Ben Reilly: Spider-Man/Scarlet Spider Appreciation 2022

[bob.schoonover]

Wasn't the second retconned out, or at least disregarded, by Spider-Geddon? Either that, or I just folded it into the Clone Conspiracy fallout and didn't really think much of it beyond that.





Space Venom? Are you referring to Space Knight Venom, or King in Black Venom?

Space Knight Venom - the Build a Figure from the Silk/Miles/Electro Wave. New head and he's all set for Spidercide. In my ideal world, he'd come in an exclusive set with some subset of Kaine (original costume), Scrier, Judas Traveller, Lady Ock, Stunner, or Delilah

[Huntsman Spider]

Well yes, but no. It still happened and it was a plot point for Marvel, so we should take it into consideration too, even if it was later retconned. The damage done to Ben and his fans won't go away.

Fair point.

My head canon is that the ending of BRSS was just Mephisto messing with his mind as revenge for backing out of their deal. It feels like the most logical answer, considering that Spider-Geddon totally ignored it.

Uh-huh. Makes sense.

Space Knight Venom - the Build a Figure from the Silk/Miles/Electro Wave. New head and he's all set for Spidercide. In my ideal world, he'd come in an exclusive set with some subset of Kaine (original costume), Scrier, Judas Traveller, Lady Ock, Stunner, or Delilah

Sounds cool. Clone Saga set/wave would be nice. Throw in Joystick while you're at it, and we've got ourselves a deal.

[daredevil1]

If Ben didn't break the first time when he lost his entire identity and life, nothing would break him. I always thought his experiences had made him mentally tougher than Peter in a way, in that nothing can phase him (whereas Peter flips his lid every time a photo assignment falls through usually). This is just sloppy and insulting writing, mainly because they tried to write into a corner to get to the outcome they already decided on. It doesn't really matter though since it isn't truly Ben; he dissolved into nothing at the end of Revelations, you can't bring that version 'back.' It's another clone of Peter with perhaps Ben's memories, as dumb as that's sounds.

[rckstr1253]

Agreed this is just a ben copy. I rather they bring the Ben from the alternate time line from spider verse to the 616 universe

[Mercwmouth12]

So What happens to Ben with Chasm and predictions if of what his actual powers are or if will just be a poor version of Spidercide?

[Refrax5]

If Ben didn't break the first time when he lost his entire identity and life, nothing would break him. I always thought his experiences had made him mentally tougher than Peter in a way, in that nothing can phase him (whereas Peter flips his lid every time a photo assignment falls through usually). This is just sloppy and insulting writing, mainly because they tried to write into a corner to get to the outcome they already decided on. It doesn't really matter though since it isn't truly Ben; he dissolved into nothing at the end of Revelations, you can't bring that version 'back.' It's another clone of Peter with perhaps Ben's memories, as dumb as that's sounds.

Yeah, a big part of what I loved about Ben and found inspiring about him was that he didn't break no matter WHAT happened to him. I think that's honestly why I liked Peter David's explanation that Ben's soul had been damaged by things beyond his control so it gave him an out as far as his out-of-character behavior. This time, it's brain damage and mind-altering goo.

It's definitely insulting and lazy writing and I'm sure glad I didn't grow up with this version. It just keeps me able to enjoy the past characterization of Ben to know that what he becomes isn't entirely his fault.

I would love to get more of the Ben from Earth 94 again. Since the multiverse was rebuilt after Secret Wars, he might be out there.

[JustLuke]

I would love to get more of the Ben from Earth 94 again. Since the multiverse was rebuilt after Secret Wars, he might be out there.

I like to believe that he somehow found a way to survive, like he always does...

[Refrax5]

I like to believe that he somehow found a way to survive, like he always does...

Me too. He was great.

[bob.schoonover]

So What happens to Ben with Chasm and predictions if of what his actual powers are or if will just be a poor version of Spidercide?

My guess based on everything said during his introduction is that Chasm will be an early-McFarlane/Michelinie Venom clone. Hates Peter, hates Spider-man, has his powers plus some morphing abilities and extra strength.

[Sr. Bungle]

My guess based on everything said during his introduction is that Chasm will be an early-McFarlane/Michelinie Venom clone. Hates Peter, hates Spider-man, has his powers plus some morphing abilities and extra strength.

He seems to leak that green energy, even where he steps on

[rckstr1253]

Yea chasm is dumb. They should rename him spidercide and this Ben we have been following was an amnesiac spidercide. Or one that wanted to do better in Ben’s honor since Ben died. Then bring over ben from the spider verse and voila. Us Ben fans deserve a good Ben reilly.

[HypnoHustler]

Am I the only one NOT in favor of making the Spider-Verse Ben the new Ben? Just fix this Ben and stop messing with him. Fortunately, Chasm hasn't been around long enough to do any lasting damage. Just have Kafka come to her senses and restore Ben. Then put him in limbo (aka back on the road) for all I care, but stop messing with the core character. If they really wanted to do right by us, they'd give JM DeMatteis an ongoing book where Ben Reilly just goes from town to town (and the occasional midwestern city) doing good ala the 1980s Incredible Hulk series.

[Sr. Bungle]

Am I the only one NOT in favor of making the Spider-Verse Ben the new Ben? Just fix this Ben and stop messing with him. Fortunately, Chasm hasn't been around long enough to do any lasting damage. Just have Kafka come to her senses and restore Ben. Then put him in limbo (aka back on the road) for all I care, but stop messing with the core character. If they really wanted to do right by us, they'd give JM DeMatteis an ongoing book where Ben Reilly just goes from town to town (and the occasional midwestern city) doing good ala the 1980s Incredible Hulk series.

Yeah I want OUR Ben fixed as much as I liked his Earth 94 counterpart

[rckstr1253]

Yeah I want OUR Ben fixed as much as I liked his Earth 94 counterpart

I would normally agree but the problem is this was never “our” Ben to begin with. That Ben turned to dust in the 90’s. The current Ben is just a copy created within the last 6 years and with every story that has been written about this Ben and how he has acted, who’d want this Ben to be the original? He’s done basically everything “our” Ben would of never done. Marvel already screwed this Ben up that I don’t think any semblance of writing could fix. It’s better to start over with a new ben or take one that was like “our” Ben, aka the spider verse one, and make that the heroic ben going forward.

[Refrax5]

Am I the only one NOT in favor of making the Spider-Verse Ben the new Ben? Just fix this Ben and stop messing with him. Fortunately, Chasm hasn't been around long enough to do any lasting damage. Just have Kafka come to her senses and restore Ben. Then put him in limbo (aka back on the road) for all I care, but stop messing with the core character. If they really wanted to do right by us, they'd give JM DeMatteis an ongoing book where Ben Reilly just goes from town to town (and the occasional midwestern city) doing good ala the 1980s Incredible Hulk series.

Don't get me wrong. I would rather they just fix our Ben, but it would just be nice to see an alternative universe where the dude is happy and successful in case that never happens. I also never said I wanted Ben 94 to replace our Ben. I think our Ben finally being restored and having to grapple with the things he's done and try to move forward would be an interesting story, honestly. But I have no idea when or if that will ever happen, so I was just hoping we see Ben 94 in a mini or Spider-Verse type of deal just so we know there's some classic version of him out there.

Trust me, I'm all for fixing 616 Ben. He's my favorite character. Ben 94 is just a nice bonus.