Dan Slott Returns With 'End of The Spider-Verse'

[TinkerSpider]

I'm torn. I liked Dark Ages, and the scene in the first issue with MJ and May at the Jones/Cage flat was scene I liked most in it. But I think that kind of scene would be weakened if it was just repeated again and again.

Here's the thing:

Just because a character has a family doesn't mean you need to show that family in happy bliss in every issue. Or that you need to focus on family drama for drama.

That's the trap Spider-Man books fell into when editorial first decided they needed to get rid of the marriage and were casting about for ways to do that. You can see the switch, around the time they stopped giving MJ a iife of her own (getting blacklisted by Caesar, trying to figure out her career, working on Secret Hospital) and made her into a cigarette-smoking, window standing, handwringing figure in an attempt to get readers to stop liking her so when they did remove the marriage, people wouldn't complain (ha ha joke's on you, editors at the time). It says a lot for MJ that she remained incredibly popular and her character was able to withstand these and many more character assassination attempts.

So if a character is married and has a child - don't use the family for drama, but give them external obstacles to face. Send the kid to day care/school. Give the spouse her own career and her own life. The hero can still have his adventures and the family doesn't even have to appear on panel. Then bring the family in when they woud organically appear in the story.

The problem is the more hack-ish writers will lean on, "oh no things look dire for Spidey! He spends his last minutes regretting leaving his child without a father!" And sure, it's natural he would think that, but that hasn't have to be the climax of every single story. Be imaginative, writers! As it is, without a wife and child, we're now treated to Peter whining over and over he's going to die (and needing rescue since he apparently has no one to think of to encourage him to keep fighting) - or actually being "killed" in Slott-Man - which IMO is a much worse look for the character.

[The Negative Zone]

I have a ghastly foreboding that they will try to permanently remove Peter from continuity and replace him with a teenaged Peter. Let me be wrong.

they're not going to do that in a side book.

[Matt Rat]

they're not going to do that in a side book.

Then why hype up the climax as something that will affect the whole Marvel universe?

And Harry died in a 'side book' so...

[Mercwmouth12]

Then why hype up the climax as something that will affect the whole Marvel universe?

And Harry died in a 'side book' so...

But back than the side books were more tied to the main book.

[The Negative Zone]

Then why hype up the climax as something that will affect the whole Marvel universe?

I think that happens every few months.

[Huntsman Spider]

Here's the thing:

Just because a character has a family doesn't mean you need to show that family in happy bliss in every issue. Or that you need to focus on family drama for drama.

That's the trap Spider-Man books fell into when editorial first decided they needed to get rid of the marriage and were casting about for ways to do that. You can see the switch, around the time they stopped giving MJ a iife of her own (getting blacklisted by Caesar, trying to figure out her career, working on Secret Hospital) and made her into a cigarette-smoking, window standing, handwringing figure in an attempt to get readers to stop liking her so when they did remove the marriage, people wouldn't complain (ha ha joke's on you, editors at the time). It says a lot for MJ that she remained incredibly popular and her character was able to withstand these and many more character assassination attempts.

So if a character is married and has a child - don't use the family for drama, but give them external obstacles to face. Send the kid to day care/school. Give the spouse her own career and her own life. The hero can still have his adventures and the family doesn't even have to appear on panel. Then bring the family in when they woud organically appear in the story.

The problem is the more hack-ish writers will lean on, "oh no things look dire for Spidey! He spends his last minutes regretting leaving his child without a father!" And sure, it's natural he would think that, but that hasn't have to be the climax of every single story. Be imaginative, writers! As it is, without a wife and child, we're now treated to Peter whining over and over he's going to die (and needing rescue since he apparently has no one to think of to encourage him to keep fighting) - or actually being "killed" in Slott-Man - which IMO is a much worse look for the character.

Solid points there.

I think that happens every few months.

Yeah, it's really taken the excitement out of these things. I mean, when do the characters, let alone the readers, get some time to breathe, much less take stock of what's happened to them and what they've been through?

[Alan2099]

So if a character is married and has a child - don't use the family for drama, but give them external obstacles to face. Send the kid to day care/school. Give the spouse her own career and her own life. The hero can still have his adventures and the family doesn't even have to appear on panel. Then bring the family in when they woud organically appear in the story.

I think once yopu've reached the point where the supporting cast has it's own supporting cast you've strayed a bit too far from the point of the book. The supporting cast is there to provide support for the character. They're not supposed to have stories that never connect to what the main character is going through. There's no point in it.

The fact that you want them to continue to have their own stories and that their stories don't need to be show on panel; sound like two complete different arguments. I can't understand why you would even want the family to exist if it doesn't show up in the book except on rare occassions.

[TinkerSpider]

I think once yopu've reached the point where the supporting cast has it's own supporting cast you've strayed a bit too far from the point of the book. The supporting cast is there to provide support for the character. They're not supposed to have stories that never connect to what the main character is going through. There's no point in it.

How did you get that from what I said? Where did I say they would have their own supporting cast?

The fact that you want them to continue to have their own stories and that their stories don't need to be show on panel; sound like two complete different arguments. I can't understand why you would even want the family to exist if it doesn't show up in the book except on rare occassions.

No, it's not. In fact, it's been done in Spider-Man before. MJ modeled for Roderick Kingsley, worked on Secret Hospital, worked on Lobster Man, worked off-Broadway. Aunt May had her boarding house, was friends with Anna, worked at FEAST, married Jameson. Felicia had her involvement with the Foreigner and the Kingpin and others. Etc.

Same concept. Peter needs to have a populated world to feel like he's an actual human being living in the world. But the family doesn't have to be on every panel. For another example, see Superman. Or even Spider-Girl.

[Kurolegacy]

Then why hype up the climax as something that will affect the whole Marvel universe?

And Harry died in a 'side book' so...

That’s just hyperbole at this point. Just like how every event has that the MU will never be the same only for it to change something so minor that if you didn’t read the event you wouldn’t even notice. Last big thing that happened in a side book that affected the main book was with Teresa being confirmed Peter’s sister and Jameson finding out Peter’s identity and Spencer tried to get rid of the former on his way out.

[Daibhidh]

Last big thing that happened in a side book that affected the main book was with Teresa being confirmed Peter’s sister and Jameson finding out Peter’s identity and Spencer tried to get rid of the former on his way out.

Did he try to get rid of it? I don't think Spencer meant us to take the Chameleon and the Finisher as being impartial oracles of the truth. Besides he ended Teresa's arc with her saying that emotionally she feels she's Peter's sister and that's what counts. If anything I think the effect of the story was to anticipate future retcons and future proof the Peter / Teresa relationship.

[NC_Yankee]

But back than the side books were more tied to the main book.

According to Dan Slott “If Peter is allergic to peanuts in ASM, he will be allergic to peanuts in my book.’”

[NC_Yankee]

they're not going to do that in a side book.

A few weeks ago I mentioned Marvel possibly making Peter a teenager again after ASM 1000, so I would not put such a reboot past them. I would stop following the comic just like I do not watch the cartoon. As an adult I cannot relate to a teenager.

[Mercwmouth12]

According to Dan Slott “If Peter is allergic to peanuts in ASM, he will be allergic to peanuts in my book.’”

But that's from the main book affecting his book. In this context it's what happens in his book affecting other books

Say for example if ASM got Peter and MJ back together or Peter is bling and has to use his spidey sense to see then that would affect his book as well in some capacity

[NC_Yankee]

But that's from the main book affecting his book. In this context it's what happens in his book affecting other books

Say for example if ASM got Peter and MJ back together or Peter is bling and has to use his spidey sense to see then that would affect his book as well in some capacity

It means everything is coordinated for better, worse or indifferent between Slott and Wells of If Slott crested an Arc with Peter dating Carlie Cooper they will be dating in Amazing as well

[Kurolegacy]

Did he try to get rid of it? I don't think Spencer meant us to take the Chameleon and the Finisher as being impartial oracles of the truth. Besides he ended Teresa's arc with her saying that emotionally she feels she's Peter's sister and that's what counts. If anything I think the effect of the story was to anticipate future retcons and future proof the Peter / Teresa relationship.

I’d say the problem is that he left it open ended rather than outright affirming that it was a lie. Plus with his run being full of him throwing his form of “fixing” things (rekilling Kraven only to replace him with a clone, retconning Sins Past only to make it more convoluted, making that the Harry we’ve been following since Brand New Day was a clone all along), it kinda makes it seem like his intention was to retcon the sister angle even if he didn’t do it himself as he took something that had become solid fact from Cebulski and gave enough wiggle room for a future writer to follow through and say it was all some Chameleon plot. While she chooses to continue to believe her current identity and a future writer could very well go the route of that Finisher was just trying to psychologically manipulate her to get the Clairvoyant, never give Marvel an out as they love to reset any meaningful changes to Peter.