Spider-Man Reviews

Showing posts with label clone saga. Show all posts

Infinite Spider-Man 9.9: But the Fans Loved the Marriage

Posted by Mister Mets 12 March 2012

Polls do consistently show that fans, at least those inclined to vote on polls at comic book websites, prefer the marriage to the current status quo. So some of his detractors suggest that Joe Quesada put his own opinion ahead of what was clearly in the best interests of the title. I'll look at figures cited to suggest that there was no way BND could have worked, the implication being that the book would still do better if One More Day was undone.

It's worth noting that these votes aren't perfect. As the CBR poll received 5,793 responses, I assume it includes casual browsers, and thus serves as a better indication of the habits of comics readers than most message board polls, which are skewed by representing only the minority of comic book readers who care enough about comic books to seek out places to discuss them on the internet. Those results are further restricted to the people who liked a particular board, which may not be random. The CBR survey is still skewed by representing only the people who care about comics enough to look up information on it online, which is admittedly a larger group than people who also want to talk about comics.

It's certainly wrong to assume that message boards are a perfect representation of the people who buy comic books. All you need to do realize this is to compare the success of comics blasted on message boards like Identity Crisis, Civil War, House of M, Infinite Crisis, New Avengers and anything Jeph Loeb touches to the success or lack thereof of series that come highly recommended on the internet, such as Nextwave, Spider‑Girl, Manhunter, The Irredeemable Antman, Thor the Mighty Avenger and others. Sometimes a book that is critically praised excels on the sales charts as well (Snyder and Capullo's Batman being a recent example) but there's still no consistent correlation between praise and sales.

Initial Reaction to the Marriage

Some readers have the misconception that Amazing Spider‑Man Annual 21 was written because fans in general got bored with Peter Parker being a bachelor. The real reason for the wedding was unrelated to fan demand. Stan Lee decided to marry the characters in his comic strip, and then-Marvel Editor‑in‑Chief Jim Shooter didn't want that event to happen before the "real" Spider‑Man got married. This is why the engagement went by so quickly, and Peter and Mary Jane got married in the same issue in which they announced their impending nuptials to Aunt May and Aunt Anna.

There was a resulting publicity whirlwind with a mock wedding at Shea Stadium, and fans who liked to see monumental events occurring to their favorite characters were elated. However, a key indication of Marvel’s shortsightedness at the time was the way they bypassed all the stories you could get when Peter Parker is engaged to get to a mostly irreversible change as quickly as possible. Surely someone had to complain about the rushed handling of the marriage. One thing I’ve learned from online message boards: there will never be universal agreement on anything.

I’m certain the marriage was a relatively popular decision thanks to the publicity blitz and the way consumers generally enjoy seeing a character they identify with win. It also occurred in a one year period in which there were some truly excellent stories (Kraven's Last Hunt, the return of the Sin‑Eater, Todd Mcfarlane's arrival to the series and the first appearance of Venom.) It was just a creatively fertile time for the character. Spider‑Man VS Wolverine‑ another of the best Spider‑Man stories ever had come out a few months before the wedding annual.

Previous Attempts Failed

Some readers suggest that undoing the marriage was an objectively bad idea because previous attempts to undo it failed. So Quesada should have recognized that any attempt to retcon the marriage was a proposition doomed to failure, as bad as (or worse than) the aftermath of the clone saga, the most notorious of Marvel’s attempts to make Spider‑Man single again. The problems with the Clone Saga are too numerous to recount here but many aren’t applicable to One More Day. While fans like to blast controversial events, such as “The Other” or “Sins Past” for specific scenes, the Clone Saga often failed in terms of basic craft, although there was also a flaw at the very core. The idea that the character you’ve enjoyed in some of the best Spider‑Man stories ever wasn’t the real deal was also more extreme than a retroactive change to the marital status.

The second attempt to keep Peter and Mary Jane apart occurred when she was believed dead in a plane crash, though this too had a few unique problems. It was obvious at the time that they were going to bring her back somehow, and it was primarily written by Howard Mackie‑ a less successful, respected and frankly talented writer than JMS or Dan Slott. He just wasn't good enough to make it work and later stated, if anyone had any doubts, it was always his intention to bring back Mary Jane, meaning that Peter Parker was not meant to be a widower forever. There was no reason that all of the fans who were upset when Mary Jane “died” would have been so upset about a solution which leaves her alive and viable as a character.

Straczynski’s Mary Jane

After Mary Jane returned from the dead, she promptly went to Los Angeles to “find” herself, reconciling with Peter twenty‑one issues later. I don't think fanboy wrath had anything to do with Marvel's decision to bring the two back together. It just seemed uncharacteristic for Peter and Mary Jane Watson Parker to be apart for long, or to even have the marital problems, given all the things they’ve been through before (the clone saga, Jonathan Caesar, Harry Osborn’s death, their stillborn child, Mary Jane’s “death,” Peter’s “death” and Venom). JMS did get some tension out of the period, and it’s probably the strongest stretch of his run. He explained in an interview with Write Now that he had complete leeway to do whatever he wanted with the storyline, and could have kept the couple apart had he wanted to.

Nobody from Marvel had ever broached the subject to me. They’ve never said to keep ‘em apart or keep ‘em married. They kinda leave it to me to a large degree and that’s a tremendous vote of confidence on their part and an incentive for me not to screw it up or abuse that trust.

It's safe to say that he's not afraid to speak his mind, when he doesn't have complete control over a story.

Looking at CBG's sales estimates for Amazing Spider‑Man during this period, it seems that the restoration of the marriage had no impact (positive or negative) on the sales of the books. There was a nice increase for Peter and Mary Jane’s reconciliation in Amazing Spider‑Man Volume 2 #50, 114,400 copies as opposed to an estimated 97,000 copies for the preceding issue, but it didn’t last (the 52nd issue sold 800 less copies than the 49th.) Sales continued to slowly decline, a process which had begun with #46, probably since sales had been rising fairly consistently since Straczynski’s first issue and had to peak somewhere. The chief exception was the five hundredth issue, which sold 148,000 copies (as opposed to 92,800 copies for the preceding issue, 94,400 copies for the next issue and 90,500 copies, for the 502nd) though that was another highly publicized anniversary issue.

I can’t claim to know what the majority of fans want, and neither can most people on message boards. Sales are the only indicators available, and on Amazing Spider‑Man, there’s no proof that the books made any more money because JMS chose to reunite Peter and Mary Jane. You could easily make the case that the acclaim and sales were strongest when Peter and Mary Jane were apart. Of course, the sales charts that received the most scrutiny were those that came when the new direction started.

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Infinite Spider-Man 8.4: Green Lantern Rebirth

Posted by Mister Mets 21 December 2011

Blue Lantern Spider-Man is drawn by Amanda Rachels.

On the subject of what Spider-Man's stewards can learn from other franchises, it's often suggested by those dislike the current direction that Geoff John's Green Lantern is a good road map for mending the series and undoing all the stories they don't like. They'll suggest that One More Day was the story that will be undone in a few years (or a decade or two) so Spidey can be restored to his roots, and it will be to Peter Parker what Emerald Twilight was to Hal Jordan. On the other hand, you could say that One More Day was closer to Green Lantern: Rebirth, as the story that returned Spider-Man to what made the character work.

This question's come up at CBR. A wimpy compromise would be to argue that the difference may eventually be decided by a handful of people: the writers and editors a decade from now. But I think it's pretty clear that One More Day was essentially "Spider-Man: Rebirth" in terms of the results and how Marvel got there. Both are editorially mandated retcons which restored the franchise to a more iconic status, undoing controversial "progress." Any stetcon of One More Day would not be a spiritual brother to Rebirth, but to a hypothetical story in which the restorations of Rebirth are undone.

I'm not saying that the two storylines were exactly alike. This isn't about whether both explained all the changes adequately, or whether the same level of care was considered regarding the consequences. Nor am I saying anything right now about the quality of the follow-up. A major difference is that Green Lantern: Rebirth was written by the guy who would deal with the fallout while One More Day was largely a collaboration between the Editor in Chief and the departing writer, with entirely new creative teams tackling the "new" direction.

Both arcs are retcons, demonstrating an unwillingness of the caretakers of the brands to commit to previous developments. In Green Lantern, Hal Jordan had previously been pushed to the absolute limit, and failed in spectacular fashion. That was progression in his story. The revelation that he was possessed by a yellow alien fear monster that had never been mentioned before was a massive retcon which altered his earlier motivations to return him to a more familiar state.

Whether you liked it or not, "Emerald Twilight" represented progress, with significant and seemingly permanent changes to the character. As such, it's closer to developments in the Spider-Man comics that represented "progress" like Spider-Man's wedding -which was editorially mandated- and the Clone Saga, which at least came from a writer spitballing about bringing back the clone, rather than an editor. This means that the story that retconned 'Emerald Twilight' is closest to the story that retconned its Spider-Man equivalent. And that would have been the wedding, an editorially mandated story that changed the status quo in a way that upset some fans and writers, and took a long time to reverse. Incidentally, to preemptively argue against a possible Clone Saga comparison, I'd say that "Revelations" came too soon after "The Trial of Peter Parker" to really be compared to Green Lantern: Rebirth, which restored the status quo to a much earlier period, despite the work of numerous writers who had subsequently worked on the title.

By the end of Rebirth, Hal was back as the Green Lantern. Even his gray sideburns were gone, so he was literally deaged. As for the other characters, Sinestro was back from the dead. The Green Lantern Corps were reassembled, and some members who were believed dead eventually returned.

Some fans have a very selective definition of what constitutes a retcon. They'll argue that GLR doesn't count, because everything still happened the way it was presented as occurring on the page, and there was simply information readers were not privy to. The same argument has been applied to Parallel Lives. As I argued before, if it contradicts the intentions of earlier creative teams, it's a retcon. Any story that reveals that a yellow fear monster was controlling the protagonist during his defining moment alters the continuity in a big way.

The guys who wrote Emerald Twilight and Zero Hour had Hal Jordan snap. Parallax possessing Hal Jordan is more than some minor information that no one was aware of before. It's theoretically possible for that not to be a retcon if this was something that Ron Marz planned from the beginning when he was writing "Emerald Twilight". I am unaware of anyone making such claims, though.

I think Green Lantern: Rebirth was a bigger change/ retcon than One More Day, as it retconned something integral to the understanding of Hal Jordan, completely altered Hal's motivations at the instance he had been pushed harder than ever before. He was no longer in control during his greatest failure, retroactively reestablishing him as an unambiguous good guy. Prior to that, he was known, even by readers who didn't follow the title, as the hero who wasn't strong enough. It's how I came to know the character, when in Wizard #85, Hal Jordan snapping was listed as one of the most memorable moments in comic book history. This differentiated Hal from other superheroes, as he became the one major hero to be a weaker man than the others. Someone had to be that guy, and it fit a lesson throughout history and literature (Benedict Arnold, Napoleon, Othello, etc) that some great men will follow incredible accomplishments with tremendous failures.

Fans of John's Green Lantern will note that Hal still has to deal with the repercussions when he was posssessed. But as the character's motivations were completely changed, he is no longer to blame for his actions. When various members of the Green Lantern Corps give him grief over the time he slaughtered many of their friends, the reader is on Hal's side.

Kevin Cushing, of the Spider-Man Crawl Space message board and podcast had a strict view of what constituted "a back to basics" approach when comparing the two stories.

I don't think GL: Rebirth was nearly as "back to basics" as Brand New Day. To me, it would be more like dragging old-ass Alan Scott back into the lead role in Green Lantern. The editors would tell us that the bible on how Green Lantern stories should be written is the first 30 issues (or, in this case, appearances) of Green Lantern Alan Scott and that's what will be used from now on. But the thing is, these first 30 issues didn't have other Green Lanterns running around, so there would be one change to past continuity. All the Hal, Guy, John, and Kyle stories still count, they still happened, but with one difference - they weren't Green Lanterns. They can't remember being Green Lanterns because they never were. But you can go back and read your old issues and they still matter, you just have to use your imagination and suspension of disbelief to make them work without the Green Lantern Corps. And when everybody who's read a Green Lantern comic in the past 50 years says "Wait, that doesn't make sense," the editors will tell us that we just don't want it to work. After all, it would be selfish to deprive future generations of those great stories about Alan Scott as the only Green Lantern.

I think this comparison is flawed. "Back to basics" doesn't always mean the first thirty issues, and can refer to any period in which a book was successful, especially as it take a while for titles to find their groove. Spider-Man's rare, in that the first creative team is the best and most-acclaimed, especially if you include the Lee/ Romita run as well as the Lee/ Ditko era. That said, if you limit it to the first thirty issues, you're only referring to the high school era. As Peter Parker wasn't literally back in Midtown High post-One More Day, Cushing's comments about the Brand New Day are quite exxagerated, although it is hardly atypical of those who dislike the book post-OMD. It could suggest that people who like one story and dislike another aren't very willing to look at the core similarities between the two.

Johns does have an advantage with Green Lantern in that there's no previous creative team as acclaimed on that monthly as Lee/Ditko or Stern/Romita Jr, so there are less readers familiar with the earlier stories. In addition, the most acclaimed Green Lantern run before Johns (O'Neil/Adams) was an atypical outlier. This gives Johns and company some cover.

I'll note again that I really enjoyed Green Lantern: Rebirth, and think it was best for that franchise. But it still seems wrong to praise what the story accomplished, while condemning OMD, from an anti-tetcon standpoint. Likewise, I think the people at Marvel made the right decisions by not committing to the events of Amazing Spider-Man Annual 21. Sometimes regression is a good thing.

If there was a lesson from Green Lantern: Rebirth, it was that these types of retcons can work. The mini-series got tremendous sales, general critical acclaim and helped revitalize that franchise, paving the way for a successful Green Lantern Corps spinoff, and a few major crossovers for DC. No one at Marvel would have minded making a story that has a similar effect upon the Spider‑Man franchise, even if it alienated a few vocal fans.

Johns became DC's go-to guy for retcons. He went on to undo the marriages of Superman and Flash in Flashpoint, which has also been compared to what happened in the Spider-Man comics.

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Infinite Spider-Man Part 6.4: Why not Ben Reilly?

Posted by Mister Mets 16 November 2011

If you're unfamiliar with the Clone Saga, the Comics Cube has a good write-up. Basically in the 1990s, Marvel decided to reveal that the Peter Parker who had appeared in the Spider-Man comics for twenty years was actually a clone, while the real Peter Parker had traveled the country under the pseudonym Ben Reilly, believing himself to be a clone following the events of Amazing Spider-Man #149. That decision was reversed within the year, and Ben Reilly was killed off, dissolving into dust, proving that he was the clone after all. There have been quite a few Ben Reilly fans, who suggest that the character could contribute to the Spider-Man comics, as a replacement protagonist for Peter Parker or a supporting character, preserving a "commitment to change" approach.

I read almost every issue of the Clone Saga, and agree with Marvel's decision to disown it. There was some good stuff, but the worst of it was really bad. While some remember it for particularly egregious moments (Peter Parker slapping his wife, the clone reveal) a lot of the storytelling was awful, too. I thought that Live and Let Die, Players and Pawns, Back from the Edge, the Mark of Kaine Part 5 and the Lizard back-up story from the Planet of the Symbiotes crossover were all significantly weaker than anything in the Spider-Man comics since One More Day. Reading the Clone Saga in its entirety (or close to it), I came to realize how much of an improvement current comics storytelling is over the 90s.

If Ben Reilly had a major role in the Spider-Man comics, there would be a major incentive for new readers to pick up material that's best left forgotten. But after reading the clone saga, I also gained an appreciation for why some people loved this period. Between "Blood Brothers" (which was originally supposed to end the Clone Saga) and "Revelations" there was an appealing accidental status quo which lasted for a few months with Ben Reilly as Spider-Man, and Peter Parker as a frequent ally/ family man.

Some saw this as the ideal compromise regarding questions about the directions of the Spider-Man comic. Peter Parker would still be in the book, while Ben Reilly had the chaotic private life. If Peter Parker was the supporting character, he might have overshadowed the main protagonist. But you could also have Ben Reilly and Peter Parker could simultaneously be superheroes, carrying separate titles, as had been the case in the earliest months of the clone saga.

Were he to return, Ben Reilly could have an entirely different role in the present. Many will argue that Spider-Man's supposed to be a loner, but he's currently on two Avengers teams in addition to the Future Foundation. If you think Peter Parker being on too many teams is a problem, Ben Reilly could be the solution. It would also help distinguish the two characters, as one is literally the clone of another.

The clone thing is hard to overcome. Fans of Ben Reilly will cite the subtle ways in which the character is different from Peter Parker, but some things are inescapable. Ben Reilly is as smart, witty and handsome as Peter, and essentially has the same ethics. He was always a good guy, even considering all the trauma. He was a clone who reflected well on Peter Parker.

This may be why Marvel's launching a new Scarlet Spider series with Kaine as the lead. There are more differences between Peter Parker and Kaine, the clone who has been a bad guy and who has killed people in the past. I think Kaine represents something different from Reilly, especially when it comes to Spider-Man. Kaine's done some nasty stuff in his past, so if he becomes a hero, it does suggest that everything Kaine did, Peter is capable of, as well. Kaine also appeared in recent stories, so newer readers would be more familiar with the character.

Kaine is probably more willing to do the stuff that Peter Parker refuses to do, than Ben Reilly. If Marvel's trying to give the book a hook, "A Spider-Man who killed bad guys" is one way to do it. You could argue that he's a much less subtle version of Ben Reilly, but it's something that might interest readers completely unfamiliar with the characters.

I'm ambivalent on the question of whether Ben Reilly should be resurrected. In superhero comics, there are ways to circumvent a character dissolving into dust. That's not the problem. It could always be revealed that another clone, or an entity impersonating Ben Reilly for whatever reason, died in Spider-Man #75. Or Ben Reilly could discover that he also the powers of Sandman, which would further distinguish him from Peter Parker.

If the writers have no plans for bringing back Ben Reilly, I wouldn't mandate it. If the writers and editors want to so it, I wouldn't stop them. At some point in the next ten years, I suspect Ben Reilly will return, as popular characters in comics rarely stay dead. The kids who grew up on the Clone Saga are going to be the next generation of Spider-Man writers, so it's almost inevitable that someone will have an effective pitch.

Ed Brubaker had a good pitch, and now Bucky's back. If Chuck Austen had mismanaged Bucky's resurrection, when he was on the series, it likely would've prevented the good Bucky stories from being told.

Another recent example would be the return of Kraven in Grim Hunt. It's something that was considered unlikely for a variety of reasons (the esteem Kraven's Last Hunt was held in, the way Kraven was essentially replaced by his sons) but one of the web heads/ brain trust had pitched a way to make Kraven's return a big deal, while giving the character a new direction.

One question would be where the story of Ben Reilly's resurrection should occur. Some have suggesting a Ben Reilly mini-series, akin to DC's various Geoff Johns penned Rebirth mini-series, but the problem is that the only audience is people who are already fans of the Clone Saga, a number that may be increasing thanks to the trades. I think it's better to reintroduce Ben Reilly in another book first, be it Amazing Spider-Man or something else.

I believe the story in which Ben Reilly comes back and interacts with Spider-Man should be written by someone intimately familiar with Brand New Day, so it wouldn't seem like a story which exists solely to bring back Ben Reilly (while possibly being at odds with events in Amazing Spider-Man). If that's a hit, a Ben Reilly monthly becomes a lot more likely, and it can be written by someone else.

One possibility: Ben Reilly could be resurrected in one of the two spinoff Spider-Man monthlies: Venom or Scarlet Spider. It would provide those books a good chunk of attention (and those books will probably need that to survive), while giving the writers an opportunity to demonstrate to new readers that Ben Reilly's a different character from Peter Parker. Maybe the new Spider-Girl series would have lasted more than eight issues with Ben Reilly as an instructor.

In the Venom monthly, Ben Reilly can serve as a sort of mentor to Flash Thompson. They could have a somewhat complicated and interesting relationship, as towards the end of the Clone Saga, Ben was getting along well with Flash's current girlfriend. Ben Reilly is also a plausible host for the suit, if things don't work out with Flash Thompson. That could be a source of potential conflict.

Ben Reilly could also be introduced as the mysterious member of an ensemble, similar to Ronin the New Avengers. This way you could get fans to be interested in the character and encourage the skeptics to give him a chance, before revealing his identity, which would guarantee a shitload of controversy/ discussion on comic book websites. For example, he could be introduced as a witty masked superhero working for the Initiative, with the writers slowly revealing his powers (amazing agility/ speed/ strength, tremendous intelligence, the ability to avoid danger, etc.) I'm under the assumption that the people who would buy a Ben Reilly monthly book would also buy whatever team book he appears in. Thus Marvel would increase the sales of a book they're currently publishing (or a book they were going to publish anyway), and they'd introduce Ben Reilly to some readers who weren't around during the Clone Saga.

If Ben Reilly joining a team is a hit, Marvel could test the waters for a regular series with a one shot or a mini series. JM Dematteis is available for a solo book. You do need an artist who can handle superhero stuff, and flashbacks to Ben Reilly's days as a wanderer. I think a slower approach to reintroducing Ben Reilly would be effective to build up anticipation, and confirm that there's a market for a new regular series, as it's rare to see a new monthly succeeding.

One reason not to bring back Ben Reilly is that there have already been so many deaths and resurrections in the Spider-Man comics. If JM Dematteis hadn't unnecessarily killed off Harry and May, those resurrections would not have been necessary. Fans might not be as cynical, which means that it would be easier to make the case for resurrecting Reilly.

Ben Reilly is arguably redundant when the original Spider-Man is still in the comics. There are elements of the Clone Saga arguably best left forgotten (Aunt May's death, the pregnancy.) There's no reason to presume that a few hundred fans on the internet translates to enough interest for a monthly. With Spider-Man being a bachelor again, Ben Reilly's even more redundant.

Having Ben Reilly as Spider-Man can get kinda convoluted, and there are similar problems with having him in a major role in the Spider-Man comics. Since he has all of Peter's memories prior to Amazing Spider-Man #149, it's difficult to keep track of what he knows about characters he interacts with. He would have first-hand memories of many experiences, while he would be ignorant of many subsequent developments.

There are still a few reasons to do a Scarlet Spider book. It'll appeal to some of the Spider-Man fans who left after OMD, and a few of those who remain on the fence with the current Amazing Spider-Man, those most likely to drop the book after a stretch of weak issues, or for reasons that seem trivial. JM Dematteis would probably agree to write it. It gives an excuse to reference the clone saga, some of which was decent. While there are disadvantages to guiding readers to the Clone Saga trade paperbacks, it would probably result in some new sales.

There are some interesting possibilities. Personally, I think it would be fun to do an inversion of the clone saga. Now that Peter Parker's a bachelor, why not do Ben Reilly as a married father? Ben Reilly could also remember the world as it was before One More Day (and had no idea what's happened since his death.)

I don't think it would work for Scarlet Spider to supplement any shortcomings in the direction of the Spider-Man comics. If it's better for the long-term prospects of the series for the character to be a bachelor, Ben Reilly shouldn't be a proxy for a single Peter Parker, an option as ill-advised as bringing the Spider-Man comics to an end.

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Infinite Spider-Man Part 5.6: Are writers being scared away?

Posted by Mister Mets 01 November 2011

At CBR, there was a discussion about whether writers might be discouraged by One More Day and what it represented. Unsurprisingly, most commentors seemed to believe that hypothetical writers would have the same concerns they did.

The first argument is that writers may be confused by the current status quo. Personally, it seems simple enough that it's an insult to the intelligence of a named comic book writer to suggest that they won't be able to understand what happened, what didn't happen and what's still wobbly.

A decent editor should be able to explain it to any writer who is confused about any of the obscure points that are largely unlikely to be relevant. And while there may be some things that readers won't be privy to (this would include anything related to Quesada's planned follow-up to One Moment in Time), that information can still be discussed internally.

If there's a contradiction in terms of how something like how time travel is depicted in the Marvel Universe, I'd imagine that most potential Amazing Spider-Man writers will understand that the portrayal of something like time travel will be wildly inconsistent in a shared universe. So, they really shouldn't have a problem with it, as the consequences are quite clear.

Let's imagine that the events of Amazing Spider-Man Annual 21 were happening in the present. With the sliding timeline, that perspective will match up with future issues of Amazing Spider-Man in a few years.

Something from a possible future (Mephisto's red bird) arrives in the present, and changes one moment in time, so Peter Parker doesn't make it to the wedding.

In that possible future, Peter Parker sacrificed his marriage to save his Aunt May's life.

But because one moment in time changes in the present, that future will not come to pass. Other stuff will happen.

So Peter Parker will never be in the position to make the deal with Mephisto.

Aunt May will be saved anyway, because in a characteristic act of douchebaggery, the Mephisto of the alternate future was going to take credit for something that was going to happen any way.
While it's possible Mephisto lied in One More Day, he did say he was actually going to change something in the past.

Based on the internet, it seems possible for a writer to be horribly misinformed about One More Day, or any other aspect of any comic book character. It shouldn't take an editor long to answer the big questions, though. It could probably be done in the equivalent of two paragraphs. And I'd imagine someone writing Amazing Spider-Man would be given the relevant back issues.

The second argument is that writers might have been unaware that continuity could change. These writers would be upset that characters they killed off could be resurrected, as happened to Harry Osborn. One More Day also demonstrated that seemingly permanent developments could be undone with a retcon.

Honestly, any writer prominent enough to be offered Amazing Spider-Man was probably aware that things can change before OMD came out. This doesn't require a particular knowledge of Spider-Man in particular, but a working familiarity with modern superhero comics. You'd have to be spectacularly ignorant of the field in which you've been offered one of the most coveted jobs (writing Spider-Man) to be unaware that characters could be resurrected and events undone by the next guy.

Another argument could be made that a writer may be deeply uncomfortable writing Spider-Man, considering what the character did in One More Day. Whether Spidey did anything wrong has been discussed elsewhere, though some people think he did; therefore a writer might also have that opinion.

I have yet to hear of a situation in which someone turned down a project, because he was bothered by something a character had done years ago, that did not directly affect the way the character was seen in-universe. Imagine someone turning down Batman because he was offended by something Bruce Wayne did in an issue of Detective Comics five years ago, that doesn't directly affect the current comics. It's theoretically possible for a writer to turn down Spider-Man for this reason, but it requires someone outraged by the moral implications of OMD, who wouldn't be similarly bothered by anything else the character has done.

If you're just considering whether a writer should be morally outraged, there should be no difference between One More Day and any other Spider-Man story, aside from the actions of the character. Whether the story is consequential shouldn't matter. Hell, the Peter Parker in Amazing Spider-Man currently isn't even the Peter Parker who made the deal with Mephisto.

But perhaps a writer will object to it as strongly as Dan Slott (getting to 50 issues of Amazing Spider-Man and counting) disagreed with Parallel Lives.

There have been situations in which writers decided that they didn't like the status quo. Roger Stern has explicitly said numerous times that he didn't feel comfortable writing the married Spider-Man. But that type of reluctance is based on something that would affect their current work, rather than problems with an years-old four-part storyline. It's not something that can be ignored.

A writer who came to the Spider-Man comics during the Clone Saga would have more problems than someone coming to Amazing Spider-Man now. When Ben Reilly was in the costume, "who did what" could be a big deal for any writer who wants to deal with the ramifications of events that happened in the 20 year stretch between Amazing Spider-Man 149 and 394, and suddenly has to deal with a different protagonist. It can open up new opportunities, but it could also cause headaches in such basic questions such as what the main character should know.

Ben Reilly being the "real" Spidey meant that the protagonist did not experience any of Spidey's adventures from Amazing Spider-Man #150 and up. Which is a big deal if you're planning to reference any of those stories in any significant way.

The Clone Saga was restricting in other ways. It also meant that the protagonist has the mental trauma of spending five years as the equivalent of an exile, believing that he was the clone. There's also the icky question of whether MJ was a pedophile for having sex with a guy who is literally less than five years old.

A final argument was that the quality of One More Day was so bad that it might scare away writers. Though it seems difficult to imagine the following conversation actually taking place.

"I can't write the book."
"Why?"
"One of the stories in Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man was mediocre. The character is forever tainted, and were I to write the same character who fought Razorback, I would be tainted by association. Good day to you, sir."
"Are you really sure about this?"
"I SAID GOOD DAY TO YOU, SIR!""Are you still working on X-Men?"

"Yes. I shall have my first script in on Monday."
"Have you read Chuck Austen's X-Men comics?"

"Of course. It was an okay postmodern parody of low culture."

This brings up another question: Could One More Day have been so bad that it keeps readers away from Spider-Man?

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Infinite Spider-Man Part 4.5: On Keeping Aunt May Alive

Posted by Mister Mets 10 August 2011

Before Mackie and Byrne’s infamous 1999 relaunch, Mackie wrote a four parter in which one of Osborn’s cohorts came to Peter to reveal that “May Parker is still alive.” Spider‑Man investigated hoping to find his lost daughter and found his elderly aunt instead. It was revealed that the May Parker who died in “The Gift” was an actress hired by Osborn, which didn’t go over well with fans of a story that appeared on a few Top Ten lists. While Aunt May showing up alive and well in “The Final Chapter” may just have been the only good moment in that storyline, as a genuinely memorable twist, there were a few who suggested that it would have been better if the character had stayed dead. Some expressed their hope that the May who came back in “The Final Chapter” could be revealed as a Skrull, so “The Gift” would remain the proper sendoff to the character.

There are also those fans who weren’t around for the clone saga but think that Aunt May’s death would be a great development for the series. With Aunt May in a coma following Back in Black, they thought that if Peter had to choose between keeping his marriage or saving his aunt, it was time for his aunt and uncle to be reunited in heaven.

I didn't see the point of killing off Aunt May then or now. She had been a big part of the pre-Back in Black stories, and had some great moments in the preceding years. Admittedly it was preferable to kill her during Back in Black, rather than after a string of bad storylines, as that would have limited the impact of the character’s death. The only reason she was killed off in the first place was that the writers decided that her death would make it seem as if Peter Parker had grown up, at a time when Ben Reilly was going to be revealed as the real Spider‑Man anyway.

Some fans believed that Aunt May’s death would allow Peter to grow, and is therefore an essential step in the character’s maturation, which is a bit perverse when you think about it. My father didn't become an orphan until shortly before his Sixty-Fifth birthday, when my grandmother passed away at the age of Ninety-four. Most Americans in their twenties have at least one living parent or parental figure, so losing Aunt May represents an unnecessary step for a twenty‑something Peter Parker. There’s the argument that it’ll help Peter grow up after all the years he has lived with his aunt, but since he moved away to college in the Lee/ Romita days, Peter Parker's spent a majority of his time living away from his aunt. The New Avengers period and first few months of BND were an exception.

It’s likely that some future Spider‑Man writers are going to want to kill off Aunt May eventually, but hopefully the editors will be smart enough to tell them no. The few scenes you get with Peter occasionally mourning the death of his mother figure will not make the comics more interesting than any scenes you could have with the character five years from now, let alone twenty years from now.

One reason she was brought back was that writers realized there were many benefits to her character. , She’s a useful foil to Spider‑Man, and there are still stories left to tell with her. After the clone saga concluded, Mary Jane’s aunt Anna quickly moved in with the Parkers to fill the void left by the loss of Aunt May, though she lacked the connection to Peter’s past that made May so irreplaceable. It also helped that the period during which she was believed dead isn’t really considered one of the high points of the Spider‑Man books.

Perhaps the most significant reason to keep May Parker alive is that she's the only real link to Peter's pre‑Amazing Fantasy #15 past. If future writers want to do stories about Peter's childhood or parents, it makes sense to keep alive the one character who Peter can talk about these things with. While you could always have Untold Tales or flashbacks with Peter discussing his past with Aunt May, there may be a time when Peter's past or Uncle Ben's past or the history of his SHIELD agents parents could be relevant to his experiences in the present‑day Marvel Universe. If that happens, killing off Aunt May, or revealing that she had been dead since Amazing Spider-Man #400, will seem like a foolish decision.

Ultimately, Joe Quesada chose not to resurrect Gwen Stacy, and he chose not to bring back the spider-baby. The revelations about Mary Jane's backstory from Parallel Lives remained canon. As did Sins Past. Aunt May stayed alive. Hell, the only reason she was ever in danger was to set up One More Day. But there was one character who came back from the dead.

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Spidey Classics: Spider-Man: The Lost Years

Posted by Michael Deery 03 December 2010

J.M. DeMatteis and John Romita's, "Spider-Man: The Lost Years," is a story about Ben Reilly and Kaine but at it's heart it is all about Peter Parker. Joe Quesada once said, and I'm paraphrasing here, that the reason that fans are so passionate about Peter Parker is that they see so much of themselves in him, that a perceived slight against his character is a slight against them. His clones give the writers opportunities to explore facets of his character that would not be possible otherwise.
"Spider-Man: The Lost Years," takes place in the rain drenched streets of Salt Lake City. Detective Jacob Raven is fighting a losing battle against the local mob led by Vincent Tannen. At this point, three years into his exile from New York, Ben Reilly rolls into town. His plan is to get a job at the university, make a few bucks and get out. That's his life at this point. Kaine is already there, spending his time in seedy bars, proving that at least one Parker can drink.
Throughout the mini-series DeMatteis draws parallels between Ben and Kaine, when we meet them they both appear resigned to their individual fates, Ben even convinces himself he has a better life than Peter. Their blissful ignorance is blown apart when they both fall in love with women who are also hiding their true identities. Ben meet Janine Godbe, a waitress with more than a passing resemblance for Mary Jane, Kaine falls for Louise Kennedy, Raven's partner. Of equal importance in this story is Jacob Raven whose story, like Ben and Kaine, is defined by the woman he loves and loses.
What's interesting about this mini series is the sense of dread you feel while reading it. This story is after all a prequel to the clone saga. Going in we knew whatever happiness Ben gained he would eventually lose. Worse still, we knew that not only would Louise die, she would die by Kaine's hand. He would kill the only person that gives him hope and ultimately he would kill her because he is Peter Parker. One of the more endearing traits of Peter's character is his unwavering, almost naive sense of hope. More than any other superhero, with the exception of Superman, his life has been about loss, his parents, Uncle Ben, Captain Stacey, Gwen, Harry, his child and eventually Ben and Kaine. But he doesn't end up brooding in a cave, afraid to live life. He endures because, despite his protests to the contrary, he is an eternal optimist. Kaine was as well, he meets Louise and Kaine thinks that life can be beautiful. Her betrayal as a member of Tanners gang breaks Kaine, he loses that optimism, he is no longer Peter Parker. It is not the cellular degeneration that turns Kaine into a monster, it is the death of hope.
This is where the parallels between Kaine and Ben end, as it is the reveal of Jannie's secret that pulls her and Ben closer together and gives the story a bitter sweet ending. They are together in the end but it clearly won't last. Ben also reveals his secret to Jannie, even about being a clone and Ben's old favorite about being less than a man. Remember what I just said about Peter being the eternal optimist? That's as much about him as it is the people around him. The supporting cast is that important. It wasn't dressing up and playing hero that made Ben give life another shot. It was Janine, all Janine.
I should take a moment to talk about the art in this book. Online and in a lot of reviews I see artists criticized because their art isn't the most attractive to look at, it's not beautiful enough. Comic book art is about story telling, the idea is that if you covered the word balloons you would still get the story. That is what happens here. John Romita is the master of story telling. But still attractive artwork is nice. Romita has that too. He is simply the best.
At the beginning I said that this was a story about Peter Parker, it's a story about what hope does for him. You take it away from him and he becomes a monster, just like he did during DeMatteis, "I am the Spider," run on Amazing. You give him back hope and you get a man like Ben Reilly, who on his first night back in New York would save Peter's life. He saved the life of the one man whose death with solve all his problems. He did that because he still had hope his life would work out.

Clone Saga 6

Posted by bps 27 February 2010

This is the finale to the grand 'Original' Clone Saga as it was supposed to end. Before I start reviewing the issue, I must add that this is a cheesy ending to the story. This story illustrates how comics used to be - i.e. the good guys always win.

Before reading the review, you may want to take a look at the Clone Saga 6 of 6 preview. Once again, as in most of the Clone saga issues, the cover page has nothing to do with the story.

The story.

The preview ends with Kaine, the corrupted clone of Peter Parker, having a conversation with Norman Osborn's clone. In their conversation, 'Norman' learns that he is not the original. Harry, in the meantime, is getting a thrill out of bruising Ben badly. He then sends off some fireworks which explode into a goblin's face design. As he intended, the fireworks caught the attention of the real Spider-Man.

While Spider-Man makes his way to the source of the fireworks, Kaine explains how baby May, whom he was supposed to kill, is innocent and part of his family. He ponders out loud if any child should have to pay for the sins of their father.

Spider-Man is surprised to see his brother, Ben hanging from chains in the Oscorp building ( source of the fireworks). He is then attacked from behind by Harry. While the two fight, Norman explains to Kaine that this endless fight between Spider-Man and the goblin must end tonight.

Strangely enough, Norman Osborn appears in the fight scene with his goblin costume and starts fighting his son. With the help of Peter and Ben, the three take Harry down. Norman Osborn ultimately sacrifices his own life to save Peter. As he disintegrates, he tells Harry to stop wasting his time. Kaine returns baby May to Mary Jane and tell her to inform Ben and Peter that Kaine will no longer be any trouble.

The story ends with Ben Reilly riding off on his bike into the unknown, possibly to be seen in at a later stage.

Personal Thoughts

Overall, these six issues have been most enjoyable. As mentioned in the beginning, the issue has a very cheesy ending. Both Ben Reilly and Kaine live on to continue their unknown lives. Harry on the other hand goes about his own life, most likely to stir up something else in time to come.

The story still leaves some things hanging such as:

How is Harry still alive?
Why isn't Ben still Spider-Man since Peter has his kid back?
etc

Anyhow, hope you enjoyed your copy.

Clone Saga 5 of 6

Posted by bps 02 February 2010

This has to be the best of the Clone Saga series so far. To all Spider-Man fans out there, this issue is a must read, as it finally breaks away considerably from the original Clone Saga series in the 90's.

As readers expecting to see a repeat of the 90's Clone Saga, this issue is full of the unexpected. The art remains constant, as it has for the past four issue. The other thing that remains constant is the cover page, having absolutely nothing to do with the story. Nonetheless, this is a good cover page. Probably the only weird thing about the issue is the reference to iTunes, which did not exist back in the 90's.

Anyhow, here is the story. Continuing exactly where the preview left off, Peter decides to help take down Kaine as quickly as possible before rushing to Mary Jane, who is half way giving birth by now.

After an entertaining battle between the three 'Peter's,' Kaine disappears quietly as usual after placing the lives of the policemen in danger. The fight scene here is awesome, filled with cool moves from two Spider-Men.

As a first surprise, Peter arrives at the hospital in time to witness the birth of his living baby girl. Allison Mongrain, then takes the baby, and conveniently walks out of the hospital, throwing away the baby tag. The next scene obviously shows Peter furious that his child has gone missing. He and Ben, decide that Kaine is somehow related to all this.

The two set out to look for him. Elsewhere, Allison appears in a dark secluded area meeting with Kaine. She passes the baby to Kaine and states that she must leave the shores. At this point, Kaine, as evil as he is, is portrayed to have a very slight soft spot for the child, especially upon learning that her name is May.

Kaine then reports to his boss, who reminds Kaine that he must kill the child if their plan fails. Kaine's boss, aka the shadowy figure who looks like Harry Osborn, is then seen resurrecting Norman Osborn ( or his clone)

The comic ends with the absolute unexpected as the Goblin (Norman) battles with Ben, who was busy looking for Kaine. As they fight in mid air, the Goblin reveals to Ben that he knows who he is. he also reveals that Ben is the clone. As Ben tries create some distance between himself and the Green Goblin, he is stabbed in the back by the glider as seen below.

Some interesting way to end the issue now isn't it? Look out for the highly anticipated next issue, which will connect the dots to our confused minds. Hope you enjoy this long awaited review.

Spider-man: Clone Saga 4 of 6

Posted by bps 19 December 2009

Different people have different perspectives towards the new version of the Clone Saga. In my opinion, this is one of the best stories ever told, and told again. The issue, like the previous Clone Saga issues highlights Ben Reilly, Kaine and Peter Parker - all of whom share the memories of Peter, and at this point are unsure of who is the original.

Once again Kaine to some extent manages to pull off some jokes in his conversation, showing his similarities to Peter, although they both have may differences.

The story
It opens with Ben Reilly, as in the previews, now donning the Spider-Man costume, and fighting Doctor Octopus. he fails to stop his enemy but manages to save the civilians. In the meantime, much to my disliking, he continuously compares himself to Peter, thinking about what Peter would have done in his place.

The story shifts to Peter Parker, now enjoying his retirement with Mary Jane. He is shown to be frustrated, trying to land a job at a university in order to support his wife and coming baby. It is however, in some ways apparent that he misses being Spider-Man.

Ben Reilly's personal life is magnified slightly in this issue. He is seen coming late to work - one of the 'benefits' of being Spider-Man, and being set up with a date. Ben later meets with his blind date - Beth, who for some reason reminds him of his former love, Elizabeth Tyne. I must add that the depiction of Elizabeth Tyne looks exactly like Mary Jane. (See right)

Kaine and Doctor Ock are also seen working together. Apparently Dr. Ock has been offered immortality in exchange for stabilizing the Jackal's cloning formula. Needless to say, the two eventually come to a disagreement at which Kaine takes the opportunity to kill Dr. Octopus. ( Note that at this point Dr. Ock has already stabilized the formula. )

The drawing of Dr Octavius here is very similar to in the Spider-man Movie. Possibly because of the longer face that Octaviuus does not usually have.

Before Kaine kills his former partner, Ben Reilly comes in to stop him. While fighting, Ben sprays some webbing into Octavius' face, restricting his breathing. Once again, Kaine leaves the scene as Ben tries to save his breathless enemy. The comic ends with Kaine informing his employer that the formula is stable.

We then see the shadowy figure from Clone Saga 3, opening the yellow container with Norman Osborn inside.

Personal Thoughts

Obviously, this is where the new Clone Saga will deviate from the original. As predicted in my last review, Norman Osborn was indeed the clone inside the yellow container. However, what are the chances that it is actually Norman in the shadows, creating another clone of himself?

Just a thought, highly unlikely. As mentioned earlier, Kaine still maintains some form of subtle humor
as a result of being a clone of Peter.

Overall a good comic, worth reading in my opinion.

Other related issues:

Clone saga 3 of 6

Posted by bps 01 December 2009

The clone saga, as we know is being retold as it was originally intended in six issues. Last week, part three of the clone saga was released. Read Clone saga 1 and Clone saga 2.

In the Clone Saga 2, Kaine, Ben Reilly and Peter were trapped by the Jackal who wanted to use their blood samples to help stabilize the genetic structure of his army of clones. We also found out that Mary Jane was suffering from the same disease that Aunt May was suffering from.

Clone Saga 3, is another extremely rushed, but well drawn comic. The story is obviously good as it is a shortened version of the original Clone Saga -which had a fantastic story line. In this third issue Jackal explains that Kaine is a failed clone whom he is using as an example not to follow. As such, he needs Ben and Peter's blood to cure his new army of clones from degeneration.

The Jackal magnifies Kaine as a failure he does not intend to repeat. As a character, Kaine is tormented physically and mentally. As such he goes feral and break free upon hearing that the Jackal intends to clone Gwen. He states that Gwen is the only unblemished memory he has left and will not allow the Jackal to accomplish his goals.

As Kaine breaks free he asks Peter and Ben to help stop the Jackal. ( As if they wouldn't) The three Peter Parkers set out to fight the army of clones, who apparently do not have the same fighting skills as Spider-man. The reason for this being that the Jackal did not have time to program Peter's memories in them.

As they continue to battle, the Jackal reveals that he has another clone that will surprise them. At the same moment, the clone army begins to disintegrate. Shocked, the Jackal concludes that Peter must be the clone, while Ben is actually the original.

The fight ends with Kaine ultimately killing the Jackal. Kaine then throws the antidote up in the air for Ben and Peter to catch while he runs away. With the antidote, Aunt May and Mary Jane are quickly cured. Peter later discusses with MJ about himself being a clone. They decide to put all differences aside and continue to lead their life together.

Peter later calls a meeting with Ben and is seen giving Ben the Spider-man costume saying that he is resigning from being Spider-man. The final panel shows Kaine planning with someone behind the scenes, again in the shadows, that looks very much like Norman Osborn.

Personal thoughts

Anyone reading this comic will have to agree that it is good. Art is once again consistent, story, as I mentioned can't be bad. The only problem here is that the story is rushed too much, just like Clone saga 2.

So with that out of the way, I have two questions.

Who is the guy in the shadows?
Who is the other clone besides Gwen stacey?

Here are my conclusions.

The Jackal was shown with two special clone makers, as can be seen below.

Gwen was obviously in the Pink container as can be seen here

As such, it is possible that Norman Osborn, supposed to be dead at this point in time, is in the yellow container. Therefore, in the last scene, Harry is trying to resurrect his father. Notice the yellow container beside him. Any thoughts?

Spider-man: Clone Saga 2 of 6

Posted by bps 03 November 2009

Spider-man: Clone Saga 2 - To start with, the cover of this issue has absolutely nothing to do with the comic's story. This second installment to the new, improved, and original Clone Saga has seemed to jumped a few steps ahead from where Clone Saga # 1 left off. The story moves extremely quickly, possibly too quickly.

In this second issue, Ben Reilly has already taken on a new identity - the Scarlet Spider. As the preview implies, Ben Reilly has moved on to another part of town, has a job, and is being followed by Kaine. It is interesting how Kaine, although bigger, stronger, and with heightened senses, still has a streak of Peter's habits. For example - trying to make jokes while fighting.

Before this issue, Peter has never met Kaine before. As such neither he, nor Ben know that Kaine is in fact another clone of Peter Parker. The preview ends with Mary Jane not feeling so good. The next scene, reveals that Mary Jane has already broken the news about her pregnancy to Peter.

While Peter thinks that MJ's health is a result of her pregnancy, the doctor thinks otherwise. Mary Jane is later diagnosed with the same genetic condition as Aunt May. How strange since MJ and Aunt May are not the least bit related.

The thing about Kaine is that he is Peter. He has feelings and emotions. Thus, when his heightened Spider sense give him visions of an ill Mary Jane, he decides to go all out against his boss. ( its related you see)

Ben visits Mary Jane and Peter. Peter and Ben later come to the conclusion that there is someone behind Mary Jane and Aunt May's condition. Kaine appears, offering help as he knows who is behind this (his boss obviously). After a very quick fight, the three team up and follow Kaine.

The story ends with the Jackal, who was most probably Kaine's boss all along, capturing the Peters by releasing a gas that affects Peter's DNA. It is only at this point that Peter learns Kaine is another clone of himself.

So, what is motivating this Jackal character against Peter? He wants to create an army of clones that will help him rule the world. In case you did not know, Jackal is the crook who began the cloning in the first place.

Personal thoughts
World domination has to be one of the oldest objectives of all villains. So much so, that it is not even common to comic characters, except for a few weird ones, like the Jackal. Check out the scan below.

It is neat that Kaine still exhibits feelings behind what makes him a bad guy. It reinstates that he is still 'Peter Parker.' Although the story of this issue is not quite impressive, due to the rush through events, the characters involves are admirable.

Most people read Spider-man, not only because of the story, but because of the character of the characters - namely Peter and Mary Jane. It is not in every comic that you find such character. This of course leads to another topic of why making the deal with Mephisto was a bad idea.

Mary Jane and Aunt may clones?

We have to keep in mind that this clone saga miniseries is not going to go in the same direction as the original. As such, there will have to be room for new stuff. Some of this new stuff could include Mary Jane diagnosed with the same problem as Aunt May. I am unsure of the what was originally intended on their first clone saga. Could it be possible that MJ and Aunt May are clones here? From this issue, it is obvious that the Jackal was behind causing Aunt May and MJ to fall ill. A cloned MJ and Aunt May could explain quite a bit here, no?

Anyhow, one good thing for sure is that the Clone Saga # 3 begins exactly where this issue ends. Click the link to check out the preview.

Spider-man: Clone Saga # 1 of 6

Posted by bps 07 October 2009

Spider-man: Clone Saga retold has to be the most awaited comic there is. It's refreshing to read a good old fashion comic, retold that was based in the 90's. Spider-man comics in the 90's were cleaner and simpler. Art in this particular issue is spectacular and consistent in my opinion.

This new version of the Clone Saga is written as it was originally intended. The story begins with a brief introduction of what happened prior to these events - Peter's Parents return, Harry Osborn's death, maximum carnage, aunt may in hospital and etc.

This comic brings Ben Reilly, Peter Parker's, pretty much perfect clone, complete with his memories, back to New York upon hearing that Aunt May is in hospital.

Remember, Ben has all of Peter's memories, including that of Aunt May and Uncle Ben.

In the meantime, we see Mary Jane having some ' unknown' problems with her own health that she is not telling Peter about. In the background we also see a shady, 'unknown' figure following Spider-man.

The new clone saga wastes no time, unlike the original. Ben explains how he did not die when they last met. Peter however has a hard time believing that. The two fight for a brief period and quickly befriend one another. It is implied that the 'shady figure' is one of Ben's enemies whom he thinks followed him to NY, and is giving him problems.

The 'shady crook' later comes out of the shade, although his identity is not revealed in the comic.(but we know from his suit that its Kaine) The real crook in the story is however, siting back on his chair monitoring everything that is going on.. as usual. ( depicted below )

Personal opinion

I think this is a 90% perfect comic. The remaining 10% include things like the bad guy monitoring everything from a screen. How is it that all bad guys have a nice screen for them to monitor?

Another note is that there was no American idol back in the 90's. The art, as I mentioned is perfect. Mary Jane is drawn just as she was back in the 90's - with the whole hairdo deal. Its great to read a comic with MJ as Mrs Parker.

Below: MJ from the original Clone Saga in the 90's

Below: MJ from the New Clone Saga

Pretty similar huh? Good job

I like Ben Reilly as a character. Slightly lost, rejected character, yet good. Then again anybody who knows their a clone would feel that way.

Overall rating : 9/10.
Buying all 6 of these issues will be worth the investment.