When it comes to comic book super heroes, I can think of none other that has had their share of tragedy and grief during their run. I feel that Spider Man’s luck and life has got to be perhaps one of worst of Marvel’s heroes and even more so than of DC Comic’s Batman. In fact while both of their origins are slightly similar with both of the losing their parents, just one was by a gun and the other was done one after their were branded traitors to their county and killed by an assassin.
So what exactly has old’e Webhead had to endure during this run? Let’s take a look.
1. Lose of his parents.
2. Lost his Uncle Ben
3. The death of Gwen Stacy due to the Green Goblin.
4. One of his mentors, Curt Conner’s, becomes the Lizard and has been one of Spider Man’s villians.
5. Father of this best friend, Norman Osborn, is a Spider Man villian, the Green Goblin.
6. His best friend, Harry Osborn, also being a member of the Green Goblin family and a Spider Man villian.
7. Being told that Peter Parker is a clone of Ben Reilly who was stated to be the original Spider Man……. and then later finding out that was a lie.
8. Aunt May being replaced and replacement being “Killed” off.
9. Aunt May nearly dying after the Kingpin puts a hit on Spider Man.
10. Spider Man dying and coming back to life (The Other). You know the arc where he gained stingers, night vision, the ability to feel vibrations through his webs and the ability to carry items on his back. Those powers has since been retconned.
11. The divorce with Mary Jane.
12. Being branded a fugitive during the Civil War arc.
Sure there are way more items I could add to that list but those I feel are the most important that have transpired. But you would have figured that after everything that’s happened to him that Marvel would cut him some slack and do good by him and sure they did for the most part. He got his own place, he got a great job at Horizon Lab’s and things looked to be on the up and up. Or so it seemed.
And now, now he’s going through which is probably the worst thing that can even happen to a hero; having this life stolen. If you picked up issue #699 of Amazing Spider Man you now know that Doctor Octopus was able to swap minds with Spider Man, so he has all of his memories and powers while poor Parker is stuck in the dying shell of Doctor Octopus. Could this be the final curtain for Peter Parker? One thing is for sure, the end of 2012 is also the end of the Amazing Spider Man. After 700 issues it’s a wrap, but what does that mean?
And what of this “Superior Spiderman” that starts in 2013. Who will be the Spiderman? Will it be Doctor Octopus still inside of Peter’s body or will Peter get this body back before the one he’s in now expires. Or perhaps it’s a different person completely. I don’t know and while there are apparent leaks out there regarding the fate that lies in Amazing Spiderman #700, I’ve avoided them like the plague. Why? Mainly cause I’m fearful, I know what true evil Marvel can cook up and judging from Spidey’s current track record perhaps it could be the death of Peter Parker and not Spiderman , one that’s permenant. Don’t say it’s not possible, they already did it in Ultimate Spiderman (not the cartoon) which introduced us to a new hero, Miles Morales. He rocks btw!
What ever happens make sure that both Amazing Spiderman #700 and Avenging Spiderman #15.1 are on you pull list, er.. make sure you get two copies just in case.
