Superior Spider-Man's 10th Anniversary

[Huntsman Spider]

I mean he tried to.

And then his conscience, such as it was, started getting in the way, as did Peter's lingering memories/consciousness making him genuinely come to love her, which in his mind meant he had to break it off for good "to protect her from Spider-Man's enemies."

[TinkerSpider]

The bit in issue #2 where Doc Ock is clearly implied to masturbate to Peter’s memories of sleeping with Mary Jane is fully one of the worst scenes in any comic book. Mystifies me to this day how that scene is given a pass.
Otherwise, it’s an action figure commercial retread of a premise done far more competently (and without all of the weird dubiously consensual at best sex stuff) in “Kraven’s Last Hunt”
Also, I think it delivers on its thesis statement of “Peter is obviously the actual Superior Spider-Man” very poorly considering how he lets a depowered Norman slip through his fingers because he got a spider sense headache and is right back to tripping over his own feet in the relaunch afterwards.

100%. Every word.

It’s a flaccid, shapeless, bloated and bloviating attempt to plagiarize Kraven’s Last Hunt, and only points how classic KLH is by comparison. It assassinates characters like MJ and Aunt May and makes the entire Marvel Universe carry the idiot ball. It’s one of Slott’s worst structured stories, can’t keep its own world building consistent, and basically came to a screeching halt because a movie was coming out and so Ock just gave up - Peter did nothing to earn his return.

And then his conscience, such as it was, started getting in the way, as did Peter's lingering memories/consciousness making him genuinely come to love her, which in his mind meant he had to break it off for good "to protect her from Spider-Man's enemies."

No, Slott wanted to show Otto was “better” than Peter because he could resist a pretty face which Peter was too weak to do, with Peter even complimenting Otto for being stronger than him. :rolleyes

It was hamfisted and the hand of Slott has never been more obvious. Slott attempted to assassinate MJ at every opportunity he could in this story (don’t forget this arc included the infamous scene of MJ just sitting in a fire, waiting to be rescued, not even attempting to save her own life) and did his best (which failed, badly) to tell us Peter and MJ shouldn’t be together (don’t forget, the story ends with MJ telling Peter she doesn’t want to hear his excuses, she’s done - which was so OOC, only Slott could have written it because writers who respect characterization could never have come up with the scene). Because, after all, Slott believes Otto is better than Peter because Otto falls in love with Anna Maria, while Peter’s love for MJ is “anti-Marvel.” : rolleyes :rolleyes :rolleyes

[CaptainUniverse]

Was Otto the version of Spider-Man who was in Hickman's Avengers? I thought it was funny that Captain Universe had no patience for him whatsoever or at the very least seemed dismissive of him, I think the Enigma Force knew it wasn't Peter in there.

[Huntsman Spider]

100%. Every word.

It’s a flaccid, shapeless, bloated and bloviating attempt to plagiarize Kraven’s Last Hunt, and only points how classic KLH is by comparison. It assassinates characters like MJ and Aunt May and makes the entire Marvel Universe carry the idiot ball. It’s one of Slott’s worst structured stories, can’t keep its own world building consistent, and basically came to a screeching halt because a movie was coming out and so Ock just gave up - Peter did nothing to earn his return.



No, Slott wanted to show Otto was “better” and “stronger” than Peter because he could resist a pretty face which Peter was too weak to do, with Peter even complimenting Otto for being stronger than him. :rolleyes

It was hamfisted and the hand of Slott has never been more obvious. Because, after all, Slott believes Otto is better than Peter because Otto falls in love with Anna Maria, while Peter’s love for MJ is anti-Marvel.

Yeah, that was just . . . abominable, to say the least.

Was Otto the version of Spider-Man who was in Hickman's Avengers? I thought it was funny that Captain Universe had no patience for him whatsoever or at the very least seemed dismissive of him, I think the Enigma Force knew it wasn't Peter in there.

Yeah, for much if not most of it. Peter did show up again around the Time Runs Out period near the end, though.

[CaptainUniverse]

Yeah, for much if not most of it. Peter did show up again around the Time Runs Out period near the end, though.

I thought so, although if I remember correctly, Peter was in issue #1. He was seen hugging Iron Man after being told that they had money.

[Huntsman Spider]

I thought so, although if I remember correctly, Peter was in issue #1. He was seen hugging Iron Man after being told that they had money.

Oh, yeah, there was that, too. Hilarious. Kind of.

[Jman27]

Was Otto the version of Spider-Man who was in Hickman's Avengers? I thought it was funny that Captain Universe had no patience for him whatsoever or at the very least seemed dismissive of him, I think the Enigma Force knew it wasn't Peter in there.

Looks like regular spiderman here

[Huntsman Spider]

Looks like regular spiderman here

Not quite. When Otto first became the Superior Spider-Man, he settled for slightly altering the Spider-Man costume. Maintained the basic design, but made the suit red-and-black instead of red-and-blue, made the spider symbol on his chest a button to activate certain technological features and enhancements, made the lenses more goggle-like, and made the spider symbol on his back pointier.

[Celgress]

Made me decide to read comics to find out more

Made me decide to read Spidey comics again post-OMD. Superior will always hold a special place in my heart. It is easily one of my top favorite Spider-Man stories of all time.

[Daibhidh]

Looks like regular spiderman here

IIRC in the third issue of Hickman's Avengers there's a clear shift in Spider-man's character and dialogue between the third and the fourth issues.

[Minerboh]

Looks like regular spiderman here

Look closely to Spider-Man's mask. He has the weird looking eye pieces that were in the first Superior costume.

[FFJamie94]

The backlash against ASM 700 was overblown. It was at least comparable to OMD in terms of scope, but once the comic came out, it seems it started to win People over.
I remember going to a comic con at the time and picking up a variant of Superior (it was a cover I wanted to get as it just looks cool) and getting it signed by Slott and the cover artist (Adi Granov).
Even a year afterwards, I was meeting with the editor of the UK Spider-Man comic who was wearing a "Trust Dan Slott" t-shirt. It was a massive deal at the time.
It's also funny being at that second con in 2014 and being told about the ideas after Superior (even knew it wasn't going to last forever, even Slott told us at conventions it wouldn't last forever) and about how he was writing the "biggest Spider-Man story ever".
Being given subtle hints at Spider verse before Spider verse is kind of crazy to look back upon now.
But I'm glad it pulled through in the end.
I still have a copy of #1 signed (I was given the regular cover for free at the con) and a signed copy of ASM 700.
Feels weird that was all 10 years ago. Honestly, the 2012-2014 uk comic con scene was some of the best memories I have at a con.

[Pav]

100%. Every word.

It’s a flaccid, shapeless, bloated and bloviating attempt to plagiarize Kraven’s Last Hunt, ... and basically came to a screeching halt because a movie was coming out and so Ock just gave up - Peter did nothing to earn his return.

No, Slott wanted to show Otto was “better” than Peter

I very much interpret Superior as trying to make the exact opposite point: that despite believing himself Superior, Otto does not have the heart required to be Spider-Man. I suppose mileage varies on how well each readers believes Slott made this clear, though. For me, it was an obvious current throughout the whole story: "Otto, for all he CAN do, can never replace Peter as Spider-Man."

I also think its similarities to KLH are superficial: despite both stories featuring villains "becoming" Spider-Man, I don't see the same thematic messages being put forth. Kraven's story is about obsession; Otto's story is about ego.

I do agree that the ending of Superior falls flat, but I think that's more on editorial than Slott. I have a feeling Superior was meant to go 50 issues.

-Pav, who is reminded of how the most popular poem in America is often interpreted in opposition to the meaning put forth by the poet...

[Vegan]

I very much interpret Superior as trying to make the exact opposite point: that despite believing himself Superior, Otto does not have the heart required to be Spider-Man. I suppose mileage varies on how well each readers believes Slott made this clear, though. For me, it was an obvious current throughout the whole story: "Otto, for all he CAN do, can never replace Peter as Spider-Man."

I also think its similarities to KLH are superficial: despite both stories featuring villains "becoming" Spider-Man, I don't see the same thematic messages being put forth. Kraven's story is about obsession; Otto's story is about ego.

.

I think that’s what the point of the comic is supposed to be. But, for me, it barely gives lip service to that idea. I think the execution of it is massively lacking because Slott’s Peter is an incompetent super hero

[WebLurker]

The bit in issue #2 where Doc Ock is clearly implied to masturbate to Peter’s memories of sleeping with Mary Jane is fully one of the worst scenes in any comic book. Mystifies me to this day how that scene is given a pass.

Seeing how it also had Ock establishing a sexual relationship with Anna Maria under false pretenses, I don't know what they people behind the scenes were thinking or why no one pointed out that maybe lines were being crossed.

I very much interpret Superior as trying to make the exact opposite point: that despite believing himself Superior, Otto does not have the heart required to be Spider-Man. I suppose mileage varies on how well each readers believes Slott made this clear, though. For me, it was an obvious current throughout the whole story: "Otto, for all he CAN do, can never replace Peter as Spider-Man."

Main difference I saw is where the villains went; Kraven "won" by his own standards, so he never understood what made the truly superior Spider-Man. Ock did figure that out.