Worst Spider-Man Writer

[Masked Guy]

I previously did a thread about the best Spider-Man writers (http://community.comicbookresources....der-Man-Writer), so now let's discuss the worst. Off the top of my head, I would have to say Denny O'Neil is probably my least favorite Spider-Man writer. His entire run (Amazing vol. 1 #207-223) ranged from average to awful in my opinion.

[Mister Mets]

O'Neil's annuals with Miller were pretty good.

I'd go with Terry Kavanagh (who wrote Web of Spider-Man in the 1990s along with other assorted Spidey comics) as the worst regular writer. He had a pretty low batting average, and his best wasn't all that good.

[Masked Guy]

O'Neil's annuals with Miller were pretty good.

I'd go with Terry Kavanagh (who wrote Web of Spider-Man in the 1990s along with other assorted Spidey comics) as the worst regular writer. He had a pretty low batting average, and his best wasn't all that good.

I don't really remember O'Neil's annuals; I'll have to give them another look. And I actually forgot about Kavanagh. I don't think I've ever liked anything he has written.

EDIT: As of now, I have re-read one of the aforementioned annuals and I must admit that it was pretty solid. Not great, but enjoyable. It certainly doesn't make up for the entirety of O'Neil's dull stint, but it's something.

[WebLurker]

I've found that I generally don't enjoy Dan Slott's Spider-Man comics at all (not fond of his creative decisions and something about the way he writes that seems off to me, kinda stiff, with unfunny jokes).

However, I think the worst ones were the team who wrote the Amazing Spider-Man 2 screenplay: Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and Jeff Pinkner. While other parties, like the director did edit the movie and interpreted the script, the story was so disjoined (multiple plot threads that had little to no connection to each other) and the characters were given little to no depth or characterization, and I think most of those problems can be traced back to the script.

[Masked Guy]

I've found that I generally don't enjoy Dan Slott's Spider-Man comics at all (not fond of his creative decisions and something about the way he writes that seems off to me, kinda stiff, with unfunny jokes).

However, I think the worst ones were the team who wrote the Amazing Spider-Man 2 screenplay: Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and Jeff Pinkner. While other parties, like the director did edit the movie and interpreted the script, the story was so disjoined (multiple plot threads that had little to no connection to each other) and the characters were given little to no depth or characterization, and I think most of those problems can be traced back to the script.

Slott has always been very hit and miss for me, so I can understand where both his detractors and fans are coming from. And yes, I would agree that Amazing Spider-Man 2 had a very poor, clunky script.

[phantom1592]

I don't focus much on the writers as much as I do the characters. The truly classic issues may catch my attention, but the crummy ones end up forgotten and lost to history.

That said, I disliked the whole Morlun/Spider-totem stuff and 'the other' which I THINK were all JMS, but I'm not 100% sure. Those just seemed to disregard Spider-man legacy and go off in a whole horrible other direction...

[Masked Guy]

I don't focus much on the writers as much as I do the characters. The truly classic issues may catch my attention, but the crummy ones end up forgotten and lost to history.

That said, I disliked the whole Morlun/Spider-totem stuff and 'the other' which I THINK were all JMS, but I'm not 100% sure. Those just seemed to disregard Spider-man legacy and go off in a whole horrible other direction...

You're right, those were all JMS. However, with the exception of The Other, JMS's run is one of my personal favorites.

[WeirdSpider]

Dan Slott.

[Masked Guy]

Dan Slott.

Taking some of your past comments into consideration, your answer doesn't surprise me in the least.

[Magnetic Eye]

Dan Slott for the most wacky, nonsensical and non plausible storytelling ever.

[Masked Guy]

Dan Slott for the most wacky, nonsensical and non plausible storytelling ever.

You're the third person to answer Dan Slott so far. What would you say his worst story is? For me, it would be Power Play (Amazing vol. 4 #12-15).

[phantom1592]

You're the third person to answer Dan Slott so far. What would you say his worst story is? For me, it would be Power Play (Amazing vol. 4 #12-15).

Everyone has their own opinions of course... but I always find it... implausible/unbelievable/etc. that the most current writer/movie/album is ACTUALLY the absolute WORST of all time. Worse than Clone Saga... worse than The Other... Worse than Aunt May's death being an elaborate Goblin Hoax... Worse than Spidey punching out Firelord... So many bad stories over the 60 years of Spider-man stories... we just happen to be in the absolute worst writer of all time?!

I usually take that with a grain of salt and assume the wounds are too fresh for proper perspective. It's like when people talk about how Iron Man 2 or Thor 2 SUCKED.... but completely forget about things like Catwoman, Elektra and Steel. They may have been 'disapointing', but my 'suck scale' goes WAY too deep for IM2 or Thor 2 to scratch the surface.

[Miles To Go]

Everyone has their own opinions of course... but I always find it... implausible/unbelievable/etc. that the most current writer/movie/album is ACTUALLY the absolute WORST of all time.

I wouldn't say he is THE worst, because he's written stories in his run I've liked, and he certainly has the chops to earn an eisner with Silver Surfer, but I do tend to think his longevity has exposed him as an ill fit for Spidey. He's had to break the mold of many a character in order to tell different stories rather than rely on what works, and some characters just aren't well suited to the changes and have become damaged.

Worse than Clone Saga

That was never as bad as people say it was. Bad moments? Yes, a lousy middle? Yes, but a good beginning and end.

Worse than Aunt May's death being an elaborate Goblin Hoax...

Her death as it was originally presented was allowed to stand in Spider Girl

Worse than Spidey punching out Firelord...

That..wasn't bad either.

You're the third person to answer Dan Slott so far. What would you say his worst story is? For me, it would be Power Play (Amazing vol. 4 #12-15).

For me, it's Superior and every story in volume three not named Spider Verse

[oldschool]

I would second Terry Kavanaugh for the reasons Mets gave: very low success rate considering the amount of stories he wrote. After Terry, I would have to say Howard Mackie who, to be fair, did have some good stories ("Revenge of the Green Goblin", "Revelations") mixed in with a lot of drug. I still consider O'Neill's run weak but it's more uneventful/dull than "bad". Guys like Reginal Hudlin don't have a big enough body of work to consider but I didn't care for his take at all.

[Spidey5640]

JMS for the following reasons:

1. Spider Totem attempt at retroing the best origin story in all of comics
2. Sins Past - no further comment warranted
3. Pete as a teacher - dumb
4. abandonment of the best supporting cast in comics
5. other than Morlun, no memorable villains in 5+ years of writing
6. revealing Pete's identity
7. The Other - admittedly this wasn't all JMS but I believe he was the guiding force behind it. new powers - Spidey can stick to walls with his back, makes a cocoon and has Wolverine-lite claw..c'mon man
8. no significant supporting character created - at least Slott has Anna Marie if nothing else