Why was Spidey not included in the (1996) Heroes Reborn event

[Riv86672]

So, why wasn’t Spidey included in HR?
Were his books selling well enough not to do something so drastic or was there some other editorial reason?

If he HAD been included, who the heck would’ve handled the book?!?

What might the fallout have been, to Spidey’s history?
What stories would we not have seen if he’d been taken from the 616 universe during that time?

[CaptainUniverse]

I think the reason for that is because Peter and Mary Jane were still expecting a baby and Ben Reilly was still Spider-Man in 1996. The Clone Saga was in full swing, so they couldn't just up and abandon it for a retelling of the Lee/Ditko/Romita years in a pocket universe. Which, now that I think on it, probably would have just been John Byrne's Chapter One but set on Counter-Earth.

[IamnotJudasTraveller]

So, why wasn’t Spidey included in HR?
Were his books selling well enough not to do something so drastic or was there some other editorial reason?

Besides what CaptainUniverse said (and sales did look healthy enough, a look at Comichron months ago never showed severe dips during Clone Saga), I'd wager they probably thought the incoming reset via Norman Osborn was enough. Plus, there was a bit of a push to make the main universe more of a "world that looks down on heroes sorta kinda equally". People were going "Spidey and Daredevil are street level and can't handle serious threats", or going "maybe these are all mutants and now they got rid of the only guys we could trust", that sort of tried and true bigotry.

[Alan2099]

Also, while the Avengers books and Fantastic Four did end for Heroes Reborn, adding Spider-man to that list would have doubled the series. Spidey had about four or five on goings at that time. Liefeld and Lee may have been able to handle one Spider-man series, but I can't see Marvel wanting to ditch that many good selling books just to replace it with a single Heroes Reborn Spider-man.

[Will Evans]

So, why wasn’t Spidey included in HR?
Were his books selling well enough not to do something so drastic or was there some other editorial reason?

If he HAD been included, who the heck would’ve handled the book?!?

What might the fallout have been, to Spidey’s history?
What stories would we not have seen if he’d been taken from the 616 universe during that time?

Spidey books we’re doing fine sales wise at the time. Heck, Ghost-Rider was still ongoing and didn’t need heroes reborn.

[Mister Mets]

The Spider-Man sales were pretty high when they made the decision to do Heroes Reborn.

It's kinda the same reason Wolverine and the X-Men weren't part of it.

It could've worked as a way to resolve the clone saga.

It was also a year after Untold Tales of Spider-Man debuted as the first big project to focus on an year one Spidey since Lee/ Ditko, and sales of that weren't that great.

[Riv86672]

^^^So pretty much what I figured; sales were fine and Spidey didn’t need the rub.

I was also thinking…

Spidey had about four or five on goings at that time. Liefeld and Lee may have been able to handle one Spider-man series, but I can't see Marvel wanting to ditch that many good selling books just to replace it with a single Heroes Reborn Spider-man.

…just what Alan2099 said.

Tell you what though, I’d have loved to see Erik Larson talked into doing a HR Spidey book!

Thanks for the feedback guys!

[Mister Mets]

Also, while the Avengers books and Fantastic Four did end for Heroes Reborn, adding Spider-man to that list would have doubled the series. Spidey had about four or five on goings at that time. Liefeld and Lee may have been able to handle one Spider-man series, but I can't see Marvel wanting to ditch that many good selling books just to replace it with a single Heroes Reborn Spider-man.

They could've shoved Ben over.

The Clone Saga was originally supposed to end with Blood Brothers, but they thought that might conflict with the promotions for Onslaught/ Heroes Reborn.

With the benefit of hindsight, Marvel could have resolved the Clone Saga a few months earlier with Peter revealed as the real Spider-Man. And then Ben Reilly could be sent over to the Heroes Reborn world.

So there could be one monthly title in the Heroes Reborn world, and the rest in the regular Marvel comics.

I'm reading that era, and there were definitely too many 616 Spider-Man comics.

And then it can also be resolved in some story during Heroes Return when Peter is somehow sent back in time without his memories, so he lives a life as Ben Reilly.

[Yvonmukluk]

They could've shoved Ben over.

The Clone Saga was originally supposed to end with Blood Brothers, but they thought that might conflict with the promotions for Onslaught/ Heroes Reborn.

With the benefit of hindsight, Marvel could have resolved the Clone Saga a few months earlier with Peter revealed as the real Spider-Man. And then Ben Reilly could be sent over to the Heroes Reborn world.

So there could be one monthly title in the Heroes Reborn world, and the rest in the regular Marvel comics.

I'm reading that era, and there were definitely too many 616 Spider-Man comics.

And then it can also be resolved in some story during Heroes Return when Peter is somehow sent back in time without his memories, so he lives a life as Ben Reilly.

Honestly given Chapter One happened at around the same time it’s not like it would be too big of a leap.

Although the whole time loop thing is an idea probably best left behind.

[Mister Mets]

Honestly given Chapter One happened at around the same time it’s not like it would be too big of a leap.

Although the whole time loop thing is an idea probably best left behind.

Another solution would be to keep him in the Heroes Reborn world, so fans still have one book there.

And eventually there could be some big reunion crossover.

[ARkadelphia]

Remind me why Spider-Man didn’t sacrifice himself IN-STORY like the other non-mutant heroes.

[Alan2099]

Remind me why Spider-Man didn’t sacrifice himself IN-STORY like the other non-mutant heroes.

Spider-man never made it to the big fight. He was busy trying to save people from sentinels while this was going on.

[Hypestyle]

They could have licensed the production to Milestone Comics and they could have seen some cool stuff written by Dwayne McDuffie.

[Mister Mets]

They could have licensed the production to Milestone Comics and they could have seen some cool stuff written by Dwayne McDuffie.

The Heroes Reborn comics generally weren't well-written. A Spider-Man comic would be lucky under those circumstances to have Scott Lobdell or Jeph Loeb as co-writers.

The dream artist would be Todd McFarlane, but he was busy with the Spawn movie. I don't see Erik Larsen doing it. I think another artist associated with Spawn at the time (Greg Capullo, Brian Denham, Tony Daniel.)

[Alan2099]

The Heroes Reborn comics generally weren't well-written. A Spider-Man comic would be lucky under those circumstances to have Scott Lobdell or Jeph Loeb as co-writers.

They weren't but they had some great art. Jim Lee's Dr. Doom was just perfect. The books (and frankly, MOST comics) at the time were more focused on having superstar artists than they were writers.

Jim Valentino could have been a good Heroes Reborn Spider-man artist.