Spider-Man Beyond

[Iclifton]

That honestly doesn't mean anything. I mean, the words you use clearly have specific meaning to you, but Batman was written out of his story once to show off what a "90s grim and gritty" Batman really looked like (and he was beaten down hard to do it) and once to show that Batman is more important than Bruce Wayne. In nether case did he hand off the cowl willingly and for some high end reason. Neither of those stories had much growth for Bruce until the very end when he returned (In Knightsend getting his mojo back against Shiva and in Return of Bruce Wayne, accepting that Batman was his mission, but both happened in the proverbial 11th hour of the story, which would be, say, around ASM 895 or so in this instance). Which, again, brings us back to then point. You don't know what the STORY is that (possibly) brings Peter down and you don't know the endgame where he rises back up. Without any of that information, why do you think this story is a bad Peter story? Why do you think it's a story about Ben being better than Peter? Just relax and see. If the story sucks, you'll have many people on here agreeing with you as it unfolds. I'll be one of them. If the story is really good, you'll probably feel pretty foolish for all your Chicken Little comments.

Definitely does mean something. In both instances, especially the Morrison run, it came about naturally and as a extension of Bruce`s story. Dick may have been Batman, but it was still about Hurt and the Black Glove vs Bruce. Gordan may have been Batman but it was still about Bruce having the opportunity to live a normal life and choosing Batman. Bruce was the focus of the overall story, that specific plot point was just the next step.

In may be too early to tell at this point, but all indications point to this just being a random story decision at an odd time considering the focus of the Spencer run. Especially if the Spencer run doesn't sideline Peter and some random villain does issue 1 of Beyond. Like I said its a bit early to tell but if that's how it goes down, then that is a huge difference from Batman`s fill in`s. At the end of the day the status quo will return so it will not matter much, but conceptually Beyond is not off to a great start.

[bob.schoonover]

With Hickman leaving X-men and gearing for another Marvel project, I wonder if he’ll tackle Spider-Man. It’s out of his normal element, but maybe he wants to do something different. Unlikely but not impossible.

Hickman's comments sounded more like he'd be on a team/spine type book. Maybe that's ASM and running the Spidey office, but my guess would be something cosmic-y after Last Annihilation is over. Totally uninformed, but just seems in keeping with his skills and interests

I would also note Zdarsky leaving Daredevil. I wonder if Marvel/Disney would pay enough to make it worth his while?

I get the impression that Daredevil is being canceled for the specific purpose of Zdarsky launching a new book with a different title (e.g. Daredevil and Elektra or something like a "Fall of Mayor Fisk" event miniseries)

[Huntsman Spider]

Hickman's comments sounded more like he'd be on a team/spine type book. Maybe that's ASM and running the Spidey office, but my guess would be something cosmic-y after Last Annihilation is over. Totally uninformed, but just seems in keeping with his skills and interests



I get the impression that Daredevil is being canceled for the specific purpose of Zdarsky launching a new book with a different title (e.g. Daredevil and Elektra or something like a "Fall of Mayor Fisk" event miniseries)

The Fall of Mayor Fisk would be a long time coming. Speaking of, in the FCBD Spider-Man/Venom issue, Zdarsky wrote a third story setting up what sounded like Fisk's final confrontation with Daredevil, so maybe . . .

[HypnoHustler]

The Fall of Mayor Fisk would be a long time coming. Speaking of, in the FCBD Spider-Man/Venom issue, Zdarsky wrote a third story setting up what sounded like Fisk's final confrontation with Daredevil, so maybe . . .

I wish creators would stop hyping events as “final confrontations.” Everyone knows Kingy will be back as soon as a new creator comes on board and wants to use him. He’s like Green Goblin and Doc Ock… he never stays gone too long.

[Huntsman Spider]

I wish creators would stop hyping events as “final confrontations.” Everyone knows Kingy will be back as soon as a new creator comes on board and wants to use him. He’s like Green Goblin and Doc Ock… he never stays gone too long.

Fair enough.

[Spiderfan001]

.............

[Pav]

This week provided a bountiful New Comic Wednesday for me, including the newest issue of Iron Man and the FCBD preview of Spider-Man Beyond, which I was excited to finally read.

Obviously our Benny Boy isn't the star of the show over in the Iron Man title, but I'm pleased each month that he shows up. He got a single line of dialogue and appeared in a couple panels; not much, but his costume continues to look awesome and he never sounds out of character. Between Cantwell on Iron Man and the Beyond crew, it's good knowing that there are creatives at Marvel who are interested in telling stories about Ben Reilly (as opposed to changing Ben to fit a story idea). As someone who has pretty much no interest in Iron Man comics as a general rule, I have really enjoyed this run. My hope is that, at the climax of the series, Ben gets to do something awesome that only a Spider-Man can do.

Speaking of Spider-Man...

I'm just going to list some thoughts while I enjoy a second read-through of the FCBD story:

1. I wish there was even a single line of dialogue that explains Ben's travels around the U.S. over the course of his past few appearances. Still, his being in Dallas further establishes that Spider-Clones belong in the Southwest.

2. I really like the art here. I like Ben's mask having the big Bagley eyes. I like the off-center spider.

3. The use of Bushwacker -- coupled with the knowledge that the Daughters of the Dragon are going to be involved (not to mention Beyond Corp) -- leads me to believe that the creative teams are purposefully going beyond what we see in a "normal" Spidey comic, involving characters that aren't often in his wheelhouse. This should provide some really fresh issues. I can't imagine reading this and thinking it felt repetitive: Ben may be back, but it seems we're not retreading old ground with him -- which maybe indicates that Kaine won't be appearing in the near future. And y'know what? That's okay with me right now. (But I do miss him.)

4. I like how Ben took out Bushwacker, but I also couldn't help thinking it would've been the perfect opportunity for him to use his impact webbing. I want it back.

5. Does Ben's handler guy have some kind of weird tattoo or marking on his chest, under his shirt? Or is that a shirt under his shirt? Regardless, the fact that his glasses block us from seeing his eyes means he's actually a bad dude, right?

6. I actually kind of love when Ben is stupid about not protecting his identity, pulling his mask off, etc.

7. The Handler dissing the Scarlet Spider costume is funny, not because I agree but because it was always a running joke back in the Clone Saga that both the costume and name "Scarlet Spider" were... not good. Peter ribbing Ben about it always made for fun banter. Still, this would've been a perfect opportunity for some easy continuity: Ben could've been like, "Y'know, I just got done saving the universe with Iron Man in that costume."

8. Maybe I'm reading into nothing, but I'm intrigued by the line, "...we like this design" in regards to Ben's Beyond costume. Knowing they've got some kind of multiversal agenda, might they be trying to control events with knowledge about some future threat? Maybe they want Ben because they know "Spider-Man" needs to be at a certain place or do a certain thing, so they've taken matters into their own hands.

9. Hearing his handler's final words in this story must've been music to Ben's ears: being "the real Spider-Man" was the best period of Ben's life, and having someone see him in that light probably feels better than just about anything.

I'm so excited about the immediate future of Amazing Spider-Man! I hope we get an entertaining ride, and I hope Ben is able to gain some new fans!

-Pav, who'll try not to whine about webshooters and whether they belong inside or outside the costume...

[Spiderfan001]

This week provided a bountiful New Comic Wednesday for me, including the newest issue of Iron Man and the FCBD preview of Spider-Man Beyond, which I was excited to finally read.

Obviously our Benny Boy isn't the star of the show over in the Iron Man title, but I'm pleased each month that he shows up. He got a single line of dialogue and appeared in a couple panels; not much, but his costume continues to look awesome and he never sounds out of character. Between Cantwell on Iron Man and the Beyond crew, it's good knowing that there are creatives at Marvel who are interested in telling stories about Ben Reilly (as opposed to changing Ben to fit a story idea). As someone who has pretty much no interest in Iron Man comics as a general rule, I have really enjoyed this run. My hope is that, at the climax of the series, Ben gets to do something awesome that only a Spider-Man can do.

Speaking of Spider-Man...

I'm just going to list some thoughts while I enjoy a second read-through of the FCBD story:

1. I wish there was even a single line of dialogue that explains Ben's travels around the U.S. over the course of his past few appearances. Still, his being in Dallas further establishes that Spider-Clones belong in the Southwest.

2. I really like the art here. I like Ben's mask having the big Bagley eyes. I like the off-center spider.

3. The use of Bushwacker -- coupled with the knowledge that the Daughters of the Dragon are going to be involved (not to mention Beyond Corp) -- leads me to believe that the creative teams are purposefully going beyond what we see in a "normal" Spidey comic, involving characters that aren't often in his wheelhouse. This should provide some really fresh issues. I can't imagine reading this and thinking it felt repetitive: Ben may be back, but it seems we're not retreading old ground with him -- which maybe indicates that Kaine won't be appearing in the near future. And y'know what? That's okay with me right now. (But I do miss him.)

4. I like how Ben took out Bushwacker, but I also couldn't help thinking it would've been the perfect opportunity for him to use his impact webbing. I want it back.

5. Does Ben's handler guy have some kind of weird tattoo or marking on his chest, under his shirt? Or is that a shirt under his shirt? Regardless, the fact that his glasses block us from seeing his eyes means he's actually a bad dude, right?

6. I actually kind of love when Ben is stupid about not protecting his identity, pulling his mask off, etc.

7. The Handler dissing the Scarlet Spider costume is funny, not because I agree but because it was always a running joke back in the Clone Saga that both the costume and name "Scarlet Spider" were... not good. Peter ribbing Ben about it always made for fun banter. Still, this would've been a perfect opportunity for some easy continuity: Ben could've been like, "Y'know, I just got done saving the universe with Iron Man in that costume."

8. Maybe I'm reading into nothing, but I'm intrigued by the line, "...we like this design" in regards to Ben's Beyond costume. Knowing they've got some kind of multiversal agenda, might they be trying to control events with knowledge about some future threat? Maybe they want Ben because they know "Spider-Man" needs to be at a certain place or do a certain thing, so they've taken matters into their own hands.

9. Hearing his handler's final words in this story must've been music to Ben's ears: being "the real Spider-Man" was the best period of Ben's life, and having someone see him in that light probably feels better than just about anything.

I'm so excited about the immediate future of Amazing Spider-Man! I hope we get an entertaining ride, and I hope Ben is able to gain some new fans!

-Pav, who'll try not to whine about webshooters and whether they belong inside or outside the costume...

A couple things.

3)They are going for Morbius and then Kraven the hunter hunting him with drugs that spiral him out of control so unique characters and arcs may not be the truth.But we will also get Obsidian Star, a new villain and one I look forward to.

6)Does he do that a lot?

8)I mean we know they do multiversal chaos so they seem to BE the future threats.This isn't even a case of greater good, they just wanna have fun with the multiverse.And training Spider-man w/ dragon daughters for missions seems like mercenary work in disguise.Ofc Ben has good intentions, do you think he himself will see there's something wrong with Beyond?


9)He was brimming hearing that, which begs the question.Beyond seem to be roping him into this and it's working and him being "Spider-man" is something he buys into heavily.Do you think they "kill" Peter for this reason, because he would see through their act(he has some experience with them IIRC).

I mean if it's a random "death" then that would be plain sh*tty writing.

When he does come back do you think we will get Ben fighting Peter because he wants to be Spider-man.Probably after a mind-f*ck or experience since I don't think that is in his character.

Btw Read Captain America and the Migthy Avengers from 4 to 7 for Beyond's main work and it includes Spider-man.Also Beyond has had run-in with Deadpool.

[ZeroBG82]

Ok, finally got to read the FCBD issue today. Brief, and more of a tease than a proper introduction but solid.

I absolutely love that the first beat with Ben and Bushwacker is a perfect mirror of the very last beat from the last time Ben was Spidey. Throwing himself bodily into the path of harm to save another, and taking the killing blow to the back. Only this time we learn Ben had some small cause to believe he'd survive the experience. More than anything else, this was the beat that has me hyped, because it feels like the classic Ben again. For the first time since he came back. Also, kudos to the writing team for using the parallel, it really establishes what they were going for in that scene.

Follow that up with Ben again being just a bit reckless experimenting with his new suit. Both Ben and Pete have always been about diving in headlong and often without a plan, but Ben comes across as almost desperate in his need to protect people here. It reminds me a bit of the Dan Slott "No One Dies" period, in terms of the lengths and the drama of it. His attitude here, coupled with the way he went out against Norman way back when, has me in mind of Jeffrey Sinclair from Babylon 5. Someone who has seen some s#^t, has been through trauma and drama and is almost racing towards heroic self-sacrifice at every opportunity. Because finding something to die for is so very much simpler than finding something to live for. I'll be curious to see if that theme returns in Beyond proper. It would be an interesting take on Ben, and would synergize well with everything he's been through.

Beyond Corp is super shady from right from the start, and would be suspect even if the name wasn't ringing bells. I did enjoy the ribbing of the Scarlet Spider suit, because as iconic as the look is, every word of this criticism was true and fair. I still love it, mind you, but I laughed out loud. I agree with @Pav above, the specific wording of Beyond Guy's comment about the new suit definitely made me think there are shenanigans afoot. Either something specific about the suit that plays into their plan, or just the fact that they deliberately want Ben to be confused for "the real Spider-Man."

Ben was distressingly trusting here. I hope that's explored moving forward. Why is he so quick to reveal himself? It sounds like Beyond sought him out, so ok, they already know who he is. But why isn't that freaking him out? I'm hoping that's something the writers intend to explore once they have more space, and I'll be disappointed if they don't.

And finally, the new suit. I like it. I don't love it. It looks FANTASTIC in the static power shots, but there are just enough areas where it doesn't scream Ben Reilly to my mind. Little things I'd tweak if I could. But those are mostly nitpicks. Even the thing that most bothered me, the offset spider logo, is growing on me. From a lot of angles you can't even tell it's there, but the symbolism of the spider being over Ben's heart is quite nice. I also love the back, it's a great callback to his old suit, while still being different and new.

Bring on Beyond. I'm ready for more Ben Spidey adventures. I think the setup here, with Ben seemingly being an unknowing pawn in whatever Beyond is up to, has potential to be really interesting and I'm still more than a little curious how the writing group will address everything since Clone Conspiracy. What kind of Ben this will end up being. And where they hope to leave him moving forward. Everything about this teaser screams "HEROIC SELF-SACRIFICE INCOMING!", but the way they lampshade it makes me wonder if they're going to play with it and go a different way. I hope so. I'm tired of Ben's whole purpose being to ultimately die again. (Curse you Dan Slott, for your horrific Monkey's Paw version of Ben Reilly. I still like a fair bit of your Spider-Man, Big Time, Spider-Island and Superior were all brilliant, but I will never forgive you for that crap.)

[Pav]

A couple things.

3)They are going for Morbius and then Kraven the hunter hunting him with drugs that spiral him out of control so unique characters and arcs may not be the truth.But we will also get Obsidian Star, a new villain and one I look forward to.

Yeah, Kraven drugging up Spidey has definitely been done before. I wonder if Kraven being a clone as well now has any bearing on why he might want to go after Ben. Solicits obviously don't tell the whole story.

As for Morbius, I'm really stoked for his appearance; he's always been one of my favorite characters due to the 90s cartoon and the single issue of his solo I had being one of my first comics. I only hope his appearance with the interior art isn't the same as on the cover: not a fan of that portrayal. I need something scarier. I most loved how he looked at the beginning of his solo and then when JR Jr was doing his appearances in Peter Parker: Spider-Man.

6)Does he do that a lot?

It feels like he does! I would bet the ratio of mask pulls to appearances is higher than Peter's by a decent margin

8)I mean we know they do multiversal chaos so they seem to BE the future threats.This isn't even a case of greater good, they just wanna have fun with the multiverse.And training Spider-man w/ dragon daughters for missions seems like mercenary work in disguise.Ofc Ben has good intentions, do you think he himself will see there's something wrong with Beyond?

I'm not one to make too many assumptions about a story before reading it. In this case, I don't have enough information regarding Beyond Corp's motives to make a determination as to their reasons for working with Ben. Certainly past stories have them as shady figures who probably shouldn't be trusted, and if that proves to be the case in this story as well, my hope is that the writers portray Ben in a respectful way by utilizing his traditional characterization to guide his actions as the story moves forward, especially if and when he realizes that he's been duped by some ne'er-do-wells.

9)He was brimming hearing that, which begs the question.Beyond seem to be roping him into this and it's working and him being "Spider-man" is something he buys into heavily.Do you think they "kill" Peter for this reason, because he would see through their act(he has some experience with them IIRC).

I mean if it's a random "death" then that would be plain sh*tty writing.

When he does come back do you think we will get Ben fighting Peter because he wants to be Spider-man.Probably after a mind-f*ck or experience since I don't think that is in his character.

I mean, I guess we'll find out, right?

I hadn't thought of the possibility of Beyond taking out Peter so he doesn't get in the way. Frankly, like many here, I kind of assumed Peter would simply be in recovering status from his Sinister War beatdown. We'll certainly find out one way or another.

As for "sh*tty writing" -- I try to give writers the benefit of the doubt. Even if they make decisions I wouldn't, I try to understand their rationale and why they felt that aspect of the story may have been necessary. It's easy to judge and criticize, and the internet gives people every avenue to do so; I find that understanding and appreciation are skills that are just as important to master when critiquing a piece of art or literature. I often think that, if instead of this online forum, we Spidey fans were discussing in a classroom or library somewhere, our discussions would be quite different in both subject and tone.

Ok, finally got to read the FCBD issue today. Brief, and more of a tease than a proper introduction but solid.

I absolutely love that the first beat with Ben and Bushwacker is a perfect mirror of the very last beat from the last time Ben was Spidey. Throwing himself bodily into the path of harm to save another, and taking the killing blow to the back. Only this time we learn Ben had some small cause to believe he'd survive the experience. More than anything else, this was the beat that has me hyped, because it feels like the classic Ben again. For the first time since he came back. Also, kudos to the writing team for using the parallel, it really establishes what they were going for in that scene.

Follow that up with Ben again being just a bit reckless experimenting with his new suit. Both Ben and Pete have always been about diving in headlong and often without a plan, but Ben comes across as almost desperate in his need to protect people here. It reminds me a bit of the Dan Slott "No One Dies" period, in terms of the lengths and the drama of it. His attitude here, coupled with the way he went out against Norman way back when, has me in mind of Jeffrey Sinclair from Babylon 5. Someone who has seen some s#^t, has been through trauma and drama and is almost racing towards heroic self-sacrifice at every opportunity. Because finding something to die for is so very much simpler than finding something to live for. I'll be curious to see if that theme returns in Beyond proper. It would be an interesting take on Ben, and would synergize well with everything he's been through.

First, great call on the mirror between Ben's sacrifice in PPSM75 and the FCBD story. I honestly didn't catch it myself.

Second, it's interesting that you bring up the notion that it's simpler to die for a cause than to live for one -- that's a theme of great interest to me; in fact, it's something considered in my favorite novel, Henderson the Rain King by Saul Bellow. Anyway, I agree that this Ben feels like the Ben of old, and yet your above notion is most prevalent, ironically enough I think, in PAD's Ben Reilly: the Scarlet Spider series, in which Ben clearly seemed to believe dying heroically was better than living with the turmoil he was currently feeling internally. I think by the time we meet Ben in the 90s Clone Saga, he's already moved past those emotions and has some comfort in being Ben Reilly, even though doubts and uncertainties still linger below the surface. However, I may be forgetting some important examples of Ben attempting to sacrifice himself other than PPSM75 from back then.

Ben was distressingly trusting here. I hope that's explored moving forward. Why is he so quick to reveal himself? It sounds like Beyond sought him out, so ok, they already know who he is. But why isn't that freaking him out? I'm hoping that's something the writers intend to explore once they have more space, and I'll be disappointed if they don't.

And finally, the new suit. I like it. I don't love it. It looks FANTASTIC in the static power shots, but there are just enough areas where it doesn't scream Ben Reilly to my mind. Little things I'd tweak if I could. But those are mostly nitpicks. Even the thing that most bothered me, the offset spider logo, is growing on me. From a lot of angles you can't even tell it's there, but the symbolism of the spider being over Ben's heart is quite nice. I also love the back, it's a great callback to his old suit, while still being different and new.

Bring on Beyond. I'm ready for more Ben Spidey adventures. I think the setup here, with Ben seemingly being an unknowing pawn in whatever Beyond is up to, has potential to be really interesting and I'm still more than a little curious how the writing group will address everything since Clone Conspiracy. What kind of Ben this will end up being. And where they hope to leave him moving forward. Everything about this teaser screams "HEROIC SELF-SACRIFICE INCOMING!", but the way they lampshade it makes me wonder if they're going to play with it and go a different way. I hope so. I'm tired of Ben's whole purpose being to ultimately die again. (Curse you Dan Slott, for your horrific Monkey's Paw version of Ben Reilly. I still like a fair bit of your Spider-Man, Big Time, Spider-Island and Superior were all brilliant, but I will never forgive you for that crap.)

Perhaps a major turning point in the story will involve Ben finding out the villainous motives of Beyond Corp and admonishing himself for being so trusting: if so, we'll get that juicy Ben Reilly inner monologue in which he explains his feelings about his place in the world. Whatever happens, I have hope that the creative teams aren't bringing back Ben only to kill him off again; hopefully, this is an honest attempt to give the Ben Reilly we all know and love a place in the current comics.

-Pav, who feels similarly about the new costume, Zero...

[Somecrazyaussie]

This week provided a bountiful New Comic Wednesday for me, including the newest issue of Iron Man and the FCBD preview of Spider-Man Beyond, which I was excited to finally read.

Obviously our Benny Boy isn't the star of the show over in the Iron Man title, but I'm pleased each month that he shows up. He got a single line of dialogue and appeared in a couple panels; not much, but his costume continues to look awesome and he never sounds out of character. Between Cantwell on Iron Man and the Beyond crew, it's good knowing that there are creatives at Marvel who are interested in telling stories about Ben Reilly (as opposed to changing Ben to fit a story idea). As someone who has pretty much no interest in Iron Man comics as a general rule, I have really enjoyed this run. My hope is that, at the climax of the series, Ben gets to do something awesome that only a Spider-Man can do.

Speaking of Spider-Man...

I'm just going to list some thoughts while I enjoy a second read-through of the FCBD story:

1. I wish there was even a single line of dialogue that explains Ben's travels around the U.S. over the course of his past few appearances. Still, his being in Dallas further establishes that Spider-Clones belong in the Southwest.

2. I really like the art here. I like Ben's mask having the big Bagley eyes. I like the off-center spider.

3. The use of Bushwacker -- coupled with the knowledge that the Daughters of the Dragon are going to be involved (not to mention Beyond Corp) -- leads me to believe that the creative teams are purposefully going beyond what we see in a "normal" Spidey comic, involving characters that aren't often in his wheelhouse. This should provide some really fresh issues. I can't imagine reading this and thinking it felt repetitive: Ben may be back, but it seems we're not retreading old ground with him -- which maybe indicates that Kaine won't be appearing in the near future. And y'know what? That's okay with me right now. (But I do miss him.)

4. I like how Ben took out Bushwacker, but I also couldn't help thinking it would've been the perfect opportunity for him to use his impact webbing. I want it back.

5. Does Ben's handler guy have some kind of weird tattoo or marking on his chest, under his shirt? Or is that a shirt under his shirt? Regardless, the fact that his glasses block us from seeing his eyes means he's actually a bad dude, right?

6. I actually kind of love when Ben is stupid about not protecting his identity, pulling his mask off, etc.

7. The Handler dissing the Scarlet Spider costume is funny, not because I agree but because it was always a running joke back in the Clone Saga that both the costume and name "Scarlet Spider" were... not good. Peter ribbing Ben about it always made for fun banter. Still, this would've been a perfect opportunity for some easy continuity: Ben could've been like, "Y'know, I just got done saving the universe with Iron Man in that costume."

8. Maybe I'm reading into nothing, but I'm intrigued by the line, "...we like this design" in regards to Ben's Beyond costume. Knowing they've got some kind of multiversal agenda, might they be trying to control events with knowledge about some future threat? Maybe they want Ben because they know "Spider-Man" needs to be at a certain place or do a certain thing, so they've taken matters into their own hands.

9. Hearing his handler's final words in this story must've been music to Ben's ears: being "the real Spider-Man" was the best period of Ben's life, and having someone see him in that light probably feels better than just about anything.

I'm so excited about the immediate future of Amazing Spider-Man! I hope we get an entertaining ride, and I hope Ben is able to gain some new fans!

-Pav, who'll try not to whine about webshooters and whether they belong inside or outside the costume...

Definitely on the outside.

[Spiderfan001]

Yeah, Kraven drugging up Spidey has definitely been done before. I wonder if Kraven being a clone as well now has any bearing on why he might want to go after Ben. Solicits obviously don't tell the whole story.

As for Morbius, I'm really stoked for his appearance; he's always been one of my favorite characters due to the 90s cartoon and the single issue of his solo I had being one of my first comics. I only hope his appearance with the interior art isn't the same as on the cover: not a fan of that portrayal. I need something scarier. I most loved how he looked at the beginning of his solo and then when JR Jr was doing his appearances in Peter Parker: Spider-Man.



It feels like he does! I would bet the ratio of mask pulls to appearances is higher than Peter's by a decent margin



I'm not one to make too many assumptions about a story before reading it. In this case, I don't have enough information regarding Beyond Corp's motives to make a determination as to their reasons for working with Ben. Certainly past stories have them as shady figures who probably shouldn't be trusted, and if that proves to be the case in this story as well, my hope is that the writers portray Ben in a respectful way by utilizing his traditional characterization to guide his actions as the story moves forward, especially if and when he realizes that he's been duped by some ne'er-do-wells.




I mean, I guess we'll find out, right?

I hadn't thought of the possibility of Beyond taking out Peter so he doesn't get in the way. Frankly, like many here, I kind of assumed Peter would simply be in recovering status from his Sinister War beatdown. We'll certainly find out one way or another.

As for "sh*tty writing" -- I try to give writers the benefit of the doubt. Even if they make decisions I wouldn't, I try to understand their rationale and why they felt that aspect of the story may have been necessary. It's easy to judge and criticize, and the internet gives people every avenue to do so; I find that understanding and appreciation are skills that are just as important to master when critiquing a piece of art or literature. I often think that, if instead of this online forum, we Spidey fans were discussing in a classroom or library somewhere, our discussions would be quite different in both subject and tone.

Oh okay.Them being clones is a great angle.
And I'm excited for Morbius too, acc. to solicits he brutally takes down Ben so I think they will have the scary down.

That's interesting.Really hope his supporting cast comes into play even if slightly.

I mean re-reading the stuff we have w/ them they seem to love chaos.I mean they don't care at all, even Mephisto has some Agenda like being the king of hell, etc.These guys don't, so I wonder how they will be portrayed.

I'd agree on that library thing on most subjects, but if Peter dies by circumstance just when Ben shows up that's B.S..Like that's the laziest writing you can do, so there would be a lot of anger in the library.The chance I'm willing to give and I think most will is Beyond as a concept.Will buy like first 2-3 issues and will see how it pans out.The 3 per month is costly af, so i can't keep it in if it's not decent.

[Huntsman Spider]

Definitely on the outside.

They kind of are, albeit more like the ASM films or the PS4/5 Insomniac Games' Spider-Man where the web-shooters are visible on the insides/undersides of his wrists instead of braces around his whole wrists.

[Hypestyle]

so just to be clear... "this" Ben Reilly is, physically, not the same guy who died/disintegrated back at the climax of the original clone saga? For how long has "this" Ben been around? And to be clear, "this" Ben is not the current 'Scarlet Spider', who is Kaine, is that correct? (I can't keep track of all this)

[Huntsman Spider]

so just to be clear... "this" Ben Reilly is, physically, not the same guy who died/disintegrated back at the climax of the original clone saga? For how long has "this" Ben been around? And to be clear, "this" Ben is not the current 'Scarlet Spider', who is Kaine, is that correct? (I can't keep track of all this)

Since Clone Conspiracy back at the end of 2016 and beginning of 2017. Thank/blame Dan Slott for that one.