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Letter of the Week
2008-06-24 13:05:12

A little bit of a rough one this time:

Spider-Men,

You guys have no idea what you've put me through the last three weeks. I mean, maybe you do, because I'm sure my story bears much similarity to others you've read in the last four months. But here's mine. I'll warn you -- it's long. You might not even read it. But it's been on my heart for a while now, and I want to share, so here it is.

My not-at-home dad gave me three paperback books when I was a kid. They contained reprints of the first 20 issues of The Amazing Spider-Man spread out over the three volumes. Some of my earliest memories are of reading these books. Specifically, laying in bed with the chicken pox and keeping me company were the Lizard, Kraven, the Green Goblin, and let's not forget the Scorpion. The romance between Betty and Pete, the tragedy of Betty's brother's death, the machinations of Doctor Octopus, and the splash page of an over-sized Chameleon trying to grab Spidey from the New York skyline.

These are some of the happiest memories of my young childhood. And they created in me a deep love of Spidey from an early age.

Well, come along 1990, and I discover that comic books are still around and making kids happy everywhere. And lo and behold, Spider-Man has FOUR SERIES now!!! Well, I picked up the first two chapters of the Powerless story from c. ASM 360 and was gob-smacked at all the nuances of Spidey's life that I had memorized -- that had been drastically changed. Flash Thompson ("I admire your taste, doll! Get lost, bookworm!") was throwing frisbees with Peter Parker. And Peter was married! And to one of the best-looking redheads I'd ever seen drawn on a page. Holy cow! (Although she may have been beaten out by Jessica Rabbitt...)

And one of the greatest joys was sharing this with my dad, with whom I was now living. He paid allowance, I spent it on comics, and not only could I tell him about the gambits of our favorite web-spinner, but Dad would fill in the gaps of other heroes' natures and origins....at least those that were old enough for him to remember.

Over the next two years, Spidey's life became my own. I read all his series, including the premiere of Todd McFarlane's title. And this new version of Spidey quickly became my home base, filled with characters and relationships I grew to love immensely. bought up so much Spider-Man stuff you wouldn't believe. There were the trade collections (especially the Alien Costume Saga...loved it!), the 2099 series, and of course, the never-ending quest for back issues. The hero who had been woven into my imagination from the most formative years was now a part of me in a way I had never imagined.

But right around the start of Maximum Carnage, I was starting to lose interest in comics. (I understand now that I probably jumped ship just before Carnage jumped the shark..?) And though my collection ended, I always maintained an interest in Spidey and would frequently browse the covers even though the money would be spent on "real" books, girls, and other things teenagers do. So I was marginally aware of the clones, Ben Reilly, Aunt May dying but not really, estrangement in the marriage between Peter and MJ, and I always felt emotionally invested.

You see, even though I didn't collect him anymore, I felt a strong connection to Spider-Man. And for all the reasons you'd probably expect -- I was always picked on by other kids, I was the nerd, I always dreamed of marrying a beautiful redhead, etc. But the source of it all was a happy connection to my dad... in a relationship that didn't really have too many happy connections.

When I was 16, my dad committed suicide. He did this after shooting and killing my stepmother and 4yo sister. I had moved back in with my mom before this because my dad was non-abusive for only about the first nine months of my residency with him. He was a much better father when he had rarely or never been around. And now he was dead.

I really stopped reading comics, even stopped browsing them. I don't really know much about Spider-Man from 1996-2006 beyond the movies. There was never a conscious thought that, "Oh, Dad is dead, so now I can't enjoy Spider-Man." It's more of a 12-years-later self-psycho-analysis thing than anything else.

And speaking of movies, I'll confess that when the first came out, I wasn't the first in the theater. Actually, I saw it on DVD. Maybe there was still underlying emotional difficulty. But I saw the second and third in the theaters. And although I would have done things differently here or there, I still loved them all. It didn't get me back into collecting comics. But I could feel the desires lurking.

And then something else happened, just recently. Marvel Studios released Iron Man. And if that wasn't the best superhero movie I'd ever seen, I don't know what is. And it made me want to know more about Iron Man. So you know what I did? I bought the DVD-ROM. And I started reading. And then I found out there was a DVD-ROM of Spider-Man, so I bought that too. And I started reading.

And all the comic joys flooded back into me. I've felt like I'm returning to a first love. And you know what comic joys do....they make you want to buy more comics.

But first...what's been happening in Spidey's life? I had vague inklings of a Civil War, but I didn't really know. So I started browsing wiki for storylines so I'd have some idea.

You know...those guys at wiki (and by this I mean, the public at large), they decided to list their Spidey storyline synopses alphabetically. And you know....there aren't that many things that come in the alphabet before "Brand New Day". And the first paragraph of the "Brand New Day" synopsis says it's a sequel to "One More Day".

So I read the synopsis of "One More Day". And as I read, a knot began to build inside. A knot of shock, appallment, hatred, and disgust. If I could believe my eyes, you were taking the hero I had loved so dearly as a child, that hero I had left in your trust while I went and grew up, and you had destroyed everything about him that was good and worthy of the name Spider-Man.

I called everyone I knew. My wife had to listen to rants and raves about a character I hadn't even read for over 15 years. I felt hurt, betrayed, and just shocked that such a thing would even be done.

But...of course....I had to know what you had left. If I had any hope of reading current Spider-Man, and with issue 561 beckoning from the shelves, I really wanted to...I had to know. So I managed to get copies of Amazing Spider-Man 546 and on -- and I read them.

Wacker, Gale, Slott, McNiven, and everyone else who doesn't get mentioned cuz you're too cool, thank you.

This....this is the Spider-Man I missed. This is everything that is good and great about Spider-Man. This is the mystery bad guys, the crummy luck, the funny jokes, the picture-grabbing, the web-swinging and the fist-fighting. This is Spider-Man.

And the whole time I've been reading, I've wanted to thank you. You've almost choked me up a couple of times from just how great it is. But I didn't want to write until I had the latest issue read, and I finished last week's 563 tonight. Speaking of choked up, I flipped through the One More Day hardcover tonight, and got all emotional. I haven't read it yet, but I will. I have the Back in Black trades and the One More Day book waiting for me once I finish reading through the Civil War DVD, so it may take just a little bit, but I'll get there.

A couple things I want to say now that I've dragged you through my autobiography. First: This work you've been doing with Brand New Day -- this is great Spider-Man. If there are fans out there who loved the pre-BND stuff and don't love this, then they have lost sight of what makes great Spider-Man. And I'm sorry for them.

Second, you have a great thing going on with MJ. Personally, I suspect that Mephisto left her with knowledge of the "track-jump", which means she's the only one who realizes things are different now. That seems to be where the bread crumbs lead that you've been leaving. Adds an extra dose of tragedy to the whole thing and some great opportunities for storytelling...and I hope you don't lead us there too quickly.

Third, a thrice-monthly title beats three or four parallel titles all hollow.

And finally, bring on the ASM Annual! Will this be the first since 1999? Can't wait!

Thanks for reading. Feel free to print or not, although I understand editing for length if you decide to print it at all.

Thanks for listening,

Jon M. Wilson

More later.

Tom B

You may not be aware of the strong relation that us readers hold to some of your stories. Specially those that we read during our formative years.

In another forum I was telling how Incredible Hulk 377 is so important to my life, since when I was a teenager, it encouraged me to see my father as he is, not as the monster my mother and I would always be afraid of. After almost 30 years of being a victim of domestic violence, my mother finally left my father a couple of weeks ago.

Posted by freyes2000 on 2008-06-24 18:31:54

Wow...I Loved Those Pocket Books!
Those are how I discovered Stan Lee's greatness. I had those 3 Spider-Mans, a collection of the first 6 Fantastic Fours, and the first 6 Hulks. Also had Captain America and Conan collections.

Posted by Dusty. on 2008-06-24 20:00:52

So let me get this straight...
Touching letter but I have to disagree with his point. If we don't like the current direction of Spider-Man, we're not real Spidey fans? We've "lost sight?"

I've been enjoying Spidey comics since the mid 1970's - the first was Marvel Team-Up #37 with Spidey, Man-Wolf and Frankenstein's Monster. I was a kid and my folks were getting a divorce; it helped me through some rough times to be able to focus on the character's trials and tribulations. My mother bought me those Spidey comics and read them to me when I was too young to read 'em back in the mid 1970's. It made me want to learn to read earlier than other kids my age. And I started reading other comics later on. But Spidey was #1 in my heart from about the time I was three.

Today, over thirty years later, I am all grown up and live about forty-five minutes from my Ma and step-dad. This past January when I was there visiting I told her that Spider-Man wasn't married anymore and that he'd made a deal with the Devil (or 'Devil-like' being as I think Quesada's called Mephisto) and she wouldn't believe me. I had to actually take her to different online websites to prove it.

She asked me "So Spider-Man made a deal with the Devil to save his aunt?" and I had to reply honestly: that the EIC of Marvel didn't like the marriage and doing the deal with the Devil was the out he took - and didn't really care what anyone else thought.

That actually made her sad. We talked about it and she told me she wouldn't have bought me Spider-Man comics when I was a kid if it had that in them. And I had to reply to her, honestly, that Amazing Spider-Man isn't something I would let young kids read today.

So yes - a lot of us longtime fans are very disgusted with Quesada's new "vision" for Spider-Man. We've heard him tell us we're being selfish and that the character doesn't belong to "us." So a lot of "us" have stopped buying and have not stopped hoping for a reverse course on this OMD/BND madness.

That doesn't make us "untrue" as Spidey fans. And it damn sure doesn't mean we've "lost sight." That's absurd and it's insulting.

--George Berryman

Posted by SaveSpidey on 2008-06-25 05:21:08

JOJO
I have had a jojo effect with regards to the BND. My first reaction was utter disgust, but eventually I gave it a shot and just had to decide that the stories really are good and well done etc. I even felt an idiot for having felt so strongly against the BND story. Ok, the story was terrible, but... the stories were fresh, filled with enthousiasm etc.

However....

This feeling slowly ebbed away. I'm sorry to have to say that the Spider-Man that is now appearing in those books no longer feels as 'my' Spider-Man. The money-problems DON't feel fresh, but more of the same that I already read so many years ago...

So with great pain in my heart I have decided not to renew my subscription on Spider-Man for the moment so that my voice can be heard in that way.

I WILL return, cause I really love Spider-Man and need that 'fix'. But I'll give it a few months.

Posted by Zigy on 2008-06-25 07:12:52

Old new day.
I agree with Zigy. Is not as if we, the long term fans (in my case, at least 27 years reading Spidey stories) haven’t been there a thousand times. Recently I had to cut my subscriptions and one of the first titles I cancelled was ASM. I have a lot of stories that are similar to what the current title is showing: money problems, girlfriend problems and apartment problems (Spidey circa 1980). Even Marla Jamenson is back.

The stories are not bad; however, as my comics budget shortens I’m trying titles for brand new stories, not brand new days of… basically the same.

Posted by freyes2000 on 2008-06-25 12:52:46

mmmmpff....
why suddenly everybody have to speak about his unhappy childhood ?
let me a couple of minutes, I'll show you one....

Posted by bulgarianyogurt on 2008-06-25 13:01:06

Spiderman BND
Noone has ever said that BND and even OMD doesn't have fans. However, pulling them out doesn't invalidate the negative feelings of those of us who did not like the choices made or the current
storylines and character direction.

Presumably, the idea was to attract and hold new readers and perhaps bring back some lapsed fans. However, it seems to me
that you have lost just as many readers as you have gained and in the long run it appears that the total sales for the 3 times a week
title is going to end up being equal or less than the sales for the multiple titles that existed before BND.

Furthermore, those of us who do not like the current direction have little redress. All we can do is express our displeasure on-line, discontinue our subscriptions at our LCS and wait until things change more to our liking.

The condescending and insulting attitude towards those of us who have objected to OMD and BND does make the decision to drop the
title a pretty easy one though.

Posted by izzatrix on 2008-06-26 11:17:34

sales
Sales will dictate changes to the book...if people do not truly like it, it'll be different again. My problem really isn't with OMD...its just that, the new stories aren't all that compelling. Peter's character is not "compelling." I been picking these up on and off for months, based on who's been writing the arcs, and if I liked the first issues (and not finishing many of them).

Peter is kind of a dope now, really thats the biggest problem I have with the book. BND and OMD caused me to seek out Ultimate Spider-Man again, since it first launched in my Senior year of high school...and it has been so great; the characterization of Peter has so strong (sharper and more mature than his 616 version, ironically enough) that I've put my Amazing Spider-Man money into tracking down old Ultimate trades.

I suggest you all do the same and vote with your wallet (unless of course, your like me and can't resist a Martin or Bachalo, lol). 'Cause complaining on these boards will cause zero change.

Posted by ejulp on 2008-06-26 14:33:06

to bulgarianyogurt
It's not a contest to see who had the most unhappy childhood. The fan felt the need to write to Marvel to express what Spider-Man means to him and how happy he is with the current direction. It's not a cry for sympathy or pity, and the decision to make it public was Tom's. No one forced you to read it. Your post was especially pointless, negative, and obnoxious, even for a comic book message board.

Posted by joeshan on 2008-06-26 15:07:06

I have to disagree with the statement that this Peter Parker isn't compelling. It was compelling when Parker made the choice to go out into the worst blizzard in years in nothing but his spiderman suit. It was compelling to see him give away his coat to a homeless man. Do you know how compelling it was to see Parker go after the green and use his abilities to be a papparizzi? Do you know how compelling it was to face down his boss and leave a 2 million dollar payday on the table? I think there have been some compelling moments along the way.

Posted by bigdaddyhub2 on 2008-06-26 15:08:23

Exactly since when is Brevoort working for Marvel? Because he dosnt even Know about the most recents Marvel events like Civil War.

Posted by Redy1 on 2008-06-27 23:52:12

To Redy 1
You of course realized that Mr. Brevoort is posting a letter?

Posted by freyes2000 on 2008-07-01 13:25:36

BND
Some great points here. NOt liking the current direction doesn't make any of the BND detractors bad fans or fans who have lost sight. Posting this letter just seems like a way to almost guilt the detractors into being quiet. Nothing against the letter writer at all. HE's entitled to like it if he wants I just resent being made to feel guilty if I don't. BND Spider-Man isn't the same. Why do you think the term "Spyder-Man" is picking up steam? This is a hollow attempt to re-capture his supposed glory days when all it's done is making him look like a fool. One of Spidey (and Peter's) BEST attributes was that he grew, learned and matured. Partly (and largely) because of MJ but also just on his own. This direction simply feels forced and unconvincing and posting letters like this seem like a desperate attempt to look like it's working. For a change that was supposed to bring people back and bring in new fans sales seem to reflect a fundamental flaw in the whole thing.

Posted by coconutphone on 2008-07-05 14:25:16

to joeshan
everybody react about what seems important to him.
I'll be glad if you'd have some tact enough to spare me what you think you know about me or found in my post,it will spare me me to express what I may think of you.

Posted by bulgarianyogurt on 2008-07-08 07:25:32

A repetition.
The real Peter Parker has been outed as spiderman, he's threatened to kill the kingping, should aunt May not survive the assassins bullet, he's done criminal things and are hunted by Stark and the law.
The real Peter Parker has evolved, he is in touch with his inner spider, his senses are sharper, his webs are organic.
The real Peter Parker is married to MJ, he has changed much during his many years, but all for the better. As Lee said: "Change is good".
The real Peter Parker has been left, with a cliffhanger on the curb outside the hospital, thinking: "What do I do now?".

I have no idea who that lesser copy, swinging around town is.
One thing's for certain, I'm not reading the adventures of that feeble shadow of the real thing. I expect Doctor Strange to appear and save the real Peter Parker... soonish.. please...

To sumarize; I was all skittish with anticipation, really keen on seeing what would happen with the Kingpin. Not only if Peter would kill him or not, but how Kingpin and his ilk would perceive this changed, dangerous spiderman. Alas, now we'll never know, because all those plots have magically vanished.

Any company can change the direction of their characters, they have that right. I think it's impolite, however, to do so before tying up all the plot lines and story ditto.
Not just brutally sever a story in progress. Bad form.

I have also given up on the book, I simply can't care for this watered down version of our hero.

Peter Parker 1962-2008. Rest in Peace.

Posted by Nøhr on 2008-07-09 18:12:08

Interesting
Seems my post was deleted, perhaps Marvel didn't like the contents of it? Hm, they do profess to listen to the fans... oh well.
Initially I thought I'd repost it, but why bother, anything negative about OMD and BND is ignored. The old fans tossed out with the garbage.
Cheers.

Posted by Nøhr on 2008-07-11 14:22:25

Mighty avengers #16
Dear Mr. Brevoort:
I'd like to know if I could get a no-prize for this little nugget.
In Mighty Avengers #16 on page #16 in the bottom left corner,the real Elektra has just been defeated by a skrull that has Colossus arms and Thing legs.He says to her,"He LoEves You."in Skrull dialect.(I guess I'm a skrull because I know Skrull language somehow,and it really sucks)He misspelled Loves,in the statement.If noone has turned this in yet,and you still give out no-prizes,i'd love one.My e-mail address is acalvo01@comcast.net.
Also,if you could,I've figured out that there are 2 types of Skrulls involved in the Secret Invasion,because of the different languages(Which further worries me that I may by Skrully)used throughout the series so far,and would really like a key to figuring out the other Skrull dialect.Thanks for your time,and for really pushing the envelope with this series,and if I'm a skrull,I'll be at your office sometime before the series finishes,so that I can learn to adapt to Earth people,like John Lennon and the Crusader.Oh,and my name's David Calvo(Man,I'm really losing it............I need to go to the bathroom mirror and check my chin.)

Posted by acalvo01 on 2008-07-22 00:21:33

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About this blog:
Ramblings and musings from the mind of Tom Brevoort. "It won’t be clean. It won’t be fun. It mostly won’t be coherent."

About the author:
Tom Brevoort is Executive Editor for Marvel Comics, and oversees such titles as New Avengers, Civil War, and Fantastic Four.


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