ASM 4 (#898) Discussion

[InfamousBG]

Well that was fun. I mean Tombstone got the best of Peter again but whatever. Good 4th issue.

Still foggy on what is going on with Peter's life and all that but I am sure they will get to it.

Art looked better as well.

[bdog]

Why does Peter have to be with someone? Just so he has some arm candy? The way the Spider-office treats relationships - and Peter - perhaps it's best if he is just a sad sack single, swiping on Tinder and never receiving a match, until the writer or editorial changes again.

At this point, I don't want MJ or Felicia near Wells's book. Jed MacKay is doing a terrific job with Felicia in her own book/miniseries and I'd rather see that continue than have her tied to the bumbling manchild patsy the Spider-office/Wells has apparently decided Peter should be regressed to yet again.

I think many of us want him to be in a relationship again because it would hold him accountable and create some kind of growth. Pete was the most mature when he was a married man because he had to look out for someone besides himself. It's funny, in a lot of ways marriage was the right way to progress Pete's responsibility complex to the fullest level, whereas now he's probably the most irresponsible he's ever been. Pete is supposed to be what, 28 now? He doesn't need to be married, but damn, he doesn't even have a job (AND HE HAS A SOLID RESUME). I feel bad for Peter, he's not the every-man that had bad luck, he's in a hell of his own making with solvable problems and I don't think you can blame all of them on being Spider-Man. So really, the Peter stuff is the only shortcoming because the Spider-Man action and voice have been great.

Agreed with Jed's work with Felicia. I was really hoping he'd get ASM after Beyond because his Black Cat stuff is just so fun.

[bob.schoonover]

Pete is supposed to be what, 28 now? He doesn't need to be married, but damn, he doesn't even have a job (AND HE HAS A SOLID RESUME). I feel bad for Peter, he's not the every-man that had bad luck, he's in a hell of his own making with solvable problems and I don't think you can blame all of them on being Spider-Man. So really, the Peter stuff is the only shortcoming because the Spider-Man action and voice have been great.

This is neither here nor there, I suppose, but the constant, cavalier (and often times mean-spirited-seeming in execution) wiping the board clean that editorial allows to happen at Marvel only makes this worse - Peter doesn't change jobs because he's found something different or is ready to move on. He's burned every freaking bridge for future employment among other superheroes, in tech, in reporting, and in academia because no one wants to work within the framework of the previous status quo to move him forward. Slott, at the start of Big Time, did a credible job of moving Peter forward (given that the status quo was Peter unemployed due to journalistic malpractice, he had the easiest lift), but he also burned that bridge hard in the overly simplistic screw up that was Fall of Parker.

To be clear, Peter shifting jobs is good and fine, and his role as Spiderman hampering his performance of his job is part of the character, Fall of Parker, Spencer's multiversal plagiarism detector (wtf?), and "whatever Wells decided happened in the six month gap that we don't know about because it's a secret" have all just made it harder for a writer to come in and give him a decent and interesting job for a bit

[Frontier]

They should've kept the science reporting angle at the Bugle in my opinion.

[Aura Blaize]

This is neither here nor there, I suppose, but the constant, cavalier (and often times mean-spirited-seeming in execution) wiping the board clean that editorial allows to happen at Marvel only makes this worse - Peter doesn't change jobs because he's found something different or is ready to move on. He's burned every freaking bridge for future employment among other superheroes, in tech, in reporting, and in academia because no one wants to work within the framework of the previous status quo to move him forward. Slott, at the start of Big Time, did a credible job of moving Peter forward (given that the status quo was Peter unemployed due to journalistic malpractice, he had the easiest lift), but he also burned that bridge hard in the overly simplistic screw up that was Fall of Parker.

To be clear, Peter shifting jobs is good and fine, and his role as Spiderman hampering his performance of his job is part of the character, Fall of Parker, Spencer's multiversal plagiarism detector (wtf?), and "whatever Wells decided happened in the six month gap that we don't know about because it's a secret" have all just made it harder for a writer to come in and give him a decent and interesting job for a bit

This pretty much. I'm not saying make things super easy for him. But for the love of god, he doesn't have to always start at rock bottom.

I'm reminded of something from the last few issues of Superior Vol 2. Peter's kinda talking to himself about wishing he'd be a home owner and Otto is all "You absolutely should and quite easily you fucking dolt." Say what you will about Otto, he's totally right here. With what Peter is capable of, he should AT LEAST be able to carve out a semi comfortable living. At least not always be one step away from being homeless.

[Lunala]

There is a difference between needless cruelty and holding Peter accountable.

(AND HE HAS A SOLID RESUME).

Spider-Man's civilian resume marks him as unreliable. Peter is lucky Robbie is a decent sort or he'd be in jail for fraud.

He blew the job at Parker Industries. His company was experiencing difficulties before the final nail was hammered into the coffin.

He broke the law when he chose to profit off the PhD as Science Editor. It gave him an unfair advantage over other job applicants. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice...e-editors-jobs

Although most jobs in media don't require advanced degrees, scientific editing roles do. Editors who deal with scientific subjects are expected to have in-depth knowledge of that field to adequately review the manuscripts they edit. At the minimum, they will need a master's degree. Still, most qualifying candidates will have a Ph.D. as well. Because most scientific editing jobs require specific knowledge about a niche field, advanced degrees and specializations are usually needed.

If Robbie or the University chose to press charges, Peter would be in jail. https://newgradsinfo.com/you-can-go-...ma-dont-do-it/

Yes, you can go to jail when you illegally use a fake diploma. Getting a fake diploma will not lead you to jail but using it to deceive will. The 2006 Fraud Act says that it will result in a jail term of up to 10 years.

Robbie is a standup guy and the ESU was sympathetic. Their mercy doesn't mean outside potential employers will be open to hiring Peter.

[TinkerSpider]

This pretty much. I'm not saying make things super easy for him. But for the love of god, he doesn't have to always start at rock bottom.

I'm reminded of something from the last few issues of Superior Vol 2. Peter's kinda talking to himself about wishing he'd be a home owner and Otto is all "You absolutely should and quite easily you fucking dolt." Say what you will about Otto, he's totally right here. With what Peter is capable of, he should AT LEAST be able to carve out a semi comfortable living. At least not always be one step away from being homeless.

Peter absolutely is capable of having a stable home situation, and he has in the past. Is it always stable? No. But there's a reason in the story why Peter struggles: He is roommates with Harry but Harry blows up the apartment. He's a grad student on a limited budget for most of his time in his Chelsea apartment. He and MJ move into a condo, but Jonathon Caesar causes MJ to lose her money, and blackballs her from working, so Peter and MJ move in with Aunt May. Peter and MJ then live in a loft owned by Harry and Liz, but they lose the loft after Harry's death. Etc.

But this sad sack, can't hold a job, can't hold a stable living arrangement Peter is an invention of Q and Brevoort and reinforced by Slott's overly long stranglehold on ASM - and while Spencer dug him out of it, Wells plunged him back in without explanation other than an annoying "six months later." It's a far more boring status quo than anything that preceeded it in the decades prior.

[Huntsman Spider]

I don't know how I felt about this one. I didn't hate it, but I was disappointed. I'd have preferred if Fisk's men had actively been carrying out something heinous when they were stomped or Spidey was attempting to pick the lock and Kareem's assistence gave him the time he needed to accomplish the task rather than released outright. I'm glad Tombstone was less violent than he could have been and "Alonzo"(?) Is still focused on Robbie Robertson over Spider-Man. As I said last issue, Robbie is his archenemy not Spidey. I want to see the established characters of color developed and I don't know how long will it be before this happens again. I... can't seem to shake that feeling of discontent.

I'm not sure if Kareem was a triple agent or not. I know he helped Spider-Man fall for the trap, so it seems obvious. The description for #5 mentions "the worst damage to Peter isn't going to be physical" which leads me to question if there may been something else in the works. The bloodshed from the mooks means either Tombstone's men are casual towards injures or this was a test for Kareem's loyalty and he failed it. If Spider-Man dies, Tombstone has thrown the herobcorpse down in front of Fisk saying "Are you happy, now." If Peter doesn't then Kareem can't be trusted and he's gotta go. I think I've overanalyzed the plot but I wouldn't have any complaints if Kareem dies because he helped Spider-Man and Peter kicks Tombstone's rear.

I can see a rift forming between Peter and Randy, so the job search will be more urgent if he wants to avoid homelessness. The later is a logical outcome for a man who profited off a faked doctorate. The former is painful. Temporary as that might be, it hurts that Peter could lose another friend. I... I'm feeling disaffected and I'll need to think more on the reasoning for that later.

There is a difference between needless cruelty and holding Peter accountable.

Spider-Man's civilian resume marks him as unreliable. Peter is lucky Robbie is a decent sort or he'd be in jail for fraud.

He blew the job at Parker Industries. His company was experiencing difficulties before the final nail was hammered into the coffin.

He broke the law when he chose to profit off the PhD as Science Editor. It gave him an unfair advantage over other job applicants. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice...e-editors-jobs

If Robbie or the University chose to press charges, Peter would be in jail. https://newgradsinfo.com/you-can-go-...ma-dont-do-it/



Robbie is a standup guy and the ESU was sympathetic. Their mercy doesn't mean outside potential employers will be open to hiring Peter.

You raise very good points there. From an outsider's vantage point, Peter would be the absolute worst sort of person to take on as an employee or give any real degree of power and/or responsibility, regardless of his intelligence and/or other abilities or qualifications. It's really quite a shame that the writers keep having him make such a mess of his life, especially given that "status quo is God," so it's not like we'll ever see him face the more "realistic" consequences that could or likely would accrue from that messiness. Not to mention, as other posters here have pointed out, we don't even know what Peter did (or was blamed for) this time around, so we don't have the proper context to say whether his current circumstances are viable as a natural outcome of his own actions or not.

[NC_Yankee]

You raise very good points there. From an outsider's vantage point, Peter would be the absolute worst sort of person to take on as an employee or give any real degree of power and/or responsibility, regardless of his intelligence and/or other abilities or qualifications. It's really quite a shame that the writers keep having him make such a mess of his life, especially given that "status quo is God," so it's not like we'll ever see him face the more "realistic" consequences that could or likely would accrue from that messiness. Not to mention, as other posters here have pointed out, we don't even know what Peter did (or was blamed for) this time around, so we don't have the proper context to say whether his current circumstances are viable as a natural outcome of his own actions or not.

Peter the worst sort of person to take on as an employee? Are you kidding me. What about Convicted felons? Alcoholics? Drug Addicts? Sexual harassers? What about those who lack the skills and ( or) mental capacity to do the job? That is just a start. The only reason Peter is in the position he is in, it is because that is what the writers and ( or) editorial want. Slott’s “Man Child” and Spencer’s “Pathetic Parker/Damsel In Distress” for example. Peter is actually one of the most intelligent people in Marvel. Who tops him? Reed, Stark, Banner, Otto, von Doom and maybe a couple of others. Maybe one day Marvel will start to allow Peter to be the best he can be. It does not mean he has to be Stark or Bruce Wayne, but it does not mean homeless either.

[Huntsman Spider]

Peter the worst sort of person to take on as an employee? Are you kidding me. What about Convicted felons? Alcoholics? Drug Addicts? Sexual harassers? What about those who lack the skills and ( or) mental capacity to do the job? That is just a start. The only reason Peter is in the position he is in, it is because that is what the writers and ( or) editorial want. Slott’s “Man Child” and Spencer’s “Pathetic Parker/Damsel In Distress” for example. Peter is actually one of the most intelligent people in Marvel. Who tops him? Reed, Stark, Banner, Otto, von Doom and maybe a couple of others. Maybe one day Marvel will start to allow Peter to be the best he can be. It does not mean he has to be Stark or Bruce Wayne, but it does not mean homeless either.

I said from an outsider's point of view, from someone who doesn't know Peter at all. Given how even many of the people who do know him in-universe have no idea who he really is or why he does what he does . . . it's a somewhat logical conclusion to draw from their POVs that he might be more trouble than he's worth. It'd be a wrong conclusion, for us readers and fans who are privy to all of his secrets, but from the info they're privy to in-universe, it's somewhat understandable.

[Matt Rat]

If anyone's interested, Wells was scheduled to be in attendance at AAmazing Fantasy Comics Con on June 29th, but has since pulled out due to writing commitments on the MCU.

[Mister Mets]

They should've kept the science reporting angle at the Bugle in my opinion.

Yeah, that was the best job for him. It was a good story engine in that it would send him to situations where Spider-Man is needed, while fitting his background in science and journalism.

[rward777]

Yeah, that was the best job for him. It was a good story engine in that it would send him to situations where Spider-Man is needed, while fitting his background in science and journalism.

These days, no writer since Slott ( for all his flaws) wants to focus on The Peter parker part of Spider-man. Even Spencer did not pay attention to Peter beyond the PhD and job loss and MJ reunion. The rest of the run was about Kindred.

[rward777]

I said from an outsider's point of view, from someone who doesn't know Peter at all. Given how even many of the people who do know him in-universe have no idea who he really is or why he does what he does . . . it's a somewhat logical conclusion to draw from their POVs that he might be more trouble than he's worth. It'd be a wrong conclusion, for us readers and fans who are privy to all of his secrets, but from the info they're privy to in-universe, it's somewhat understandable.

Looks like Wells doesn't want to explain his writing actions.

[Frontier]

These days, no writer since Slott ( for all his flaws) wants to focus on The Peter parker part of Spider-man. Even Spencer did not pay attention to Peter beyond the PhD and job loss and MJ reunion. The rest of the run was about Kindred.

And Slott didn't even write a good Peter.