Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider/Spider-Man Appreciation 2024.

[Refrax5]

Just tell me if I'm right:

Ben story doesn't move an inch at the end of the story

Not in any major way, no. I mean, he's out of prison and reunited with Janine, which I don't think spoils anything, but outside from that, there's no substantial change in their status quo.

[Refrax5]

Does Kaine even get a mention?

Not that I saw. I haven't read the entire issue, but I think I read all the Ben scenes and I don't remember Kaine being mentioned.

[Sr. Bungle]

Not in any major way, no. I mean, he's out of prison and reunited with Janine, which I don't think spoils anything, but outside from that, there's no substantial change in their status quo.

Thanks a lot, more wheel spinning as expected.

[HypnoHustler]

Thanks a lot, more wheel spinning as expected.

I was about to say the same thing. If the arc doesn’t advance their stories, then what even is the point?

[Refrax5]

I was about to say the same thing. If the arc doesn’t advance their stories, then what even is the point?

I mean, it kind of does? Not in a big way, but they have a little conversation with each other where it feels like they've come to terms with what they've become. They're not where they were physically or emotionally where they were after Dark Web, at least. But they're still Hallow's Eve and Chasm. There's no real dramatic change in their status quo beyond being reunited and on the loose.

Besides, would you really want Wells writing any dramatic change in their story? At least he doesn't do further damage and Ben's next writer (hopefully still Foxe) will hopefully get the character to a better place.

[Sr. Bungle]

I mean, it kind of does? Not in a big way, but they have a little conversation with each other where it feels like they've come to terms with what they've become. They're not where they were physically or emotionally where they were after Dark Web, at least. But they're still Hallow's Eve and Chasm. There's no real dramatic change in their status quo beyond being reunited and on the loose.

Besides, would you really want Wells writing any dramatic change in their story? At least he doesn't do further damage and Ben's next writer (hopefully still Foxe) will hopefully get the character to a better place.

Come to terms? Do Bem still hates Peter?

[JustLuke]

I mean, it kind of does? Not in a big way, but they have a little conversation with each other where it feels like they've come to terms with what they've become. They're not where they were physically or emotionally where they were after Dark Web, at least. But they're still Hallow's Eve and Chasm. There's no real dramatic change in their status quo beyond being reunited and on the loose.

Besides, would you really want Wells writing any dramatic change in their story? At least he doesn't do further damage and Ben's next writer (hopefully still Foxe) will hopefully get the character to a better place.

If they're gonna just have Ben accept that he can't be fixed I'm going to actually hate that. Someone said before after ASM 93 dropped that this just feels like Ben giving up, and judging by what you're saying here this isn't gonna help

[Refrax5]

Come to terms? Do Bem still hates Peter?

I wasn't totally clear on that. I only got to read snippets. But Janine tells him that obsessing over the past and trying to regain Peter's memories is a waste of time and standing in the way of their future. Ben seems to have a lot of his Ben memories, but wonders if Peter's memories are the only thing that ever made him good and that he's an inherently bad person without them. Janine basically says maybe he's bad, maybe she's bad, maybe they're just scared and hurt, but they needed to accept themselves and move on. I'm paraphrasing.

I don't know how Ben feels about Peter (maybe that'll be clear when the issue is read in its entirety), but it seemed like, for the moment, he'd let go of actively going after him and his memories.

It basically felt like they were giving him a send-off and teeing him up for whatever another writer decides to do with him. It felt like a resolution in a way, but one that was open-ended enough that whoever came next could take him in any direction they want.

[Sr. Bungle]

I wasn't totally clear on that. I only got to read snippets. But Janine tells him that obsessing over the past and trying to regain Peter's memories is a waste of time and standing in the way of their future. Ben seems to have a lot of his Ben memories, but wonders if Peter's memories are the only thing that ever made him good and that he's an inherently bad person without them. Janine basically says maybe he's bad, maybe she's bad, maybe they're just scared and hurt, but they needed to accept themselves and move on. I'm paraphrasing.

I don't know how Ben feels about Peter (maybe that'll be clear when the issue is read in its entirety), but it seemed like, for the moment, he'd let go of actively going after him and his memories.

It basically felt like they were giving him a send-off and teeing him up for whatever another writer decides to do with him. It felt like a resolution in a way, but one that was open-ended enough that whoever came next could take him in any direction they want.

I reckon JMD could do some good lemonade with those lemons

[Garlador]

I reckon JMD could do some good lemonade with those lemons

It's a very frustrating story where mostly it's just breaking people down and fans hoping and praying that another writer can make lemonade out of lemons.

As stated before, I'm not a fan of the direction either character has been taken, as the people they were - and the people that fans liked - feel effectively wiped off the board and replaced with substitutes possessing little of the traits that made them compelling and aspirational in the first place.

Bluntly speaking - as a huge Ben fan - any story that is effectively him "giving up" on the memories and experiences that helped shape him into a selfless, commendable hero is a story I have no interest in reading.

[Coop]

Sound like the usual Wells and Lowe crap. Hopefully this is the last Ben appearance by Wells for awhile. I only check the spoilers to ASM to see if they killed him or fixed him. Either option is preferable to Chasm for me.

I know people feel like being dead has less opportunities than being Chasm. I don't agree. My expectations of the Chasm/Kaine mini are that it will be fluff and meaningless. Especially based on the who cares villain reveal.

[Sr. Bungle]

I'd accept a compromiso if he remains his full Ben memories somehow.

[bob.schoonover]

Sound like the usual Wells and Lowe crap. Hopefully this is the last Ben appearance by Wells for awhile. I only check the spoilers to ASM to see if they killed him or fixed him. Either option is preferable to Chasm for me.

I know people feel like being dead has less opportunities than being Chasm. I don't agree. My expectations of the Chasm/Kaine mini are that it will be fluff and meaningless. Especially based on the who cares villain reveal.

One imagines that even though we don't know who's taking over ASM after Wells, Lowe does. That at least always allows for the (remote) possibility that whoever is coming in next might have an idea for Ben (maybe even a good idea?!?!) that can be seeded in Chasm/Kaine. Unlikely, but I can hope that given the timing*, Kaine/Chasm is as much about the next writer as it is about the last one

*A 4-issue monthly mini starting in August would end in November, which is probably around when Wells' run might end. Now, Chasm/Kaine could be a weekly or something so maybe the timing I'm describing is all wrong, but it's not impossible

[Refrax5]

I reckon JMD could do some good lemonade with those lemons

I absolutely think he could. He's big on sympathetic, tragic characters dealing with their demons and finding redemption and he's a HUGE Ben Reilly fan.

I've always said that I think it'd be pretty easy to fix Ben and give him a redemption arc, especially since he's not in his right mind.

[Refrax5]

It's a very frustrating story where mostly it's just breaking people down and fans hoping and praying that another writer can make lemonade out of lemons.

As stated before, I'm not a fan of the direction either character has been taken, as the people they were - and the people that fans liked - feel effectively wiped off the board and replaced with substitutes possessing little of the traits that made them compelling and aspirational in the first place.

Bluntly speaking - as a huge Ben fan - any story that is effectively him "giving up" on the memories and experiences that helped shape him into a selfless, commendable hero is a story I have no interest in reading.

Even if his quest to get those memories back is hurting himself and others? It felt more like somebody who's obsession and unhappiness with themselves drove them over them over the edge and realizing that they need to stop before more damage is done.

I also don't believe that the only thing that made Ben a hero were Peter's memories. Spidercide had Peter's memories, too, and the guy's an ass.

I just viewed it as Janine telling him that obsessing over what he lost and trying to recapture the past was ruining their lives and they had to accept what's happened and get on with their lives. I don't see that as inherently bad.