Comics Back In Black Discussion Thread (Spoilers)

[Spider-ManHero12]

Yeah, I must say, SSM#40, look's really interesting,so I'm going to get them both.

It defenitley is. ASM#543 is very interesting as well. I don't want to spoil the greatness for you, so I will let you see for yourself.

 

[Saved]

What is Sensational SM 40 about?

 

[Web-Head408]

I just picked up ASM and SSM, both were really great, Crain's artwork is alway's awesome, and ASM, Pete's speech at the end really spooked me out! A great end to a great arc!

 

[Spider-ManHero12]

What is Sensational SM 40 about?

Well

Spoiler

We see a recap of how Peter became Spider-Man. Aunt May is in the hospital and Peter and MJ talk. Peter says he's going to blow off some steam. He goes and punches a dumpster and his knuckles start bleeding. Then God talks to Peter. They both have lunch and then there's a scene at the beach where God shows how many people Peter has saved over the years. Peter says that he doesn't want his Aunt May to die. The issue ends with a saying like "end this with Peter growing old with the girl he loves" or something like that. We see Peter with gray hair on the side of his head and MJ beside him, with their kids Mary and Benjamin. I skipped through most of it. I just told you what a few scenes were about, etc.

 

[Blader5489]

What is Sensational SM 40 about?

Spoiler

Peter despairs over recent events and turns to God for help. God, apparently narrating the story, shows Peter all the good he has done and all the people he's saved (contrary to Peter always focuses on the people who have died because of him). He shows a vision of the future, depicting an older Peter and MJ with their kids Mary and Ben. In the present, Peter asks God to help Aunt May, who just tells Peter to have faith.

EDIT - Damn, beaten!

 

[Saved]

Thanks. So was it worth buying?

 

[Spider-ManHero12]

Thanks. So was it worth buying?

As I said to Web-Head, it was defenitley worth buying.

 

[Saved]

Dammit. I am trying to cut down on my comic buying too. Guess I'll have to get it.

 

[SpideyZERO]

You can't cut down Spider-Man!

 

[Spidey_87]

I got both issues this morning. I enjoyed ASM 543, and the same can be said for SSM 40; however, I do have a small problem with Marvel's lack of continuity between the Spider books.

For example, MJ even mentions that in ASM 543, she and Peter aren't "the praying type." In SSM, there a clearly some Christian/religious undertones as Peter has a confrontation with God. Maybe I read way too much into comics, or maybe God telling Peter to have faith has some relevance to ASM 543, but it just seems to contradict itself somewhere.

 

[Captivated]

I got both issues this morning. I enjoyed ASM 543, and the same can be said for SSM 40; however, I do have a small problem with Marvel's lack of continuity between the Spider books.

For example, MJ even mentions that in ASM 543, she and Peter aren't "the praying type." In SSM, there a clearly some Christian/religious undertones as Peter has a confrontation with God. Maybe I read way too much into comics, or maybe God telling Peter to have faith has some relevance to ASM 543, but it just seems to contradict itself somewhere.

MJ just said that to try to get rid of the guy as quickly as possible... she didn't want him there at that time, with Peter hiding in the shadows.

Kinda like telling a girlscout you're diabetic when you've actually eaten 10 boxes of cookies and just don't want to be bothered anymore...

The more I think about it... and it has been lingering in my mind... the more I like SSM #40. I think this writer save the best for last.

 

[Joker]

MJ just said that to try to get rid of the guy as quickly as possible... she didn't want him there at that time, with Peter hiding in the shadows.

Kinda like telling a girlscout you're diabetic when you've actually eaten 10 boxes of cookies and just don't want to be bothered anymore...

The more I think about it... and it has been lingering in my mind... the more I like SSM #40. I think this writer save the best for last.

your signature is innacurate, as everyone knows from the Lucifer series over at Vertigo that satan is less of a supervillain and more of a out for himself, doesnt want to be bothered kind of guy

 

[SpideyZERO]

Just read both issues and both are fantastic! t:

Spoiler warning



ASM #543 is kinda a stand alone story that deals with someone discovering about Aunt May (which is about time). It's really funny and yet realistic to see the nurse suggesting Peter and MJ killing Aunt May . Peter is really forced into a corner this issue. Between his beloved aunt and obeying the law, Peter chooses to break the law and saves his aunt. I feel sad for him now...looking forward to see what will he do in One More Day.

SSM #40 is another good story from RAS. It's nice to see Peter actually has something to be proud of (saving thousands of life) instead of usual "all of you die because of me". And I enjoy God's charactert:

Overall, a satisfying read from all 2 issues this month

Question...does ASM #543 takes place after all the Back In Black stories? (which means all stories in SSM and FNSM takes place between #542 and #543?)

 

[Joker]

Just read both issues and both are fantastic! t:

Spoiler warning



ASM #543 is kinda a stand alone story that deals with someone discovering about Aunt May (which is about time). It's really funny and yet realistic to see the nurse suggesting Peter and MJ killing Aunt May . Peter is really forced into a corner this issue. Between his beloved aunt and obeying the law, Peter chooses to break the law and saves his aunt. I feel sad for him now...looking forward to see what will he do in One More Day.

SSM #40 is another good story from RAS. It's nice to see Peter actually has something to be proud of (saving thousands of life) instead of usual "all of you die because of me". And I enjoy God's charactert:

Overall, a satisfying read from all 2 issues this month

Question...does ASM #543 takes place after all the Back In Black stories? (which means all stories in SSM and FNSM takes place between #542 and #543?)

that's how I took it yeah...ASM goes till 542, then all the FNSM and SSM takes place, then ASM 543 happens...

 

[Miss Webb]

I got both issues this morning. I enjoyed ASM 543, and the same can be said for SSM 40; however, I do have a small problem with Marvel's lack of continuity between the Spider books.

For example, MJ even mentions that in ASM 543, she and Peter aren't "the praying type." In SSM, there a clearly some Christian/religious undertones as Peter has a confrontation with God. Maybe I read way too much into comics, or maybe God telling Peter to have faith has some relevance to ASM 543, but it just seems to contradict itself somewhere.

What I found WEIRD about the last scene with a potential future Peter is that MJ was still YOUNG. WTF??? Pete's got gray temples, and MJ is still young?

Something be fishy in there...

 

[SpideyZERO]

Yeah...and Peter looks like Reed Richards too

 

[Dangerous]

Thoughts on ASM#543..

To me it feels like arc has just been an excuse to drag out the deterioration of Peter and MJ's situation going into OMD, with no conclusion one way or the other. What is up w/ that? May should have either died or regained consciousness. I guess it's all part of JQ and JMS' grand vision for Spidey, ugh. I also would have liked it if just once in a while the Spider-titles cross referenced each other. I know FNSM and Sensational are cooked now, but it would have been nice if they had made more effort over the BIB tagged issues to strive for a greater sense of cohesion.
An E Brock reference in #543 would not have gone a miss.

We'll get the conclusion to current events in ASM#545. I just can't help but feel this BIB arc has not only yet again missed the mark on who Spider-Man is (by virtue of it dealing w/ the fallout of PP revealing his id), but also is just generally bad story telling since we don't get any satisfying conclusions to the events of the past five issues (save PP beating up Fisk of course).

I'm guessing the premise of OMD will be that by some miracle Peter is offered the chance to save May, but at the cost of his relationship w/ MJ.
I love May like everyone else but she really should go now. She can't live forever and she has been frail since AF#15. That's 10-15 years worth of Spidey's life, take your pick. From this perspective- for PP to choose May's life over his relationship and future w/ MJ seems illogical to me. I guess it all comes down to his guilt.

Ron Garney's pencils have been good durring BIB, much better than the begining of his run. He draws a good MJ. Having said that, Since Spidey's costume did not appear inside, why feature it on the cover? I really don't think it would have that much of an impact on sales. If Garney can't draw the emblem on the black suit correctly, I would suggest he try not to make it so obvious.

Not yet read SSM#40, will post thought when I have.

 

[Dangerous]

MJ just said that to try to get rid of the guy as quickly as possible... she didn't want him there at that time, with Peter hiding in the shadows.

Kinda like telling a girlscout you're diabetic when you've actually eaten 10 boxes of cookies and just don't want to be bothered anymore...

The more I think about it... and it has been lingering in my mind... the more I like SSM #40. I think this writer save the best for last.

Fact is PP and MJ are not religious. Look at the Stan Lee run.
Not even one refference to them practicing any religion.

Occasionally depending on the writer you will get some religious refferences.
The occasional `oh my god' pops out, however many non religious people say that. Paul Jenkins had Spidey pray once if I recall correctly. I just take this as him printing part of his identity on his Spider-Man run.

I think people see what they want in comic book characters, but the fact is PP did not have a religious upbringing. Furthermore when has PP or MJ ever gone to church? Never.

When MJ made that remark I think it was quite clear that she meant they were not the praying type.

 

[Themanofbat]

Thoughts on ASM#543..

To me it feels like arc has just been an excuse to drag out the deterioration of Peter and MJ's situation going into OMD, with no conclusion one way or the other. What is up w/ that? May should have either died or regained consciousness. I guess it's all part of JQ and JMS' grand vision for Spidey, ugh. I also would have liked it if just once in a while the Spider-titles cross referenced each other. I know FNSM and Sensational are cooked now, but it would have been nice if they had made more effort over the BIB tagged issues to strive for a greater sense of cohesion.
An E Brock reference in #543 would not have gone a miss.

We'll get the conclusion to current events in ASM#545. I just can't help but feel this BIB arc has not only yet again missed the mark on who Spider-Man is (by virtue of it dealing w/ the fallout of PP revealing his id), but also is just generally bad story telling since we don't get any satisfying conclusions to the events of the past five issues (save PP beating up Fisk of course).

I'm guessing the premise of OMD will be that by some miracle Peter is offered the chance to save May, but at the cost of his relationship w/ MJ.
I love May like everyone else but she really should go now. She can't live forever and she has been frail since AF#15. That's 10-15 years worth of Spidey's life, take your pick. From this perspective- for PP to choose May's life over his relationship and future w/ MJ seems illogical to me. I guess it all comes down to his guilt.

Ron Garney's pencils have been good durring BIB, much better than the begining of his run. He draws a good MJ. Having said that, Since Spidey's costume did not appear inside, why feature it on the cover? I really don't think it would have that much of an impact on sales. If Garney can't draw the emblem on the black suit correctly, I would suggest he try not to make it so obvious.

Not yet read SSM#40, will post thought when I have.

I see your problem in ONE area.

You view your stories as "arcs", meaning they have a begining, a middle, and an end.

That practice of storytelling has gone on far too long in comics to the point that readers, such as yourself, are dissatisfied when an ending doesn't really have an ending.

Myself, I read comics in the 70's when the stories were really "never-ending", and while I haven't read a current comic that has that vibe to it, I like to see it now. It's also a good marketing ploy because you're always striving to get the readers to come back. And while current storylines come to an end, sub-plots (that have woven throughout said current storyline) then becomes a major story, and continues to attract the reader to the "next issue".

The only problem with the BiB storyline is that it was labelled "parts 1 of 5, 2 of 5, etc..." when it should have simply been called the "Back In Black" story.

Withouth the numbering, the fans will always be wondering when the stories going to end, and never have that "dissappointed" feel...

I have always hated the "arc" format. It's lazy storytelling.

Just my two cents...

 

[Dangerous]

I see your problem in ONE area.

You view your stories as "arcs", meaning they have a begining, a middle, and an end.

That practice of storytelling has gone on far too long in comics to the point that readers, such as yourself, are dissatisfied when an ending doesn't really have an ending.

Myself, I read comics in the 70's when the stories were really "never-ending", and while I haven't read a current comic that has that vibe to it, I like to see it now. It's also a good marketing ploy because you're always striving to get the readers to come back. And while current storylines come to an end, sub-plots (that have woven throughout said current storyline) then becomes a major story, and continues to attract the reader to the "next issue".

The only problem with the BiB storyline is that it was labelled "parts 1 of 5, 2 of 5, etc..." when it should have simply been called the "Back In Black" story.

Withouth the numbering, the fans will always be wondering when the stories going to end, and never have that "dissappointed" feel...

I have always hated the "arc" format. It's lazy storytelling.

Just my two cents...

'Arcs' are just the way Marvel present their storylines these days.
I read all of the Stan Lee run before I starting buying current ASM issues circa 1995.

I much prefer a more organic style of writing were ASM is just one big flowing story of PP's life, rarther than everything being chopped up into nicely presented 'arcs'.

However,- If Marvel are going to present their storys in this format, then it is reasonable to assume that any major plot lines initiated in the arc will be tied up by the final part.

 

[Miss Webb]

I think someone (or thing) may be setting Peter up. That last scene was suspicious to say the least.

 

[SpideyZERO]

Peter forgot to add one more felony:

Beating up an inmate in jail

 

[Spade]

Stan Lee did add in many loopholes for himself and future writers to exploit, but I wouldn't call that neverending storytelling. It's just knowing when you should lead a door ajar just in case people really like the concept. That said, I love the concept of arcs. My issue is when a storyline arc gets consistently streched on FOREVER, like with the Clone Saga. It tries my patience.

 

[Memphis Slim]

Man...I really felt for ol' Pete. He just looked beat down emotionally. Nothing left.... His hatred for Stark must know no bounds, right about now. Convincing him to out himself, and now hunting him down like a dog. So will Pete win amnesty because of WWH? Is that his saving grace?

He did indeed play the chump. To bad he had to hear it from Fisk.

about him not being the "praying type". Just goes to show you that there are no Atheists in the foxholes. People deny the existence of God. But when they are desperate,,,,,out of gas,,,on their last leg, they always look up then. That last picture was powerful.

 

[Dangerous]

Well I just think Stan Lee's run flowed a lot better than ASM these days were everything is divided up into an arc.