savemarvel
Civilian
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From http://www.nowplayingmag.com/content/view/4041/
Not-So-Friendly Neighborhood Blog
Written by Arnold T. Blumberg
This fledgling little blog got some attention weeks back when I talked about my feelings regarding Marvels big event series, Civil War. Unfortunately, today I feel worse. And thats because this is now about more than just a dark, brooding story about superhero schisms and governmental manipulation. Now its about a fundamental betrayal of Marvels flagship character and the core ideals that have shaped his personality for over 40 years. Now its personal. Now its about Spider-Man.
As everybody in comicdom knows, Peter Parker has revealed himself to the world as Spider-Man after some perfunctory soul-searching as part of the ongoing storyline involving his alliance with Tony Stark and the impending registration of all superheroes by the government. Ive been reading about Spider-Man for over 30 years, and like other long-time fans I feel pretty secure about my perception of the character and the intrinsic traits that make him such an indelible pop culture icon. So I have no qualms about saying that Peter Parker simply wouldnt do this. It just doesnt ring true. All it does is leave a very bad taste in my mouth, and it convinces me more than ever as if I needed more convincing that Marvel has forgotten what makes their most popular character the man he is.
To be fair, Civil War isnt entirely to blame; things were already going awry when Peter, Mary Jane and Aunt May (!) moved in with the Avengers. The perennial loner, whose previous flirtations with Avengers membership were always amusing jaunts meant to underline just what an individual Spidey remains, is now a card-carrying member of the establishment, which also doesnt make any sense. Add to that the fact that he now seems less an independent thinker a man with a strong moral streak and firm ethical convictions and more the lapdog of an arms developer/millionaire/occasional alcoholic with a suit of armor and a clearly corrupt agenda, and I can safely lay the Spider-Man I once knew to rest. I dont know where Peter Parker went, but he left the building a long time ago.
If the web-spinner was going to ally himself with anyone, it would have been Captain America. Throughout the history of the Marvel Universe, Spidey has never shown any particular tendency to respect or admire Iron Man/Tony Stark, but he has repeatedly shown extraordinary awe and respect for the WWII icon. Cap is unquestionably the moral center of the Marvel U., and if he has chosen to go underground in defiance of the government and his metallic former colleague, theres no doubt in my mind that based on everything I ever knew about Parker, our favorite wall-crawler would follow the shield-toting legend to Hell and back. So whos this guy in the ugly armored spider-suit: Ben Reilly?
Meanwhile, in another corner of the Marvel Universe, The Only Marvel Comic I Can Still Stomach Reading on a Regular Basis is being cancelled again. Spider-Girl by Tom DeFalco (bless this man) is perhaps the single greatest thing that Marvel publishes, a perfect distillation of the original spirit that infused all of Stan, Steve and Jacks early 60s work. Set in a near future in which Peter and Mary Jane have a teenaged daughter May, a girl with all of her old mans neuroses and the responsibility of carrying dads Spider-legacy forward, the title is retro and modern at the same time. It embraces the simple (but by no means simplistic) storytelling of those halcyon days with the brilliant substitution of a female lead and a powerful respect for the history of the Spider-saga even as it pushes that saga into all new and exciting directions. Its sharply illustrated, page-turning fun and for some reason, its always been teetering on annihilation. With the arrival of #100, it looks like Spider-Girls web-spinning days are at an end, at least temporarily.
So why do we get endless events like Civil War, in which an imposter posing as our Peter Parker a shadow of Spider-Man every bit as offensive as the clone that derailed things in the 90s betrays everything that Peter stands for, while a faithful but fresh take on the Spider-mythos like Spider-Girl is treated so shabbily? Is Civil War really what kids want from their superheroes? Is the day really over when superheroes are about escapism and high-flying adventure, offering the one refuge from reality where good is good, evil is evil, the lines are clearly drawn and justice always prevails? Or have we become so aged and cynical that wed rather see our heroes dragged through the mud, turned into morally and ethically conflicted shadows that have forgotten everything that made them heroic while they bicker and argue about regulations and loyalties?
Theres always room for a different take on superheroes, and theres absolutely room for Civil War and Spider-Girl, no matter what I may think about the treatment of Parkers character in the former. But dammit, if one of them has to go, I know which one Id pick for oblivion. Lifes too short; Id rather have superheroes fly me into the stratosphere than mire me in the legislative muck. And Id rather have the real Spider-Man back.
Not-So-Friendly Neighborhood Blog
Written by Arnold T. Blumberg
This fledgling little blog got some attention weeks back when I talked about my feelings regarding Marvels big event series, Civil War. Unfortunately, today I feel worse. And thats because this is now about more than just a dark, brooding story about superhero schisms and governmental manipulation. Now its about a fundamental betrayal of Marvels flagship character and the core ideals that have shaped his personality for over 40 years. Now its personal. Now its about Spider-Man.
As everybody in comicdom knows, Peter Parker has revealed himself to the world as Spider-Man after some perfunctory soul-searching as part of the ongoing storyline involving his alliance with Tony Stark and the impending registration of all superheroes by the government. Ive been reading about Spider-Man for over 30 years, and like other long-time fans I feel pretty secure about my perception of the character and the intrinsic traits that make him such an indelible pop culture icon. So I have no qualms about saying that Peter Parker simply wouldnt do this. It just doesnt ring true. All it does is leave a very bad taste in my mouth, and it convinces me more than ever as if I needed more convincing that Marvel has forgotten what makes their most popular character the man he is.
To be fair, Civil War isnt entirely to blame; things were already going awry when Peter, Mary Jane and Aunt May (!) moved in with the Avengers. The perennial loner, whose previous flirtations with Avengers membership were always amusing jaunts meant to underline just what an individual Spidey remains, is now a card-carrying member of the establishment, which also doesnt make any sense. Add to that the fact that he now seems less an independent thinker a man with a strong moral streak and firm ethical convictions and more the lapdog of an arms developer/millionaire/occasional alcoholic with a suit of armor and a clearly corrupt agenda, and I can safely lay the Spider-Man I once knew to rest. I dont know where Peter Parker went, but he left the building a long time ago.
If the web-spinner was going to ally himself with anyone, it would have been Captain America. Throughout the history of the Marvel Universe, Spidey has never shown any particular tendency to respect or admire Iron Man/Tony Stark, but he has repeatedly shown extraordinary awe and respect for the WWII icon. Cap is unquestionably the moral center of the Marvel U., and if he has chosen to go underground in defiance of the government and his metallic former colleague, theres no doubt in my mind that based on everything I ever knew about Parker, our favorite wall-crawler would follow the shield-toting legend to Hell and back. So whos this guy in the ugly armored spider-suit: Ben Reilly?
Meanwhile, in another corner of the Marvel Universe, The Only Marvel Comic I Can Still Stomach Reading on a Regular Basis is being cancelled again. Spider-Girl by Tom DeFalco (bless this man) is perhaps the single greatest thing that Marvel publishes, a perfect distillation of the original spirit that infused all of Stan, Steve and Jacks early 60s work. Set in a near future in which Peter and Mary Jane have a teenaged daughter May, a girl with all of her old mans neuroses and the responsibility of carrying dads Spider-legacy forward, the title is retro and modern at the same time. It embraces the simple (but by no means simplistic) storytelling of those halcyon days with the brilliant substitution of a female lead and a powerful respect for the history of the Spider-saga even as it pushes that saga into all new and exciting directions. Its sharply illustrated, page-turning fun and for some reason, its always been teetering on annihilation. With the arrival of #100, it looks like Spider-Girls web-spinning days are at an end, at least temporarily.
So why do we get endless events like Civil War, in which an imposter posing as our Peter Parker a shadow of Spider-Man every bit as offensive as the clone that derailed things in the 90s betrays everything that Peter stands for, while a faithful but fresh take on the Spider-mythos like Spider-Girl is treated so shabbily? Is Civil War really what kids want from their superheroes? Is the day really over when superheroes are about escapism and high-flying adventure, offering the one refuge from reality where good is good, evil is evil, the lines are clearly drawn and justice always prevails? Or have we become so aged and cynical that wed rather see our heroes dragged through the mud, turned into morally and ethically conflicted shadows that have forgotten everything that made them heroic while they bicker and argue about regulations and loyalties?
Theres always room for a different take on superheroes, and theres absolutely room for Civil War and Spider-Girl, no matter what I may think about the treatment of Parkers character in the former. But dammit, if one of them has to go, I know which one Id pick for oblivion. Lifes too short; Id rather have superheroes fly me into the stratosphere than mire me in the legislative muck. And Id rather have the real Spider-Man back.
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