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  1. #1
    Ultimate Member Mister Mets's Avatar
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    Default What are the most important Spider-Man stories of the 2000s?

    Recently, I started threads asking about the most important Spider-Man stories of various decades. And now we're on to the 2000s?

    What do you guys think are the most significant stories?

    I'll note that significant does not necessarily mean good. When I'm counting major Marvel comics, the significance has to be relevant to Spider-Man.

    My first draft...

    10 Amazing Spider-Man #600- Proves the post-Brand New Day approach isn't going anywhere. Predates the Gauntlet revival of classic villains. Sets up Superior Spider-Man, as well as Dan Slott's role as the top writer.

    9. Ultimate Spider-Man #13: A new version of Peter Parker shares his secret, changing the tenor of that series, and how Spider-Man comics/ films address the secret identity.

    8. Spider-Man/ Human Torch: Dan Slott makes a mark. Spider-Man's friendship with the Fantastic Four changes.

    7. Peter Parker Spider-Man #20: New approach to storytelling.

    6. Amazing Spider-Man Volume 2 #30-35: JMS shakes thing up.

    5. Amazing Spider-Man #546-548: The Brand New Day era kicks off, and Dan Slott becomes a regular Spider-Man writer. Mister Negative is introduced. The satellite titles crushed.

    4. Civil War/ Amazing Spider-Man #529-537: Spider-Man's ties to Tony are pretty damn important to the MCU.

    3. One More Day: It was important.

    2. New Avengers #1-6: Spider-Man becomes an Avenger.

    1. Ultimate Spider-Man #1-7: It introduces the Ultimate Universe and Brian Michael Bendis as a star writer. It might represent the shift to the expectation that every issue will be collected in TPB form.

    Before anyone asks, Miles Morales premiered in 2011.

    I did have trouble coming up with a tenth one. Some of the newsworthy stories (the 9/11 issue; Spider-Man meets Obama) didn't have much of an impact on the comics or the publishing.
    Sincerely,
    Thomas Mets

  2. #2
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    Importance is not always a measure of quality. So keeping that in mind.

    1) USM #1-6 - Bendis' starts out at Marvel, and Ultimate Marvel is born of the success of USM, the most influential Spider-Man story of the 21st Century. Far more than Lee-Ditko-Romita, USM has overwritten the idea of Peter Parker as a teenager and justified Marvel's thought-destroying cliche of it being about youth. It did this for better and for worse.

    2) OMD - The worst Spider-Man story of all time is also the most important Spider-Man story of the 21st Century as far as 616 goes. Far more important than any story that came after that in BND, Slott, or Spencer's run.

    3) The 9/11 Issue, aka ASM #36 V2. The most important event of the 2000s was marked a few months later in this comic which was spread and disseminated widely among many survivors, children, and people as an outlet of grief. Even if it's probably not canonical (and not intended to be) this is still a good example of a major comics publisher making a response to a major world-historical event, and it deserves to be ranked among earlier comics that responded to World War II and Vietnam. IT is also far more humane, responsible and compassionate than drivel like Holy Terror.

    4) The Pulse #1-5, saw Norman Osborn being imprisoned for the first time in his 40-Year Publication history. It happened in a team-up story with Spider-Man, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones, setting the stage for Bendis' New Avengers (which came out a few months later, and heavily featured all three characters and later issues of the Pulse was a tie-in to NAv) and for Osborn eventually becoming a Marvel-Wide villain in Dark Reign.

    5) CIVIL WAR - Another bad comic that is far more influential and important than good. The tie-in issues with JMS are better though, albeit more important for Captain America (who got his big "You move" speech in ASM).

    6) JMS' The Conversation, ASM #37 V2 - This single comic drastically changed Aunt May and inspired Bendis' own attempt to have Aunt May learn the secret in USM and Kevin Feige's take on May in Homecoming and FFH. Aunt May was never the same after this, and after JMS, no other comics writer has written a decent story with her.

    7) Marvel Knights Spider-Man - Mark Millar's 12 issue run was a major influence on Greg Weisman's The Spectacular Spider-Man inspiring the characterisation of Norman Osborn in that story, while also borrowing the serialized blend which merged all the Spidey rogues with each other and the subtext of CEO creating supervillains to keep Spider-Man occupied from going after corporate crime.

    8) Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane - Sean McKeever's teen centered shonen-style take on Spider-Man in high school was a big inspiration for Jon Watts and his MCU movies. It also highlighted the use of AU and its importance in the world of Spider-Man.

    9) JMS' Coming Home ASM #30-35 V2 - The fight with Morlun and the establishment of the Spider-Totem were magical realist intrusions to the Spider-Mythos (heck the first time we thought that Spider-man had a mythos) and set the stage for the Spider-Verse sub-franchise.

    10) To Have and to Hold Sensation Spider-Man Annual #1 - This was Matt Fraction's first major work at Marvel and as per him, it was this comic, his collaboration with Salvador Larocca that got him the gig to work on Iron Man, and later go on to further success with Hawkeye. It's also an enduring classic romance story, with multiple issues after it alluding to imagery from this story.

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mister Mets View Post
    3. One More Day: It was important.
    I thought of stating it this way with just this remark, but it should be remembered for the great deal of damage it caused and all the readers who dropped.
    I'd like to note that one positive thing to come out of it is Uncle Rog started enjoying Spider-Man comics again, and advocating the new status quo.
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  4. #4
    Astonishing Member CrimsonEchidna's Avatar
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    For better or worse, One More Day is the first story that comes to mind. Even removing personal feelings, it was the defining factor in how Peter Parker gets portrayed in popular media going forward.

    edit

    Upon further reflection I'd say Ultimate Spider-Man and One More Day really are a one-two punch. USM represented the Peter Parker that Marvel actually wanted and One More Day was their method of putting the genie back in the bottle.

    And you can definitely see that influence at work with media before OMD (the Raimi films, the 90s cartoons) and after (TASM, the MCU films, Spectacular cartoon onward).
    Last edited by CrimsonEchidna; 02-09-2020 at 03:39 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Speed Force League Unlimited View Post
    I'd like to note that one positive thing to come out of it is Uncle Rog started enjoying Spider-Man comics again, and advocating the new status quo.
    Although none of Stern's stuff post-BND, barring the sketch he did for MJ in The Many Loves of Spider-Man is as good as the work he did during the marriage (Hobgoblin Lives, Revenge of the Green Goblin) leave alone his work in the 80s.

    Quote Originally Posted by CrimsonEchidna View Post
    For better or worse, One More Day is the first story that comes to mind. Even removing personal feelings, it was the defining factor in how Peter Parker gets portrayed in popular media going forward.
    As far as 616 goes, OMD is the last important Spider-Man story. Nothing in BND, Slott, or Spencer's run has really outrun that fireball. The fact that a comic that was intended to be throwaway and mercenary ended up becoming this permanent stain on 616 Spider-Man is definitely a case of those spots that Lady Macbeth tries and fails to wipe away.

  6. #6
    The Superior One Celgress's Avatar
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    For good or ill (more for ill than good, IMO) OMD has to be number one because of its impact on 616 Peter/Spidey & his traditional supporting cast.

    Other than the placement of OMD I agree wholeheartedly with Mets' list, good job Mets.
    Last edited by Celgress; 02-09-2020 at 04:04 PM.
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  7. #7
    Ultimate Member Mister Mets's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Celgress View Post
    For good or ill (more for ill than good, IMO) OMD has to be number one because of its impact on 616 Peter/Spidey & his traditional supporting cast.

    Other than the placement of OMD I agree wholeheartedly with Mets' list, good job Mets.
    My feeling is that Ultimate Spider-Man had more of an impact on the regular comics, and the take on Spider-Man outside the comics.

    Likewise, it probably matters more that Spider-Man is a regular member of the Avengers, when it comes to how people see the character, especially after the latest MCU films.

    Quote Originally Posted by Revolutionary_Jack View Post
    Importance is not always a measure of quality. So keeping that in mind.

    1) USM #1-6 - Bendis' starts out at Marvel, and Ultimate Marvel is born of the success of USM, the most influential Spider-Man story of the 21st Century. Far more than Lee-Ditko-Romita, USM has overwritten the idea of Peter Parker as a teenager and justified Marvel's thought-destroying cliche of it being about youth. It did this for better and for worse.

    2) OMD - The worst Spider-Man story of all time is also the most important Spider-Man story of the 21st Century as far as 616 goes. Far more important than any story that came after that in BND, Slott, or Spencer's run.

    3) The 9/11 Issue, aka ASM #36 V2. The most important event of the 2000s was marked a few months later in this comic which was spread and disseminated widely among many survivors, children, and people as an outlet of grief. Even if it's probably not canonical (and not intended to be) this is still a good example of a major comics publisher making a response to a major world-historical event, and it deserves to be ranked among earlier comics that responded to World War II and Vietnam. IT is also far more humane, responsible and compassionate than drivel like Holy Terror.

    4) The Pulse #1-5, saw Norman Osborn being imprisoned for the first time in his 40-Year Publication history. It happened in a team-up story with Spider-Man, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones, setting the stage for Bendis' New Avengers (which came out a few months later, and heavily featured all three characters and later issues of the Pulse was a tie-in to NAv) and for Osborn eventually becoming a Marvel-Wide villain in Dark Reign.

    5) CIVIL WAR - Another bad comic that is far more influential and important than good. The tie-in issues with JMS are better though, albeit more important for Captain America (who got his big "You move" speech in ASM).

    6) JMS' The Conversation, ASM #37 V2 - This single comic drastically changed Aunt May and inspired Bendis' own attempt to have Aunt May learn the secret in USM and Kevin Feige's take on May in Homecoming and FFH. Aunt May was never the same after this, and after JMS, no other comics writer has written a decent story with her.

    7) Marvel Knights Spider-Man - Mark Millar's 12 issue run was a major influence on Greg Weisman's The Spectacular Spider-Man inspiring the characterisation of Norman Osborn in that story, while also borrowing the serialized blend which merged all the Spidey rogues with each other and the subtext of CEO creating supervillains to keep Spider-Man occupied from going after corporate crime.

    8) Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane - Sean McKeever's teen centered shonen-style take on Spider-Man in high school was a big inspiration for Jon Watts and his MCU movies. It also highlighted the use of AU and its importance in the world of Spider-Man.

    9) JMS' Coming Home ASM #30-35 V2 - The fight with Morlun and the establishment of the Spider-Totem were magical realist intrusions to the Spider-Mythos (heck the first time we thought that Spider-man had a mythos) and set the stage for the Spider-Verse sub-franchise.

    10) To Have and to Hold Sensation Spider-Man Annual #1 - This was Matt Fraction's first major work at Marvel and as per him, it was this comic, his collaboration with Salvador Larocca that got him the gig to work on Iron Man, and later go on to further success with Hawkeye. It's also an enduring classic romance story, with multiple issues after it alluding to imagery from this story.
    My question about the 9/11 issue is that it didn't really change anything. I can't think of a later comic book or a scene in a movie that is different because this issue came out.

    As for the Pulse, the publication schedule was all over the place. By the time Norman Osborn had been outed as the Green Goblin in the first arc, Marvel Knights Spider-Man #1 had already come out, where Osborn was outed & defeated. I get the argument that this sets up a new status quo for Norman Osborn, although it's pretty much a reversion to where he was immediately after the Clone Saga.

    Fair point on the Conversation issue of Amazing Spider-Man and its impact on Bendis/ the movies. It did come out a few months after Ultimate Spider-Man #13, which showed that Marvel could devote a comic book to a pivotal conversation.

    I really liked Marvel Knights Spider-Man, but the revelations about the Marvel Universe haven't really been followed elsewhere.
    Sincerely,
    Thomas Mets

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mister Mets View Post
    Likewise, it probably matters more that Spider-Man is a regular member of the Avengers, when it comes to how people see the character, especially after the latest MCU films.
    It matters more for the Avengers and especially Tony Stark, since those stories raised the profile of those properties far more than it expanded Spider-Man's. Spider-Man becoming an Avenger or getting close to Stark was less for his benefit than theirs.

    My question about the 9/11 issue is that it didn't really change anything. I can't think of a later comic book or a scene in a movie that is different because this issue came out.
    Importance isn't merely about influence, or about references and adaptations. The fact is that the 9/11 issue is often talked about and mentioned when discussing reactions to 9/11. It's one of the most notable cultural references and markers about that event. It took less time to put that issue out than to make say a documentary or feature film (not that there's been a good feature movie about 9/11). That all-black cover by JRJR is an instant classic. And that comic did bring a lot of civilian eyes. And it was read widely by a lot of people to process their emotions, as JRJR discusses here.

    https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/behind...-spider-man-36

    And it's not true that the 9/11 comic hasn't been referenced. It was referred to in Zdarsky's Spider-Man Life Story #5.

    I get the argument that this sets up a new status quo for Norman Osborn, although it's pretty much a reversion to where he was immediately after the Clone Saga.
    When did Osborn go to jail before? And in any case, obviously The Pulse was in the works and in publication well before New Avengers.

    Fair point on the Conversation issue of Amazing Spider-Man and its impact on Bendis/ the movies. It did come out a few months after Ultimate Spider-Man #13, which showed that Marvel could devote a comic book to a pivotal conversation.
    Well USM#13 was Ult. Peter telling Ult. MJ his secret, which is moot because MJ knowing Spider-Man's secret is a constant enduring part of her character. Aunt May learning is the game-changer (though she technically knew in ASM#400).

    I really liked Marvel Knights Spider-Man, but the revelations about the Marvel Universe haven't really been followed elsewhere.
    No but it inspired Greg Weisman's highly respected cartoon series.

  9. #9
    Ultimate Member Mister Mets's Avatar
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    Brian Cronin wrote about the influence of Tangled Web #4.

    https://www.cbr.com/spider-man-tangl...-package-mold/

    This got me thinking about how the 2000s started showing very different Spider-Man comics than we were used to, and when that really started.

    And one important issue would be Peter Parker Spider-Man #20, the first issue of the Jenkins/ Buckingham run, which I think would merit inclusion in a top ten. It's not because their run is so important, but because of what it meant in terms of the types of stories that became routine in the Spider-Man comics, paving the way for Tangled Web and for creative teams that didn't fit the standard profile.
    Sincerely,
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  10. #10
    World's Greatest Hero blackspidey2099's Avatar
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    If you're talking about when Flash got the symbiote, that was ASM 654.1 and I'm pretty sure that was in the 2010s. The only Flash-centric story I remember from the late 2000s was ASM 578 (?) where it goes through how he loses his legs during the war.
    "Anyone can win a fight when the odds are easy! It's when the going's tough - when there seems to be no chance - that's when it counts!" - Spider-Man

  11. #11
    Ultimate Member Mister Mets's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by blackspidey2099 View Post
    If you're talking about when Flash got the symbiote, that was ASM 654.1 and I'm pretty sure that was in the 2010s. The only Flash-centric story I remember from the late 2000s was ASM 578 (?) where it goes through how he loses his legs during the war.
    To be fair, you are the first to catch it in three days.

    I've swapped out Blue and the ineligible 654.1 for 600 and Peter Parker Spider-Man #20.
    Sincerely,
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  12. #12
    World's Greatest Hero blackspidey2099's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mister Mets View Post
    To be fair, you are the first to catch it in three days.

    I've swapped out Blue and the ineligible 654.1 for 600 and Peter Parker Spider-Man #20.
    Yeah I'm probably one of the few huge Flash Thompson fans lol so that's probably why. Out of curiosity, why did you swap out Spider-Man Blue? I would definitely say it's one of the most influential stories of the 2000s.
    "Anyone can win a fight when the odds are easy! It's when the going's tough - when there seems to be no chance - that's when it counts!" - Spider-Man

  13. #13
    Ultimate Member Mister Mets's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by blackspidey2099 View Post
    Yeah I'm probably one of the few huge Flash Thompson fans lol so that's probably why. Out of curiosity, why did you swap out Spider-Man Blue? I would definitely say it's one of the most influential stories of the 2000s.
    At the moment, I think I could make a better case for 600 and Peter Parker Spider-Man 20.

    I like Spider-Man Blue, but I can't name many comics that have been influenced by it.

    I'll admit influence can be temporary. If someone does new projects building on it, Blue might jump up in importance.

    Quote Originally Posted by Revolutionary_Jack View Post
    It matters more for the Avengers and especially Tony Stark, since those stories raised the profile of those properties far more than it expanded Spider-Man's. Spider-Man becoming an Avenger or getting close to Stark was less for his benefit than theirs.



    Importance isn't merely about influence, or about references and adaptations. The fact is that the 9/11 issue is often talked about and mentioned when discussing reactions to 9/11. It's one of the most notable cultural references and markers about that event. It took less time to put that issue out than to make say a documentary or feature film (not that there's been a good feature movie about 9/11). That all-black cover by JRJR is an instant classic. And that comic did bring a lot of civilian eyes. And it was read widely by a lot of people to process their emotions, as JRJR discusses here.

    https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/behind...-spider-man-36

    And it's not true that the 9/11 comic hasn't been referenced. It was referred to in Zdarsky's Spider-Man Life Story #5.



    When did Osborn go to jail before? And in any case, obviously The Pulse was in the works and in publication well before New Avengers.



    Well USM#13 was Ult. Peter telling Ult. MJ his secret, which is moot because MJ knowing Spider-Man's secret is a constant enduring part of her character. Aunt May learning is the game-changer (though she technically knew in ASM#400).



    No but it inspired Greg Weisman's highly respected cartoon series.
    The highly respected cartoon series was several cartoons ago.

    References in Life Story are meaningful if that gains a much higher reputation (IE- the equivalent of the Killing Joke or Dark Knight Returns.) Right now, it's a well-regarded series but not one that has an impact by itself.
    Sincerely,
    Thomas Mets

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by CrimsonEchidna View Post
    For better or worse, One More Day is the first story that comes to mind. Even removing personal feelings, it was the defining factor in how Peter Parker gets portrayed in popular media going forward.

    edit

    Upon further reflection I'd say Ultimate Spider-Man and One More Day really are a one-two punch. USM represented the Peter Parker that Marvel actually wanted and One More Day was their method of putting the genie back in the bottle.

    And you can definitely see that influence at work with media before OMD (the Raimi films, the 90s cartoons) and after (TASM, the MCU films, Spectacular cartoon onward).
    Not to bump a year old topic arbitrarily, but what you wrote was so true I had to comment on it. I absolutely agree that there is a dichotomy in how Spidey was portrayed in old media like the Raimi trilogy and TAS, and what came after 2007. As a matter of fact this is why I intensely dislike Spectacular and roll my eyes when even the old geezers repeat the line that it's the Bestest Of All Time. Well, glad you enjoy it, but it's not 'Spider-Man' as I know him to be. It's the post-One More day version that has been pushed in the last 15 years and never gone away, while the old Spider-Man is gone a la Pre-Crisis and never the twain shall meet. So the new incarnations can never be the best to me for that reason.

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