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

[CaptainUniverse]

Ugh. I love the Sony Spiderverse movies and the Ben-being-a-stereotypical-90s-throwback was a bit funny for about 10 seconds. But it got old quick, and it isn’t great for the character. Most modern fans were introduced to him by way of his depiction in that movie, as a dark and brooding himbo instead of Peter’s “brother.” Maybe I’m overthinking it…

I am sure he would have been fleshed out more if he had more screentime but the way I understand it they had to cut a lot of stuff out during reshoots like that scene where he expresses his desire to be a father.

[Sr. Bungle]

I don’t even know why they would want to. Kaine’s own SS costume is fire. Is it as good as Ben’s? I don’t know. That’s tough. They’re both great for different reasons, but they each fit their wearer’s distinct personality. Kaine shouldn’t wear Ben’s costume any more than Ben should wear Kaine’s.

To capitalize on the better known SS suit while doubling down on Chasm. Having/Eating cake and all that. I don't say that what's happening but I find weird to see OG Scarlet Spider suit in rwo covers and no apparent Kaine in any of them. Plus we see Chasm and SS in one of them.

[Refrax5]

I don’t even know why they would want to. Kaine’s own SS costume is fire. Is it as good as Ben’s? I don’t know. That’s tough. They’re both great for different reasons, but they each fit their wearer’s distinct personality. Kaine shouldn’t wear Ben’s costume any more than Ben should wear Kaine’s.

I absolutely agree with you. I was just stating that there are reasons Kaine might have for wearing it that don't make Kaine look bad. It's still a dumb idea.

My only thought as to why Marvel might do that is simply because they're too stubborn to give up on Ben as Chasm and they want a dark, angsty clone in the classic costume for movie synergy and they figure they can just shove Kaine in that suit and nobody will care.

Again, I really want to emphasize that I absolutely hate the idea and think it's stupid, but it's the kind of thing I can very much imagine editorial thinking.

[Refrax5]

To capitalize on the better known SS suit while doubling down on Chasm. Having/Eating cake and all that. I don't say that what's happening but I find weird to see OG Scarlet Spider suit in rwo covers and no apparent Kaine in any of them. Plus we see Chasm and SS in one of them.

Wow, I typed my reply before even seeing yours.

[Refrax5]

Ugh. I love the Sony Spiderverse movies and the Ben-being-a-stereotypical-90s-throwback was a bit funny for about 10 seconds. But it got old quick, and it isn’t great for the character. Most modern fans were introduced to him by way of his depiction in that movie, as a dark and brooding himbo instead of Peter’s “brother.” Maybe I’m overthinking it…

I thought it was fine for his limited screentime and the nature of these movies. I should say that I don't think they should make Ben act that over-the-top in the comics as he was in the movie. Just that the things he's been through since his return give them the opportunity to take Ben back to bring the more serious, brooding character he was under Dematteis and give him that kind of Bucky Barnes style makeover where he's still a good guy, but one haunted by everything in his past. That makes him distinct enough from Peter and somewhat recognizable for fans of the Spider-Verse movies while still keeping the character close to his roots and the way Dematteis wrote him.

[Sr. Bungle]

Wow, I typed my reply before even seeing yours.

You put better into words and gave order to my jumbled ideas, so thank God you did that

[Huntsman Spider]

Speculating in excess can be very bad, that's why I stopped speculating things a long time ago. The more speculate the more fill yourself with expectations of something and the greater the disappointment when what were expecting doesn't happen. At this point the only thing I hope is that Ben Reilly's character stops being represented as a fucking villain, that has a good redemption arc with a good writer and returns to be at least something close to a hero, keeping his new powers to differentiate even more from Peter, without that nonsense of time travel, multiversal versions, evil clones and other things so absurdly complex. But that would be asking too much, just get a normal redemption arc for Ben.

Anyway, if you want to have fun speculating on something, then you might as well speculate on this and debate which has been the best couple Ben has had so far. At least for this Valentine's Day and for a bit of a change, this fanart I found out there and it's kind of recent, so take it as will, I don't really care too much.

This is adorable. And yeah, I ship it. Still one of my great disappointments that Chris Yost never wrote a meeting between Kaine's Scarlet Spider and Laura Kinney/X-23/Wolverine, though.

[HypnoHustler]

This is adorable. And yeah, I ship it. Still one of my great disappointments that Chris Yost never wrote a meeting between Kaine's Scarlet Spider and Laura Kinney/X-23/Wolverine, though.

Would’ve fit with PAD’s SS series too. He liked bringing in characters from other franchises like Cyber.

[Huntsman Spider]

Would’ve fit with PAD’s SS series too. He liked bringing in characters from other franchises like Cyber.

And Cyber was an old Wolverine foe, masquerading as Hornet of the Slingers for some reason. Would have been plenty excuse to bring Laura in, too.

[Daibhidh]

And Cyber was an old Wolverine foe, masquerading as Hornet of the Slingers for some reason.

Didn't David create Cyber for his original X-Factor series?

[Pav]

I don’t even know why they would want to. Kaine’s own SS costume is fire. Is it as good as Ben’s? I don’t know. That’s tough. They’re both great for different reasons, but they each fit their wearer’s distinct personality. Kaine shouldn’t wear Ben’s costume any more than Ben should wear Kaine’s.

I'm not assuming the covers really have anything to do with the story within, BUT...

Maybe Kaine decides to wear Ben's costume -- or make his costume look like Ben's, since it can change appearance -- in an effort to jog his memory and revert him back to normal.

-Pav, who's just spitballing here...

[Sr. Bungle]

I'm not assuming the covers really have anything to do with the story within, BUT...

Maybe Kaine decides to wear Ben's costume -- or make his costume look like Ben's, since it can change appearance -- in an effort to jog his memory and revert him back to normal.

-Pav, who's just spitballing here...

We're all spitballing but, IF IT IS Kaine under the hood it would be the only explanation that doesn't suck for that.

[Sr. Bungle]

And Cyber was an old Wolverine foe, masquerading as Hornet of the Slingers for some reason. Would have been plenty excuse to bring Laura in, too.

Weirdest plot twist Peter

[Pav]

Didn't David create Cyber for his original X-Factor series?

Weirdest plot twist Peter

Yeah, I was really taken aback by that choice, and in general, I didn't like that PAD littered BR:SS with characters that really had no business being there, other than they were from past PAD-written comics. Like, no offense to PAD -- I generally enjoy his writing -- but I'm not reading a Scarlet Spider comic for old Wolverine villains and side-characters from Hulk/Captain Marvel comics, y'know?

-Pav, who wonders if that Cyber-as-Hornet subplot will EVER get picked up now that Hobie Brown is the Hornet...

[HypnoHustler]

Yeah, I was really taken aback by that choice, and in general, I didn't like that PAD littered BR:SS with characters that really had no business being there, other than they were from past PAD-written comics. Like, no offense to PAD -- I generally enjoy his writing -- but I'm not reading a Scarlet Spider comic for old Wolverine villains and side-characters from Hulk/Captain Marvel comics, y'know?

-Pav, who wonders if that Cyber-as-Hornet subplot will EVER get picked up now that Hobie Brown is the Hornet...

I actually liked the Cyber reveal. Genuinely surprising. But I get your general point.