Parker Luck and "Relatability"

[Astroman]

This, CBR article (which reminds me of better articles from before Jonah sold CBR):
https://www.cbr.com/spider-man-peter...k-unrelatable/

Brings up some good points that have been mentioned in various threads, namely that Peter's bad luck doesn't make him relatable.

I would even take it further, in that, his bad luck - now taken to such an extreme that it seems more purgatorial than realistic - actually makes people to not even WANT to relate.

Who the hell wants to relate to someone who's life seems to be an exercise in sadism? It's easier to want to relate to Ben Grimm who at least has a family with the woman he's loved most of his life. Or even Moon Knight (sure he might have god-given DID but he's got friends, is growing to accept love, and allegedly now has a kid).

Daffy Duck and Charlie Brown have nothing on loser Peter.

[clonegeek]

This, CBR article (which reminds me of better articles from before Jonah sold CBR):
https://www.cbr.com/spider-man-peter...k-unrelatable/

Brings up some good points that have been mentioned in various threads, namely that Peter's bad luck doesn't make him relatable.

I would even take it further, in that, his bad luck - now taken to such an extreme that it seems more purgatorial than realistic - actually makes people to not even WANT to relate.

Who the hell wants to relate to someone who's life seems to be an exercise in sadism? It's easier to want to relate to Ben Grimm who at least has a family with the woman he's loved most of his life. Or even Moon Knight (sure he might have god-given DID but he's got friends, is growing to accept love, and allegedly now has a kid).

Daffy Duck and Charlie Brown have nothing on loser Peter.

Marvel treats Peter like hes Daredevil. Hell, OMD would be a much better Daredevil story

[Knightsilver]

The original idea for Parker luck...was more in reference to the complications of juggling his civilian life and superhero life. The current editorials idea of it is that it's a literal curse where Peter is doomed to failure no matter what he does. Realistically....someone might commit suicide if they had a life as bad as Post OMD Peter's.

[Astroman]

Marvel treats Peter like hes Daredevil. Hell, OMD would be a much better Daredevil story

Heh. At least Matt doesn't come off as a loser the way Peter does. An obsessed man who might be slightly unhinged sometimes but even in "Born Again" he never came off as a loser.

[Astroman]

Realistically....someone might commit suicide if they had a life as bad as Post OMD Peter's.

Indeed. Of course, if he tried to shoot himself, the gun would jam. If he tried to hang himself, the rope would break. And behind the scenes Mephisto/Editorial laughs as the demonic punishment continues.

[Daibhidh]

The Parker luck ideally refers to the tendency of villains to run riot in New York just when Peter has something important to do in his civilian life. It shouldn't really go any further than that. (Although I did like the panel they used where Peter and MJ both say typical Parker luck, on learning that they both missed each other in the cities they lived in, only to meet in the middle due to inclement weather. Was the Parker luck really bad there or really good?)

(That said, I don't mind Peter losing Parker Industries. Frankly he should never have been in charge of Parker Industries to start with. There are no well remembered stories about it that I'm aware of, and missed opportunities that didn't happen because of it.)

[Huntsman Spider]

The Parker luck ideally refers to the tendency of villains to run riot in New York just when Peter has something important to do in his civilian life. It shouldn't really go any further than that. (Although I did like the panel they used where Peter and MJ both say typical Parker luck, on learning that they both missed each other in the cities they lived in, only to meet in the middle due to inclement weather. Was the Parker luck really bad there or really good?)

(That said, I don't mind Peter losing Parker Industries. Frankly he should never have been in charge of Parker Industries to start with. There are no well remembered stories about it that I'm aware of, and missed opportunities that didn't happen because of it.)

Parker Industries only happened in the first place because of Superior Spider-Man . . . which either should have been a lot shorter as a more limited arc, kind of like the 2017 Spider-Man animated series version that was only five episodes long, or not happened at all. Hell, Nick Spencer's first issue of ASM had Peter finally realize or admit (to himself) that he never should have accepted any "gains" that came from Otto hijacking his body and life, as they weren't earned honestly, whether by Otto or himself.

[Huntsman Spider]

Heh. At least Matt doesn't come off as a loser the way Peter does. An obsessed man who might be slightly unhinged sometimes but even in "Born Again" he never came off as a loser.

The difference between Born Again Daredevil and current Spider-Man is that Born Again is ultimately the product of a villainous conspiracy to f*** up Matt Murdock's life and tear him down before finishing him off, whereas current Spider-Man is all too often depicted as "doing it to himself" rather than being the target of a conspiracy to wreck his s*** like Matt was.

[Chris0013]

The Parker luck ideally refers to the tendency of villains to run riot in New York just when Peter has something important to do in his civilian life. It shouldn't really go any further than that. (Although I did like the panel they used where Peter and MJ both say typical Parker luck, on learning that they both missed each other in the cities they lived in, only to meet in the middle due to inclement weather. Was the Parker luck really bad there or really good?)

(That said, I don't mind Peter losing Parker Industries. Frankly he should never have been in charge of Parker Industries to start with. There are no well remembered stories about it that I'm aware of, and missed opportunities that didn't happen because of it.)

Not to mention Johnny's view on it...
ParkerLuck.jpg

[Huntsman Spider]

Not to mention Johnny's view on it...
ParkerLuck.jpg

It's a great twist there. Really goes to show how a lot of things just depend on your perspective.

[Chris0013]

He is in his late 20s and highly intelligent and has been doing his thing for over a decade. There is no reason he should be this bad off.

[Huntsman Spider]

He is in his late 20s and highly intelligent and has been doing his thing for over a decade. There is no reason he should be this bad off.

Like I said to Astroman about comparing him with Daredevil/Matt Murdock, who also gets endless s*** heaped upon him, the major issue with Spidey is that he's treated or depicted as just doing it to himself because he's just that terrible at work-life balance, whereas in Matt's case, it's usually a villainous plot to f*** with him and tear him down psychologically before finishing him off for good.

[bat39]

This, CBR article (which reminds me of better articles from before Jonah sold CBR):
https://www.cbr.com/spider-man-peter...k-unrelatable/

Brings up some good points that have been mentioned in various threads, namely that Peter's bad luck doesn't make him relatable.

I would even take it further, in that, his bad luck - now taken to such an extreme that it seems more purgatorial than realistic - actually makes people to not even WANT to relate.

Who the hell wants to relate to someone who's life seems to be an exercise in sadism? It's easier to want to relate to Ben Grimm who at least has a family with the woman he's loved most of his life. Or even Moon Knight (sure he might have god-given DID but he's got friends, is growing to accept love, and allegedly now has a kid).

Daffy Duck and Charlie Brown have nothing on loser Peter.

Couldn't agree more!

I think it's worth taking another look at the film that many still widely consider the best Spider-Man film of all time - Spider-Man 2. This is a film that really shows Peter at his lowest ebb - he's broke, his friendship with Harry is strained, Aunt May is losing her home, he's neglecting his academics, MJ is engaged to another man, and on top of that he starts losing his powers. But the story is ultimately not about Peter being beaten down by life...it's about how he overcomes adversity, saves the day, balances his two lives and gets the girl! Peter's life isn't perfect by the end...but it's better than it's been in a while, and he has a reason to look up.

And say what you will about Spider-Man 3, I've always admired it for how it starts off with Peter enjoying his life and being at the top of his game both with and without the mask - before circumstances force him off his pedestal. But even the challenges Peter faces in this movie are fresh challenges, and not the same ones from the previous film. Peter doesn't have to win MJ's love again, instead he needs to figure out how to build a long-term relationship with her wherein she doesn't feel overshadowed by his Spider-Man persona and the fame that comes with it. Peter isn't broke...he got a job as a staff photographer at the Daily Bugle, but that was partly because he exposed and humiliated Eddie Brock, who then seeks vengeance. Peter isn't beaten down by life...he's high on life, an his hubris enables the symbiote to manipulate him and lead him down a dark path. Again, different problems, not the same oid 'Parker Luck' and endless misery...

[babyblob]

I Could never really relate to Peter and his bad luck. Everything I mean everything went wrong for him. It wen t beyond "I have to see Aunt May but oh no its the shocker again." To him being such a failure that no one wants to be him even with the cool powers.

Also he was married to a super model. Who can relate to that?

[Garlador]

Anecdotal, but I remember Stan Lee talking about this at a Dallas con that the “Parker Luck” was just supposed to be kind of funny setbacks. Stuff like “oh no, my costume shrunk in that wash! Parker Luck!”, “I was tired from fighting the Vulture and overslept, now I’m late for work! Parker Luck strikes again!”, “Blast it, the Rhino stepped on Aunt May’s birthday present! Now what do I get her? Cursed Parker Luck!”

… and now it’s become “a devil stole my marriage, my baby was murdered, the love of my life was kidnapped for four years and hooked up with the last dude on earth and now treats me like dirt, I’ve lost billions of dollars, my worst enemy hijacked my body and ruined my relationships, women are constantly dying around me because I’m cursed, etc.”

I think we’re all done with it. Nobody relates to this.