Who was a better Spider-Man writer: Dan Slott or Nick Spencer?

[Kevinroc]

Yeah, Slott was really open about that. It did allow other writers to use an A-list Spider-Man villain who was not claimed by the main book.

Not sure I'd call Kraven A-list despite the great amount of respect that Kraven's Last Hunt has.

Regardless, all Spencer did was create a Kraven that writers can use without feeling like they are trampling all over KLH. I'd be willing to bet Slott and Spencer weren't the only writers who were unhappy that Kraven was revived in the first place, and I'm sure any writers would have absolutely no problem using the new Kraven clone.

[Frontier]

Not sure I'd call Kraven A-list despite the great amount of respect that Kraven's Last Hunt has.

Regardless, all Spencer did was create a Kraven that writers can use without feeling like they are trampling all over KLH. I'd be willing to bet Slott and Spencer weren't the only writers who were unhappy that Kraven was revived in the first place, and I'm sure any writers would have absolutely no problem using the new Kraven clone.

I'd call all the main Lee/Ditko villains A-list.

[Kevinroc]

I'd call all the main Lee/Ditko villains A-list.

I like to separate the Doc Ocks and the Green Goblins from the Mysterios and Electros. And I separate them from the Living Brains and the Enforcers.

[PCN24454]

I'd call all the main Lee/Ditko villains A-list.

Not really since most of the things that people like about them weren’t even written during the Ditko era. They’re characters that eventually became good.

The reason why other villains don’t get that treatment is because adaptations rarely last long enough to use them. They always just reset.

[Lukmendes]

Not really since most of the things that people like about them weren’t even written during the Ditko era. They’re characters that eventually became good.

The reason why other villains don’t get that treatment is because adaptations rarely last long enough to use them. They always just reset.

Only Green Goblin and Otto changed that drastically after Ditko (Less so in Otto's case), the other villains are more or less the same even if they got sob stories as background stories.

While I have some problems with Ditko's run, it's a huge deal that he made so many iconic Spidey villains in such a relatively short run, which's not normal, Batman and Supes took years to have other iconic villains.

[Frontier]

I like to separate the Doc Ocks and the Green Goblins from the Mysterios and Electros. And I separate them from the Living Brains and the Enforcers.

You've got the Big Three (Gobby, Ock, Venom) and then you've got the Rogues Gallery, and when people think of the main Rogues they usually think of the guys in the original Sinister Six + Chameleon, Scorpion, Rhino, Shocker, Lizard, etc.

[Tabs]

You know... In a delightful twist of irony.. A few years before she was cast as Gwen Stacy, Emma Stone was actually in a movie that sort of dealt with this. Easy A (which was based on The Scarlet Letter) Her character's thought to have slept with someone when, just like the Gwen of the comics right now, she actually didn't. But it turns out not to matter anyway, because of the way society sorts women into good girls and bad, promiscuous girls.

Man I have a lot of thoughts on Sins Past and the retcon. A lot. Obviously, few of them are positive.

Would you say her story fits more with 'Easy A' or 'The Scarlet Letter'? Haven't watched the movie but an entry stated Emma Stone's character has Sandman as a teacher. That would be an interesting AU.

I suppose Sins Past is an interesting exploration of societal behavior in a medium where personalities rely on a writer's interpretation and fan reception. Ask a dozen different people what happens in the story and afterwards. You'll get different answers nearly every time.
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[Minerboh]

I'd call all the main Lee/Ditko villains A-list.

Most of these characters made an impact on Spidey's life.

The Chameleon was Spidey's very first one.
The Vulture was the first one who beat Spidey (he took him by surprise and threw him inside a water deposit to drown).
Dock Ock was the first one who humiliated Spidey.
Well, we all know the deal with Green Goblin.
It doesn't surprise me that many of these foes played a significant role later for Peter's misery.
The Chameleon with Harry Osborn orchastrated the robot parents plan which kick started Spidey decent to mental instability which led to the 90's Clone Saga.
The Vulture played a role in Nathan's death.
Dock Ock played a role in Captain Stacy's death, the whole Superior arc, Marvel implying that Otto was actually May's true love post Uncle Ben.
Norman's Clone conpiracy, the tragic murder of Gwen, the Osborn Twins and many, MANY others.

[Somecrazyaussie]

Makes me wonder if he'd be kinda like Jim Shooter as an editor lol.

Shooter as an editor brought a huge perk of the continuity being pretty good among the comics, but done so in a way that the continuity isn't suffocating the stories, however, as a writer he, was hit and miss, and his misses could bring some really big garbage, with Avengers#200 being the peak example.

Shooter was a much better writer at DC and he was writing stories while he was, what, 13 or 14?

He may have micromanaged the books during his 9 year tenure as editor, but damn if he didn't have some great runs during that time.

[PanicPixieDreamGirl]

Would you say her story fits more with 'Easy A' or 'The Scarlet Letter'? Haven't watched the movie but an entry stated Emma Stone's character has Sandman as a teacher. That would be an interesting AU.

I just remembered that The Scarlet Letter does kind of have a supernatural baby in it too...

You're absolutely right about Sins Past, and I suspect that's why discussion about it never really goes anywhere, hasn't for as long as I remember. It's like a dang Rorschach test sometimes.

[Lukmendes]

Shooter was a much better writer at DC and he was writing stories while he was, what, 13 or 14?

From what I hear he was 14, I should check out what his stories have lol.

I think he even got to write Superman, which's kind of a big deal to let a kid to write.

I guess at DC he'd have to worry less about continuity, Secret Wars II is pretty boring, and a big reason that's the case is because the main issues mention everything that happened in the tie-ins, while it can get annoying how irrelevant tie-ins are, Shooter kinda tried to make them have an illusion of importance too much, so it felt like it was info dumping a lot.

He may have micromanaged the books during his 9 year tenure as editor, but damn if he didn't have some great runs during that time.

Yeah he just should be kept as an editor and tell everyone to actually pay attention to continuity, just, don't let him write, his talent is not really there lol.

Also, Spencer has been winning the poll pretty decisively on the last days, expected it to keep having a draw.

[Tony Stark]

I'd say Slott, but I wouldn't dare say I was a consistent Spider-Man reader. I enjoyed Superior as that was my first Spidey book in years that I picked up monthly. Also I know this will get me bashed, but I read and liked Sins Past and from what I've read and heard about the retcon of it was worse.

[Spiderfan001]

I'd say Slott, but I wouldn't dare say I was a consistent Spider-Man reader. I enjoyed Superior as that was my first Spidey book in years that I picked up monthly. Also I know this will get me bashed, but I read and liked Sins Past and from what I've read and heard about the retcon of it was worse.

I've heard a lot of people who do like Slott are one's who didn't read much of Pre-OMD Spidey or not consistent readers which I guess makes sense

Still in issue 2 of Superior Doc Ock s*xually assaults MJ and when he can't seem to get to the next step w/ her goes through Peter's and MJ's private memories which is just...

Even if one doesn't care for these characters how could one route for Ock here, mind you he did all these things w/ his own will

Also could you elaborate on how the retcon is worse, because the Original story made Gwen(and MJ a liar) and Norman a full blown creep, and it was mandated by editorial.I understand why people aren't happy w/ the retcon because it couldn't retcon the entire event, but how does it make it worse

[Matt Rat]

Also, Spencer has been winning the poll pretty decisively on the last days, expected it to keep having a draw.

Yeah, I love it. It vindicates Spencer after months of everyone finding his Kindred arc very trying, and is also proving Slott's run has aged like milk on reassessment.

[Tabs]

Still in issue 2 of Superior Doc Ock s*xually assaults MJ and when he can't seem to get to the next step w/ her goes through Peter's and MJ's private memories which is just...

R*pe, attempted on MJ Watson and carried out on Peter Parker and others. Not all sexual misconduct is r*pe but let's just call it like it is.

Even if one doesn't care for these characters how could one route for Ock here, mind you he did all these things w/ his own will

Dan Slott accidentally taught me that if Green Goblin dies again, another iconic villain will have their personality twisted to become Spidey's most immoral enduring enemy in his place.

Also could you elaborate on how the retcon is worse, because the Original story made Gwen(and MJ a liar) and Norman a full blown creep, and it was mandated by editorial.I understand why people aren't happy w/ the retcon because it couldn't retcon the entire event, but how does it make it worse

How does it make Mary Jane Watson a liar? Both Norman and Gwen are dead shortly after the Sins Past flashback.

She didn't know what became of the children or that Osborn survived the piercing of his heart. If she told Peter without evidence, she'd worry he'd think her a liar. Peter would have written it off as Osborn using psychoactive drugs on her. Harry would never have accepted his father had a fling with Gwen Stacy and possibly murdered his newborn brother and sister. Informing either man would have only strained the friendship between the three people. MJ may have believed that Peter would resent Harry in his father's absence. Later, Norman Osborn returns and commits Infanticide in retaliation for Harry's death, Osborn's "only son". A grieving mother would assume the villain who murdered her child either put his own up for adoption or, more likely, did the same to Gwen Stacy's babies.

What purpose does telling Peter Parker anything after so long serve? It would give him more incentive to attack Osborn again in front of security cameras and further validate the villain's smear campaign against Spider-man. Or give Osborn what he wanted when the Green Goblin attempted to commit suicide-by-superhero because he couldn't deal with his issues anymore. There wasn't a time to deal with that situation, and all signs pointed to Harry as the only child to survive to adulthood.

...Or that no other offspring existed before Sins Past.

Hooking up with a legal adult is socially frowned upon for age reasons but was entirely lawful. Osborn was already a sexist murderer of children.

Gwen Stacy did nothing wrong and the story was at odds with 616 canon before Editorial touched it.

Yeah, I love it. It vindicates Spencer after months of everyone finding his Kindred arc very trying, and is also proving Slott's run has aged like milk on reassessment.

This poll asks whether Slott or Spencer is a better Spider-man writer. It's not a validation of the Kindred fiasco.