Regardless of what you’re looking at right now, that pic can be used to accurately describe how the Spider-Man books are going these days.
I’ve already touched upon the direction previously, but I feel it’s time to say something further regarding my favorite super hero. Basically, Otto Octavius – who is still in Peter Parker’s body – has been going out of his way to (intentionally or not) systematically ruin every past alliance, friendship, acquaintance and love Peter’s ever known in an effort to make this life his own, while moving forward to benefit himself as a hero in one was or another. He’s had some successes, such as getting Peter’s doctorate and founding Parker Industries, but the bad outweighs the good here, something Otto’s too damn arrogant to see or even care about. Let’s recap:
- Carlie Cooper is onto him. Otto doesn’t know this.
- Mary Jane both hates and fears him.
- The Avengers have him on probation and are waiting for an excuse to take him down.
- Plenty of Spider-Man’s old foes are waiting to get a piece of him.
- Black Cat will be after his head at some point.
- Kaine Parker, Houston’s Scarlet Spider, is now even more disillusioned than ever, and has moved to his original destination of Mexico.
- Horizon Labs is dead and its staff are either bound elsewhere or working for “Peter”.
- Miguel O’Hara, the Spider-Man of 2099, is now stuck in our time with now way of returning.
- May and Jay are thoroughly shocked and disappointed in “Peter’s” behavior.
- Otto’s biggest failures have resulted in citywide destruction, which he still hasn’t truly atoned for.
Right now, Otto’s only positive relationship is his little girlfriend, Anna Maria Marconi, and even that now has a dent in it. At the rate things are going, if Dan Slott does bring back in some convoluted way, it’s not going to be a life worth coming back to.
Honestly, I think that’s where Slott is going with this. He going through pains to have Otto wreck every old friendship and acquaintance Peter has ever had, on top of ruining Spider-Man’s friendly neighborhood reputation bit by bit. Frankly, if things get worse, I don’t expect even Anna Maria to stick around.
Everything will be so…so horrible that IF Peter returns, he’ll have to face a world that hates and fears him, and will be forced to go though hell to win back everyone’s trust (something that might never be possible). Thus, adding a whole new, heartbreaking clause to the mantra of great power and great responsibility. The old “Peter Parker’s life sucks and everybody hates Spider-Man” status quo that the franchise started with in the first place will be back with a vengeance.
It’s always sucked to be Spider-Man. It’s always sucked to be Peter Parker. Once Dan Slott’s run is complete, this will be as clear as day, and we will have to watch Spidey struggle through it all, as we always have. We will feel for him, cry for him and hope against all hope that Peter will be able to repair the bridges Otto is burning…and if he can’t, he will have to find it within himself to build new ones.
But, more importantly, Spider-Man will still have the comic book reading world’s attention, better or for worse, and (most importantly to Slott), the comic books will continue to sell.
As I said last time, all this crap is ultimately out of our hands. Movie or no, the future is looking bleak for Spidey, but there’s nothing we can do about it. That’s something we simply have to accept. It’s Slott’s book, not ours, and no amount of rage is going to change that. Do we have to like it? No, but there are many that do, and more power to ’em. Spider-Man is not in a good place right now. In fact, I’d wager he hasn’t been this low since the Clone Saga (which also sold like crazy, hence its long run). However, he’s helping keep Marvel in business through these crappy economic times. And that’s good enough for them (and Disney, but that’s a whooooooooooooooole ‘nother topic).
Regardless of what happens, at the end of the day, we all just need to remember that while Spider-Man’s world might be crumbling, it’s not the end of ours. So, just chill and move on with your lives. It’s almost a brand new year, and something tells me we’re all gonna have to find some way to face it.
