Ultimate Spider-Man by Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto

[Coop]

Honestly at this point, my only concern for Ultimate Spider-Man is enjoying the book. The larger impact on the Spider-Man line isn't something I will use to judge the book.

All I want is a comic to read that doesn't feel like a miserable slog. I'm sure there will be struggles for Peter in USM, but across every Hickman comic I have read there's always been a feeling that he's adding and building. Not subtracting and destroying. I expect this from USM as well.

As of tomorrow I'm going to simply strap in and enjoy what's somehow become a rarity in comics these days. Have fun.

[Spider-Ham]

First issue was perfect and it was more than I could ever imagine. I spent my whole time crying on the first 20 pages. I bought 10 variants and now I just want to support this book even more.

It is something really precious and I’ll cherish it for a long time.

Thank you so much Mr Hickman.

[Garlador]

Honestly at this point, my only concern for Ultimate Spider-Man is enjoying the book. The larger impact on the Spider-Man line isn't something I will use to judge the book.

All I want is a comic to read that doesn't feel like a miserable slog. I'm sure there will be struggles for Peter in USM, but across every Hickman comic I have read there's always been a feeling that he's adding and building. Not subtracting and destroying. I expect this from USM as well.

As of tomorrow I'm going to simply strap in and enjoy what's somehow become a rarity in comics these days. Have fun.

I feel this. I'm not expecting rainbows and sunshine, but the idea of a Spider-Man that is additive and not merely subtractive - one that WANTS to build something and grow with no regard for trying to freeze a status quo in place - is beyond refreshing.

I'm keeping my expectations in check, but I'd be lying if I said that didn't excite me.

[Coop]

I feel this. I'm not expecting rainbows and sunshine, but the idea of a Spider-Man that is additive and not merely subtractive - one that WANTS to build something and grow with no regard for trying to freeze a status quo in place - is beyond refreshing.

I'm keeping my expectations in check, but I'd be lying if I said that didn't excite me.

The preview alone already has me a thousand times more invested in all these characters than I am in the 616 counterparts. It's not just that they are married, but the crew calling shots for Peter and his supporting cast right now have made them all extremely unlikable. And it makes the book a slog to read, on the occasion that I am interested enough to flip through an issue.

With a viable alternative, I'm ready to let all that go.

[Batman Begins 2005]

Nearly here ladies and gentlemen!

[Batman Begins 2005]

It's the most I've been excited for a comic book in ten years, I'd say.

[Frontier]

The preview alone already has me a thousand times more invested in all these characters than I am in the 616 counterparts. It's not just that they are married, but the crew calling shots for Peter and his supporting cast right now have made them all extremely unlikable. And it makes the book a slog to read, on the occasion that I am interested enough to flip through an issue.

With a viable alternative, I'm ready to let all that go.

At a bare minimum I don't need Peter to be married (though preferably with MJ) or have kids, just to be written well.

If this accomplishes that, I'll call it a win.

Indeed. There seems to be a very palpable enthusiasm and excitement in the fandom for Ultimate Spider-Man and the like of which I haven't really seen in quite a long time.

Actually, the last time I can think of that could compare to the attention we're seeing for USM would maybe be back when it was announced that Hickman was being given the keys to the kingdom for everything X-Men ahead of the launch of the Krakoa era.

Or Spencer's run once it started to get going.

[your_name_here]

Yeah the hype around Spencer’s run as the OMD teases became more and more transparent were huge.

[Kevinroc]

When is the Spider-Man marriage coming back? One More Day.

[Mister Mets]

Yeah the hype around Spencer’s run as the OMD teases became more and more transparent were huge.

The impression I had was that there was more hype early on, especially in the first year.

By the time you got the major One More Day teases, we were deep into the Kindred saga, which seemed more divisive.

I think there are other reasons support for the run declined in the second half, but one advantage it had early on was that it could be enjoyed by Spider-Man fans who liked Brand New Day and Slott, as well as those who think that Peter & MJ are endgame.

The new Ultimate Spider-Man has similarly broad appeal.

[Frontier]

The impression I had was that there was more hype early on, especially in the first year.

By the time you got the major One More Day teases, we were deep into the Kindred saga, which seemed more divisive.

I think there are other reasons support for the run declined in the second half, but one advantage it had early on was that it could be enjoyed by Spider-Man fans who liked Brand New Day and Slott, as well as those who think that Peter & MJ are endgame.

The new Ultimate Spider-Man has similarly broad appeal.

I think the quality of the 2099 arc and the inconsistent quality of Last Remains (where it seems like is when editorial started effecting the story or Spencer had to pivot in what he was trying to tell) was when people soured on the run.

I guess it was fine for BND and Slott fans because it didn't outright criticize or pull a "Take That" on that era even if narratively it went in the complete opposite direction and countered some of the stories from those eras.

[Kevinroc]

I think there are other reasons support for the run declined in the second half, but one advantage it had early on was that it could be enjoyed by Spider-Man fans who liked Brand New Day and Slott, as well as those who think that Peter & MJ are endgame.

I never got the impression these are separate groups (or that those who think in these terms are a particularly large group). Even Slott and Wells treat Peter and MJ as "endgame."

[wleakr]

I never got the impression these are separate groups (or that those who think in these terms are a particularly large group). Even Slott and Wells treat Peter and MJ as "endgame."

They did/do?

That's an interesting take.

[Kevinroc]

They did/do?

That's an interesting take.

Wells' attitude is that if this were the last Spider-Man story, Peter and MJ would go off into the sunset together, but since Spider-Man is never intended to end, that comic will never be written.

(It's a shame he did such a terrible job with them.)

[Garlador]

Wells' attitude is that if this were the last Spider-Man story, Peter and MJ would go off into the sunset together, but since Spider-Man is never intended to end, that comic will never be written.

(It's a shame he did such a terrible job with them.)

I know I've said it before, but I really wish they'd stop viewing marriage as "endgame" instead of just a normal and natural progression of a relationship.

I can't even imagine a world where I was reading Dragon Ball and Akira Toriyama had that same mindset.


"Well, he's married now. The story's over and nobody will be interested in anything after this."