Kraven’s Last Hunt VS Death of Jean DeWolff

[HypnoHustler]

Which one is better?

Why these two stories… I don’t know. When I was a kid, it seemed like if someone wanted to get you into contemporary Spidey (as opposed to the classic stuff) they’d either give you a TPB of one of these arcs. It was like they were both in competition to be regarded as Spidey’s Born Again. On most ‘best of…’ lists nowadays, they both usually rank in the top 5. So which one is better and why? (saying unrelated stories like ‘Death of Gwen’ or the Hobgoblin saga isn’t an option here…)

[Kurus]

I’m a big Dematteis fan, so Imma have to go with KLH. It went a lot more in depth with the characters, really exploring their psychology.

[DanMad1977]

Kravens Last Hunt

But Jean DeWolff was also great.

[your_name_here]

Both are absolutely fantastic.

I’d give the edge to KLH just for what it did to Kravens character.

[Vegan]

Hydrogen Bomb vs. Other smaller but still impressively large bomb.
Death of Jean DeWolff is great, certainly, but KLH is one of the best Spidey stories of all time, ever.

[exile001]

One thing I'll say about the Death of Jean Dewolff - I read it years after knowing about it and hearing it was dark. I was still utterly floored by the way it opens, and then how it slowly reveals the story to an increasingly furious Spidey.

I'll say KLH is better overall but, coupled with the sequel Return of the Sin-Eater, Death of Jean Dewolff is really strong stuff.

[Jman27]

Both are absolutely fantastic.

I’d give the edge to KLH just for what it did to Kravens character.

agree but too many diminishing returns to that story really hurts it for me.

[Huntsman Spider]

One thing I'll say about the Death of Jean Dewolff - I read it years after knowing about it and hearing it was dark. I was still utterly floored by the way it opens, and then how it slowly reveals the story to an increasingly furious Spidey.

I'll say KLH is better overall but, coupled with the sequel Return of the Sin-Eater, Death of Jean Dewolff is really strong stuff.

Funny enough, The Death of Jean DeWolff TPB collects both of those arcs. Having gotten and read it myself years ago, I can definitely attest to that. And yeah, it was really harrowing to see Spider-Man pushed to the point of nearly committing murder out of sheer rage and grief; considering that the black suit he was wearing there was made of regular spandex, and not an alien symbiote, that meant his murderous rage at Sin-Eater was all him, no outside or external influence whatsoever on his mental state or judgment. Hell, he almost beat the hell --- pun somewhat intended --- out of Daredevil for trying to stop him, and even would have let Sin-Eater be killed by a vengeful mob of his victims' loved ones if not for Daredevil calling out his real name to shock him to his senses.

[Garlador]

Both are great, but my heart stays with Kraven's Last Hunt. That story ROCKED me.

[Kevinroc]

Respect to Death of Jean DeWolff but gotta go with KLH.

[CaptainUniverse]

Definitely Kraven's Last Hunt.

[IamnotJudasTraveller]

I don't think Death of Jean DeWolff can hold a candle to KLH. Now, mind, what I'm going to elaborate on are just my thoughts, but I think structurally, you already have KLH off at leaps and bounds of advantage. The story knows what it's doing in its six issues, so its themes play out to (possible) perfection and even panels are symmetric and bookended on each chapter they play out in. Hell, given how DeMatteis gestated over this particular story for years before it was finally written, maybe it's just unfair on the getgo to compare both.

But, more than that, I'd say that the content itself is also a mark against DeWolff's for me. It seemed symptomatic of the point of where comics had gotten to, where the more trauma you could pile on the character, the better - and KLH is also part of this, no doubt (I have much respect for KLH, but in my heart of hearts, it's darker than what I'd usually want Spider-Man to go). However, with DeWolff's it just seemed to evoke the usual paradigm of killing someone the main character knew for stakes. Last Hunt deals with death all the time and Kraven's suicide is no doubt a 'punchline' of sorts the story can't do without, but I think the thesis statement on it works better. Even with the "bad guy caught, silver lining" kind of thing in DeWolff, I felt it's kind of misery for the sake of misery (then again, to me the unbeaten champion of that particular chestnut is Priest's Spider-Man/Wolverine crossover). It's clearly not just that, but I feel it definitely edges a little close to it.

So, yeah, Last Hunt for me.

[Celgress]

Kraven's Last Hunt is the one I prefer, I feel it is the superior story, however, I also love the Death of Jean DeWolff and feel it is a top-notch story. Both are grade A, IMHO.

[PCN24454]

Definitely Jean DeWolff.

[Daibhidh]

I do agree the fridging hurts The Death of Jean DeWolff. That said, it opens with details of Jean deWolff's life that I don't think Peter ever knew about - if you tell a story that fridges a character I suppose that's how you do it.