Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider Appreciation 2018

[Naked Bat]

How about instead of "travesty," we consider this series an actual tragedy? Because that's what it seems like to me: Ben struggling with his morality, not knowing what to do until it's too late.

Sounds a bit like Hamlet to me.

Plus, y'know, the machinations of the afterlife messing with him. Totes Hamlet.

-Pav, who loved Hamlet because he loved Ben first...

Agreed. The more I think about this last issue, the more It becomes interesting and bold to me.

[Spiderfang]

How about instead of "travesty," we consider this series an actual tragedy? Because that's what it seems like to me: Ben struggling with his morality, not knowing what to do until it's too late.

Sounds a bit like Hamlet to me.

Plus, y'know, the machinations of the afterlife messing with him. Totes Hamlet.

-Pav, who loved Hamlet because he loved Ben first...

Tragic? Scarlet Spider was absolutely tragic, but not in the way you're making it out to be.

[Miles To Go]

Agreed. The more I think about this last issue, the more It becomes interesting and bold to me.

PAD ending the book on a bold tragic note isn't my issue, anything like that can be welcomed if there is sufficient execution. There wasn't, it was nonsensical, poorly structured, and incredibly rushed.

[Naked Bat]

PAD ending the book on a bold tragic note isn't my issue, anything like that can be welcomed if there is sufficient execution. There wasn't, it was nonsensical, poorly structured, and incredibly rushed.

It was definitely rushed.

[Scarlet-Spider]

I think another problem with Ben's return run was that previously Ben was the single Spider-Man if you will whereas Peter was the married Spider-Man. Thanks to those in the Marvel Office the slot of single Spidey who is still finding his way is no longer open to Ben nor is young relatively inexperienced Spider-Man (Miles says hello) or even brutal anti-hero Spider-Man (Otto says hi). Really, what role is there left for Ben to fill other than maybe villainous Spider-Man (which didn't work)?

The role of villanous Spider who is trying to be good but does it in pretty evil ways is already filled by Kaine, Doc Ock and Venom. It's the most oversaturated role we have among the Spider people. Great so with Ben we know have a 4th one.

[Miles To Go]

Solicit for the final trade

BEN REILLY: SCARLET SPIDER VOL. 5: DEAL WITH THE DEVIL TPB
Written by PETER DAVID
Penciled by WILL SLINEY & BRUNO OLIVEIRA
Cover by KHARY RANDOLPH
For months, the occult Diogenes Initiative has been resurrecting heroes and letting them run amok in Ben Reilly’s town. As the Scarlet Spider, he may have a thing or two to say about that! But when a pack of ravenous hellhounds descends on Las Vegas, can Ben and his clone-brother Kaine keep themselves from each other’s throats long enough to save the city?! Then, they say the road to Hell is paved with good intentions — and in Ben’s case, that may be literal! For months, his attempts to cure young Abigail Mercury’s rare illness have proved fruitless — but now salvation is at hand…for a price. Will Ben find the strength to do the right thing and save Abigail — and his soul? Or will he succumb to his worst instincts and damn himself in the process?! Collecting BEN REILLY: SCARLET SPIDER #20-25.

136 PGS./Rated T+ …$17.99

ISBN: 978-1-302-91504-9

[HypnoHustler]

770257D0-AD92-49EB-B8CD-100009B9F762.jpg

From Spider-Ghost Jan 2019 cover. Solicit talks about some Spider-Geddon aftermath garbage. Look at the grave in the lower left hand corner. Looks like Ben Reilly’s Scarlet Spider symbol. Wouldn’t be surprised if Kaine’s SS symbol is somewhere on here too.

[Miles To Go]

770257D0-AD92-49EB-B8CD-100009B9F762.jpg

From Spider-Ghost Jan 2019 cover. Solicit talks about some Spider-Geddon aftermath garbage. Look at the grave in the lower left hand corner. Looks like Ben Reilly’s Scarlet Spider symbol. Wouldn’t be surprised if Kaine’s SS symbol is somewhere on here too.

Owch, guess my theory about Ock resurrecting everyone via the cloning tanks is out the window now.

[HypnoHustler]

Owch, guess my theory about Ock resurrecting everyone via the cloning tanks is out the window now.

When he was killed by Norman in PP:SM#75 I was devastated. This time I’m not going to give much of a crap. His character has already been assassinated anyway. Hope Kaine lives though. It’d be really hack to kill him yet again.

[David Walton]

its a good point, other than nostalgia...what space can ben occupy that hasn't ben filled by peter, kaine or miles?

Theoretically, Ben is the guy who doesn't break no matter what life throws his way. He's the guy who thought he was the real Peter Parker, then had all that ripped away (along with his support system). He tried to put power and responsibility behind him, but found he couldn't shake the Parker conscience. And then he discovered that he had been the real Peter Parker all along, only to have it ripped away AGAIN.

There's enough there to differentiate him from other Spider-themed characters running around.

[David Walton]

The role of villanous Spider who is trying to be good but does it in pretty evil ways is already filled by Kaine, Doc Ock and Venom. It's the most oversaturated role we have among the Spider people. Great so with Ben we know have a 4th one.

I mean, it's a crazy thought...but maybe Ben could just be a super decent guy trying to do the right thing while struggling to deal with the baggage of being Peter Parker's clone.

[Scarlet Spider-Man]

When he was killed by Norman in PP:SM#75 I was devastated. This time I’m not going to give much of a crap. His character has already been assassinated anyway. Hope Kaine lives though. It’d be really hack to kill him yet again.

Conversely, I'll be even more pissed if they kill him off again, as that would mean that they resurrected him only to piss all over his character before retiring him again.

If Ben Reilly dies again, I'm done with Marvel 100%.

[Orbus]

Conversely, I'll be even more pissed if they kill him off again, as that would mean that they resurrected him only to piss all over his character before retiring him again.

If Ben Reilly dies again, I'm done with Marvel 100%.

If he dies he could at least have a more heroic death. Maybe even show that he's passed on to a better place .

It does seem that Spider-Geddon seem to be about thinning out the number of spider people running around, I doubt a Ben Reilly book would have ever been one of Marvel's top sellers but it would be interesting to think about whether if it had been better received like Kaine's book whether he'd be on the chopping block.

[Scarlet Spider-Man]

If he dies he could at least have a more heroic death. Maybe even show that he's passed on to a better place .

It does seem that Spider-Geddon seem to be about thinning out the number of spider people running around, I doubt a Ben Reilly book would have ever been one of Marvel's top sellers but it would be interesting to think about whether if it had been better received like Kaine's book whether he'd be on the chopping block.

He's already had two heroic deaths.

The book was doomed to fail from the outset due to the status quo Slott created for him. I said as much before the first issue came out. It's actually a small miracle it made it all the way to 25 issues.

[HypnoHustler]

If he dies he could at least have a more heroic death. Maybe even show that he's passed on to a better place .

It does seem that Spider-Geddon seem to be about thinning out the number of spider people running around, I doubt a Ben Reilly book would have ever been one of Marvel's top sellers but it would be interesting to think about whether if it had been better received like Kaine's book whether he'd be on the chopping block.

While Kaine’s book was undeniably better, it wouldn’t have mattered. They both had the exact same number of issues before being cancelled: 25. If anything Marvel probably kept Ben’s book going a bit longer than it would’ve out of respect for long-time employee Peter David. It’s numbers were shocking... it was selling like 13,000 copies a month towards the end, maybe lower.