AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #545
© Marvel Comics
2007: The Year in Review, Part Two
By: Kurt AmackerDate: Friday, January 04, 2008
Greetings, Maniacs, and welcome to the second part of the Comicscape’s 2007: The Year-in Review. Last week, I touched on five of the biggest stories in comics from the past year. This week, we’ve got a few more. Thankfully, the moribund Spider-Man saga, One More Day, concluded last week. And, rather than dignify it with a full column, I’ve included it in this week’s Comicscape. Now, grip the steering wheel, lean forward, and think about the future, Maniacs. Here we go.
One More Day
Joe Quesada has made his dislike of Peter Parker’s marriage to model, actress, and all around beautiful Mary Jane Watson-Parker. He’s explained that he thinks it makes Spider-Man difficult to relate to for many readers, and that it nullifies the hard luck that has always defined him. It’s hard to buy Peter’s longstanding down-in-the-dumps shtick when he’s married to a dream girl. Quesada has also expressed disdain for the obvious methods of undoing the Parkers’ marriage – divorce or death – feeling that both would somehow taint Spider-Man. Effectively, he wanted to bring the character back to his roots, or at least back to the most brand-identified version found in licensed media popular with Marvel’s target demographics.
A few months ago, Marvel announced that it would consolidate all of the existing Spider-Man series into one, thrice-monthly series – simply called Amazing Spider-Man – beginning with a new arc called Brand New Day. To conclude the slate of Spider-Man titles at the time, it initiated a four-issue crossover called One More Day that began with Aunt May dying in a hospital after taking a sniper’s bullet – deployed by Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin – meant for Peter. Rampant speculation swamped message boards about the future of the Parker’s world, including both the life of his aunt and his marriage. By the third issue of the crossover, all became clear. Mephisto would revive Aunt May and reset Parker’s life in many respects in exchange for a sliver of his soul – the one that would experience the pain of losing everything. The fourth issue clenched it, and Spider-Man literally cut a deal with the devil to save his Aunt, wipe out his marriage, restore his identity, and reset his life to something similar to the one from the late 1970s or early ‘80s.
Thus, under protest from readers and even writer J. Michael Straczynski – who initially asked to have his name removed from the crossover – Joe Quesada and Marvel have destroyed one of the great love stories of American comics. The younger, unmarried Spider-Man lives on in Marvel Age Spider-Man, Ultimate Spider-Man, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane (cancelled as of July 2007), and countless licensed incarnations. Outside of Manga fandom, most comic readers are men in their 20s and older, many of them married. To say that Spider-Man’s marriage makes him unpalatable ignores the legion of married readers – readers who likely appreciate that one of their favorite childhood characters has grown up with them. Not only does the new direction for the series undermine years of storytelling, it creates continuity problems that writers will spend years fixing. One wonders if no one in the Marvel Universe remembers Peter’s unmasking, his marriage to Mary Jane, or any of the logical outcomes to those stories. According to Quesada, they were just dating and never married. That still won’t fix everything. Effectively, every character in the Marvel Universe has experienced a mind-wipe akin to the one Zatanna performed on a few characters in DC’s Identity Crisis. But just wait, because readers will have years of fun nitpicking the details of stories that could only have arisen as a consequence of the retconned events. If I still read any Spider-Man titles, I would probably drop them on principle. As I understand it, the new creative team for the first three issues of the series – Dan Slott, Steve McNiven, Dexter Vines, and Morry Hollowell – shows a lot of promise. It’s a shame that they have to start their run after a controversial, unnecessary retcon and in a universe that has effectively been reset to the Spider-Man from the movies, cartoons, video games, and the like.
Let’s All Go to the Movies
Several movies based on comics hit theaters in 2007, both superhero and otherwise. The superhero slate fared poorly, I’m sorry to say, as Ghost Rider and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer stunk up theaters in February and July, respectively. Ghost Rider almost crossed into so-bad-it’s-good territory, but peppered its schlock with a few redeeming moments that made the bad parts worse by comparison. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer marginally improved on the lamentable first installment from 2005, but only through the inclusion of Doug Jones – with Laurence Fishburne lending his voice – as the Silver Surfer. The character brought a much-needed human element to an otherwise weightless story best compared to a made-for-TV movie on the Disney Channel. Spider-Man 3 stood above the aforementioned films, but it suffered for its inclusion of Gwen Stacy, Eddie Brock, Venom, and the entire black costume ordeal. Those subplots felt entirely forced and ultimately diluted the much more interesting Sandman story. Still, Sam Raimi’s directorial talents shine through even the unnecessary baggage cluttering an otherwise well-made film. And finally, TMNT – the fourth film in the Ninja Turtles series – hit theaters in March. Despite its lukewarm reception by mainstream critics, most comic websites enjoyed the film well enough, as did I. I expected to hate the film, but found it to be far more mature than I anticipated. The story felt a little convoluted, but it managed to strike a delicate balance between its obvious status as a family film and that of one that comic readers could still enjoy.
Non-superhero films fared a little better with 300, 30 Days of Night, and Persepolis. Zach Snyder’s adaptation of Frank Miller’s 300 opened to mixed-but-mostly-positive reviews, and then proceeded to destroy the box office competition in its opening weekend. The story of the 300 Spartans standing against thousands of Persians at the Battle of Thermopylae also generated controversy. Some critics insisted on seeing an allegory about the current War on Terror or the Iraq War, while arguing over which army symbolizes which country or countries. I think it’s a shallow argument, but some people are looking for reasons to be angry. For my part, I liked the film all right, but I found it more flash than substance. Still, I want to yell “This is Sparta!” whenever I work out.
30 Days of Night opened to mixed critical reviews, but, like 300, did well at the box office. Based on Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith’s IDW miniseries of the same name, it tells the story of a group of vampires that decimate the town of Barrow, Alaska during the extended darkness that overtakes it every winter. Sheriff Eben Oleson (Josh Hartnett) has to protect a small group of survivors, including his estranged wife, Stella. I enjoyed the film, but I thought it worked better as an exercise in mood and tension than anything else. The film didn’t play up the misery and claustrophobia that would no doubt plague a group of people living in a freezing attic together, but that’s a minor complaint. I enjoyed the film, and I plan to grab the DVD when it comes out.
Persepolis – a French film based on a comic by an Iranian woman – tells the autobiographical story of Marjane Satrapi, who grew up during the Islamic Revolution that turned the country into a theocracy in 1979. The film hit theaters in a limited release in December, so it may not be playing near you yet. It’s animated (by, you know, hand) in a style similar to the graphic novel that inspired it, which some people are already comparing to Maus. I haven’t had a chance to read the book or see the film yet, but I’ll be doing both as soon as I can. You should, too. It’s France’s entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards, and it’s pretty much been recommended across the board by critics.
The Hulk Came Back/He Just Wouldn’t Stay Away
After the Illuminati shot Bruce Banner into space, he landed on an alien planet where he eventually ascended to the throne. He even married and had a kid. Unfortunately, the ship he crashed in exploded and killed his wife, son – supposedly – and a lot of his subjects. The Hulk then gathered some friends and headed back to Earth to kick some ass. He kicked said ass, but ultimately learned that one of his allies blew up the ship and that he’d really been kicking the wrong asses. And then, Marvel decided to change his title to The Incredible Hercules and launch another title written by Jeph Loeb, just called The Hulk. Ben Johnson reviewed the entire crossover for Comicscape when it wrapped, and he wasn’t terribly impressed. I haven’t even read it, so I can’t chime in. But, I’m utterly confused as to why Marvel would bother changing a series that already had 111 issues behind it to one with a completely different character. I would think that giving Hercules his own series and letting Loeb just take over Incredible Hulk would make more sense, but I don’t know anything. I’m just an editorialist.
Dossier is the New Black
After over a year of delays, Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier finally hit comic shops in November. The book sought to explain the origins of the League through a framing story involving Mina Murray and Alan Quatermain – now immortal – trying to recover a document called the Black Dossier from British Intelligence, following the downfall of the Big Brother government from George Orwell’s 1984. Moore and O’Neill take the reader through the Dossier and the history of the League using not just comics, but prose and theater writing, including pastiches of supposedly lost works by famous authors such as Jack Kerouac, John Cleland, and William Shakespeare. The forthcoming Absolute edition includes a seven-inch record with two songs by a fictional 1950s rock band, recorded by Moore. In the end, the book means to serve as a multi-disciplinary fictional experience. Reception of the book has been largely positive, though some taken issue with both its unconventional approach and the density of its allusions. I bought the book the day it came out, but I have yet to read it. I want to devote an evening to give the book the attention it deserves. The Absolute edition comes out on June 3rd, so anyone considering a purchase may want to wait.
It Was Earth All Along
Apparently, the Skrulls have been on Earth 616 of the Marvel Universe for a long time. In fact, they’ve replaced Black Bolt, Elektra, and more as-yet-unrevealed heroes in anticipation of Marvel’s next mega-event, Secret Invasion, which begins in April. It seems that Marvel and Brian Michael Bendis have been planning the event since New Avengers #1, and it will tie into events from The Secret War and Annihilation. In a grand act of retconning, it seems that the Skrulls have been planning this invasion since the Kree-Skrull War from The Avengers in 1971. The Internet has already cracked in half under the weight of speculation as to who the Skrulls may have replaced. I suppose we’ll have to wait and see in the plethora of tie-ins that will no doubt come out in the next few months leading into the main miniseries. I like some of Bendis’s writing, but I think his noir and crime comics outshine his superhero work by leaps and bounds. I’m sure I’ll end up reading Secret Invasion, but crossovers and mega-events have become de rigueur at Marvel. Hence, I can’t work up a lot of excitement, especially given Bendis’s lackluster turn on his last mega-event miniseries, House of M. I think that editorial mandates have overtaken good storytelling at Marvel, and it’s started to show in the quality of the publisher’s big events.
Countdown to Final Crisis
DC has held off from revealing any concrete details about the plot of the forthcoming Final Crisis miniseries by Grant Morrison. But, the weekly Countdown to Final Crisis has generated a great deal of controversy through its scattershot storytelling, plethora of tie-in miniseries, and tie-in issues within other ongoing series. Its weekly predecessor, 52, succeeded in both story – until the conclusion – and scheduling. However, Countdown has been criticized for serving as series of excerpts leading into its tie-ins, rather than a cohesive story unto itself. I haven’t read the series in a while, though I’ll give it a read-through when it’s closer to completion. But, I think DC finds itself in a compromising position. In order to maintain consistency in its shared universe, its main titles have to connect with Countdown. But, that can also interrupt a regular arc of the series, such as Kurt Busiek’s Camelot Falls from Superman. That throws off scheduling for fans and sales for comic shops, which may not move as many copies of a tie-in to fans trying to collect a particular arc. Given the series’s mandate to serve as the spine of the DC Universe and to reflect its goings-on in real time, I don’t see how it can avoid the formatting and scheduling woes that have generated so much criticism. Still, it’s disappointing to see the series flounder after the unexpected success of 52. DC has another weekly series planned after this one, so we can only hope that the publisher learns from some of the issues that plagued this one.
That’s it for this week, guys. Happy New Year and thanks for reading! Keep supporting your local comic shops and supporting sequential art. Comics are on the fast-track to critical respectability and mainstream acceptance. Don’t let the momentum die.
The Spinner Rack
By Ben Johnson and Kurt Amacker
Ben: My new year’s resolution is to use the word penis more often. Next year will be vagina.
Kurt: I hate you like I hate brussel sprouts and broccoli.
DARK HORSE COMICS
Buffy The Vampire Slayer #10 $2.99
Ben: Even in comic book form Eliza Dushku is hot in that bad girl way. I would totally call her daddy.
Doctor Solar Man Of The Atom Vol 4 HC $49.95
End League #1 $2.99
Ben: I hope the high concept nature of this film, Lord of the Rings meets Watchmen, isn’t too much for the average fan.
Futura Art Of R Black HC $19.95
Lobster Johnson Iron Prometheus #5 (Of 5) $2.99
Kurt: Woohoo! Read-through!
Path Of The Assassin Vol 8 TP (MR) $9.95
Ben: How bad would it suck to buy a house just to find out that you have one of these in your backyard?
Kurt: I think I’d have to rope off the path or put out some orange cones or something. It seems like there might be some accidents otherwise.
Star Wars Legacy #18 $2.99
Ben: To totally alienate me from my children when I try to explain how cool Star Wars was when I was their age.
Kurt: I think that George Lucas has already succeeded on many, many levels.
DC COMICS
All New Atom #19 $2.99
Batman #671 2nd Ptg (Ghul) $2.99
Kurt: Now, thanks to a crossover, I have to wait for a trade paperback to come out before I can continue reading the two Batman titles I get. Thank you, DC.
Countdown Lord Havok And The Extremists #3 (Of 6) $2.99
Ben: Countdown continues to dissect the Marvel U.
Kurt: Is this some kind of Marvel parody?
Countdown To Final Crisis 17 $2.99
Ben: Wouldn’t it be funny if they wiped out the Multiverse again at the end of this thing?
Kurt: Gee, you didn’t see that one coming already?
Countdown To Mystery #4 (Of 8) $3.99
Detective Comics #838 2nd Ptg (Ghul) $2.99
Detective Comics #840 $2.99
Ben: No crossovers and Dini is writing. Things are looking up.
Kurt: I’m excited. Can’t you tell? Seriously, Dini does a good job on this book when he flies solo.
Heroes HC 2nd Ptg $29.99
JLA Kid Amazo TP $12.99
Jonah Hex #27 $2.99
Justice League Unlimited #41 $2.25
Looney Tunes #158 $2.25
Metal Men #5 (Of 8) $2.99
Ben: The book about my abs! If by metal you mean flabby and by men you mean a shell of my former self who now let’s his wife dictate all life decisions.
Kurt: If this book isn’t about Dethklok, I’m not buying it. Dethklok rules.
Midnighter #15 $2.99
Nightwing #138 2nd Ptg (Ghul) $2.99
Northlanders #2 (MR) $2.99
Presents Vol 02 (MR) $12.99
Pride Of Baghdad SC (MR) $12.99
Ben: Make this years resolution to read books like this one.
Shadowpact TP Vol 02 Cursed $14.99
Simon Dark #1 2nd Ptg $2.99
Supergirl #25 $2.99
Superman Redemption TP $12.99
Tears Of A Lamb Vol 01 $9.99
Hannibal Lecter: Are the lambs still crying, Maniacs?
Kurt: Why can’t I be more like you, Dr. Lecter?
Teen Titans Year One #1 (Of 6) $2.99
Vinyl Underground #4 (MR) $2.99
Kurt: The first issue kicked my ass so hard that I bought new pants, but I haven’t read through the new ones yet. But, they’re waiting for me.
Wildstorm Revelations #1 (Of 6) $2.99
Ben: I’ll spoil it for you: Wildstorm Revelation #1 is that no one cares about Wildstorm.
IMAGE COMICS
Crawl Space Xxxombies #2 2nd Ptg (Pp #798) $2.99
Dynamo 5 #10 $2.99
Fearless #3 (Of 4) $2.99
Lucha Libre #3 $5.99
Overman #2 (Of 5) (MR) $3.50
Kurt: Finally, the comic about me is coming out.
Shark-Man #1 $3.50
Sorrow #3 (Of 4) $2.99
Ben: One word describing post child-birth marriage.
Kurt: Finally, the comic about Ben is coming out.
Strange Embrace #7 (Of 8) (MR) (Note Price) $3.50
Ben: Remember when you were playing high school ball and a big lineman went to give you a man hug with one of those creepy football butt slaps, but let his hand linger a bit to long? It’s like that, but the lineman charges extra (note price).
Kurt: You are my joke writer, not my patient. And, I am the columnist, not your therapist. I don’t want to hear about the seedy high school football underground in Alaska.
Walking Dead Michonne T/S XXL $23.99
Ben: Complete with the Governor’s penis on the end of her sword. (Resolution check!)
Kurt: You actually had to include a t-shirt in the damn listings just to do that. Please die.
Witchblade Takeru Manga #11 (MR) $3.99
MARVEL COMICS
Anita Blake VH Guilty Pleasures #7 (Of 12) $2.99
Annihilation Conquest #3 (Of 6) $2.99
Ben: Totally freaking awesome! Completely changing the face of the Marvel galaxy.
Avengers West Cost TP Darker Than Scarlet $24.99
Ben: How 1993.
Essential Power Man And Iron Fist TP Vol 01 $16.99
Ben: How 1973.
Exiles Days Of Then & Now $3.99
Hedge Knight 2 Sworn Sword #4 (Of 6) $2.99
Howard The Duck #4 (Of 4) $2.99
Ben: How 1983.
Magician Apprentice #12 (Of 12) $2.99
Marvel Adv Spider-Man TP Vol 08 Forces Of Nature Digest $7.99
Marvel Two-In-One #7 $4.99
Moon Knight #14 $2.99
Kurt: The last time I did this, I got a lance up my ass. Sucked.
Moon Knight Vol 2 Midnight Sun Prem HC $19.99
Ms Marvel #23 $2.99
Kurt: But, is she a Skrull?
Ms Marvel Vol 3 TP $16.99
Omega Unknown #4 (Of 10) $2.99
Ben: If you’re not reading this then you don’t know what you’re missing – Ben Johnson, Mania.com
Powers Vol 11 Secret Identity TP $19.95
Silver Surfer In Thy Name #3 (Of 4) $2.99
Storm TP $14.99
Kurt: Ben, there’s a good toilet paper joke right in front of you and you let it go. Man, you are not with it this week!
Thunderbolts #118 $2.99
Kurt: I love Warren Ellis, consistently late or not.
Ultimate Human #1 (Of 4) $2.99
Ben: A book about me, if by ultimate you mean striving for mediocrity, and by human you mean a person whose life is so full of personal failure suicide seems like the only gift you can still give the world.
Kurt: Ben, before you think about killing yourself, take a deep breath and do something for me: write a list of all your books, CDs, DVDs, and comics and send it to me. I will circle the things I want. Then, after you’ve put them all in a box and mailed them to me, go for it.
Uncanny X-Men #494 MC $2.99
Kurt: A haiku about Messiah Complex: “I ignore this lame/crossover right now/Collection comes soon.”
X-Men TP Phoenix Warsong $14.99
