Monday, January 07, 2008

Passing On The Whole "Brand New, Single Spidey" Scene

I'd actually been looking forward to the launch of the new "Brand New Day" era of Amazing Spider-Man that begins this week, ever since I heard about the initial creative teams who'd be providing the thrice-monthly material once "One More Day" wrapped up. I was sad that JMS was leaving as the writer of the title but also excited at some of the new creators who were coming on board. This change was announced back in the summer at which time I mentally noted that I'd be keeping Amazing Spider-Man on my "pull list" at the local comic store (meaning I wouldn't drop it after JMS left, as I would've otherwise).

Then I read the last couple issues of "One More Day."

Now I just have no interest in following the adventures of this bizarre new mutation of Spider-Man, whose history is unknown and undefined. I don't know that guy! When you add to that unfamiliarity the fact that Joe Quesada has made it perfectly clear that Peter Parker won't be allowed to grow or change, because Marvel's job - according to Joe - is to keep the young man frozen in time so that he's always the same lovable loser that he used to be, why would I possibly care? I could ignore him for a decade, and come back in my 50s to find him right where I left him, in terms of characterization and personal growth. I don't see the point. (I should also point out that I love that Clark Kent and Lois Lane are married, and much prefer the sorts of stories that they appear in now over the old, tiresome ones in which Lois would try to prove Clark was Superman, and Kal-El wouldn't marry Lois because "some arch foe might strike at me through her!")

So Marvel has now saved me about $10/month, which I'll use to sample some other (probably, non-Marvel) titles instead. Those various and sundry new comics will - by default - hold the promise of greater suspense and character development than Amazing Spider-Man can now boast, no matter what I end up reading! What an easy decision!

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