Dark Web#1 Preview

[Refrax5]

Yep! You’ll definitely know what I’m referring to when it drops.


The issue itself was decent enough. Has a lot of allusions to the ‘Inferno’ storyline from 30 years ago, which I vaguely remember reading some tie-in issues of when I was a small kid, so Wells knows his continuity (he probably read it as a kid too I’m guessing). As one would expect with something starring Ben, there’s Clone Saga references as well. That is really all I will say now.

I also got an early look and I know exactly what you're referring to. It's about time.

[Frontier]

It sounds like this issue is for someone who was nolstalgic for Inferno or has actually been enjoying Wells' run at this point.

[Kevinroc]

It sounds like this issue is for someone who was nolstalgic for Inferno or has actually been enjoying Wells' run at this point.

[Huntsman Spider]

spoilers:

Ben has a nightmare where he's on a date with Janine only to be confronted by a psycho-looking Peter and MJ asking for their stuff back and Peter rip things out of Ben and Janine in a prison uniform, around the issue, you see Norman going back to his office only be to be confronted by Ben referencing Spider-man 75 way back, Norman saying he want to repent, Ben beat him tearing apart his Golden goblin gear. in this issue, you seeing Janine as Hallow enjoying the carnage from the Inferno a little too much

end of spoilers

No wonder spoilers:

Maddie felt like she could relate to Ben. Sounds almost exactly like her own nightmare. As for Janine/Hallow's Eve and her fear of being imprisoned again . . . well, it'd make for great, poignant commentary on how sexual abuse/assault survivors are not only failed, but all too often punished, by the criminal justice system in the hands of a decent writer. Hopefully her upcoming miniseries gives her that nuance. And yes, between "Chasm" and "Gold Goblin," I'm rooting for the one formerly known as Ben Reilly, though I am curious to see how Christopher Cantwell will expand upon that in the Gold Goblin miniseries he's writing now.

end of spoilers

[Refrax5]

It sounds like this issue is for someone who was nolstalgic for Inferno or has actually been enjoying Wells' run at this point.

I've actually never read Inferno and think Wells is pretty mid (at best). Just agreeing with HH up there that there's a very satisfying moment for Ben fans, despite the Chasm nonsense.

[HypnoHustler]

I've actually never read Inferno and think Wells is pretty mid (at best). Just agreeing with HH up there that there's a very satisfying moment for Ben fans, despite the Chasm nonsense.

I suppose the cat’s out of the bag (or the clone is out of the pod)

spoilers:

Yes, I was indeed referring to Ben’s beatdown of Norman. I’m not sure if Wells intended that to be a heart-wrenching scene in which we’re supposed to sympathize with poor, innocent Norman now, but if so it had the opposite effect and I thrilled at seeing Ben finally get sweet revenge on cornrow-head after a quarter century. I want to be fair to Wells. I thought the issue wasn’t bad. I liked Ben’s nightmare and Peter and Norman’s frank conversation about whether one can mourn a clone. I wasn’t a huge fan of Janine “breaking bad” so easily, but we’ll see where he goes with that. I’m indifferent about the Venom stuff. Even though he’s been good much longer than he was ever bad, I’ve always thought the best Venom stuff was the very early stories when he was a threat to Peter. So maybe Wells can tap into that again, we’ll see. I only vaguely remember reading a couple Inferno issues a looooong time ago, but it’s interesting that Wells is giving it a kinda sequel. After Secret Wars I and II, this was one of Marvel’s first huge company-wide events, so I guess it made an impression on young Zeb Wells. Fair go, will keep an open mind. Just please don’t make Ben irredeemable.

end of spoilers

[Ursalink]

I suppose the cat’s out of the bag (or the clone is out of the pod)

spoilers:

Yes, I was indeed referring to Ben’s beatdown of Norman. I’m not sure if Wells intended that to be a heart-wrenching scene in which we’re supposed to sympathize with poor, innocent Norman now, but if so it had the opposite effect and I thrilled at seeing Ben finally get sweet revenge on cornrow-head after a quarter century. I want to be fair to Wells. I thought the issue wasn’t bad. I liked Ben’s nightmare and Peter and Norman’s frank conversation about whether one can mourn a clone. I wasn’t a huge fan of Janine “breaking bad” so easily, but we’ll see where he goes with that. I’m indifferent about the Venom stuff. Even though he’s been good much longer than he was ever bad, I’ve always thought the best Venom stuff was the very early stories when he was a threat to Peter. So maybe Wells can tap into that again, we’ll see. I only vaguely remember reading a couple Inferno issues a looooong time ago, but it’s interesting that Wells is giving it a kinda sequel. After Secret Wars I and II, this was one of Marvel’s first huge company-wide events, so I guess it made an impression on young Zeb Wells. Fair go, will keep an open mind. Just please don’t make Ben irredeemable.

end of spoilers

Honestly, Ben was in his rights, but beating up Norman in his current state.... It's pointless!!

[Refrax5]

I suppose the cat’s out of the bag (or the clone is out of the pod)

spoilers:

Yes, I was indeed referring to Ben’s beatdown of Norman. I’m not sure if Wells intended that to be a heart-wrenching scene in which we’re supposed to sympathize with poor, innocent Norman now, but if so it had the opposite effect and I thrilled at seeing Ben finally get sweet revenge on cornrow-head after a quarter century. I want to be fair to Wells. I thought the issue wasn’t bad. I liked Ben’s nightmare and Peter and Norman’s frank conversation about whether one can mourn a clone. I wasn’t a huge fan of Janine “breaking bad” so easily, but we’ll see where he goes with that. I’m indifferent about the Venom stuff. Even though he’s been good much longer than he was ever bad, I’ve always thought the best Venom stuff was the very early stories when he was a threat to Peter. So maybe Wells can tap into that again, we’ll see. I only vaguely remember reading a couple Inferno issues a looooong time ago, but it’s interesting that Wells is giving it a kinda sequel. After Secret Wars I and II, this was one of Marvel’s first huge company-wide events, so I guess it made an impression on young Zeb Wells. Fair go, will keep an open mind. Just please don’t make Ben irredeemable.

end of spoilers

I'll say this. I hate Ben as a villain but at least Wells bothered to research Ben and his past/supporting cast whereas Slott and David seemed to have no interest or idea of who Ben was.

As for that scene, I think we're meant to be conflicted. Ben fans have wanted it for a long time but under the circumstances, it feels wrong. The moral conflict might be deliberate.

[Matt Rat]

spoilers:

I knew Wells would skirt past any meaningful Peter/MJ reconnection and focus on the book's real relationship in Norman and Peter The 'nightmare' Peter and MJ thing is interesting though, seems even in his dreams Ben still ships them

end of spoilers

[HypnoHustler]

I always get this stuff early. I can't say how. I just usually don't say anything because I like my job.
I'll say this. I hate Ben as a villain but at least Wells bothered to research Ben and his past/supporting cast whereas Slott and David seemed to have no interest or idea of who Ben was.

Yeah. I’m in no way a fan of “Chasm”… but I mildly prefer it to NuJackal. As for the PAD run… I’ll stifle my criticism right now considering PAD’s current health situation, but I was not a fan especially with how it ended.

As for that scene, I think we're meant to be conflicted. Ben fans have wanted it for a long time but under the circumstances, it feels wrong. The moral conflict might be deliberate.

[/QUOTE]

Probably the correct read. But I’m heartless so I personally get all the joy, none of the conflict. I think Wells has done a good job taking a concept I initially didn’t care for from the Spencer run (innocent Norman) and taken it some interesting places. But I still have trouble empathizing with him considering his evil track record.

[Alex_Of_X]

Really good issue!

I'll stockpile my spoilery opinions for the Pav thread, but it hits the major theme-relevant threads of forgiveness\redemption and gets the plot rolling effectively.

I'm also very pleasantly surprised by Adam Kubert's pencils. I think I first saw him as the artist for the last leg of AvX--the least artistically solid set of issues, imho. Then he was on the Waid's ANAD Avengers, where he was again hit-and-miss for me (hard to compare to Mahmud Asrar, really). RYV was probably my favorite so far--but Dark Web might supplant it. He really gets the mood and the gore going. Kubert is really well contorting faces into creepy, otherworldly grimaces. Man also takes no shortcuts--his crowds and backgrounds are LUSH. If I'm to make any complaints, his facial expressions sometimes accidentally veer into the uncanny valley. On one page Ben seems to have grown a dozen extra chins lmao.

Also: Kubert gets to draw OG Venom again, just like in RYV! Wonder if it's serendipity, or maybe he's a major stan wo goes: "I'll draw yer story, but y'better put MY MAN EDDIE in it!"

P.S. JJJ gets the quip of the week

[Jman27]

nice issue like the twist with Venom at the end. I need to read inferno to understand the call backs

[Tendrin]

Sounds like a good issue. I look forward to checking it out someday.

[Rzerox21xx]

Eddie now wanting to Eat Spider-man brains regression, you think it's part of the corruption of Limbo and Maddie because it seems to be undoing the development of both Cates and Ewing. The original Venom symbiote is not even with Eddie anymore, its with Dlyan.

[Alex_Of_X]

Inferno hype in 2k22, you love to see it!

For those following along thru the board, the letters page lays out the general structure of the crossover. Altogether it's 18 issues.

After this alpha issue, the character stories splinter out in this way:

The Chasm\Spider-Man story will happen in ASM #15-18
Goblin Queen\X-Men duke it out in Dark Web: X-Men #1-3
Venom features in ASM #15-16, then Venom #14-16
Kamala appears in ASM #15, then saunters into Dark Web: Ms. Marvel #1-2
Norman stuff happens in Gold Goblin #2-3
Finally Black Cat\Mary Jane's 5 issue mini ties into the event for the first two issues.

Then we close with Dawn in February. That's all, folks!