Off My Mind: Spider-Man and his New Amazing (?) Sidekick

@Strider92: Not likely. Spider-Man 700 is supposed to be so big, it affects the rest of the Marvel U. Introducing a character 8 issues before killing him means nothing. Nor does any Spider-Man supporting cast dying.

No no no, what's happening in 700 has to be HUGE. Big enough that it upsets the rest of Marvel as Dan Slott says. My bet? New York is going to blow up. Look at the solicits. Every hero is leaving NYC. Including Daredevil.

This storyline seems almost intentionally lame. I would trust that Dan Slott has something good planned for it. He's one of the best and he's not going to do some cliched, overdone thing such as kill Alpha within a few issues, or kill Peter and replace him with a sidekick (there's no way they kill Peter Parker off -- even temporarily -- in the main Marvel Universe. Not when they just had a major movie bringing in new readers). And funny, if they turn Alpha into a villain -- with that artwork and design --- he already looks like Syndrome from The Incredibles.

Also, sorry to even waste space on this, but.......

@Srsly_nerdy First of all --- there is nothing on earth more boring than someone on a website message board posting judgmental lectures on grammar. Secondly, and more importantly, if you're going to lecture the article writer on grammar errors and technical writing style......PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE......make sure that your own one-paragraph message (about proofreading, no less) is not absolutely littered with grammatical mistakes and spelling errors. Just so you're aware:

a) The word "proofread" is NOT two words

b) Spider-Man is two words with a hyphen between them (He's a man-spider. It's not his last name. He's not Peter Spiderman)

c) The word "sidekick" is NOT two words

d) Your second sentence is just a grammatical nightmare and an incomplete sentence

e) The word "especially" is not spelled "expecially"

f) The name Maguire has an "e" at the end of it

All those errors...contained in just a one-paragraph post. Now, very few people reading this thread actually care about whether or not the average board poster has some errors contained within his or her post -- but Great Gwen Stacy's Ghost, man -- you were acting like the grammar police. Methinks you should mind your own self, first and foremost. Ugh.

So, he's sort of like Ultra boy? Okay, it makes sense that getting all that power would go to his head at first, maybe he'll mellow out.

I think Spider-Man having a sidekick isn't a bad idea. I sometimes think that the problem with most comic book readers is that they are so used to the same old thing that they can't accept a little change now and then. Also, this is just the first part of the story. Comic book nerds do not have the right to judge so quickly and abrasively. If any of these jerks have learned anything from New Avengers #27, it's that Spider-Man can teach powerful youths from a new generation great responsiblility. So just wait until the story is done.

3 words... WAY TOO CLICHE!!!!

I think it's pretty clear that Spider-Man will be fighting Alpha soon. Alpha is Peter Parker if he didn't have Uncle Ben and Aunt May to raise him right.

This guy is really too lame for words, I hope he disappears very soon.

S[idey having a sidekick is a pretty cool idea. That said it should've just been SPider-Girl and they be partners as he doesnt want to see her get hurt or worse carrying on his legacy. This Alpha thing smacks of the responsibility that got away. If he doesn't go bad it'll be a shocker.

Im excited to see Spiderman have a side kick! Never expected it... but glad hes not another spiderman. I see them getting into a lot of arguments.

This was the very first issue of Spider I buy. My knowledge of the character is limited to the movies and the animated series. I must say I really enjoyed this issue, I think it is a wonderful jumping point for me, and I will continue reading this book from now on.

I also started Hawkeye at #1 and Im looking for more Marvel titles. Do you guys have any suggestions for me, like in the Marvel NOW or something? I could afford 5 marvel series total so that leaves the spot for 3 new Marvel titles.

WOW comics are amazing guys I'm glad I entered that comic book store in my city a couple months ago!

Alpha says Spiderman "as" sidekick?????
I did not like the art... So cartoony - especially alpha!

@Strider92 said:

This issue just reinforced my original thought that Parker is going to kill Alpha in 700.

Kill him? I doubt it, but my thoughts that something might happen to Aunt May are being more and more reinforced.

We were supposed to hate Alpha. He's exactly what Peter was right after he got his powers, a stupid unreasonable prick.

He'll probably learn, soon enough.

If Peter Parker is going to die and you're going to replace him with Alpha...I'll set your offices on fire using my whole collection as fuel. I'm not joking, this is not funny.

Kill Parker...i kill you xD.

EDIT: And i'll use all my Marvel movies Blu-rays as blades to cut your heads.

Lulz at everyone freaking the f**k out and missing the point of the actual story, though.

Bravo internet.

@MutieLover said:

@cuddles666: Robin is named after Robin Hood, hence the costume.

It doesn't have to be one or the other. Surely both were known to Kane and Finger.

Something is definitely going to go wrong. Think about it, a new young guy gains incredible ability's and becomes his own hero.For now Andy thinks its really cool that he could partner with some of the best heroes, but what if he starts to rebel against their order's? When he starts thinking his potential is not being allowed to shine? Hopefully Spider-man teaches him the the sames Morals, and Alpha is willing to make sacrifices and not hunger for glory. Just a thought.

@Miss_Garrick said:

This is the big 50th anniversary prize? Spider-man having a sidekick? An "Amazing Friend?

Andy Maguire!?!? As in Andrew Garfield and Toby Maguire?!? This is beyond googleplex lame! This is lame squared! This is a lame tumor in my brain!!

Marvel just STOP! Just shut down everything, you're killing us comic readers with all this crap in all of your Spider-man/ Avengers/ X-men comics!

Yeah I know but it won't happen. just stop reading the titles all together, let sales drop and then they have to change their way of thinking. hit them where it hurts the most. the wallet.

@saoakden: @Necrotic_Lycanthrope: @sintzu: @hyenascar:

Now here is the logical thing that spider-man would have to do in order to mentor this kid. Now mind you Marvel will in no way ever use logic in terms of story telling but here goes.

Spider-man at the point of taking this kid under his wing would show him how to do the same things he does. But where he should have done was bring Alpha to the big boss fight, only just to end it faster. Later on he would take Andy around and just talk to him about his experiences being a hero and how it all affected him in the long run. Tell him of things what to expect and really lay on the case that every action has a positive and negative reaction.

This especially with his friends and or girlfriends. Andy Maguire has an exposed identity, which means his family and friends can make for real easy targets or can be used as leverage against Andy to make him do what ever the villain wants. because innocents come first.

If anything the logical thing that may happen is that Spider-man manages to save Andy from someones control and Andy will give up being alpha for a while till he can stop feeling bad about being evil and trying to kill people.

they're not going to kill off Spider-man...good grief people...ASM is one of Marvel's best selling titles...the only reason they would ever consider doing a Death of Spider-man is if they were desperately trying to boost sales on the title

...I think he is going to die...don't know why I think that.

this story was sooo quick. but decent. slott has been better

I kinda like this Kid. I don't know if I want it to be permanent, but a story arc or two with him at Spidey's side would be fine. However I don't see this ending any other way than with Alpha or Spidey's death.

I haven't had a chance to read the article, or comic, yet so I don't know if anything I will say has been addressed. But I think this could be really cool. A really fun idea at the very least. Spider-Man expanding his family with a sidekick. And maybe some years down the line this new kid could get his own title and maybe become his own character separate from Spider-Man, like how Tim Drake did or how Dick Grayson did, or even how Jason Todd did. I think it would be fun to see his become like Marvel's Robin.

I am crossing my fingers and hoping, that the big change in #700 is Spidey being forced to kill this kid. The only other rumor is if Alpha replaces Spider-man, and I swear Marvel will definitely pay the price for their idiocy if they do that. Cuz so far, I don't like this kid, calling Spider-man his "sidekick". Ugh, Spidey please kill him.

I don't even get why the hell Marvel erased his marriage for "younger viewers" in the first place. Spider-man has won over millions of fans in the years he was married to MJ, and one them was me. I even know an 11 year old kid at the time of One More Day, who read Spider-man comics and he asked me, "Why did Spider-man make a deal with the devil?" I replied, "I dunno. Marvel's just stupid." boy was I correct on that one. Marvel is actually making it worse for themselves and for Spidey by trying to "fix" things.

Ahh, comic book nerds complaining about changes. That's the kind of thing that never gets old.

@Ramier: I really hope you're right. At this point, we'll know Dan Slott's TRUE impact on the comic book after #700. Cuz even though we might all hate the character now, Dan's says EVERYTHING is leading to 700. I hope Alpha's death is either the finish line, or in the destination if you know what I mean.

I smell a Jason Todd coming.

What i find interesting about all this is that it`s not your classic hero-sidekick duo, for example if Miles Morales would of been spidey`s sidekick then it would fall in to the classic mold.With alpha there is no thematic relation between hero and sidekick and honestly i find that really cool and refreshing. I also like the fact that this sidekick can really out due his mentor in the future , and i hope they don`t make alpha into a villain and instead he becomes a Marvel great, guided by one Marvel`s greatest good old Mr. Parker.

he's gonna die at issue 700.

called it

Coming up with a stunt plot move to celebrate Spidey's 50th anniversary and try to goose sales and appeal to younger readers? Nothing new, nothing worth caring about. So people, heed my words:

Seems like a pathetic child, what how unsurprisingly boring. Maybe he could turn evil, go into the time stream and come back more aged and be a major villain for Webs, that's a better idea that stringing the whole sidekick thing on for too long.

Spider-man looks old for having a sidekick...... Oh Yeah!!! He can be married again!

@cuddles666 said:

Alpha is such a generic name. God forbid Spider-Man have a bug or insect-themed sidekick for consistency (spiders may not be insects, but they're the same size, so same diff, right?). Batman and Robin are both named after things that fly and though diverse in their superheroic identities, share a common link with the wing motif. Spidey and Alpha? Sounds like a crap fanfiction.

Exactly. I know Marvel and stupidity kind of go hand in hand, but this is just lazy and pathetic.

I kinda like the idea of Spidey mentoring a young superhuman, that's a good way to show the character maturing, but in the facts, I really don't like the execution so far. I know it's only been one issue, but Alpha is a really unpleasant character, and Peter doesn't really seem to know what he's doing at all, and spends all his time being scolded by Reed Ridchards, as if he was the sidekick.

I like the idea of Spidey getting a side-kick, shows a bit of growth. But I'm not crazy about him being like the most powerful thing since sliced bread, or him being this big public figure ya know. Like aside from teaching him great power and responsibility there doesn't seem to be much else that spider-man can teach him :/

In fact what would have been awesome was if Miles Morales was like a teenager in 616 and he became Spideys side-kick. Maybe with Spider powers, maybe something similar. That seems like a really missed opportunity.

Wow. This thread, in a nutshell, is why comics fans are the whiniest b!tches to sully the face of the Earth.

I can only see this ending in a Jason Todd-esque scenario. If they weren't planning on making this sidekick turn rogue, I don't understand why they'd make such a lame pairing. The kid's abilities are generic and boring, and a name like Alpha, really? Heroes and sidekicks should go hand-in-hand and be able to compliment each other, and I just don't see how this relationship can prosper very well. Maybe he'll die, maybe he won't, but I predict he'll turn rogue and be a huge threat for Spidey, especially if he learns some of his secrets.

@InnerVenom123 said:

Lulz at everyone freaking the f**k out and missing the point of the actual story, though.

Bravo internet.

Why do people want a kid to die? You people are sick.

That's like Batman being reduced to a younger guy whose mentally a teenager... THEN getting a Robin sidekick. What?!!

Am I the only one that thinks he had to grow up sometime? Why shouldn't he be able to step up to the next tier of superheroes? He's been around longer than a lot of heroes that "outrank" him, if you will. I don't see why Spidey getting a few more responsibilities and growing up a little after 50 years of being a teenager is a bad thing.

@sintzu: Nope. The stupid's been accumulating before Disney bought Marvel.

@Sidious said:

I smell a Jason Todd coming.

The smell must be strong

@danhimself said:

they're not going to kill off Spider-man...good grief people...ASM is one of Marvel's best selling titles...the only reason they would ever consider doing a Death of Spider-man is if they were desperately trying to boost sales on the title

ultimate was one of marvels best selling and that didnt stop theme from killing peter

@ARMIV2 said:

...I think he is going to die...don't know why I think that.

I was thinking on him exploding for too much power/energy/whateverhehas.......... It's just a feeling

@sintzu: I hope he gets kicked around alot after all hard times help people develop as a hero's.. tbh most of the current hero's would be the same as Alpha had they not learned responsibly & been through tough times

I dunno I try to be positive about things lol cause there is more than one way to look at things

@noj: I have the exact same fears I really dont even like alpha he better not replace spider-man or else i will have a bone to pick with them and there is no way they will be that stupid. Then again there was the clone saga.

I hate this... I mean, WHY?!!

Spider-man was created as the first teenager superhero, just because Stan Lee hates sidekicks, and I hate them too, so WHY THE HELL "THIS" HAPPENED?

Hes going to become a villain.

@Trodorne:

It just sounds like a formula already done before with other heroes. For once I wish Spidey, the most unique of the original Stan creations (IMO), would break the mold and do something completely out of the box of any hero we see in mainstream comics (outside of turning villain of course. Although he did become villainous-ish when the symbiote first appeared).