Ben Reilly: Spider-Man/Scarlet Spider Appreciation 2022

[Xwho]

Life Story was pretty acclaimed. Not sure what that has to do with a clone saga mini (although Ben did feature in a couple issues of Life Story). Anyway, there already was a clone saga mini in 2009 (some are fans, I’m not too crazy about it) so I don’t think they’ll go down that road again.

They were alternate universe series as was the clone saga miniseries.

[Xwho]

life story also had a hook. i don't think "what if ben Reilly didn't die" is as a strong a hook for readers

What was the hook, and it is not just "What if Ben Reilly didn't die." but maybe the clone saga being more like how it supposed to be told.
How did Spider shadow do?

[boots]

What was the hook, and it is not just "What if Ben Reilly didn't die."
How did Spider shadow do?

In 1962's Amazing Fantasy #15, fifteen-year-old Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider and became the Amazing Spider-Man! 57 years have passed in the real world since that event - so what would have happened if the same amount of time passed for Peter as well? To celebrate Marvel's 80th anniversary, Chip Zdarsky and Spider-Man legend Mark Bagley unite to spin a unique Spidey tale - telling an entire history of Spider-Man from beginning to end, set against the key events of the decades through which he lived! Prepare to watch Peter Parker age through 57 years of groundbreaking history - and find out what happens to him, and those he loves the most!

what would the hook be for a ben reilly alt mini?

[Xwho]

In 1962's Amazing Fantasy #15, fifteen-year-old Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider and became the Amazing Spider-Man! 57 years have passed in the real world since that event - so what would have happened if the same amount of time passed for Peter as well? To celebrate Marvel's 80th anniversary, Chip Zdarsky and Spider-Man legend Mark Bagley unite to spin a unique Spidey tale - telling an entire history of Spider-Man from beginning to end, set against the key events of the decades through which he lived! Prepare to watch Peter Parker age through 57 years of groundbreaking history - and find out what happens to him, and those he loves the most!

what would the book be for a ben reilly alt mini?

How about a alt clone saga mini being more along the lines of what it was supposed to be fowling a different idea than Tom's?
They also try doing a what if series, like spider shadow, with what if the original Peter Parker was Ben Reilly.

[boots]

How about a alt clone saga mini being more along the lines of what it was supposed to be fowling a different idea than Tom's?
They also try doing a what if series, like spider shadow, with what if the original Peter Parker was Ben Reilly.

that's retreading old ground though. just because you or i might find those questions interesting doesn't mean that enough other people would.

whereas a spider-man that ages "in real time" (sorta) playing his greatest hits was a different enough spin that a lot of people were curious enough to see how it would work.

[Xwho]

Very. Adjectiveless Spider-Man and Web of Spider-Man had pretty much become Ben Reilly books and no one batted an eye. Hell, sales improved, too. Editorial themselves remarked in the "Life of Reilly" articles that people couldn't get enough of the character and the design, and they were torn on it because the idea was that Scarlet Spider was a name Ben didn't like, and the costume was put together on a hurry, so it wasn't supposed to stick - then fans loved it and they were wondering what the hell was going on and how to move forward.

Only with the whole "Ben is the original" reveal backlash (with some magazines like Wizard hopping on to add fuel to the fire) began to form.

How popular was Ben's spider man costume to his scarlet spider costume in the beginning and how popular are they know?

[HypnoHustler]

How popular was Ben's spider man costume to his scarlet spider costume in the beginning and how popular are they know?

People have different preferences. I get a thrill when I see Ben wearing his Spidey costume again because he wears it so seldom. I think him becoming (a second) Spider-Man was a natural development in his arc. I feel he’s outgrown his Scarlet Spider persona and costume, but that’s what most fans associate him with… so it’s probably more popular, even though I personally prefer Spider-Ben.

[Mercwmouth12]

People have different preferences. I get a thrill when I see Ben wearing his Spidey costume again because he wears it so seldom. I think him becoming (a second) Spider-Man was a natural development in his arc. I feel he’s outgrown his Scarlet Spider persona and costume, but that’s what most fans associate him with… so it’s probably more popular, even though I personally prefer Spider-Ben.

But I think it still cool that for Mayday she rocked Ben's suit as an honor to him. But who wore it better?

[HypnoHustler]

But I think it still cool that for Mayday she rocked Ben's suit as an honor to him. But who wore it better?

I like Mayday a lot, but if I could only read about one character I would choose 1990s era Ben.

[Refrax5]

People have different preferences. I get a thrill when I see Ben wearing his Spidey costume again because he wears it so seldom. I think him becoming (a second) Spider-Man was a natural development in his arc. I feel he’s outgrown his Scarlet Spider persona and costume, but that’s what most fans associate him with… so it’s probably more popular, even though I personally prefer Spider-Ben.

Agreed. I love the Scarlet Spider costume, but it was clearly meant to be a crappy, makeshift suit he wore temporarily. As much as I like it, it doesn't make much sense in-story that he would go back to that identity (especially considering how much he hated the name and left the SS identity because he was framed). I loved his original Spider-Man costume.

[Reilly]

Agreed. I love the Scarlet Spider costume, but it was clearly meant to be a crappy, makeshift suit he wore temporarily. As much as I like it, it doesn't make much sense in-story that he would go back to that identity (especially considering how much he hated the name and left the SS identity because he was framed). I loved his original Spider-Man costume.

Yeah, if Ben is going to be turned good again, he should be a Spider-Man, because he owns the mantle just like Peter (for some he was a better Spider-Man than Peter). He is Spider-Man and he will always be. As much as I love his Scarlet Spider persona, it was only a temporary thing*.

*Ben could work as Scarlet Spider with his Sensational Spider-Man suit (just like it was in "Scarlet Spiders" tie-in in the OG Spider-Verse event), because the hoodie we all know and love was made to be temporary too.

[Sr. Bungle]

Yeah, if Ben is going to be turned good again, he should be a Spider-Man, because he owns the mantle just like Peter (for some he was a better Spider-Man than Peter). He is Spider-Man and he will always be. As much as I love his Scarlet Spider persona, it was only a temporary thing*.

*Ben could work as Scarlet Spider with his Sensational Spider-Man suit (just like it was in "Scarlet Spiders" tie-in in the OG Spider-Verse event), because the hoodie we all know and love was made to be temporary too.

If Ben is good again it'll be bacuse of ATSS so we'll get Scarlet Spider at most. I'll take it.

[HypnoHustler]

If Ben is good again it'll be bacuse of ATSS so we'll get Scarlet Spider at most. I'll take it.

Of course I would also take a good Scarlet Spider over this Chasm mess. But it wouldn’t excite me. It would be a return to the pre-Beyond status quo when he was another generic second-stringer going on random missions as a guest star in other’s books, like in Cantwell’s Iron-Man. It was fun seeing him in that, but it wasn’t like an essential Ben tale. Anyway… I’m rambling a bit. Fwiw, I don’t think his appearance in ATSS will be as big as some are expecting. Hope I’m wrong, it’d be nice to see him in action.

[Sr. Bungle]

What was the hook, and it is not just "What if Ben Reilly didn't die." but maybe the clone saga being more like how it supposed to be told.
How did Spider shadow do?

Of course I would also take a good Scarlet Spider over this Chasm mess. But it wouldn’t excite me. It would be a return to the pre-Beyond status quo when he was another generic second-stringer going on random missions as a guest star in other’s books, like in Cantwell’s Iron-Man. It was fun seeing him in that, but it wasn’t like an essential Ben tale. Anyway… I’m rambling a bit. Fwiw, I don’t think his appearance in ATSS will be as big as some are expecting. Hope I’m wrong, it’d be nice to see him in action.

Best case scenario: he'll be like noir. But that was enough for Marvel to reverse his death.

[JustLuke]

Best case scenario: he'll be like noir. But that was enough for Marvel to reverse his death.

Probably. Even then though he alongside Spider-Punk and Cyborg Spider-Woman will probably have bigger roles than the rest of the alternate Spideys, because Toei Spider-Man is supposed to be in the movie and we don't have any official look whatsoever, same thing with Jessica Drew who was literally in the opening alongside Miguel and Gwen. So who knows. I'm not expecting it to be very big yeah, but I'm expecting Ben to do stuff at least, and his presence in this film will likely give him a bigger casual fanbase if nothing else which could ultimately be what convinces Marvel to overturn Chasm