Controversial Spider-Man Opinions

[Mister Mets]

This was an interesting discussion on the old board.

The question is simple. What are controversial opinions you hold on Spider-Man?

Here were some of mine...

David Micheline wrote a lot of weak Spider-Man stories. He also never hit the heights of Lee, Conway, Stern, Bendis, JMS or Slott.

Ultimate Spider-Man #1 is the most important comic book published in the last twenty years. Brian Michael Bendis is Marvel's most significant writer since Stan Lee.

Writers should be more concerned about leaving the franchise intact for their successors.

A major factor in complaints about the current "feel" of the Spider-Man comics is that the character is no longer written mostly by baby boomers who dominated the series from 1972 to 2007.

Under most circumstances, it would be a really bad idea to go back to Amazing Spider-Man as a 22 page monthly.

Joe Quesada has been better for Spider-Man than Jim Shooter.

Mark Millar's twelve issue run of Marvel Knights Spider-Man is exceptional. As is James Owsley/ Mark Bright's Spider-Man VS Wolverine.

Peter Parker is more important than Spider-Man.

[AJBopp]

His webs looked better when they looked like webs rather than tangled threads.

Ok, not terribly controversial.

[The Amazing Spider-Man]

Gwen Stacy's death is more important to the character than Uncle Ben's.

His uncle's death taught him what happened when he failed to act, her death taught him what happens when he does act.

[Metamorphosis]

David Micheline wrote a lot of weak Spider-Man stories. He also never hit the heights of Lee, Conway, Stern, Bendis, JMS or Slott.

Not so sure about that--his role in creating Venom pretty much cements his status to me. The iconic church scene with Brock getting the symbiote was referenced in a movie, for example. Nothing by Stern, JMS or Slott has been really referenced in that way yet (though I suppose Hobgoblin in the 90's cartoon counts for Stern). I think Michelinie's Spider-man work is just as memorable as Lee's or Conway's work, though perhaps not as emotionally hard-hitting.

Mark Millar's twelve issue run of Marvel Knights Spider-Man is exceptional. As is James Owsley/ Mark Bright's Spider-Man VS Wolverine.

I don't think you'll get a lot of argument from anyone on that.

[Sentry-Mann]

I actually loved the Clone Saga, and was okay with the idea that Peter was the clone.

[Darth Howie]

1. Everyone J.M. DeMatteis killed should've stayed dead.

2. The case for One More Day still hasn't been made as even Superior could've been done with a married Peter Parker and, if anything, would've been MORE dramatic because of it. WAY MORE. Also, if I could relate to a married Spider-Man when I was eight, so can modern kids.

3. I think MJ knowing that Peter was Spider-Man was a good idea, though it could've been handled a lot better.

4. MJ is more important to the comics than Aunt May.

5. I don't think Anna Maria should be kicked out of the comic too quickly.

[Pav]

Just to help get the ball rolling...

1) The clone(s) of Gwen Stacy should get used more often.
2) Kaine should start degenerating again.
3) Ben should've never been killed off. (He also shouldn't have been made the "real" Peter but that's not so controversial.)
4) The Demogoblin hasn't ever been utilized up to its full potential.
5) "Slingers" should be THE group comic of the Spider-titles.
6) The Venom symbiote is in love with Peter.

-Pav, who just came up with these off the top of his head...

[AJBopp]

There has never been a wose villain for Spidey than Venom (or Carnage). Not even Big Wheel or Slyde. Totally wrong for the character

[Rahul]

The Civil War Spider-Man stories were good.

The Fantastic Four and especially Johnny Storm should not have been made close to Peter Parker as they are now. It feels totally wrong. That too when Daredevil still has his identity forgotten.

Aunt May is essentially a plot device now.

[Agent Z]

I like the organic web shooters better
Black Cat works better as a hero and I would like to see her detective agency back

[Sentry-Mann]

There has never been a wose villain for Spidey than Venom (or Carnage). Not even Big Wheel or Slyde. Totally wrong for the character

Those be fightin words!

[DaltonL227]

Hmm, I guess I'll chime in.

Amazing Spider-Man 2 was the best Spidey film so far, and Spider-Man 2099 was a good book but wasn't spectacular. (Though, I am interested in the upcoming continuation, to be honest)

[SuperCooper]

There has never been a wose villain for Spidey than Venom (or Carnage). Not even Big Wheel or Slyde. Totally wrong for the character

One of the worst origin stories for a villain, too.

'What the...what's this black goop all over my costume?! Hey, is that Julia Carpenter over there? Oh crap, I feel really angry now!'

[oldschool]

Not sure how "controversial" this will be, but here is a baker's dozen of mine:

1) Bill Mantlo's second stint on PP:SSM (early 1980's) is criminally overlooked and better than quite a few ASM runs.
2) Roger Stern's run on PP:SSM is also very, very good; perhaps not the masterpiece of a run that his subsequent ASM stint was but still very good.
3) If JMS left the title after roughly issue #50 (Vol 2), he would be one of the all-time greats; the majority of his work after that point was weak to just average.
4) Denny O'Neil's ASM run wasn't bad; it was just really boring.
5) The Kingpin should've never given Spidey such a hard time in those Lee/Romita issues; one punch should have put him down. He is not superhuman.
6) With all the geniuses Spidey has come up against, someone should have gathered some of the webs he leaves all over town and analyzed them and come up with a counteragent to use against him in battle.
7) Gwen is Peter's great love, not MJ.
8) Aunt May should not be killed off; as his one remaining close family member, her presence is important. I am glad she is no longer frail and has a life apart from Peter, though.
9) Peter needs to stay off teams; he works so much better as a street level hero. He also should stand in awe when in Thor or Cap's presence regardless of how many times they have fought together.
10) I love it when Pete gets pissed; one of the reasons why the battle in "Superman vs Spider-Man" is so good. The Ross Andru art helps immeasurably but the pissed-off Peter walloping Supes (thanks to Luthor's Kryptonite power-up, of course) make that issue a blast to read and re-read. See also the Firelord battle.
11) I think there should be an ongoing anthology title like "Webspinners" or "Tangled Web", two series that still contain some of the best post-2000 Spidey stories.
12) J Jonah Jameson is the most important supporting character in the books.
13) Dan Slott has introduced the best supporting characters in decades; Anna Maria, Max Modell, Sajani etc have the potential to stay in the book for many more years.

[Darthfury78]

Just to help get the ball rolling...

1) The clone(s) of Gwen Stacy should get used more often.
2) Kaine should start degenerating again.
3) Ben should've never been killed off. (He also shouldn't have been made the "real" Peter but that's not so controversial.)
4) The Demogoblin hasn't ever been utilized up to its full potential.
5) "Slingers" should be THE group comic of the Spider-titles.
6) The Venom symbiote is in love with Peter.

-Pav, who just came up with these off the top of his head...

The bold heading: A terrible idea!!!