Ben Reilly: Spider-Man/Scarlet Spider Appreciation 2022

[Malachi]

Well, Miles Morales has one suit with those same colours, and they come from the fact that his uncle Aaron is the Prowler. Those are the Prowler's colours, so I don't find them so bad.



I understand that, and this is definitely a dangerous status quo for Ben. But you should think it this way: Regular Ben has always complaint about the fact that none of his life is its own, as it's like Peter's shadow. Well, on one hand, losing his memoeries around Peter's life gives Ben the chance to finally define himself by his own terms, not by memories for other guy's life. Sure, it's dangerous, but also interesting. The fact that we see Ben fighting as a more "effective" Spider-Man (meaning more aggresive, but still don't cross the line) is a interesting sight. If this Ben meets Norman Osborn as the Green Goblin, I would love to see him punching Osborn like a boxing bag instead of talking useless words like Peter does.

It’s not Ben as the whole gimmick about it is that Ben has lost what he is, what he was. So yes it’s the same character in the sense that Marvel tells us it is.
What you are describing sounds to me like Kaine when he killed Otto. Spider-man without ethics. But of course that isn’t enough in itself as a difference. We also had tweaked powers. Sort of how Ben had impact webbing and other tools as Scarlet. So expect Chasm(ugh that name) to have something to set him apart from Peter there.

Interesting is certainly not the word I would use. Good for you that you can feel like that after reading this. For me it’s just Marvel giving me more and more reasons to stop reading them.
On the difference with Peter: Kaine, spidercide, Venom have all dealt with plots like that. The difference Ben would have added they needed to remove to actually get him in that place. For me it’s just so numbingly moronic.

[MisterC]

It's not interesting, it's disgusting. Ben had his own life, a job at the Daily Grind, friends, love interests, enemies, costumes and web shooters. The authors of Beyond did not return any of this, because they did not read the sensational era of Spider-Man, and Zeb Wells never liked the real Ben, so he created his own. It's horrible.

I agree with this. Zeb Wells fancies himself as an artistic explorer of trauma, so he created trauma for a Ben that doesn't work with the character. It's literally the result of Beyond taking his memories. None of the Chasm crap is rooted in Ben's actual character. It was just shoehorned in so some hack writer could "explore trauma". And like Ben actually facing the trauma of what he did as the Jackal and the Scarlet Sociopath could have been interesting to explore. Certainly more interesting than "I lost my formative memories and now WHERE I WAS IS A VAST CHASM!!!" Like oh my god Zeb, go touch some grass or spend that She Hulk money and stop being such an edge lord.

Ben had accepted his place as a clone before we even meet him in the clone saga. He had made peace with the fact that even though the memories weren't his own, he could draw strength from them and allow them to shape him so that the tragedy of Peter's mistake wouldn't be repeated. He saw the kindness and love of Aunt May and Uncle Ben and chose to allow those experiences to help shape him. Rather than view them as a curse. He cherished them. And that's the power of Ben Reilly and the ultimate failure of the Jackal, in trying to destroy Spider-Man by cloning him, he just made another hero who would opposed him and others like him.

Now that's been flushed, for what? A costume that looks like Gleason or whoever sketched it out in 5 minutes? A personalityless void who didnt even get to be a hero? Why should we be afraid or impressed by CHASM after 19 issues of Ben at his full mental capacity being led around by the nose and beaten up by every hero who comes by. Why would we assume he will be anymore effective or threatening with a stupid costume and dumbass name.

The entire arc is a catastrophic failure at best and a cynical, malicious, and purposeful manipulation of people who had the audacity to care about Ben at worst.

[Malachi]

Damn I had to post again. Thinking about the whole brain damage thing got me worked up.

Removing say Uncle Bens death and the lesson it gave is just so frustratingly stupid. Such limited thinking.

Sure remove it but all the events after, witch in Peter and Bens cases where a lot, witch that memory&lesson had big impacts on their choices are then altered. Why do it if you can’t remember the reason. The mind would either rewrite itself with some other explanation, just go insert blank space or make you remember remembering the memory. All of these are just such major impacts that Ben would be altered to the core. Moving him so far from he used to be. The problem for Marvel is that they want those similarities. They are using them to contrast the changes to drive home the impact of his actions. So they want to cherry pick what is gone and how that affects him. All to just suit whatever scene they are doing. That is beyond how he is still functioning in daily life. Shopping grocery. Going to the toilet. Not having seizures, aneurism or a stroke.

[Kanos]

I agree with this. Zeb Wells fancies himself as an artistic explorer of trauma, so he created trauma for a Ben that doesn't work with the character. It's literally the result of Beyond taking his memories. None of the Chasm crap is rooted in Ben's actual character. It was just shoehorned in so some hack writer could "explore trauma". And like Ben actually facing the trauma of what he did as the Jackal and the Scarlet Sociopath could have been interesting to explore. Certainly more interesting than "I lost my formative memories and now WHERE I WAS IS A VAST CHASM!!!" Like oh my god Zeb, go touch some grass or spend that She Hulk money and stop being such an edge lord.

Ben had accepted his place as a clone before we even meet him in the clone saga. He had made peace with the fact that even though the memories weren't his own, he could draw strength from them and allow them to shape him so that the tragedy of Peter's mistake wouldn't be repeated. He saw the kindness and love of Aunt May and Uncle Ben and chose to allow those experiences to help shape him. Rather than view them as a curse. He cherished them. And that's the power of Ben Reilly and the ultimate failure of the Jackal, in trying to destroy Spider-Man by cloning him, he just made another hero who would opposed him and others like him.

Now that's been flushed, for what? A costume that looks like Gleason or whoever sketched it out in 5 minutes? A personalityless void who didnt even get to be a hero? Why should we be afraid or impressed by CHASM after 19 issues of Ben at his full mental capacity being led around by the nose and beaten up by every hero who comes by. Why would we assume he will be anymore effective or threatening with a stupid costume and dumbass name.

The entire arc is a catastrophic failure at best and a cynical, malicious, and purposeful manipulation of people who had the audacity to care about Ben at worst.

Everything you said is true and facts. I also hate the fact that Ben was made into an inexperienced hero and therefore the daughter's of the dragon had to train him. It's stupid because Ben has Peter's experience, he traveled the world for five years, then he was the Scarlet Spider and Spider-Man. He does not need to prove anything to anyone and learn something, he was already a real hero. Beyond is trash.


Spider-Man 64 and Sensational Spider-Man 6

[Sr. Bungle]

Damn I had to post again. Thinking about the whole brain damage thing got me worked up.

Removing say Uncle Bens death and the lesson it gave is just so frustratingly stupid. Such limited thinking.

Sure remove it but all the events after, witch in Peter and Bens cases where a lot, witch that memory&lesson had big impacts on their choices are then altered. Why do it if you can’t remember the reason. The mind would either rewrite itself with some other explanation, just go insert blank space or make you remember remembering the memory. All of these are just such major impacts that Ben would be altered to the core. Moving him so far from he used to be. The problem for Marvel is that they want those similarities. They are using them to contrast the changes to drive home the impact of his actions. So they want to cherry pick what is gone and how that affects him. All to just suit whatever scene they are doing. That is beyond how he is still functioning in daily life. Shopping grocery. Going to the toilet. Not having seizures, aneurism or a stroke.

How does he even function now?

[Sr. Bungle]

In the previous issues he couldn't even fight or even web sling properly.
How can this Chasm guy would fare not only as a superhero but as a person living his everyday life?

[MisterC]

Sidebar if this thread gets renamed Ben Reilly: Chasm/Spider-Man/Scarlet Spider Appreciation I'm going to throw up on my phone

[Sr. Bungle]

Sidebar if this thread gets renamed Ben Reilly: Chasm/Spider-Man/Scarlet Spider Appreciation I'm going to throw up on my phone

The artist formerly known as Ben Reilly

[JustLuke]

If anything I will make sure this thread gets renamed to "Ben Reilly Fanbase Group Therapy Thread" or something. Jesus Christ

[Rzerox21xx]

You know, I know I shouldn't have spend so much money especially as my parents scold me and encourage me to save. but man I feel pretty good that I brought the 90s Clone saga in floppies. Doesn't help I was in the 90s nostalgia phase and when I see a movie in a ad in those comics, I tried to find what streaming service have those movies to watched. I thoroughly enjoyed Mallrats especially love seeing it advertised in those Clone saga era issues.

[bob.schoonover]

If anything I will make sure this thread gets renamed to "Ben Reilly Fanbase Group Therapy Thread" or something. Jesus Christ

What are we going to do for Pav when he reads this issue?

[Sr. Bungle]

What are we going to do for Pav when he reads this issue?

I dpn't expect him to like it but he'll bring something new to the table on his review. I'm sure.

[rckstr1253]

All’s I can say is wow! Seriously, is marvel really proud of this sh*t they constantly spew? I grew up as Ben Reilly being my Spider-Man and when marvel killed him I was devastated. For years I held out hope they’d bring him back. 20 or so years later, after giving up hope and having a rough past 7 years, they brought him back. I was stoked. They shat on the character and made him deranged. I swore off marvel again but failed to adhere to that when they fixed ben. Then they gave us beyond and I was stoked and even with the shotty garbage writing I still spent money hoping to eventually see a bright future for Ben. Then this issue comes out and wtf! It’s god awful! Seriously, I suffer from severe depression and even though beyond wasn’t good, it kept me going as it gave me hope things will eventually get better with Ben. Now all that is gone, and I wasted money on this crap. Not to mention I wasted time and energy in this. Can I sue marvel for breaking my heart again and having me wast money on this garbage? At this point, I truly hope marvel crashes and burns. Go bankrupt at this point or fire the crummy writers they seem to hire year in and year out.

With that said, it was pleasure meeting you fellow ben reilly fans and hope you guys can hang in there. I’m done with comics for good at this point. Nothing left for me to read at this point. I was going to keep giving the ben reilly series a continue go around but at this point, why waste money supporting a company that constantly sh*ts on us ben reilly fans. Best of luck guys!

[Refrax5]

All’s I can say is wow! Seriously, is marvel really proud of this sh*t they constantly spew? I grew up as Ben Reilly being my Spider-Man and when marvel killed him I was devastated. For years I held out hope they’d bring him back. 20 or so years later, after giving up hope and having a rough past 7 years, they brought him back. I was stoked. They shat on the character and made him deranged. I swore off marvel again but failed to adhere to that when they fixed ben. Then they gave us beyond and I was stoked and even with the shotty garbage writing I still spent money hoping to eventually see a bright future for Ben. Then this issue comes out and wtf! It’s god awful! Seriously, I suffer from severe depression and even though beyond wasn’t good, it kept me going as it gave me hope things will eventually get better with Ben. Now all that is gone, and I wasted money on this crap. Not to mention I wasted time and energy in this. Can I sue marvel for breaking my heart again and having me wast money on this garbage? At this point, I truly hope marvel crashes and burns. Go bankrupt at this point or fire the crummy writers they seem to hire year in and year out.

With that said, it was pleasure meeting you fellow ben reilly fans and hope you guys can hang in there. I’m done with comics for good at this point. Nothing left for me to read at this point. I was going to keep giving the ben reilly series a continue go around but at this point, why waste money supporting a company that constantly sh*ts on us ben reilly fans. Best of luck guys!

I struggle with depression myself and watching Marvel constantly torment a hero I found inspirational and have him constantly fail and be miserable hasn't been fun. It seems like a dumb thing to go to pieces over, but it genuinely has made a dark mood worse for me lately.

[rckstr1253]

I struggle with depression myself and watching Marvel constantly torment a hero I found inspirational and have him constantly fail and be miserable hasn't been fun. It seems like a dumb thing to go to pieces over, but it genuinely has made a dark mood worse for me lately.

I hear you. Seeing Ben back and get a fair shake had me the happiest I’ve been in 7 years after a family tragedy, but then for marvel to keep dumping in him, has totally changed my mood as well. I was starting to actually think things in life would get better but after reading this garbage, it’s reinforced to me that things never truly get better. I feel stupid for actually thinking marvel had changed its ways and wasting my already hard earned money on this crap.