Comics Avengers: The Initiative #3

[Kirk Langstrom]

Anyone get this?

For those interested in more Spidey by Dan Slott, this is a GREAT issue to check out. (it went on sale last week)...

Lots of cameos by various Spidey Alumni; Curt Conners, Shocker, Hydro-Man, Boomerang...

Definitely worth picking up if you havent done so already.

 

[The Lizard]

I've commented about this in the Marvel comics forum, but it bears repeating that Avengers: The Initiative is so far a very good title. Slott's Spidey was very well written and I think we'd better see Slott given a certain flagship Spidey title soon.

My original personal interest in this comic was of course the introduction of the new character Komodo, who was apparently a female grad student of Dr. Connors who somehow got ahold of the Lizard formula and adapted it to her own genetic code. Thus, she's a green half-lizard girl with a tail, but she also has human-like facial features and can apparently transform at will. Seeing Spidey put her in her place in issue # 3 was classic. I'll definitely be following this title.

 

[AmaznSpider-Fan]

I loved it, especially the way Spidey owned Komodo.

 

[SpideyInATree]

Yeah, this was definitely a great issue and you can see why this series went from miniseries to ongoing series, because it's just got that potential to be awesome.

And, of course, Dan Slott further proves that he should be writing The Amazing Spider-Man once JMS departs the title. Hopefully this was just a nice little preview of things to come with Mr. Slott and Spider-Man.

 

[AmaznSpider-Fan]

Considering that Steve Wacker said they are trying to add guys to Spidey's Rogues gallery and that Swingshift magically added a bad guy that was said to be in continuity, it's not a stretch to say he may be donig Spidey. Guess we will see.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

I've commented about this in the Marvel comics forum, but it bears repeating that Avengers: The Initiative is so far a very good title. Slott's Spidey was very well written and I think we'd better see Slott given a certain flagship Spidey title soon.

My original personal interest in this comic was of course the introduction of the new character Komodo, who was apparently a female grad student of Dr. Connors who somehow got ahold of the Lizard formula and adapted it to her own genetic code. Thus, she's a green half-lizard girl with a tail, but she also has human-like facial features and can apparently transform at will. Seeing Spidey put her in her place in issue # 3 was classic. I'll definitely be following this title.

Im hoping for more details on how she and Curt met, and what may have transpired...he apparently turned her in to the government after Civil War...i wonder if he captured her as the Lizard, or what...?

 

[WolfCypher]

I just picked it up. Other than the fact that I read 1 & 2, I had to get 3 just to see the classic Spidey-Villains. Glad to see that Hydro-Man has an actual costume (not a fan of the fact that Hydro-Man and Sandman's clothes are "a part of them" if you know what I mean).

 

[Lt. Figgnuts]

(not a fan of the fact that Hydro-Man and Sandman's clothes are "a part of them" if you know what I mean).

Makes sense enough though, doesn't it?

 

[Sloth7d]

This was a great issue. THIS guy knows how to write Spider-man. He actually gets the character unlike Bendis, JMS, and Joe Q. When Peter Parker puts on the mask he is no longer a geek with low self esteem. When that mask is on he is the cocky quick witted slightly egotistical Spider-man. And his jokes are good, something Bendis, JMS, and Joe Q don't get.

 

[shinlyle]

I can't wait to pick this one up...

 

[The Lizard]

Im hoping for more details on how she and Curt met, and what may have transpired...he apparently turned her in to the government after Civil War...i wonder if he captured her as the Lizard, or what...?

Melati (Komodo's real name) must have been pretty smart to genetically modify the Lizard formula, not to mention how she might have got ahold of it in the first place. I'm also still curious about what's going on with Billy Connors after his brainwashed dad injected him with Lizard formula back in the "Feral" storyline in Sensational SM. If Billy's a potential risk for reverting back to Lizard Junior (and I don't see how he couldn't be), then it seems like we've got quite a growing family of lizard-folk here.

 

[SpideyInATree]

This was a great issue. THIS guy knows how to write Spider-man. He actually gets the character unlike Bendis, JMS, and Joe Q. When Peter Parker puts on the mask he is no longer a geek with low self esteem. When that mask is on he is the cocky quick witted slightly egotistical Spider-man. And his jokes are good, something Bendis, JMS, and Joe Q don't get.

And that's why every Spider-Man fan from the little villages in China to the big city living of New York want Dan Slott writing The Amazing Spider-Man...next issue. t:

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

Melati (Komodo's real name) must have been pretty smart to genetically modify the Lizard formula, not to mention how she might have got ahold of it in the first place. I'm also still curious about what's going on with Billy Connors after his brainwashed dad injected him with Lizard formula back in the "Feral" storyline in Sensational SM. If Billy's a potential risk for reverting back to Lizard Junior (and I don't see how he couldn't be), then it seems like we've got quite a growing family of lizard-folk here.

I speculate that she started a romance with Curt, possibly to get near his formulas....

 

[The Lizard]

I speculate that she started a romance with Curt, possibly to get near his formulas....

That thought crossed my mind as well. It could be kind of creepy if you envision Curt Connors as being older like Dylan Baker from the movies. However, Connors seems to be around mid- to late- 30s in the comic universe, so having a fling with a mid-20s grad student isn't too weird.

 

[mre]

I thought Conners was in jail.

 

[nimrod]

This was a great issue. THIS guy knows how to write Spider-man. He actually gets the character unlike Bendis, JMS, and Joe Q. When Peter Parker puts on the mask he is no longer a geek with low self esteem. When that mask is on he is the cocky quick witted slightly egotistical Spider-man. And his jokes are good, something Bendis, JMS, and Joe Q don't get.

Finally.
I've been reading posts for some time now but not writing,but I see somebody who shares my opinion.

I'm sick of everybody calling Spidey nerdy -from a reporter (in Civil War Frontline) to one of the member of the Thunderbolts.

Spidey is no Reed or Stark but deserves more respect than he's getting.

Peter may have been a nerd but has mostly outgrown that by now.

Writers are mixing up "Hard Luck" with been a nerd.

I'm actually reluctant to read spidey comics though he's my fav and prefer and enjoy reading Wolverine who I don't even like that much.

Spidey/Parker has been turned into a weak indecisive Emoboy.

What a revolting development.

 

[The Lizard]

I thought Conners was in jail.

Connors did purposefully get himself sent to jail at the end of the 2004 "Lizard's Tale" storyline in Spectacular SM. The Lizard then appeared as part of the "Sinister Twelve" in Marvel Knights SM in 2005, so it was implied that Norman Osborn arranged for some modified Lizard formula to be administered to Connors to bust him out of jail. Of course, the Sinister Twelve were captured by the FF and Avengers, so when Connors was later shown free as a bird hanging out at the Natural History Museum in the 2006 Sensational SM story "Feral", you just have to attribute it to Marvel writers ignoring continuity yet again.

Apparently the assumption is that Connors is not being held responsible for the Lizard's crimes. Maybe his current cooperation with The Initiative has something to do with that.

 

[mre]

I see, Thanks.

 

[CrimeMaster!]

Connors did purposefully get himself sent to jail at the end of the 2004 "Lizard's Tale" storyline in Spectacular SM. The Lizard then appeared as part of the "Sinister Twelve" in Marvel Knights SM in 2005, so it was implied that Norman Osborn arranged for some modified Lizard formula to be administered to Connors to bust him out of jail. Of course, the Sinister Twelve were captured by the FF and Avengers, so when Connors was later shown free as a bird hanging out at the Natural History Museum in the 2006 Sensational SM story "Feral", you just have to attribute it to Marvel writers ignoring continuity yet again.

Apparently the assumption is that Connors is not being held responsible for the Lizard's crimes. Maybe his current cooperation with The Initiative has something to do with that.

This is from a previous Joe Fridays Q&A

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Q: Spideymark 04-19-2007 09:45 AM [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]I'm just looking for clarification regarding the Lizard/Curt Connors. Last I saw him, in Paul Jenkins' Spectacular Spider-Man, he was found to be allowing his Lizard persona to take over, and the story ended with him in jail and his relationship with Peter having been damaged greatly. But now he's been showing up in Sensational Spider-Man as if nothing has happened, could you or one of your editors please clear this up? I never cared much for the character prior to Jenkins' story and think that it would be a shame for this development to be forgotten. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]JQ: While don’t we ask Roberto Sacasa himself! [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Roberto Sacasa : First of all, Spidermark, let me say that the Lizard- if not my favorite Spidey villain - is in my top three. Second of all, I read and loved the Paul Jenkins story you mention (collected in the trade "Here There Be Monsters," well-worth checking out), which ends with Curt resigning himself to jail and Peter grudgingly leaving him there. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]To me, though, when I read that, it actually felt like Peter wouldn't leave his friend rotting inside the Big House for long - especially since everything Curt did wrong was because of his inner-lizard. (Also, the chances that Curt's Lizard personality would have emerged while he was incarcerated would have been high and would have proven cataclysmic, IMO.) So I thought Peter would advocate to get Curt released - on a "technicality," as Jenkins alluded to in his last Lizard issue - and try to set him up with a positive gig: [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Like, say, working at the Natural History Museum, though with the police keeping close tabs on him, which is where we find Curt at the start of "Feral." So hopefully I was building on what Paul started in Spectacular Spider-Man, especially in terms of Curt's relationship to his son, which I also explored in "Feral," and wasn't just undoing Paul's work. Cool?
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[3dman27]

so like bruce banner not being rsponsible for the hulks actions due to temporary insanity ,curt connerors is presumed inocent as well

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

so like bruce banner not being rsponsible for the hulks actions due to temporary insanity ,curt connerors is presumed inocent as well

Correct. And now he's working for the government (although he seems to be somewhat uncomfortable with their current direction.)

 

[wolvie2020]

Correct. And now he's working for the government (although he seems to be somewhat uncomfortable with their current direction.)

Kinda like where Pete was at a year ago huh?

 

[wolvie2020]

I loved the Spidey dialogue at the end of this ish.

I thought it pretty Sam Jackson/Pulp fiction style. Seriously cool.

He got the point of what Spidey is supposed to be like right now, while he's feeling in a dark place with everything that's happened to him, it's not about making him a Batman Spidey, like in the 90's. He still uses his humour to get through it all, but he's no longer taking ANYONE's ****. Which is great

PAD did give him some cool dialogue with a cop in this months FNSM in a similar style... (although the stingers are back. Ugh, at least PAD respects continuity.)

 

[The Lizard]

This is from a previous Joe Fridays Q&A

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Q: Spideymark 04-19-2007 09:45 AM [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]I'm just looking for clarification regarding the Lizard/Curt Connors. Last I saw him, in Paul Jenkins' Spectacular Spider-Man, he was found to be allowing his Lizard persona to take over, and the story ended with him in jail and his relationship with Peter having been damaged greatly. But now he's been showing up in Sensational Spider-Man as if nothing has happened, could you or one of your editors please clear this up? I never cared much for the character prior to Jenkins' story and think that it would be a shame for this development to be forgotten. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]JQ: While don’t we ask Roberto Sacasa himself! [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Roberto Sacasa : First of all, Spidermark, let me say that the Lizard- if not my favorite Spidey villain - is in my top three. Second of all, I read and loved the Paul Jenkins story you mention (collected in the trade "Here There Be Monsters," well-worth checking out), which ends with Curt resigning himself to jail and Peter grudgingly leaving him there. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]To me, though, when I read that, it actually felt like Peter wouldn't leave his friend rotting inside the Big House for long - especially since everything Curt did wrong was because of his inner-lizard. (Also, the chances that Curt's Lizard personality would have emerged while he was incarcerated would have been high and would have proven cataclysmic, IMO.) So I thought Peter would advocate to get Curt released - on a "technicality," as Jenkins alluded to in his last Lizard issue - and try to set him up with a positive gig: [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Like, say, working at the Natural History Museum, though with the police keeping close tabs on him, which is where we find Curt at the start of "Feral." So hopefully I was building on what Paul started in Spectacular Spider-Man, especially in terms of Curt's relationship to his son, which I also explored in "Feral," and wasn't just undoing Paul's work. Cool?
[/FONT]


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Hmmmm....no mention of the Lizard busting out of jail courtesy of Norman Osborn, inciting a riot with some phermones and getting nabbed with the Sinister Twelve in Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #6-11 however, and that story took place before "Feral".

Also note that Sacasa kind of dances around the subject of Connors being responsible for the Lizard persona the whole time, which is what Jenkins claimed in his SSM story arc. Sacasa gives a reason why Connors is out of prison, but what he's not saying is that all the subsequent mentions of Curt Connors and the Lizard that have taken place after Jenkins' story have completely ignored the claim that Connors is a "bad guy" after all and consciously responsible for the Lizard's evil deeds.

Despite the question-asker's opinionated claim that he never liked Curt Connors as a character before the Jenkins story, the fact is that Jenkins took liberties and made several mistakes in his "Lizard's Tale" story, and current Spidey writers are indeed choosing to ignore parts of his story. Sacasa is just avoiding saying that out of professional courtesy.

And if the Lizard is in Sacasa's "top three" favorite villains (Black Cat is his favorite ), then he shouldn't have had Lizzy get his butt whipped so easily by a character that's nowhere near as strong or fast. I call BS on that.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

Hmmmm....no mention of the Lizard busting out of jail courtesy of Norman Osborn, inciting a riot with some phermones and getting nabbed with the Sinister Twelve in Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #6-11 however, and that story took place before "Feral".

Also note that Sacasa kind of dances around the subject of Connors being responsible for the Lizard persona the whole time, which is what Jenkins claimed in his SSM story arc. Sacasa gives a reason why Connors is out of prison, but what he's not saying is that all the subsequent mentions of Curt Connors and the Lizard that have taken place after Jenkins' story have completely ignored the claim that Connors is a "bad guy" after all and consciously responsible for the Lizard's evil deeds.

Despite the question-asker's opinionated claim that he never liked Curt Connors as a character before the Jenkins story, the fact is that Jenkins took liberties and made several mistakes in his "Lizard's Tale" story, and current Spidey writers are indeed choosing to ignore parts of his story. Sacasa is just avoiding saying that out of professional courtesy.

And if the Lizard is in Sacasa's "top three" favorite villains (Black Cat is his favorite ), then he shouldn't have had Lizzy get his butt whipped so easily by a character that's nowhere near as strong or fast. I call BS on that.

Oh, that reminds me. Remember that head's up i gave you with Lizzy's appearance in White Tiger #4? Well, he appeared again in #5, but that issue came out the week of the Spider-Man 3 movie, and in all the excitement i forgot to contact you...did you get it? It looked like it would be continuing in #6, but that issue hasnt come out yet. (or if it has, i havent seen it)...