Amazing Spider-Man

[manwithnoname]

I just thought since JMS has been writing Amazing Spider-Man for several years, it was time for this all-new, all-amazing...thread, discussing just the Amazing Spider-Man comic.

JMS wrote:
"Mind you, they always give me the choice of whether or not to play in
these venues. If I want to opt out, and I make the case strongly
enough, I can...but the writer in me wants to do right by Marvel and
there's something to be said for the challenge involved. But having
said all that, it'd be great to have a run at the books without being
pulled into other stories, because it can have the long-term effect of
diffusing the direction of the title."

jms

JMS is addressing the Marvel's events/crossovers that Spider-Man is always pulled into.

JMS' early Amazing S-P issues are by far better when compared to the crossover issues. I feel JMS had a overall idea for the Morlun/Ezekiel stuff, and he wrote the drama betw MJ/Aunt May/Peter so well, a lot of drama written well. Aunt May finding out Peter is Spider-Man was done great. The further exploration into her feelings involving said revelation is full of emotional stuff, giving an incredible read.

I've felt the crossovers have pulled (diluted) the direction of the title. And I think JMS feels the same way, as his e-mail states.

[Jan]

JMS' early Amazing S-P issues are by far better when compared to the crossover issues. I feel JMS had a overall idea for the Morlun/Ezekiel stuff, and he wrote the drama betw MJ/Aunt May/Peter so well, a lot of drama written well. Aunt May finding out Peter is Spider-Man was done great. The further exploration into her feelings involving said revelation is full of emotional stuff, giving an incredible read.

I much prefer JMS's stuff when he's left to himself. One of my favorites was about the day that Aunt May went and ran errands and visited Ben's grave. Just a quiet little book that gave major depth to her character. Those off-format, change of perspective stories are something he excels with.

I've felt the crossovers have pulled (diluted) the direction of the title. And I think JMS feels the same way, as his e-mail states.

I'm interested to see where he'll go with the Civil War thing because I think it's the kind of dilemma that JMS enjoys exploring. Certainly this last issue I picked up yesterday was good, with Peter struggling with his decision. The Other didn't do anything for me at all even though I read all of the issues by all of the authors.

Seems like he's been catching all kinds of flak over some things he's said about having to go where Joe Quesada points (the marriage 'debate') so I thought I'd ask the question about all of that in a less confrontational way and maybe find out how he feels about it all. I *hope* they don't dissolve the marriage but if that's what JQ decides, I don't see that JMS would have much choice.

Jan

[manwithnoname]

I much prefer JMS's stuff when he's left to himself. One of my favorites was about the day that Aunt May went and ran errands and visited Ben's grave. Just a quiet little book that gave major depth to her character. Those off-format, change of perspective stories are something he excels with.

Yes! I agree with you whole-heartedly. I loved that story. Instead of having Peter's perspective of Aunt May (which is how most writers have approached Auntie May), JMS did one for the record books.

I'm interested to see where he'll go with the Civil War thing because I think it's the kind of dilemma that JMS enjoys exploring. Certainly this last issue I picked up yesterday was good, with Peter struggling with his decision.

The best parts of the latest issue (#532) is the family meeting portion: MJ, Aunt May, and Peter's discussion. May's POV was great; it tugged at my heart strings. <sniff>

The Other didn't do anything for me at all even though I read all of the issues by all of the authors.

I enjoyed the JMS-penned issues more. I feel having the other writers write parts of the 12-parter wasn't a good editorial decision. It was JMS' baby.

I *hope* they don't dissolve the marriage but if that's what JQ decides, I don't see that JMS would have much choice.

Jan

I totally agree with you there, Jan. I vote for them to stay married.

[James Van Hise]

A reluctant farewell

I've read the JMS Spider-Man stories since he started them, several years ago and have enjoyed them all (except for the fill-in issues scripted by Sara Barnes, who really can't write very well). I even stuck with it when Spider-Man joined the Avengers and moved to the Avengers mansion, but since then the stories have been less and less interesting until now it seems to be about someone who is Spider-Man in name only. With the intro of the new costume (which I realize will probably be short-lived) the transition into a book which isn't really the JMS Spider-Man any more at all is now complete and I'm reluctantly abandoning it. I'll still read his FF and other Marvel books, but Spider-Man has strayed way too far from what made him Spider-Man. The second Spider-Man movie captured well what JMS had been doing with the comic, but the comic has now strayed so far from that as to be unrecognizeable.

[Jan]

With the intro of the new costume (which I realize will probably be short-lived) the transition into a book which isn't really the JMS Spider-Man any more at all is now complete and I'm reluctantly abandoning it. I'll still read his FF and other Marvel books, but Spider-Man has strayed way too far from what made him Spider-Man. The second Spider-Man movie captured well what JMS had been doing with the comic, but the comic has now strayed so far from that as to be unrecognizeable.

Hello, are you the James Van Hise who edited Midnight Graffiti, wrote most of the Real Ghostbusters comics and wrote various Trek tribute books? Welcome aboard (even if you're a different one)!

Yes, the new costume is reputed to be quite short-lived. In fact, at the end of the current issue, the old one is seen again. I'm curious as to why you feel that Spider-Man has "strayed way too far from what made him Spider-Man." Yeah, life seems to have gotten easy for a while, with him living in the
Avengers Tower but the way I see it, that means that the inevitable anvil JMS will drop will be all that much more effective.

The thing, imo, that makes Spider-Man Spider-Man is that he regularly faces situations that the readers can relate to. It seems to me that Spidey/Peter would be quite attracted to actually belonging and being accepted, not to mention appreciating the feeling that Aunt May and MJ are safer there.

It's been hinted pretty heavily that there's going to be a break between Tony Stark and Peter so I think that the 'old' Spider-Man will probably be back soon.

Jan

[Joe Nazzaro]

The new costume never bothered me, because I knew it was going to be short-lived (just the realities of several million dollars of merchandising pretty much made that a foregone conclusion), but I am bothered by the fact that JMS isnÆt able to concentrate on a long-term storyline because of the never-ending cross-overs that seem to plague the book these days. And IÆm even more annoyed by the prospect of stepping away from the marriage to MJ just because somebody else in the office has a different interpretation. WhatÆs the point of bringing a writer of StraczynskiÆs caliber, presumably promising him carte blanche on the book, only to step in at some point and dictate changes in character for what appears to be no more than a difference in creative vision? Personally, I believe that Spider-Man is at his best when he has more to lose; trying to make him the happy-go-lucky unattached Spidey of the early days is just pandering to the younger fans. If they donÆt like it, they can read Ultimate Spider-Man or any of those crappily done books that seem to exist for no other reason than to rewrite four decadeÆs worth of history for a new audience.

Regarding the Civil War storyline, IÆm perfectly happy to see which side of the debate Spider-Man falls on, but it doesnÆt mean I have o agree with it, if it feels like heÆs violating everything he stands for. I honestly donÆt believe he can give up the secret identity heÆs protected so zealously all these years just because Tony Stark cajoles him into doing so. To me, that doesnÆt make sense, but as I say, IÆll wait to see what JMS does with it.

At any rate, I sort of think that Spider-Man should just choose secret option #3, which is to hang up the mask and costume for a few months, along with some of the other heroes. When the planet starts to get overrun by several hundred super villains who donÆt give a crap about registering, and there arenÆt nearly enough heroes on the government books to handle them all, I should think the government would be happy to start talking amnesty. Does anybody really want to know everybodyÆs secret identities when the Juggernaut is knocking over the Washington Monument with his noggin and most of the X-Men have faded into the civilian population? But thatÆs just my opinion.

[AaronB]

At any rate, I sort of think that Spider-Man should just choose secret option #3, which is to hang up the mask and costume for a few months, along with some of the other heroes. When the planet starts to get overrun by several hundred super villains who donÆt give a crap about registering,

This is why lots of people argue against even stricter gun laws since the bad guys really don't care about them any way. But we should leave that for the politics topic.