I dont recall if I ever posted something like this before but if I have I'm sorry for the repeat topic.
This has really been on my mind lately. First let me say I have nothing against Peter. I think he's a great character but honestly I think perhaps after 40+ years that it's time to move on to someone new. Now I'm not saying that all characters should do this. I think that for some characters and some type of characters that having a new person after a while wearing the costume and mask breathes fresh air into a franchise and character.
It seems to have worked pretty well for the Flash I believe. There have been what 4 so far? Alan?, Wally, Barry, and Bart. All know each other, help each other, are basiclly family due to the Speed Force. Now there is a new Flash and I wouldn't be surprised if he's connected to them as well. Just because there was a new Flash didn't mean the others couldn't show up. The Flash still did heroic deeds, was a mainstream character. Just that the person as the Flash brought a new and different dynamic to the situation and allowed for other, different personal situations and stories to be writen. I see no reason why this can't be done for someone like Spider-man.
When I think about it, Spider-man can have an entire arc for a long time in which the mask never comes off and I doubt there would be a serious problem. Peter is a very important part of the character and helps shape Spider-man. Another person can help shape it the same way I feel while bringing in something new. Spider-man can still act the same but the personal situations would be different. One doesn't need to write Peter out of the story completely either. He can be support and finally be allowed to age and have his marriage. After 40+ years one can and should run out of things to do with a particular characater and with all of the trouble with Spider-man in recent years I think it's time for a change. At least when certain things are done, it isn't something that ends up hurting Peter's character. It could very well work and be more accepted and liked if it was being done to a new character then Peter.
My ideal way of doing this would be to have a long say 6 to 7 part story arc. In which it opens with Spider-man fighting someone and doing his Spidey thing. Once the story starts up we have scenes with Peter/MJ/Aunt May. You go back and forth, near the ending issues you include scenes with Peter and a young teen (perhaps a student of some kind). Now these scenes wouldn't at all show who is Spider-man. Peter and his family would be talking about the situation Spider-man is going through but not so much with the teen. Meanwhile Spider-man is kicking some serious ass, doing the jokes but as the series goes on you notice slight differences in how he talks or fights. Nothing major just something that seems new, like he hadn't do before. Perhaps he's a bit more aggresive, or more defensive, or even more stealth like in how he takes on situations, something of that nature. Then at the end, we see Spider-man and Peter talking about the situation and the mask comes off to show the new kid. Meanwhile, readers are taken a bit back. They were enjoying and cheering on Spider-man and then find out it wasn't Peter but someone new.
Now it might come as a surprise but I don't think that would be insulting to readers the way that the Clone Saga seemed to be with the whole cloning, telling people this guy was a fake but then again he isn't the other one was, etc. Peter is still Peter. He's just passing on his legacy, if a bit early. Readers have gotten a taste of what this new Spider-man can do and even enjoyed it. They see he's being taught by Peter/Spider-man. It's sort of being told you are eating one thing, loved the hell out of it, and then being told what it really was. Now afterwards do you throw up after having loved ever bit of it just because you weren't told it's real name before? Or do you stop and rethink your feelings about the food now that you've tasted, enjoyed it and found out that your previous feelings on it were completely wrong?
I believe doing things this way would be a similar situation. Peter has to be able to advance. Wanting to keep him young, down and out isn't helping anymore. People change and grow as they get older and unless they are willing to deage him by some science or mystical means then he has to grow. Not letting him does a disservice and damage to the character. Explore the young days and stories with a new character. Start with a somewhat clean state and let the writers be creative instead of limited by Peter's history. He, Aunt May, and MJ can still be a large part of the comic as they help this new guy. This also allows for the new Spider-man to have his own cast of characters beside the Parker family. Which should be a huge plus considering that Peter's cast of characters are pretty much dead or put into limbo. This could also mean new and old enemies going after new guy/Spider-man thinking him to be Peter/Spider-man.
This worked well I feel with Batman Beyond by having Terry as the new Batman, learning to become the new Dark Knight with Bruce while older still able to kick ass and pass on the skills. I still remember the episode of Justice League Unlimited when Batman, Green Latern, and Wonderwoman, and I think Hawkgirl end up in the Batman Beyond future and the Beyond Bruce ended up playing "bad guy" to the younger Bruce Batman. The older one calling the younger Bruce "green" was pretty interesting and funny. Even though older Bruce wasn't in the costume he was Batman. He neve stopped being it but at the same time Terry was Batman as well and that was a point that was stressed in the series and Terry proved he was worthy of the name Batman, just that he was different from Bruce but similar in ways as well.
No reason it can't be done for Spider-man. Or is it simply Spider-man readers (not all cause I have talked to some peopel that would be open to the idea of a new guy behind the costume if done correctly and without getting rid of Peter completely) are just really to set in their ways and just not open tot he idea? Or is it something else that stops peopel from accepting or being open to ideas such as this?
This has really been on my mind lately. First let me say I have nothing against Peter. I think he's a great character but honestly I think perhaps after 40+ years that it's time to move on to someone new. Now I'm not saying that all characters should do this. I think that for some characters and some type of characters that having a new person after a while wearing the costume and mask breathes fresh air into a franchise and character.
It seems to have worked pretty well for the Flash I believe. There have been what 4 so far? Alan?, Wally, Barry, and Bart. All know each other, help each other, are basiclly family due to the Speed Force. Now there is a new Flash and I wouldn't be surprised if he's connected to them as well. Just because there was a new Flash didn't mean the others couldn't show up. The Flash still did heroic deeds, was a mainstream character. Just that the person as the Flash brought a new and different dynamic to the situation and allowed for other, different personal situations and stories to be writen. I see no reason why this can't be done for someone like Spider-man.
When I think about it, Spider-man can have an entire arc for a long time in which the mask never comes off and I doubt there would be a serious problem. Peter is a very important part of the character and helps shape Spider-man. Another person can help shape it the same way I feel while bringing in something new. Spider-man can still act the same but the personal situations would be different. One doesn't need to write Peter out of the story completely either. He can be support and finally be allowed to age and have his marriage. After 40+ years one can and should run out of things to do with a particular characater and with all of the trouble with Spider-man in recent years I think it's time for a change. At least when certain things are done, it isn't something that ends up hurting Peter's character. It could very well work and be more accepted and liked if it was being done to a new character then Peter.
My ideal way of doing this would be to have a long say 6 to 7 part story arc. In which it opens with Spider-man fighting someone and doing his Spidey thing. Once the story starts up we have scenes with Peter/MJ/Aunt May. You go back and forth, near the ending issues you include scenes with Peter and a young teen (perhaps a student of some kind). Now these scenes wouldn't at all show who is Spider-man. Peter and his family would be talking about the situation Spider-man is going through but not so much with the teen. Meanwhile Spider-man is kicking some serious ass, doing the jokes but as the series goes on you notice slight differences in how he talks or fights. Nothing major just something that seems new, like he hadn't do before. Perhaps he's a bit more aggresive, or more defensive, or even more stealth like in how he takes on situations, something of that nature. Then at the end, we see Spider-man and Peter talking about the situation and the mask comes off to show the new kid. Meanwhile, readers are taken a bit back. They were enjoying and cheering on Spider-man and then find out it wasn't Peter but someone new.
Now it might come as a surprise but I don't think that would be insulting to readers the way that the Clone Saga seemed to be with the whole cloning, telling people this guy was a fake but then again he isn't the other one was, etc. Peter is still Peter. He's just passing on his legacy, if a bit early. Readers have gotten a taste of what this new Spider-man can do and even enjoyed it. They see he's being taught by Peter/Spider-man. It's sort of being told you are eating one thing, loved the hell out of it, and then being told what it really was. Now afterwards do you throw up after having loved ever bit of it just because you weren't told it's real name before? Or do you stop and rethink your feelings about the food now that you've tasted, enjoyed it and found out that your previous feelings on it were completely wrong?
I believe doing things this way would be a similar situation. Peter has to be able to advance. Wanting to keep him young, down and out isn't helping anymore. People change and grow as they get older and unless they are willing to deage him by some science or mystical means then he has to grow. Not letting him does a disservice and damage to the character. Explore the young days and stories with a new character. Start with a somewhat clean state and let the writers be creative instead of limited by Peter's history. He, Aunt May, and MJ can still be a large part of the comic as they help this new guy. This also allows for the new Spider-man to have his own cast of characters beside the Parker family. Which should be a huge plus considering that Peter's cast of characters are pretty much dead or put into limbo. This could also mean new and old enemies going after new guy/Spider-man thinking him to be Peter/Spider-man.
This worked well I feel with Batman Beyond by having Terry as the new Batman, learning to become the new Dark Knight with Bruce while older still able to kick ass and pass on the skills. I still remember the episode of Justice League Unlimited when Batman, Green Latern, and Wonderwoman, and I think Hawkgirl end up in the Batman Beyond future and the Beyond Bruce ended up playing "bad guy" to the younger Bruce Batman. The older one calling the younger Bruce "green" was pretty interesting and funny. Even though older Bruce wasn't in the costume he was Batman. He neve stopped being it but at the same time Terry was Batman as well and that was a point that was stressed in the series and Terry proved he was worthy of the name Batman, just that he was different from Bruce but similar in ways as well.
No reason it can't be done for Spider-man. Or is it simply Spider-man readers (not all cause I have talked to some peopel that would be open to the idea of a new guy behind the costume if done correctly and without getting rid of Peter completely) are just really to set in their ways and just not open tot he idea? Or is it something else that stops peopel from accepting or being open to ideas such as this?
Sheesh...that's just beyond the point of lazy. If I could think of a made up word I'd use it, but I can't. 
....wait that's true
