Are there too many Spider-People?

[boots]

One could certainly argue the market is becoming oversaturated with spider-powered characters, to use a business term.

the thing is- it must make a certain amount of sense to marvel. the high number of spider people and titles would be every bit as obvious to them as it is to us. unless they are just slinging stuff against a wall to see what sticks, there must be a logic to it all and the "oversaturation" just isn't a concern.

it would be interesting to hear the marketing and editorial thought behind it. it's definitely opened up doors outside of comics with expansion in things like the cartoon.

[Frontier]

I think a lot of people's qualms with the multiple spidey issue could be easily resolved with some having stayed in a city/country other than New York (Peter's turf), and/or took up a new calling like Flash becoming Agent Venom and what not or just re-invented as a new character.

The thing is though, that characters who set-up outside New York are rare and generally don't last very long (Kaine was kind of an exception in this).

And even characters who go outside of New York will probably end up back there because NY is where all the action is.

[LifeIsILL]

The only one I can't stand is Spider-Gwen. Just can't get into the character and her stories.

[SplinteringHeart]

Got to thinking of the irony that the "Grim Hunt" story of a few years ago was allegedly an effort to streamline the spider-family at the time as the thought was there were too many spider-people running around and it took away from Peter's uniqueness.

Well, I think it's safe to say that there are (many) more spider-people running around today than ever before. Just off the top of my head, it's:

Peter
Miles
Miguel (Spidey 2099)
Spider-Gwen
Silk
Spider-Woman (Jessica)
Kaine
Scarlet Spider (Ben)
....and of course all the AU versions of Peter and the others above.

So.....the question is how many should there be? How closely should they co-exist and even work together? Personally, I think this is way too many and Peter's status as a loner has been wiped away as a result.

Having read the threads on the new Ben:Scarlet Spider comic and the preview of ASM#23 with all the conundrums mentioned about Gwen...I just really agree with old-school here, word for word, with the only exception that I'm fine with Jess Spider-Woman....toooo many Spider-people! It's getting worse, not better...we might have to bring back the Inheritors to do the job properly (with a pass for Peter!)...!

Jon

[Kaine]

I don't mind all the Spider-People, quite the opposite, I enjoy having so many of them. However, I can completely understand why some of you aren't big fans of it. That being said, I think some of the books could improve a lot. I genuinely think it's a nice concept, having this many spider-people, each one with their roles, but the execution hasn't been very great. I also think the characters should interact more with each other. But of course, this all just my opinion.

[Tendrin]

My answer:

Yes. There are too many Spider-Powered people. AS individual characters, they have their merits, but each duplicate character dilutes the strength of the original. It's why I'm not big on 'legacy' heroes in general, especially when you have them all running around at the same time. This is a broader problem in the Marvel universe in general, and comic as well.

[Smoov-E]

No because we live in a world where there is both a Bat-Family and Super-Family and Peter is not the faux-loser folks want him to regress back too

[Agent Z]

No because we live in a world where there is both a Bat-Family and Super-Family and Peter is not the faux-loser folks want him to regress back too

There have been complaints about the Super and Bat families too. Not from me, but I thought I'd point that out.

[Frontier]

No because we live in a world where there is both a Bat-Family and Super-Family and Peter is not the faux-loser folks want him to regress back too

Personally, as I said in my response to MindofShadow, I think the Bat-family and Super-family work better in concept and practices for those franchises then a Spider-family does or has.

Peter's probably going to be a faux-loser so long as Slott writes him or Marvel wants that to be his "thing." Even now that he's "successful," Slott still writes him as an immature idiot half the time who needs help from other heroes to deal with practically everything.

Renew Your Vows is probably the best depiction of a Spider-Family in the comics right now and it's an AU.

There have been complaints about the Super and Bat families too. Not from me, but I thought I'd point that out.

I'd say the only issue the Batfamily has right now isn't that it exists, but in finding a role for all the people that are now a part of it (and getting fans to agree on those roles).

[Smoov-E]

There have been complaints about the Super and Bat families too. Not from me, but I thought I'd point that out.

None of which are as numerous are self righteous as the Spider-Family complaints are

If it doesn't center around bringing the marriage back or rolling the clock back to the 90's people complain, complain, complain

[George Ndebele]

Miles should go back to ultimate u

silk should go to Asia or something

Peter=NY

Anya=NY

Gwen is fine

miguel is fine

clones in other cities

[DV1Band]

They all have a part to play. I'm ok with them all being around.

[John Ossie]

Miles should go back to ultimate u

You'd have to bring the Universe back first for that to happen

[Probalus]

Miles should go back to ultimate u

silk should go to Asia or something

Peter=NY

Anya=NY

Gwen is fine

miguel is fine

clones in other cities

Wait, did you just say that the Asian-American person should just go back to Asia?

[John Ossie]

Wait, did you just say that the Asian-American person should just go back to Asia?

I noticed that myself.