Spidey's New Status Quo...

[The Toyroom]

Reboots happen all the time...the difference here is the reboot is ONLY happening for Spidey and is ONLY effecting a certain era of his history (albeit a lengthy one).

When DC rebooted Superman with John Byrne 20+ years ago, it came out of Crisis On Infinite Earths, which was a company wide reboot anyway. A lot of Silver Age silliness was tossed aside but for the most part they kept the basic concepts but modernized them. But Superman's reboot was part of a whole restart for the DC Universe, along with Wonder Woman and to a smaller extent Batman. Granted, a lot of what was removed by Byrne has since been re-instated, for example Supergirl and Krypto. Almost like DC had learned it was a bad idea to remove everything fans cared about (although it did take awhile for them to come to their senses). Reboots that didn't work include ones for Hawkman and the Legion....these just made a mess of the characters and their continuity (which have since been patch-fixed to solve those problems).

Eventually Marvel will have to do the same thing with Spidey...fix all the little problems that the Brand New Day reboots have caused throughout the Marvel Universe. If Daredevil doesn't remember Spidey's ID that's a problem somewhere down the road that just doesn't effect Spidey, it effects DD as well. But by the time they do fix everything I'm betting they'll have lost a LOT of readers.

For the most part, I remember the Byrne Superman as a postive thing, generating good press at the time. The same can't be said for OMD/BND.

[The Toyroom]

>I'm a bit confused. How did Spidey lose the organic webs?

I'm MORE confused... how did Spidey GET the organic webs....?

He got them in a storyline called "The Other" written by JMS...which apparently has been retconned out of existance. It was crap anyway, so I don't mind that one actually....

[davidb]

This sums it up perfectly...

[MIB41]

I understand alot of what CTC is saying but the problem with consequences is no one is paying them except the readers! Marvel has violated just about every rule in the book when it comes to "endings". How in the world could they bring back Norman Osbourn years ago after the circumstances that led to Gwen's death? How tasteless. And the clone storyline washed away nearly twenty years of story telling which was an absolute crime. They really got bashed for that and now they are essentially doing it all over again. I also can't find it feasible that only Spiderman's history is changed and no one else is impacted. He has played such an integral role in all of the Civil War stoires, how could his removal not impact how that played out? If Harry is alive then why can't Captian America? Whoops...let the cat out the bag early...

[danadoll]

I don't read Spider-man books, but this storyline taints both Peter/Spidey and Mary Jane (making a deal with Mephisto). It also makes Spider-Man look selfish and immature...Choosing his aunt over his wife?

How can any Spider-fan have any respect for this character now?

Does anyone know what Mephisto is getting out of this deal? He wouldn't offer this deal without gain in his favor.

[The Toyroom]

Does anyone know what Mephisto is getting out of this deal? He wouldn't offer this deal without gain in his favor.

Supposedly by taking their marriage, Mephisto is striking a blow against "he who he despises most" (paraphrasing there). Obviously Mephisto is back to being THE devil in Marvel Comics, as opposed to one of many lesser demons.

[ctc]

>It also makes Spider-Man look selfish and immature...Choosing his aunt over his wife?

I dunno about that; after all, May DID raise him. And he's known her a LOT longer.

>For the most part, I remember the Byrne Superman as a postive thing, generating good press at the time.

Yeah; but Crisis was actually a new idea back then. AND it was billed as a final, permanent, lasting redo of the ENTIRE setting. Nowadays you COULDN'T get away with that since your readers all know that any "final, ultimate reboot" is actually temporary.

>a lot of what was removed by Byrne has since been re-instated, for example Supergirl and Krypto. Almost like DC had learned it was a bad idea to remove everything fans cared about

Probably not. But a lot of the old ideas are actually almost INEVITABLE. Story-wise anyhoo. If Supes survived Krypton blowing up, there's a chance someone ELSE would too. And since you don't want to introduce "The OTHER Superman" you make 'em female. And eventually there's an evil one, and a super-scientifically recorded conciousness of another one that lets you delve into the whole history of Krypton.... Like I said; with a perpetual book you HAVE to keep adding stuff, and the nature of that stuff is usually pretty limited; depending on your intitial premise. So one you'vew done it all you kinda go back to the "essentials of the character" IE: the period most iconic for the story. And it all starts over again. (Anyone notice that the Spidey reboot takes things back to the mid to late 70's? Like; RIGHT back to the 1970's? He's even wearing the old outfit in the pic.)

And as a fan you've either got to accept it, or move on. Ultimately the problem ISN'T the writer, or the editor, or a changing demographic, or a new attitude.... it's the hazard of doing a book with no end. Not that I'm saying a perpetual book is inherently flawed, or bad, or sub-par; but there are circumstances built right into the format.

Don C.

[Bionic Joe]

Ok, i'm on the other side here, i think it's a good idea as SPIDERMAN was so messed up for a long time, and i guess this was the easyest way to fix it, it may not be the best but hopefully they can bring SPIDY back to greatness, I stoped reading around 497, but i will give it a try i just wish they would have brought Gwen back, i never liked Maryjane, but look on the plus side no more clone saga, Hobgoblin/Demogloblin garbage, the whole world knowing Peter Parker is Spidy and all the other stupid ideas they had like Gwen's daughter is gone, now maybe the X-MEN and IRONMAN will be next, in fact i feel the whole MARVEL U needs a clean up

[ctc]

>i think it's a good idea as SPIDERMAN was so messed up for a long time, and i guess this was the easyest way to fix it,

From what I've heard; yeah you're definitely right. I gotta say that the OLD DC "Earth 2, Earth 1, etc." solution was THE best, simplest and most elegant one. Problem with these reboots is that it just negates a lot of events; which cheeses off long term fans, and confuses new ones. "So... is this guy REALLY dead, and why is he dating a brunette...?"

"That was Earth 2." You got a way to do your reboot; AND you left it open to continue stories in other continuities. More importantly, it WORKED for decades. (Since the 60's I believe.... until Crisis in the 80's.)

>maybe the X-MEN and IRONMAN will be next

Yeah. The X-Men had been messed up for a LONG time... since I was a kid and they started that Ahab future....

Don C.