BEN DOWN SO LONG: ASM14 Spoilers and Review

[Malachi]

That was so amateur hour. Almost like a bad fanfiction

I can’t remember if that was alluded to in any way during his past appearances in ASM. But I haven’t read the last issues so maybe some line or clue where dropped there?

[Sr. Bungle]

I can’t remember if that was alluded to in any way during his past appearances in ASM. But I haven’t read the last issues so maybe some line or clue where dropped there?

I've read them all and I don't remember. He took a bribe from Paul to leave Peter alone for a time, but nothing on the serial kille/sadistic side. Really out of left field.

[Rzerox21xx]

I've read them all and I don't remember. He took a bribe from Paul to leave Peter alone for a time, but nothing on the serial kille/sadistic side. Really out of left field.

yeah right after taking Paul money, the moment Paul is not there anymore, he went back waiting for Peter probably thinking how much a sucker Paul was. but yeah not sure about any other evil side before this issue.

[xpyred]

I can’t remember if that was alluded to in any way during his past appearances in ASM. But I haven’t read the last issues so maybe some line or clue where dropped there?

Did Peter's spider sense ever go off around this guy? Again; I couldn't care less to go through the past issues of this volume.

[Huntsman Spider]

The writing in this issue was really poor.

The "oh, by the way, the debt collector is actually a serial killer" reveal was really bad.

I know the way Ben is written to be evil is just a continuation from what happened in Beyond, but now also turning Janine, a rape survivor, into a supervillain is a really questionable decision in and of itself. Did nobody know how bad this looked?

On your last point, not the first time that's happened in a Spider-Man book. Almost a decade after Felicia Hardy was revealed to have been a rape survivor herself, she was also turned into a deranged "burn the world that scorned me and never allow anyone to take from me again" villainess following Superior Spider-Man knocking one of her teeth out and leaving her for the cops without another word. Still not a good look, all things considered.

Any day with a new Pav thread is a new day.

While wishing the best for dear old Ben, I'm in for the ride. Felicia going Queenpin didn't ruin her, Thor going unworthy for a while didn't wreck him, either. Heck, Bishop hunted baby Hope and even he's back on the side of the angels. Benjy is strong--he'll make it through it.

That said, he might just murder Pete while he does it lmao. Will he? Let's find out!

P.S. Pav, you been reading Defenders: Beyond? As a long-time lurker, can't help but think it's exactly your thing

Thor being unworthy didn't make him an outright villain, barring the magical morality inversion just about everyone in AXIS went through. He was kind of a sad sack for a while, but he was still trying to be a hero, not running headlong into deranged supervillainy like Black Cat and Bishop did.

[boots]

On your last point, not the first time that's happened in a Spider-Man book. Almost a decade after Felicia Hardy was revealed to have been a rape survivor herself, she was also turned into a deranged "burn the world that scorned me and never allow anyone to take from me again" villainess following Superior Spider-Man knocking one of her teeth out and leaving her for the cops without another word. Still not a good look, all things considered.



Thor being unworthy didn't make him an outright villain, barring the magical morality inversion just about everyone in AXIS went through. He was kind of a sad sack for a while, but he was still trying to be a hero, not running headlong into deranged supervillainy like Black Cat and Bishop did.

i think that speaks to another point: heel turns in themselves aren't terrible...they can be really satisfying and fascinating

i'm still completely confused as to why losing some parker memories means the "chasm" has to be filled with antagonism. but maybe that'll be explained with the goop

[Huntsman Spider]

i think that speaks to another point: heel turns in themselves aren't terrible...they can be really satisfying and fascinating

i'm still completely confused as to why losing some parker memories means the "chasm" has to be filled with antagonism. but maybe that'll be explained with the goop

Yeah, the psycho-reactive quantum-shifting goop he fell into at the end of Beyond most likely did not do his sanity or memory any favors.

[Refrax5]

i think that speaks to another point: heel turns in themselves aren't terrible...they can be really satisfying and fascinating

i'm still completely confused as to why losing some parker memories means the "chasm" has to be filled with antagonism. but maybe that'll be explained with the goop

In Beyond, they explained that clones like Ben with artificial memory implants didn't work like normal memories and messing with them could cause a sort of psychological collapse. He also lost most of the memories that shaped his values and emotional connections. We saw losing his memories made him act more cold and detached even when he was Spider-Man. It seems like it's caused some form of emotional and psychological damage. Beyond also tricked Ben into thinking it was Peter's fault. So I don't think it's just simple memory loss.

Also, I think that fruit Madelyne gave him did something. Her expression, the obvious symbolism, the fact that the other kind of fruit took a dude's soul out....I think the kind Ben ate might have corrupted him somewhat.

[Reilly]

It was... hard to read.

[CaptainUniverse]

It was... hard to read.

It's okay, it all be over soon and then there will be a fresh new set of Hells awaiting us.

[scarletspidey]

as a life long Ben fan I was never going to like this Chasm ****

then the Spring had me thinking huh maybe it'll be okay... just for the writing, motivations and everything else be actual flaming garbage for the next three seasons - taking away my Ben fandom this is still just plain old **** it is terrible... just.. the dialogue, it's a parody right?

I'm doing what I did for 20 odd years since his last death and voting with my wallet and won't buy Amazing Spider-Man and just read it online

[Sr. Bungle]

The minimalist approach to scripts that Wells is using in this run makes it look like nothing is property explained. One has to fill a lot, and in this case it comes like everyone's motivations are pretty ridiculous.

[Sr. Bungle]

Also, if Ben will be the one commanding the forces of Limbo he'll be directly responsible for the killing of a lot of innocents. That'll be a hard pill to swallow.

Granted, characters like Bishop killed billions and he's a hero again. But that's another hard big pill.

[boots]

Granted, characters like Bishop killed billions and he's a hero again. But that's another hard big pill.

i'm glad i missed this

[Huntsman Spider]

Also, if Ben will be the one commanding the forces of Limbo he'll be directly responsible for the killing of a lot of innocents. That'll be a hard pill to swallow.

Granted, characters like Bishop killed billions and he's a hero again. But that's another hard big pill.

And it wouldn't even be the first time, unfortunately, as Clone Conspiracy climaxed with him trying to kill and reanimate the entire human race when Peter refused to join him in "conquering death."