I have mixed feelings about the Death of Ultimate Spider-Man. Ultimate Spider-Man represented a return to the Big Two for me. I left comics in 1995. It's funny how the parallels between my leaving mainstream comics then and match up to the conditions of Comic Book Ecosystem now. I was tired of all the hype companies were producing. Crossovers were killing the idea of just telling compelling stories. Death was being used a gimmick.
I got an occasional graphic novel or collection here and there, mainly Stray Bullets and Strangers in Paradise. For whatever reason, I picked up Ultimate Spider-Man. I was glad that I did because here was a comic that captured some of the magic of comic book discovery. I followed it straight on through. It opened up avenues and pathways for me to get back into mainstream comics. The Ultimate books were a neat experiment that turned into something quite relevant. It made me go back and check out the MU stories featuring a lot of these characters. In a strange way, the Ultimate books made me appreciate the Marvel Universe more. It wasn't out of spite, but out of interest.
There was a time when the Ultimate banner was synonymous for quality. Ultimate Spider-Man hasn't been the same since Ultimatum. That could be said for the whole line. Some of the magic and wonder was taken away by that ill-conceived story. The line has been limping along. Spider-Man did recapture some of its former glory, but it just wasn't the same. This current Death of Spider-Man story has faint traces back to the specious quality storytelling of Ultimatum: hype, death for death's sake, and a forced take on a shared universe.
I still plan on checking out the new Ultimate Spider-Man, but I can't help but feel that this is the right time to abandon ship. The Ultimate Universe just won't be the same without Peter Parker and it will be a worse place for his lose. Despite all of the inane creative decisions that may have with other creators, Brian Michael Bendis has made Peter Parker the consistent heart and soul of the Ultimate Universe. While the Ultimates showed grandiose, cynical arrogance (which was highly entertaining) and the X-Men played out in it's usual dramatic style, Spider-Man gave a likable face to the storytelling. Here was a logical reinvention of the original Spider-Man, every bit as likable as the character we have all grown to love in the Marvel Universe. We all wanted to be Peter Parker at some point, and Bendis did his level best to make his Peter Parker just a little bit more of that pop icon we all love.
The Ultimate Universe will be a hollow place without him. That's too bad. His death will represent more than just an absence of heart in the Ultimate Universe. I imagine in the long run, fewer people will be left to read the exploits of whoever takes over.
I'm a huge Ghost Rider fan and have been since the 1990s series. I loved it as a kid in high school, but I've enjoyed going back to collect and re-read the first two volumes as an adult. I love Johnny Blaze and think this female version will be a phase. After all, there's a new movie on the way and we all know the House of Mouse won't have a Ghost Rider book on the shelves that doesn't feature Johnny Blaze as not to confuse those mythological movie viewers who stumble into comic shops so frequently.
While I won't be getting my monthly shipment of books until the beginning of July (so I'm perpetually behind), I'm willing to give this new Ghost Rider a shot. I love the character and concept.
The more I think about it, the more I just can't see some video game executive looking at Punisher and not going with your standard first person shooter. It's just an easy out.. I think a sandbox game would be such a gamble on Punisher for any studio.
Max is great and I like the environment the villains grow in with the format. However, I love Barracuda. They need to get him in the Marvel Universe yesterday!
All the scuttle butt out of Fear Itself indicates that Barnes is the one who bites it in issue #3. I think he has an appointment with Marvel's rotating door known as death.
Which kind of stinks. I think Bucky has become Captain America. I know I may be in the minority on this, but Steve Rogers has always seemed too clean cut and cookie cutter American. He lacks pizzazz. Bucky has just so thoroughly gone through the gauntlet. I've enjoyed reading him.
Steve may have been given the keys to the kingdom from the beginning, but Bucky has earned it.
Log in to comment