true. An atheist still can't get elected dogcatcher in America. No major Presidential Candidate or for that matter a major PM candidate in the more secular UK, has campaigned as completely non-religious or secular.

I don't really think Peter's faith (or lack thereof) matters though, so I'm fine with it being nebulously defined and inconsistent across various stories.

Me too.

[Pattern_Maker]

I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere, but Kevin Schinick's W.E.B of Spider-Man (the comic based on the Disney Parks Ride) has been postponed indefinitely, but Schnick says they're still working on it and planning for a release.

[TheCape]

Huh...being a scientist does not mean someone is an atheist.

Most scientific characthers in fiction are usually portrayed as atheisr, so is not really a surprise that Peter is the same.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

Most scientific characthers in fiction are usually portrayed as atheisr, so is not really a surprise that Peter is the same.

I don't really see the logic, I am afraid.

[Huntsman Spider]

I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere, but Kevin Schinick's W.E.B of Spider-Man (the comic based on the Disney Parks Ride) has been postponed indefinitely, but Schnick says they're still working on it and planning for a release.

Hmm, that's interesting to know. Thanks.

[PCN24454]

I don't really see the logic, I am afraid.

Doesn't mean it's not true.

[Lukmendes]

A lot of secular people celebrate Christmas and in fact that's kind of what led to the holiday shedding a big chunk of its religious significance. That's why conservatives get all huffy about how Christmas has become about shopping and not Jesus.

I always find such points to be funny, since christmas is older than Jesus, as it was about some solstice, and it got adapted to be about Jesus.

Basically, **** changes.

I don't really see the logic, I am afraid.

Scientists follow logic and reason, and God can be seen as not logical since it is all mighty, all powerful, who knows everything, created everything, and who conveniently doesn't show up anymore now that humans can record stuff.

A scientist may not necessarily be an atheist even in media, but if the point of the character is logic, they may go all the way and make the character not believe in something that sounds as implausible as God.

Of course, if Spidey lives in a shared universe, then him not believing in God can be seen as arbitrary skepticism, which Beast points in ASM#1.3 vol 4:

https://i.imgur.com/OIocVOw.jpg

[Huntsman Spider]

I always find such points to be funny, since christmas is older than Jesus, as it was about some solstice, and it got adapted to be about Jesus.

Basically, **** changes.



Scientists follow logic and reason, and God can be seen as not logical since it is all mighty, all powerful, who knows everything, created everything, and who conveniently doesn't show up anymore now that humans can record stuff.

A scientist may not necessarily be an atheist even in media, but if the point of the character is logic, they may go all the way and make the character not believe in something that sounds as implausible as God.

Of course, if Spidey lives in a shared universe, then him not believing in God can be seen as arbitrary skepticism, which Beast points in ASM#1.3 vol 4:

https://i.imgur.com/OIocVOw.jpg

I remember that one. Good scene, and if I remember right, that arc ended with Peter attempting to reconnect with his faith. Given that this run happened right after Secret Wars (2015) destroyed and recreated the Marvel Multiverse, I could see that being the reason --- among others in his life --- he lost that faith in the first place.