Ben Reilly: Spider-Man/Scarlet Spider Appreciation 2022

[Huntsman Spider]

The original Blood Spider was just killed in the Venom Lethal protector new mini

Guessing the Blood Spider that showed up in Cullen Bunn's Venom was a new version.

[Sr. Bungle]

Guessing the Blood Spider that showed up in Cullen Bunn's Venom was a new version.

He showed in Soule"s Daredevil too. You need good editors to make these retroactive minis or you end up OMDing a lot of things unintentionally.

[Refrax5]

Wells keeps doing that thing Marvel seems to feel is necessary to Spider-Man where they say that Peter and Ben can't find happiness without it being stolen away or their story is over, which is such simplistic thinking. I don't want or expect any superhero to have a perfect life without problems or adversity. But there's a difference between them having relatable problems and the utter misery they like to drag them through. It's not fun to read about a character that can never win or find any lasting joy in life. It just makes them seem cursed and is just as monotonous and dull as if their lives were perfect.

No one needs Ben or Peter to have perfect lives. We just don't want them driven insane or in these narrative dead ends of the same miserable cycles over and over.

[Kanos]

Wells keeps doing that thing Marvel seems to feel is necessary to Spider-Man where they say that Peter and Ben can't find happiness without it being stolen away or their story is over, which is such simplistic thinking. I don't want or expect any superhero to have a perfect life without problems or adversity. But there's a difference between them having relatable problems and the utter misery they like to drag them through. It's not fun to read about a character that can never win or find any lasting joy in life. It just makes them seem cursed and is just as monotonous and dull as if their lives were perfect.

No one needs Ben or Peter to have perfect lives. We just don't want them driven insane or in these narrative dead ends of the same miserable cycles over and over.

I don't even understand what Wells means by "happy ending". I don't want a happy ending, I want authors and publishers to respect the characters. Just because Peter has a serious romantic relationship with MJ, marriage or even baby May return, and Ben is a hero with Peter's memories doesn't mean that their stories will end and the characters will become boring. This is a stupid opinion. Peter was married for 20 years, he was still an interesting character. There was no happy ending, the story continued. Superman is married, has a son, and is interesting. Wally West is married, has children and is interesting. Reed and Sue are married, they have kids, and they're interesting. But of course, if Spider-Man gets married and has children, his story is over. It's the same with Ben, if he becomes a good guy again, then he will have a happy ending and his story cannot be continued.

[Sr. Bungle]

I think was more making excuses than anything else. He did give Greycrow a "happy ending" in Marauders.

Ben not ending up being a villain with Brain damage is not a happy ending. He could have gone to do some soul searching after making the mistake of trusting Beyond or a lot of other outcomes that are not "happy endings" but don't turn him into a thing that goes against everything that makes him Ben Reilly

[HypnoHustler]

No brain damaged Ben, please. Traumatic brain injury is a horrible condition that might be educational and moving if it’s explored in a sensitive manner, but I don’t wish my favorite hero to be the poster-child for it. I would still have a problem with current-Ben if he didn’t go heel but Beyond ended without him getting his memories and personality back (sure, not as big a problem as him being Chasm… but I still wouldn’t be overjoyed). I just want Ben to go back to being the Ben I loved reading in the 90s. There were even glimmers of that Ben in some of the early Beyond issues, which made what happened to him even more aggravating.

[Kurolegacy]

I don't even understand what Wells means by "happy ending". I don't want a happy ending, I want authors and publishers to respect the characters. Just because Peter has a serious romantic relationship with MJ, marriage or even baby May return, and Ben is a hero with Peter's memories doesn't mean that their stories will end and the characters will become boring. This is a stupid opinion. Peter was married for 20 years, he was still an interesting character. There was no happy ending, the story continued. Superman is married, has a son, and is interesting. Wally West is married, has children and is interesting. Reed and Sue are married, they have kids, and they're interesting. But of course, if Spider-Man gets married and has children, his story is over. It's the same with Ben, if he becomes a good guy again, then he will have a happy ending and his story cannot be continued.

What’s even more stupid is that they have this mentality while plenty of other characters are allowed these life changes. It isn’t the end of their story, it adds more layers to it that in turn enhances the character. Anyone who says that that’s the end of the story is either lying or creatively bankrupt.

[Huntsman Spider]

He showed in Soule"s Daredevil too. You need good editors to make these retroactive minis or you end up OMDing a lot of things unintentionally.

Oh, yeah. Very good point there.

Wells keeps doing that thing Marvel seems to feel is necessary to Spider-Man where they say that Peter and Ben can't find happiness without it being stolen away or their story is over, which is such simplistic thinking. I don't want or expect any superhero to have a perfect life without problems or adversity. But there's a difference between them having relatable problems and the utter misery they like to drag them through. It's not fun to read about a character that can never win or find any lasting joy in life. It just makes them seem cursed and is just as monotonous and dull as if their lives were perfect.

No one needs Ben or Peter to have perfect lives. We just don't want them driven insane or in these narrative dead ends of the same miserable cycles over and over.

I don't even understand what Wells means by "happy ending". I don't want a happy ending, I want authors and publishers to respect the characters. Just because Peter has a serious romantic relationship with MJ, marriage or even baby May return, and Ben is a hero with Peter's memories doesn't mean that their stories will end and the characters will become boring. This is a stupid opinion. Peter was married for 20 years, he was still an interesting character. There was no happy ending, the story continued. Superman is married, has a son, and is interesting. Wally West is married, has children and is interesting. Reed and Sue are married, they have kids, and they're interesting. But of course, if Spider-Man gets married and has children, his story is over. It's the same with Ben, if he becomes a good guy again, then he will have a happy ending and his story cannot be continued.

I think was more making excuses than anything else. He did give Greycrow a "happy ending" in Marauders.

Ben not ending up being a villain with Brain damage is not a happy ending. He could have gone to do some soul searching after making the mistake of trusting Beyond or a lot of other outcomes that are not "happy endings" but don't turn him into a thing that goes against everything that makes him Ben Reilly

No brain damaged Ben, please. Traumatic brain injury is a horrible condition that might be educational and moving if it’s explored in a sensitive manner, but I don’t wish my favorite hero to be the poster-child for it. I would still have a problem with current-Ben if he didn’t go heel but Beyond ended without him getting his memories and personality back (sure, not as big a problem as him being Chasm… but I still wouldn’t be overjoyed). I just want Ben to go back to being the Ben I loved reading in the 90s. There were even glimmers of that Ben in some of the early Beyond issues, which made what happened to him even more aggravating.

What’s even more stupid is that they have this mentality while plenty of other characters are allowed these life changes. It isn’t the end of their story, it adds more layers to it that in turn enhances the character. Anyone who says that that’s the end of the story is either lying or creatively bankrupt.

Generally cosigned, with the addition that Batman, who isn't married, nonetheless has one biological child and multiple other children he's adopted and loved no less than if they were biologically his and has had to grapple with the example that he's set for them and whether or not he did more right than wrong by them in the end, like any parent in real life. And he still finds time to pummel bad guys while dressed as a giant bat, so not buying they can't figure out a way to do the same with the man who has the abilities and wears the symbol of a spider.

[Mercwmouth12]

First possible interior from dark web
Screenshot_20220813-230224~2.jpg

[JustLuke]

First possible interior from dark web
Screenshot_20220813-230224~2.jpg

Looks like Ben and Janine. Flashback or current day?

[HypnoHustler]

Looks like Ben and Janine. Flashback or current day?

No way Ben looks that happy in present day. Definitely a flashback, probably Janine’s memory since Ben’s is fried.

[Sr. Bungle]

First possible interior from dark web
Screenshot_20220813-230224~2.jpg

Looks like Ben is channelling Stan Laurel here

[Sr. Bungle]

No way Ben looks that happy in present day. Definitely a flashback, probably Janine’s memory since Ben’s is fried.

I think that Adam using washed ink techniques seem to suggest a flashback

[Sr. Bungle]

I think this might be Ben too

https://twitter.com/AdamKubert/statu...Q_tHkyzUw&s=19

[Sr. Bungle]

Do you spot (pun not intended at first) someone?

https://twitter.com/preterniadotcom/...uipQ1cmjA&s=19