Comics Overall thoughts of Spidey being an Avenger: Good or Bad?

[Chris Wallace]

I think that while it makes for some great stories, it can threaten his solo image. Spider-Man kinda loses his edge a little bit, IMO, when he can call Cap & Iron Man any time he wants. He's broke, but he lives in a fabulous tower. At the same time, it's fun seeing him mix it up, cling to Iron Man's armor & give Cap a "Bucky" flashback. Thoughts?

 

[Citizen_Kaine]

Meh, I was really down on it in January, esp at the time there was all this hype about Spidey giving up his secret identity when he joined the Avengers. I liked the New Avengers arc in Amazing, But I'm still not a big fan of NA as Spidey seems to be there only to make comments and sell more issues. He'll leave the NA eventually as recent interviews seem to hint, so I don't really care

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

I love it so far, and i don't really see Spider-Man's edge suffering in the least. I mean, if anything, Peter carried the fight against Hydra in the current story arc....if not for HIM, Hydra would have won.

The Avengers had no clue what was about to happen. Peter figured it all out by himself, no?

As far as other heroes backing him, well; that's been going on since ASM #16.

 

[Citizen_Kaine]

Close Cap, but Annual 1 came out before ASM 16, and everyhero he meets asks if he needs some help.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

Even better!

 

[SpideyInATree]

At first I was pretty mixed on it and then after the first two issues of New Avengers I was kind of sad to see Spidey on the team. But it's grown on me and it's a new dynamic for the Spider-Man/Peter Parker character as well as the fans and readers. I like when Marvel is willing to take some chances and do something different with long time characters instead of keeping them in the same old song and dance. But lately there is worry whether the boys at Marvel can do it well, heh.

But overall, it's a good thing. I see in the latest Other interviews that it's being severely hinted at that Spidey isn't really going to be with the team too much longer anyhow.

And as Cap. Stacy pointed out, it's not like it's the first time he's had assistance from other Marvel heroes. He's been teaming up with other heroes since the very early days and even before the full membership to the Avengers Spidey was at one time a Reserve Avenger for the longest time. So, it's not exactly a crazy strange thing.

 

[Chris Wallace]

Don't get me wrong. I Am enjoying it. And JMS, Hudlin & a few others are exploiting it well. The Hydra story is awesome. I just wonder if it could hurt the book in a few months.

 

[Lt. Figgnuts]

Well, I haven't been reading New Avengers, but everything I've seen seems to cement what everyone else is saying about Spidey just being there to be the "wisecracking little kid" of the book.

The New Avengers arc in Amazing has been alright, and if this is any basis I think most of the core Spidey titles are going to remain with Spider-Man primarily in a solo role, with the other Avengers mainly as a supporting cast. And these days in the Spidey books, ANY supporting cast will do.

So, until they totally screw things up - even Pete moving in to Avengers Tower has been handled well so far, I think - I'm indifferent.

 

[jaydawg]

Definatly a good thing. Its the logical next step in Spidey's superhero social status. I just wish Bendis chose a better and more diverse roster for the team. How great would it be if Human Torch was on the team?

 

[Chris Wallace]

No work would get done. He & Spidey would be too busy trading barbs.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

Johnny Storm is the only original FF member who never served a term as an Avenger....

 

[Jasmine]

Loving it. Really enjoying the interactions with his teammates.

 

[moffball]

I'm really enjoying it too. JMS current arc is probably the best or one of the best since I've started buying comics last January and I've been enjoying it. MKSM is pretty vanilla, it's not horrible anymore but it's not great yet either. And I've been enjoying New Avengers. I think it's hard for us Spidey fans to see him as almost a second-stringer but, from what I gather, Avengers always has been and always will be more Cap and Iron Man's book than anything, and I'm okay with that. Especially since Spidey's titles are doing such a great job of it.

The one thing I am worried about though: continuity. It's been terrible all the way through with NA being way at the beginning and MKSM and ASM being much farther along. I just get this bad feeling we're going to get to The Other in ASM, MKSM, and FNSM and Spidey will leave the NA but he'll still be in it in the NA titles. Argh. That, more than anything, will bug me.

 

[Happenstance]

I wasnt sure about Spidey being with the Avengers when it was 1st announced. Reading through New Avengers now im still not convinced, it always seems like hes there for the comic relief. Now in ASM with the Avengers he is shown as a proper member of the team which I think is so much better.

In the end I think I will be happier when he leaves and we get back to Spider-Man having to get out of problems himself and not writers simply using his Avenger buddies to bail him out

 

[OtepApe]

I wasn't convinced when it was announced that Spidey would become an Avenger, I still haven't deceided as of yet. He hasn't really done much, to warrant if it's a success or not yet. He seems to be the comic relief of the book so far. There's nothing wrong with Spidey making wisecracks, it's one of the things we like so much about him, but he could do with a little more substance.

Hudlin and JMS are doing more with him as an Avenger whether it be good or bad. But as of yet in New Avengers, I haven't decided yet.

 

[Sweeney Todd]

It'll be fun while it lasts, which I don't think will be very long. Sooner or later somebody's going to run headlong into the problem that having Spidey on a team naturally poses: why don't they help him out when he's getting his ass kicked by Morlun, Doctor Octopus, the Lizard, a clone or whoever happens to be stalking his wife this week?? They can choose to handle it the way Stan did back in the first annual ("No thanks, I can handle this myself!") but when you've got Spider-Man running for his life every other month it starts to get increasingly implausible and limits what you can do with his rogues gallery without the Avengers showing up.

I agree that Peter's being handled a lot better in ASM than in NA when it comes to his place on the team, but it is his flagship title. I would expect him to be. Yeah, he's little more than a wisecracking jackass in NA who isn't even being given a shot at his own foes (Electro, Carnage, Hydro-Man) but I can't complain too much; Wolverine's getting the same raw deal he is (and having Logan there opens another can of worms, since now you've got all the X-Men waiting in the wings too).

OTOH, this isn't a bad team for Peter. I have an easier time seeing him on a team with Captain America, Wolverine, Daredevil (maybe...) and Spider-Woman than the Vision, Wanda, the Black Widow, Quasar or the Wasp.

 

[Chris Wallace]

True. It's the most compatible lineup for him. Like I said, I'm loving it so far.

 

[AmaznSpider-Fan]

At first I was a little skeptical, but I think that I like it now. Obviously I like the way that JMS is writing Spidey than Bendis is, but NA isn't a Spidey book, so that's understandable. I think it should last for another year or two, and then have him go back to his solo ways.

 

[super-jide]

Johnny Storm is the only original FF member who never served a term as an Avenger....

No herbie the robot was.

 

[super-jide]

I like to see spider-man join the JLA,that would rock

 

[Happenstance]

Wow, I can tell im not gonna like you already

 

[zanos]

I think that while it makes for some great stories, it can threaten his solo image. Spider-Man kinda loses his edge a little bit, IMO, when he can call Cap & Iron Man any time he wants. He's broke, but he lives in a fabulous tower. At the same time, it's fun seeing him mix it up, cling to Iron Man's armor & give Cap a "Bucky" flashback. Thoughts?

It was a horrible idea. Spider-man has always been a loner. Him joining the Avengers out of the blue just wasn't consistent with the character.

 

[spider-jide]

Clearly, that idiot venom sucks is still bitter but whatever.

I personally think spidey's involvement with the avengers is a good idea on a short term scale, as a means of thourough interaction with other Marvel heroes but other than that I prefer spidey to be on his own and I'm looking foward to spidey returning to his solo gig.

 

[Gambits' Ace]

i love spidey but he should not be an avenger, he's much better on his own

 

[Jimmy-San]

I like it. It's clear he's a fish out of water, and it's cool to see him in a different environment for a time. I don't want what he does to be stagnant.


I don't think he's really just "comic releif" either. He's definitely a morale booster, going by The Sentry and Daredevil's comments. He also did the best against The Wrecker in #7, and it was his web-net in #8 that finished The Wrecker off. In #9, on one page, Spidey is shown occupying The Void in battle as others are down, and Cap's about to leap back into it. On the last page of the issue, it looks like all the heroes who were actively fighting The Void are KOed except Cap and Spidey. Cap is on his knees, but Spidey's still standing. OK, hunched over and dazed, but standing nonetheless. How is the last man standing against The Void merely comic relief?


I also think, like in House of M#1 and #6, Spidey's been kind of acting as the down to Earth voice of reason among the team. Kind of like what a normal guy is thinking when stuck between right wing and left wing politicians. Spidey would be the non-partisan normal citizen voter voicing the logical view that others are thinking but aren't saying.


As for the comedy, I love it. Bendis nails Spidey's comedy well. Robert Kirkman in MTU is doing so as well. JMS has been inconsistent with it, but has came through in his latest arc.


-Jimmy