One More Day Discussion Thread

[Tally Man]

Behold the best OMD spoof that the internet has brought us.

Spoiler

 

[Dread]

Cute.

 

[stillanerd]

YIPPIE, flowcharts!t: Umm, I'll go with "People Do Remember Spider-Man's Unmasking (Just not the face under the mask)" + "Peter doesn't remember unmasking on national TV" = "Peter notices that for some reason, everyone seems to remember Spider-Man being unmasked on TV, even though he has no memory of doing such a thing."



Seriously, did ANYONE at Marvel tell Joe Quesada what a big, gigantic "clusterf***" this was going to be, or were they all too hell-bent on getting rid of the marriage between Peter and Mary Jane to notice? Oh, wait, JMS did but he was overruled. Never mind that he, as stupid as his original idea was, HAD a coherent plan.

EDIT: Oh and Tallyman...that was cool.

 

[Dread]

Reposting this comment about the editorial board's strategy seemed appropriate.

A combination of quick success and "groupthink" has led the editorial board to ignore any outside opinion and believe they can do no wrong. They will continue as such until things crumble apart.

 

[Balthus Dire]

To think that this huge mess of a garbage is all the result of one man's larger than life ego.


I hope it sticks with Joe Q forever that he is responsible for the worst screw up in Marvel history.

 

[Dread]

A longer version of the NY POST article:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01072008/news/nationalnews/spideys_smooch_scandal_165956.htm

SPIDEY'S SMOOCH SCANDAL
By DAREH GREGORIAN
SWINGER:Spider-Man plays the field.
January 7, 2008 -- Spider-Man, you dog!

The first issue of the Amazing Spider-Man to feature a single Spidey in 20 years hits comic book stores this week, and the first page shows the webbed wonder's alter ego Peter Parker

Spoiler

locking lips with a woman who isn't wife Mary Jane Watson.

"The first page is a real shocker and it's done on purpose. It's a bit of a slap of reality to longtime readers," said Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Joe Quesada.

Those readers are still reeling from the company's controversial move in the most recent issue, where the friendly neighborhood wall-crawler and his missus had their marriage wiped out.

The wife-out happened when the couple struck a deal with a devil-like character named Mephisto to give up their marriage in return for saving the life of Peter's near dead Aunt May.

"You two will no longer be married. Because you two will never have been married. It simply never happened," Mephisto tells the pair.

The supernatural split has enraged many spider-fans who'd invested years in following the relationship and were offended by devil ex machina. Some have been venting their anger online, organizing campaigns to send Marvel torn up Spider-Man comics and threatening boycotts of future issues.

"In all honesty, everything we're seeing we fully expected. We knew going into this if we were going to tell this story that this was going to be initial reaction," Quesada said, but it was a necessary evil because a single Spidey is "truer to the spirit of the character."

"There's a certain amount of stability that comes with being married. Once he does become stable, you take away some of the drama that was a crucial part of his life," Quesada said.

He said he didn't want to divorce the pair or make the web-slinger a widower because that would make one of their company's biggest icons seem too old.

"He can grow as a character, but growing old is a big mistake," Quesada said. "This is something that had to be done." As for striking a deal with a bad guy, Quesada said the web-swinger "has a long history of making mistakes and bad decisions. He's very human."

Spoiler

In the first bachelor issue, which comes out Wednesday, the "modern Peter Parker" shows off some of his new attitude, telling his mysteriously back from the dead and now thrice divorced best friend Harry Osborn "I'm too young to get married."

Besides the brief buss with a woman named Mia Flores who accosts him in a nightclub, the comic unveils some other changes Mephisto has made to the hero's life. Despite having previously revealed his secret identity the world, now no one, including his beloved aunt, remembers Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Mary Jane is an actress living in Los Angeles, and although she and Peter had been engaged and dated for a long time, they're now on the outs.

The publisher is confident in the new direction - beginning this week, the formerly monthly comic will come out three times a month.

Quesada said the storyline, entitled "Brand New Day" shouldn't be considered a knock on matrimony.

"It's just a story," he said.

Comments:

- No note on the fact that while the format is thrice monthly, OMD was horribly delayed because Joe Q himself could not anticipate his own schedule.

- In a country where the median age of a first marriage is around 26-28, and over 50% end in divorce, thinking such a manuver makes Spidey "old" and is somehow worse than a cosmic deal with the devil that creates more continuity nightmares than it solves is almost the example of poor planning.

- Joe Q resorts to the token defense of a comic book point often used by those who know that have no logical merit or logic left; "It's just a story". Every comic book fan who has ever lost a debate tries to recoop with that line, almost song and verse.

- The fact that Joe Q seemingly forsaw this, the angering of JMS, splitting some writers for/against, on creating the worst ill will possible for a new writer's run, and went ahead with it anyway, reveals a mindset that is literally immune to any outside criticism.

- He contradicts himself by going, essentially, Spider-Man can grow as a character, but when he grows too much, we need to to a convient retcon whitewash. Stories like these have done far more harm than any wife quibble.

 

[Miss Webb]

Some of those comments are so moronic they defy description. It's going to be an interesting month.

"Hue and outcry is deemed feeble, regardless of potency. All rants of the masses determined to be circular, thus pointless. On the seventh day, Quesada rested and found this all good. Any explanation simply not essential."
-MU, Cluster of arrogance on tin thrones

 

[Dan_Slott]

So despite vehemently posting to the contrary, did Dan Slott lie? Over at Jinxworld, someone asked what was so important A: TI #7 since OMD just ended up erased the unmasking with inexplicable magic. Slott replied:

Marvel just released this today, a short feature drawn by JRJR, which is apparently included in ASM #546. You have to squint to make out the text, but you'll notice that it has absolutely nothing to do with A: TI #7.

So...wtf is up? What was the point of A: TI #7? Why did Slott say we should wait for JRJR's page in ASM #546 when said page has nothing to do with A:TI #7?
​

[/RIGHT]

Read the info in the JR JR two pager.
Look at the pieces in A:TI #7.
Play.

Everything you need is right there.
Really.

 

[Dread]

Some of those comments are so moronic they defy description. It's going to be an interesting month.

If by "interesting" you mean "messed up", then I agree.

 

[Dread]

Read the info in the JR JR two pager.
Look at the pieces in A:TI #7.
Play.

Everything you need is right there.
Really.

I was under the impression that OMD #4 essentially rendered A:TI #7 moot. Which to me was a shame, because it was a good way to start tucking things back. Much like Daredevil, it was making Peter's identity "highly suspected" instead of "publically known", adding in that reasonable doubt as Brubaker did with Daredevil.

I believe OMD has done you a disservice. Given time, I believe you would have worked with what Spidey was embroiled with and cleverly managed to make it workable and exciting in bold and sassy new ways. But after OMD, we not only have hassles in continuity to deal with, but some of the worst audience ill will since Clone Saga at your back. That's my opinion, naturally, as an outsider fan. I don't blame you for taking the dream-gig and I'm sure you'll give it 110%, even with ASM being a gig with a bit of editorial influence (likely more than some other titles). Imagine Marvel trying to cram Brubaker's 3+ years of CA into 4 oversized issues, and it wouldn't have worked. Some things need time, and OMD was a brash act of impatience. I would have had more faith in you to handle things without it.

I still am debating showing up at Jim Hanley's. It's a great shop. Even if they tax everything.

 

[Gilpesh]

Well, looks like the perv artists at Marvel get to draw Black Cat and Spidey in the sack like they always wanted to.

 

[Dan_Slott]

I was under the impression that OMD #4 essentially rendered A:TI #7 moot.

Nope.
Again, think of the pieces.
Put on your No Prize hat.
Everything you need is there.

 

[Dread]

Nope.
Again, think of the pieces.
Put on your No Prize hat.
Everything you need is there.

Oh, so you plan on building on the "public thinks government sanctioned Spider-Men with armor suits ran around for a bit" thing, huh?

 

[Darthphere]

Or you can just go ahead and tell us since it's apparently so obvious.

 

[Themanofbat]

Or you can just go ahead and tell us since it's apparently so obvious.

Put your No-Prize hat on and think...

 

[Darthphere]

Put your No-Prize hat on and think...

I'm not thinking for a no-prize.

 

[stillanerd]

Read the info in the JR JR two pager.
Look at the pieces in A:TI #7.
Play.

Everything you need is right there.
Really.

Okay, I'll give it a shot, Dan:

John Romita, Jr. page says that Spider-Man still unmasked in Civil War and everyone remembers that Spider-Man unmasked, but now no one, not even Daredevil, New Avengers, NO ONE knows, right? Well, that's because when the Scarlet Spiders "revealed" that Peter was actually working with them as another "Scarlet Spider," that his powers came from his costume, and that he wasn't the real Spider-Man, that threw everybody, including long standing allies like Daredevil, New Avengers, etc. completely off track, and made them "believe" that Peter was pretending to be Spider-Man the whole time. Spider-Man has been "missing" for three months because it's assumed that he never was around during Civil War when he actually was. When Mephisto said that he would eliminate the knowledge of Spider-Man's identity, what happened in Avengers: Initative #7 was something that direct was a direct consequence of that promise--perhaps that's what your trying to get across? If so, can I have my no-prize?

However, if you go by a strict interpretation of what that spread of JR, jr's is, then it comes across that everybody, including people who knew Peter was Spider-Man BEFORE the unmasking, such as the Green Goblin, Venom, Black Cat, Aunt May (of course) and even Mary Jane would have forgotten Peter was Spider-Man as well, which completely tosses aside the character development and motivations that have been built up over the years. Or am I making things more complicated than they really are?

 

[Miss Webb]

The Scarlet Spiders are another loophole. Are they still part of the Initiative? They're patterned after Peter, with his expressions and mannerisms. Is that also forgotten, along with the 'official explanation of the red suit?'" more riddles.

 

[Docker2.0]

Wow! that makes no sense!

 

[stillanerd]

The Scarlet Spiders are another loophole.

Yep. But they're clones, so they don't count...maybe.

EDIT: Then again, maybe Spider-Man and Mary Jane are no longer in the 616 universe. Maybe, instead of changing reality, Mephisto actually trapped both of them in a pocket universe a la Heroes Reborn and that the Spider-Man we've been seeing running around with the New Avengers is actually a Skrull. Thus that teaser image that had the caption "Only one of these people can save Spider-Man" that Marvel put out when One More Day was delayed would actually have some significance. Plus, it would really get Marvel out of a jam if this whole "Brand New Day" thing blew up in their face.

Wow! that makes no sense!

Or we can always follow Joe Q's lead and say, "It's MAGIC! We don't need to explain it."

t:

 

[Kevin]

Read the info in the JR JR two pager.
Look at the pieces in A:TI #7.
Play.

Everything you need is right there.
Really.

Dan, Dan, Dan, why is it everytime I get over my anger, you guys do something to bring it back. No one remembers he's spider-man? No one? Really? There's many things that I want to say, but I won't. Not because I'm angry at marvel and what to curse you all, it's just that i hate typing long post unless I really have to. There's so much involved, spellcheck to name my biggest foe. You are saved.

Here's hoping I don't get hit by a car on wednesday trying to get Amazing 546.

 

[Balthus Dire]

It's not just the fact that nobody remembers that makes me mad...because that makes me mad enough. It's the fact that people are magically alive and the comic has basically been undone by 10 years.

And that is one of the biggest travestys ever.

 

[Kevin]

It's not just the fact that nobody remembers that makes me mad...because that makes me mad enough. It's the fact that people are magically alive and the comic has basically been undone by 10 years.

And that is one of the biggest travestys ever.

I still believe Harry died, right? But with OMD, everyone was mindwiped about it, and the Harry we have now is a skrull. Screw what marvel says, there's a reason "Harry's" back, and it's not good.

 

[Anubis]

You know, maybe it would have been better if they just said the whole unmasking never happened. Cuz this is now far more complicated than necessary.

 

[Kevin]

http://www.comicboards.com/smb/view.php?trd=080107153114

Spider-board gang-

Just dropping a quick line to let you know the debate here (pro and con) has been a great read (Yep, even you Berryman!). Believe it or not, we do like tracking the online feedback and appreciate all the energy, we just can't make an effective publishing plan around it. I know that won't make many of ya happy, but that's my stance.

Anyway, as a "Thanks" I'm dropping in quick-like to give an exclusive look at a page from month four by Bachalo, Townsend and Fabela. I don't expect to make anyone less angry, but I hope ya like it. Everyone's working hard to put out some good comics that'll at least make it more difficult for you to pass up (wel, everyone except Quesada).

Best,
Wacker

Spoiler

It's cute. I loled.

EDIT: Fixed.