What Would It Take For a Newcomer to Become One of the Best Spider-Man Writers?

[Mister Mets]

This is a question I started wondering about. What would it take for the next Spider-Man writer to be one of the greats? Is it just anything several great stories (I say "just" as if they were easy) or is there more to it than that?

[Pav]

Steal my notes.

(I kid. I kid.)

(That's a lie. My stories are the bee's g.d. knees.)

-Pav, who clings to the dream...

[ViewtifulJC]

Remember when Dan Slott was the new kid back in 2007

[Metamorphosis]

This is a question I started wondering about. What would it take for the next Spider-Man writer to be one of vthe greats? Is it just anything several great stories (I say "just" as if they were easy) or v is there more to it than that?

In my view, it's relatively simple: don't try to reinvent the wheel so much as give us good stories with the cast and villains we'd like to see, and respect the characters.

[Mister Mets]

In my view, it's relatively simple: don't try to reinvent the wheel so much as give us good stories with the cast and villains we'd like to see, and respect the characters.

Isn't this how someone becomes a good writer, although not necessarily a great writer?

[Frontier]

Isn't this how someone becomes a good writer, although not necessarily a great writer?

So your idea of a great writer is somebody who challenges the title they're on, makes big status quo changes, and does grandiose events?

[Mister Mets]

So your idea of a great writer is somebody who challenges the title they're on, makes big status quo changes, and does grandiose events?

A great writer might be one to pull that off.

I'm not entirely sure on the answer to the question of what makes a writer great. It's a major reason I'm asking the question.

Maybe it's the guy who writes several great stories. Stern's a great writer because the Juggernaut two parter, The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man, and the Hobgoblin saga. DeMatteis is a great writer due to KLH, the Harry Osborn saga and the best of MTU. Slott became a great Spider-Man writer when the Big Time and No One Dies joined the Human Torch mini. Though this still leads to the question of what makes individual stories great, as well as whether what's good for a story is good for a series.

[Metamorphosis]

Isn't this how someone becomes a good writer, although not necessarily a great writer?

I would count Paul Jenkins, Peter David and Tom DeFalco among the greats on Spider-Man. Look to their runs for your answer.

[oldschool]

Surprised that no one has mentioned JMS yet, arguably one of the great Spidey writers. What is inarguable about is that he,more than any other writer before or since, reset the Spiderman story in a very definite and challenging way.

[Metamorphosis]

Surprised that no one has mentioned JMS yet, arguably one of the great Spidey writers. What is inarguable about is that he,more than any other writer before or since, reset the Spiderman story in a very definite and challenging way.

And yet JMS' changes to the origin were never meant to be taken as definitive; my interpretation (I haven't read the issues in awhile) was that he left things up in the air.

To me, that wasn't even the best part of his run, it was his pitch perfect characterizations of Peter, Mary Jane and Aunt May.

[SpiderNerd]

I think a great Spider-Man writer is defined by their understanding of the character. If they really do their research, and they put the time into telling stories that are authentic and organic to who Peter Parker is, then I think they can succeed.

[Webhead]

Remember when Dan Slott was the new kid back in 2007

I know right? Looking at Slott's beginnings it's clear that the "new voice" aspect plays a huge part in short term perception, but not in the long run. Now that his interpretation has been the main one for so long, many of his writing quirks (dialogue, pacing) are now looked down upon instead of celebrated or overlooked for the sake of getting out of what was the muddy SQ (or lack thereof) after CW I/OMD.
A great writer needs great stories, of course, but especially be clever about developing characterization and frankly, an editorial staff that encourages them and doesn't hold them back.

[Zeitgeist]

Don't pander to the audience. Giving readers exactly what they want all the time robs the story of suspense and drama. Don't be afraid to take risks. Do try something a bit different but play to your strengths all the way. Make the title your own as best you can while acknowledging everything that came before it.

[cyberhubbs]

Work well with your artist and the rest of your team. Being great isn't a one-man job.

[cyberhubbs]

Oh, and "write good stories."

'Cause that's a switch you can just flip on and off.