Comics Where to start now?

[BritishChap007]

Hey all,

I have been reading the comic boards as of late and have found that The Spider-Man comics are in a state of disarray as of late. I can't make sense of half the things you guys have been talking about!

So, if I wanted to pick up with one Spidey line now, what would that be and why?

Or, should I forget current Spider-Man and just read all the comics I have on the 11 CD-ROM Collection "40 Years of the Amazing Spider-Man"?

 

[VICTORVONDOOMX]

Pick up Amazing once Brand New Day starts... It'll be a fresh start, you'll get in on the ground floor.

But if you want some of the best stuff ever written spend the next week on your CD-ROM reading Amazing 50 to 150. You'll thank me later.

 

[BritishChap007]

Pick up Amazing once Brand New Day starts... It'll be a fresh start, you'll get in on the ground floor.

But if you want some of the best stuff ever written spend the next week on your CD-ROM reading Amazing 50 to 150. You'll thank me later.

When does BND start?

And 50 through 150? Got it (though I think it will take more than a week )

 

[Blader5489]

When does BND start?

January

 

[co2]

The only one worth reading..the only one that makes you feel like you got your money's worth is Ultimate Spidey. And I stick to the hardcovers or trades so I really get my money's worth.

 

[VICTORVONDOOMX]

Ultimate = crap

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

The only one worth reading..the only one that makes you feel like you got your money's worth is Ultimate Spidey. And I stick to the hardcovers or trades so I really get my money's worth.

Yeah, if you like your comics to read like a badly scripted version of 'The OC'. Puleeeaze! Ultimate is the most overrated comic since Spawn. Derivative plots that aren't as good as the original concepts they rip off, dialogue that's slow, plodding and goes absolutely nowhere and protracted plots that could be told in one issue but are spread over six. The awful dialogue especially is grating, because it's not more realistic as some people claim, it doesn't read like real life, it reads like an ego-driven writer who tries to fill up space with repetitive word balloons when he runs out of ideas.

The current JMS run is by no means good either, but its had its bright spots like Back in Black which I enjoyed. And the back-issues of Sensational and Friendly are well worth getting. But the only good thing about Ultimate is its art. Or make that the only good thing WAS the art, since Bagley is gone now.

 

[Doc_OCK_4MUGEN]

Avoid Ultimate Spidey like the plague... Stick to the REAL Spider-man (although right now he's a little messed up right now...) Ultimate Universe is a cheap knock-off of the real universe... It takes a dump on 40+ years of continuity and fills it up with umms... and uhhhs... For lazy people who don't want to look for the classic stories of the REAL SPIDER-MAN... If you can get your hands on Kraven's Last Hunt... do so. It's one of the best if not THE BEST spidey story ever... IMHO

Why settle for an imitation when you can have the real deal?

 

[co2]

Avoid Ultimate Spidey like the plague... Stick to the REAL Spider-man (although right now he's a little messed up right now...) Ultimate Universe is a cheap knock-off of the real universe... It takes a dump on 40+ years of continuity and fills it up with umms... and uhhhs... For lazy people who don't want to look for the classic stories of the REAL SPIDER-MAN... If you can get your hands on Kraven's Last Hunt... do so. It's one of the best if not THE BEST spidey story ever... IMHO

Why settle for an imitation when you can have the real deal?

Well, Kraven's Last Hunt is one of my favorite Spidey stories of all time. I thought the question was about current or ongoing runs. And as far as that goes, I tried dipping my toe into 616 continuity and it seemed to have just lost it. Ultimate Spidey seems to be the most pure form of Spidey out there to me. And Bagley's art made it so cinematic.

Now if you are talking about classic stories, it's a whole other issue.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Typical page of dialogue from Ultimate Spider-Man.

Peter: Hey...

MJ: Hey.

Peter: How are you?

MJ: Good.

Peter: So...

MJ: So?

Peter: Well...

MJ: Yes?

Peter: Wait...

MJ: Yes?

Peter: Well, I just wanted to say...

MJ: Oh there's the bell for class. Let's continue this drawn out conversation that goes nowhere next issue!


See, kids? Anyone can write a page of Bendis' Ultimate dialogue! t:

 

[Spec Spider-Man]

Typical page of dialogue from Ultimate Spider-Man.

Peter: Hey...

MJ: Hey.

Peter: How are you?

MJ: Good.

Peter: So...

MJ: So?

Peter: Well...

MJ: Yes?

Peter: Wait...

MJ: Yes?

Peter: Well, I just wanted to say...

MJ: Oh there's the bell for class. Let's continue this drawn out conversation that goes nowhere next issue!


See, kids? Anyone can write a page of Bendis' Ultimate dialogue! t:

LOL!

 

[Blader5489]

Ultimate Spider-Man is still leagues better than 616 Spidey. There's a tighter sense of continuity and more realistic tone to it than what you would see in Amazing, FNSM, etc.

 

[The Joker]

Ultimate Spider-Man is still leagues better than 616 Spidey. There's a tighter sense of continuity and more realistic tone to it than what you would see in Amazing, FNSM, etc.

Ultimate Spider-Man is just feeding off the ideas from the past 40+ years of 616 continuity.

 

[co2]

Ultimate Spider-Man is just feeding off the ideas from the past 40+ years of 616 continuity.

Yeah, and being an oldschool fan, I like that.

That or I sometimes pick up trades of the older 616 stuff.

 

[co2]

Ultimate Spider-Man is just feeding off the ideas from the past 40+ years of 616 continuity.

double post

 

[wolvie2020]

Hey all,

I have been reading the comic boards as of late and have found that The Spider-Man comics are in a state of disarray as of late. I can't make sense of half the things you guys have been talking about!

So, if I wanted to pick up with one Spidey line now, what would that be and why?

Or, should I forget current Spider-Man and just read all the comics I have on the 11 CD-ROM Collection "40 Years of the Amazing Spider-Man"?

Well, lots of cray things have been going on latley.

And despite the amount of complaining that goes on in comic boards, it's a fact that sales or generally on the up and there is some really cool stuff out there.

I'm not saying that I love EVERYTHING, but there is stuff worth reading.

If you REALLy want to be up to speed properly, you'd have to pick up the trade paperbacks of Civil War, Amazing Spider-Man: Civil War, and Spider-Man: Black in Black.

Right now through all the Spider-Man titles is a 4 part arc titled 'One More Day.' It's the last big shake up for Spider-Man for a while, and will leave a lasting impact on Spider-Man comics that hasn't been seen in a very long time. It's being drawn by Marvel editor in chief Joe Quseada himself.

If you're a newbie, or don't have major problems with Peter Parker not being marries to Mary Jane, you'll probably dig it. One of the major problems everyone, (on these boards,) has with the story, is that all signs are pointing to them finding a way of having Peter Parker's and Mary Janes marriage being wiped from existence.

That's been on JQ'a agenda for a while, (even according to him, although he's been known to lie too. He like to stir the pot, lol)

That's about it for the current Spidey world, but what's happening in Jan is all other Spider-Man titles are being cancelled and Amazing Spider-Man will be shipping 3 times a month and being handled by some of the hottest talent in the industry. I'm reserving jusdgment until I read all of One More Day and Brand New Day starts.

Hope that helps

 

[Blader5489]

Ultimate Spider-Man is just feeding off the ideas from the past 40+ years of 616 continuity.

Yeah, that's kind of the point: reinventing old ideas. It makes it just recognizable enough for old school readers, while still being different enough to stand on its own legs.

 

[Spider-ManHero12]

As I have said before, I was never really a fan of Ultimate Spider-Man. They changed too many things, for example: Green Goblin.

 

[Themanofbat]

When does BND start?

And 50 through 150? Got it (though I think it will take more than a week )

I'll even extend that a bit further and say read until issue #200.

You could read until #251, but you'd have to endure about a dozen terrible issues by Bat-scribe Denis O'Neil, who had a terrible run from issues #207 to 219. But once Roger Stern jumped on the book, it started getting really good.

 

[co2]

Ya know what is missing from comics now?...good narration. Comics now are so devoid of a narrator's voice and I'm not sure why there was such a shift away from that. Stan really poured that stuff on, and at times he was a little too much tongue in cheek for me. But go back and read some of the good Wolfman or Mantlo stuff. The narrative would make it so much more riveting and it would feel like comic books were elevated to epic literature sometimes. I know there isn't as much of a need for a narrator with comics as there is a novel, since comics are so visual, but good narration really lends itself to a story. That seems to be such a lost art.

 

[DACrowe]

I actually recommend depending on your CD ROM resources (and buying key back issues with you r favorite characters/major plot points or just the essiential line) ASM #1 to about ASM #350 while having ups and lows are a great continuity of stories where you'll see Peter go through high school, college, drop out of grad school, date, fall in love, lose, marry and some of the greatest stories ever written in comicdom (Spider-Man: No More, Death of Gwen Stacy/Green Goblin, the Hobgoblin saga, Gang War, Kraven's Last Hunt, anything with Lizard, etc.

Also the last SSM 70-100 was very good in the '80s and 180-200 features one ofo the greatest sagas of all Spidey comicdom (the return of Harry's Green Goblin and his fall from grace).

Good stuff. Once you hit the Clone saga I really don't see there being any great incentive to continue, but if so quit before Mackie's Relaunch or at least Sin's Past mid way through JMS's run (which began well, but has ended sooooooooooooo badly).

 

[BritishChap007]

Im not sure what to do. I should probably just read the issues on my CD-Roms and wait for January.

Almost everyone says avoid Ultimate, so I guess I will.

I think it's a good idea to just have one line of comics.

Im not quite up on all of the terminology. What does JMS stand for?

I still can't get the Marvel site to work on my CPU though.

Anyway, thanks for all the help thus far everyone!

 

[Blader5489]

Almost everyone says avoid Ultimate, so I guess I will.

They're only saying to avoid USM because they're hypocritical purists. If you want to read good, 21st century Spidey stories, then you can't go wrong with Ultimate.

Sensational (vol. 2 - formerly "Marvel Knights: Spider-Man") has also been pretty good, but that is coming to an end.

 

[The Joker]

Yeah, that's kind of the point: reinventing old ideas. It makes it just recognizable enough for old school readers, while still being different enough to stand on its own legs.

But, it's nothing revolutionary. Just old ideas being tweaked. You say it has tight continuity. Of course it does. It's only over a hundred issues, and only ever been written by one person. Nothing impressive about that.

Hard not to keep that in continuity.

They're only saying to avoid USM because they're hypocritical purists.

Or maybe people just genuinely think it's a crappy title.

You can be really ignorant and hypocritical sometimes.

 

[Feature]

If you want to read a book about Peter Parker coping to be both Spider-Man and a regular teenager, pick up Ultimate Spider-Man. It's all the things Spider-Man should be and all the things it used to be in the 616 Universe in its hey day.

If you want to read about Spider-Man revealing his identity to the entire world, getting his powers from a Spider-God, battling the villain from the fifth Spider-Man movie and Mary Jane being a superhero in a really terrible costume, by all means, pick up Brand New Day! It will save you from having to buy toilet paper.