Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows & How It Renews Peter Parker

[Tuck]

It's believable in the Marvel U that a person can be a master in different sciences (see H. Pym). Just as believable as getting hit by gamma rays gives you super powers and not cancer or instant death.

I don't see those as commensurate.

One is the basic premise upon which the universe is built. The other is like how computers were depicted in the early 80s. As this largely unknowable mystery thing that got imbued with essentially magic properties (probably because the people writing these stories ( and the general public) at the time had very little experience with computers). Seems like the multifaceted genius with the built-in knowledge base and ability to master anything should have faded away like the mystical computer stuff did. It's a product of the "Space Age."

Anyway, what is a genius in a world of geniuses?

[boots]

I don't see those as commensurate.

One is the basic premise upon which the universe is built. The other is like how computers were depicted in the early 80s. As this largely unknowable mystery thing that got imbued with essentially magic properties (probably because the people writing these stories ( and the general public) at the time had very little experience with computers). Seems like the multifaceted genius with the built-in knowledge base and ability to master anything should have faded away like the mystical computer stuff did. It's a product of the "Space Age."

Anyway, what is a genius in a world of geniuses?

yeah, this is a baby gripe of mine too. one thing that differentiated marvel from dc early on was that superpowers could happen randomly and by chance rather than directed by fate or inheritance. somehow though, they always managed to randomly happen to super-geniuses (reed, banner, mccoy, parker) . in the marvel universe a jack of all trades is actually the master of all trades.

only their powers are distinctive and special- the human skills are almost interchangeable.

ellis had something of a point- there should be no disease left in the marvel universe and everyone should have a jet-pack.

[boots]

his book is secretly a deconstruction of what the other side wants in SpiderMan. A murdering married man who is less than a hero.

or it’s a chance for writers to explore all ideas and scenarios. it’s an alt story. peter is certainly capable or killing, whether or not he ever does.

look at what any writer does in those scenarios and you’ll usually see a similar pattern.

[dragonmp93]

It's believable in the Marvel U that a person can be a master in different sciences (see H. Pym). Just as believable as getting hit by gamma rays gives you super powers and not cancer or instant death.

Well, if you find believable that the normal humans are totally okay with a rock guy in shorts, but would send 100-feet-tall murder-bot after a guy with just blue skin..........................................

or it’s a chance for writers to explore all ideas and scenarios. it’s an alt story. peter is certainly capable or killing, whether or not he ever does.

look at what any writer does in those scenarios and you’ll usually see a similar pattern.

Well, im already a fan of the X-men, so i dont care how murderous and not-hero he becomes.

[Mr.Lion]

or it’s a chance for writers to explore all ideas and scenarios. it’s an alt story. peter is certainly capable or killing, whether or not he ever does

And as Issue Two is proving, the action still haunts him, as it would any Peter towing a line.

[jackolover]

Like I said before, I loved this story! Every single page!! Sure, as Spider-Fan, I'm not happy to see Spider-Man killing, even if we are talking about classic Venom. But then again, seriously, how can I blame him considering the situation? I mean, if a monster says threatens your family and says he will never stop until he eats her brains, are you going to take such risk? I have seen situations in real life (normally in the news) with great similarities to this. Peter's reasoning is basically what mostly anyone would have had: "You want to come after me?, fine; but after my wife or my baby girl... OVER MY DEAD BODY!!!".

Seriously, I can't believe that the Amazing Spider-Man after "Secret Wars" will turn into a "playboy" like Tony Stark instead of keep this family. Now that's the stupidest idea I have heard, after "Superio Spider-Junk". I like Spider-Man going to the "next level" with Parker Industries, but although it's clear he will never forget what happened to Uncle Ben or Gwen Stacy, such new position will possibly "eclips his mind from his mission". This is the reason because the Spider-Marriage must be restored. Peter needs somekind of "anchor" to remind him continuosly his "humble origins", and avoid the same attitude that made him lost Uncle Ben. Having a wife and a daugther would be the perfect way to do it. Not to mention that, with Peter in this new status quo, Mary Jane could finally keep her dream job as actress and model.

In my opinion, to represent this evolution in future animated series and stuff would be in other way. I could see Peter marrying MJ, then we have Ezekiel Sims becoming his new "mentor" or something. Something happens to him that makes him "disappear" (avoiding the death thing), and for his surprise, Ezekiel leaves his fortune and company to Peter; who resembles it as "Parker Industries". I find it more acceptable that what they did with "Superior Spider-Junk".

That is a description of a vigilante. And the idea of the Ezekiel Industries was a good one too.

But, it could have been the same situation from the first Spiderman film, where the Goblin wanted to stab Peter from behind, but Peter balked, and Goblin stabbed himself. The Venom situation could be viewed the same way, in that Venom put himself in this situation, so he died by misadventure trying to kill Spider-Man's family. And what is Venom anyway, but just a bug that hunts and devours? It's not as though Venom was a human. I think it's okay to exterminate a Venom. After all, Eddie Brock was little more than a Zombie affected by a virus, and nobody considers shooting a zombie with a shotgun a crime.

So, to me, this Peter Parker is one of the good ones. Pure, responsible, in charge of his emotions. (The 616 Peter Parker was too wound up with guilt to be well rounded, and could never front a company).

But then which one do we really want? The manufactured, RYV Parker, who is acceptable and very attractive, or, do we go for the dysfunctional, no hoper Parker, who stumbles through life, crossing boundaries of Law and order, unable to get relationships right, or his professional life? Much like a solitary spider should be. A brooding, dark, hovering menace, waiting to capture hoodlums who step on his web? Stan Lee and Steve Ditko decided their Spiderman was going to be the latter version, and presented their Parker unapologetically, warts and all. I think Lee and Ditkos Spiderman was the mixture of a human, and an ugly spider, so Parker couldn't behave in a human social way, but had spider social behaviour, softened by a human conscience.

[Daniel22]

yeah, this is a baby gripe of mine too. one thing that differentiated marvel from dc early on was that superpowers could happen randomly and by chance rather than directed by fate or inheritance. somehow though, they always managed to randomly happen to super-geniuses (reed, banner, mccoy, parker) . in the marvel universe a jack of all trades is actually the master of all trades.

only their powers are distinctive and special- the human skills are almost interchangeable.

ellis had something of a point- there should be no disease left in the marvel universe and everyone should have a jet-pack.

Interesting, I always had the different feeling... I liked that there was a mix of different types of heroes in the Marvel universe, whereas it felt like DC was still mostly the classic, competent and infallible heroes of old.. I could come up with ten non-genius heroes for each genius you listed...(though I know there are ones you didn't list). I actually think they do a good job of keeping the big brains in their wheelhouse: Stark as the engineer, Pym as the theoretical, McCoy as the geneticist.. the only "can do it all" is Richards, which I actually think is cool. His superpower was, to me, much more his intelligence. The fact that he was rubber was just a cool footnote.

As to the second point, you're right. That would be so limiting, narrative wise, though. We could only have "trouble in Paradise" stories, then. A big selling point of the Marvel universe is/was that it was the real world, New York not Gotham, real presidents, etc.. A "they fixed everything" universe would make for an interesting miniseries, though. I would love to see someone like Simone or Hopeless show us what would happen when it all comes tumbling down..