POST-OMD - STEVE WACKER ON BRAND NEW DAY

[MattBrady]

<img src="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/Spider-Man/BND/Preview/b_ASAM546McNivenCover.jpg" align="right"> By now, you think you’ve probably seen all of the reactions to One More Day that are out there: euphoria, bliss, happiness, hopefulness, renewal, optimism, cautious optimism, neutrality, dislike, anger, hatred, rage enabled by anonymity, keyboard frothing, apoplexy and coma, from imbibing in too much rageohol.

How about: “champing at the bit”?

While the discussion to date has largely focused on Joe Quesada and J. Michael Straczynksi’s four part OMD story, there’s a whole group of creators anxious to get their stories out there (and more than likely, anxious to see all the flames die down a little). The creators are led by their Editor, Steve Wacker.

He came back twice last month (http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=139280) to tease about the upcoming “Brand New Day” era of <b>Amazing Spider-Man</b>, and, with the first issue (written by Dan Slott, with pencils by Steve McNiven) of the new era due out next week, Steve stopped by again for another two-parter, this time to handle some questions in light of the end of “One More Day.”

As always, Steve likes to start with his own opening…we’ll let him handle it from here…

I’ll tell ya what Newsarammers, you can vent about Spider-man all ya want, but you sure as heck can’t say your anger isn’t pandered to like an Iowa voter! I think there have now been more interviews about Spider-Man this week than there were issues in last the year!

Well, here’s another. I look forward to pleasing no one and hearing how I’m secretly scared of you! Feel free to take your anger out on Carlin and whoever he drags along with him this week.

Love ya!

Let’s go!

<b>Newsarama</b>: So Steve, probably the first question should follow along the classic lines of what did you know and when did you know it? That is, when you came to Marvel and got the Spider-Man Editor's position, it was with the notion that you'd be getting the title post-One More Day and its resultant changes?

<b>Steve Wacker</b>: First of all, Joe has declared that I’ve always worked for Marvel. Any memories of me working somewhere else have been erased to get me back to my classic status quo where, frankly, I worked better and had more soap opera in my life. Don’t worry, though, all your old copies of “Amazing FantaSteve” haven’t been erased from continuity, they just happened differently than you remember. And my wife? Actually happier post-OMSteve.

Ahem…

<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/Spider-Man/BND/Preview/8.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/Spider-Man/BND/Preview/t_8.jpg" border="0" align="left"></a> When I came over here, I knew I was hired to edit Spider-Man under Brevoort’s auspices and that’s pretty much it.

To be honest (and I don’t even know if I’ve ever actually told Joe Q this), I had heard rumors about this Spidey idea for a year or two beforehand as just industry gossip thrown around at cons. Like a lot of people, I thought it sounded crazy, but my opinion was that it was best for the character in the long run.

I was at Marvel for all of five minutes when Brevoort hit me with the “Shipping-Three-Times-A-Month” idea. That combined with the new foundation for Peter made this feel like once in a career moment. Like or not, this is a moment that will be remembered and it’s a thrill to be part of it.

<b>NRAMA</b>: Gut-level honest here - what was your reaction when you were officially told about the changes that Marvel had planned for Spider-Man and his world as a result of One More Day? Was it something you were able to get behind from the start, or did it take some time to grow into?

<b>SW</b>: I was pretty much focused on the post-OMD world from the first moment we started talking. I didn’t even think about the weight of the bomb that the Joes were planning to drop. From having several long conversations with Brevoort, I began to understand the measure of what we were doing and why we had to be careful.

I tend to like just ripping the band aid off of stuff like this and get going with telling new stories, letting the chips fall, so I probably wouldn’t have given a lot of thought as to what previous stories Brand New Day would upend, but wiser heads prevailed and after talking to Tom, Joe and even [Dan] Slott we all worked to take this concept and break as little glass as possible.

<b>NRAMA</b>: In your view, what do the changes from OMD do for the character and his world?

<b>SW</b>: Ha! Any chance this answer will please anyone?!?! I’m envisioning the next 167 posts and the thrill of finding out why I should be fired!

<b>NRAMA</b>: Fair enough…

<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/Spider-Man/BND/Preview/BND546_01.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/Spider-Man/BND/Preview/t_BND546_01.jpg" border="0" align="right"></a> <b>SW</b>: I’ll say this…when this many people are arguing about a particular story…it’s a good thing. And a refreshing change from debating sales figures, exclusive contracts, and the merits of late comics.

The changes brought on by OMD are challenging everyone that even gets near its orbit (just like it’s done in the Marvel offices over the last year). It’s a big deal this thing, and if it brings attention to Spider-Man and his world…I think that’s good. You should have an opinion and you should make it heard.

<b>NRAMA</b>: There's no question that, among fans, OMD is the most controversial Spider-Man story in decades, dwarfing even the unmasking in <b>Civil War</b>. It's also undeniable that a large portion of the reaction to the erasing of the Peter/MJ marriage is negative - has that in any way affected how you see Brand New Day, or, in essence, made BND a "tougher sell?"

<b>SW</b>: I’ve been on message boards since the early ‘90s and all of us here know deep in our hearts that nothing said here represents a “large portion” of the readership. A “large portion” of internet posters perhaps, but a large portion of internet posters would argue with me if I said I was right handed.

“Right handed?!?! How do we get Wacker fired!” (smile face, eye roll, spit take, hold nose, spasm).

As for dealing with controversy, I’ve tried to just watch everyone jumping around like crazy around the office and enjoy the show. I got new books to get out the door and all I can really control is making them as good as I can (in spite of Joe’s desire to make bad comics on purpose).

<b>NRAMA</b>: Speaking of your online reading - we know you read the Newsarama boards...and you’ve even admitted that you might do that more than you should...but from your chair, how much weight/credence do you put on posts along the lines of "I'm done with Spider-Man" or similar statements that the poster won't be reading BND due to their dislike of OMD?

<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/Spider-Man/BND/Preview/BND546_02.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/Spider-Man/BND/Preview/t_BND546_02.jpg" border="0" align="left"></a> <b>SW</b>: I suppose I take them at their anonymous word. Everyone in this building and every creator involved knew this was a risky move and that we might lose some readers, so it’s not like this was unexpected. Bottom line is folks here felt we had a strong enough destination and that it was worth taking the risk. I’m thrilled to work at a place that’s willing to take a risk like that and stick to it. It shows a lot of faith in the creators and the character.

I’ll tell ya this too, we sure made this a heckuva lot easier for DC if they ever decide to unmarry Lois and Superman. (oops… I should have marked that a <b>Green Lantern #27</b> “spoiler”? Sorry, Geoff.)

<b>NRAMA</b>: Let's talk about the foundation that the ending of OMD left you and your crew to work from - as we've discussed, both with you and your BND writers (http://www.newsarama.com/Comic-Con_07/Marvel/Wacker.html), you've been working on <b>Amazing Spider-Man</b> for quite a while now - given the status quo shift in OMD, what were you using as a reference in regards to what's changed? Is there, say, a definitive, exhaustive list locked in your bottom desk drawer that prospective pitches were matched against?

<b>SW</b>: We’ve got a lot of the big pieces nailed down, but the others we’re taking as they come.

Early on, there was a big debate on exactly who would still remember Peter’s secret life. We stared at this question for a long time, but someone (I believe it was me, but if I’m wrong Bob Gale I’m sure will write an open letter to a competing website correcting me) made the point that we can’t have Mephisto casting a spell that requires him to have read 500 issues of Spider-Man deciding what happened and what didn’t. It made more sense in the long run for a blanket piece of mysticism that made everyone in the world forget his ID from this point forward.

<b>NRAMA</b>: Joe has said that, virtually up until the last minute, there were changes in OMD - did those changes affect stories in BND?

<b>SW</b>: Well originally the opening pages of OMD featured the two Joes kissing, so that had to change.

Truth is, none of this really affected Brand New Day. We were too far along by the time the end of OMD was being drawn.

I wasn’t involved in the backstage workings of OMD, but I know Joe Q. was trying to protect our work and may have had to take a bullet or two to make sure nothing got screwed up.

<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/Spider-Man/BND/Preview/BND546_03.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/Spider-Man/BND/Preview/t_BND546_03.jpg" border="0" align="right"></a> Fine with me, though. Gives him something to do beyond talking about the friggin’ Beatles and the Mets chances in ’08 for the hundredth time today. (Why is it that both EICs at the two major comic book companies are Mets fans? No wonder internet fans are angry at both of them. Is this what Hell is?)

<b>NRAMA</b>: Secret ID aside - just as a thumbnail guide, what did Peter and MJ lose as a result of OMD? <b>Just</b> the "marriage" (and thus not the relationship and the love), or something more? Just hit us with the basics of the terms of the deal, and we promise we'll move on to BND...

<b>SW</b>: We hit on your question a little bit in #546 next week. You’ll come to find out that MJ and Peter had a long relationship. They were almost married, but it didn’t go down (we’ll get to that story at some point, but not right away). They continued their relationship until very recently.

If you want more, you’ll have to buy the issue or come here about 30 seconds after it goes on sale.

<b>NRAMA</b>: So - short form, what's Peter Parker's status quo in Brand New Day? Ballparking - how old is he, where's he employed, and what's his outlook on life?

<b>SW</b>: Mid-20s. Freelance photographer, former teacher, former grad student, and all the other stuff you’ve seen him do. He’s between apartments, staying with Aunt May right now, but even May knows that that’s not as charming as it once was. She loves her nephew, but come on!

Simply put: Pete’s a good and determined guy who will make bad decisions and drive people absolutely bat-$#!t crazy.

You know how Jonah barks out “PARKER!!!”? My take on the character is that Pete will drive anyone in his life to that exact moment. Everyone he knows will eventually yell his name in complete and utter frustration.

Man, do I relate.

<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/Spider-Man/BND/Preview/BND546_04.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/Spider-Man/BND/Preview/t_BND546_04.jpg" border="0" align="left"></a> <b>NRAMA</b>: As the yeller or the yellee?

<b>SW</b>: Next question.

<b>NRAMA</b>: So Mary Jane is fully “the ex?”

<b>SW</b>: Right. Sorry to say, Mary Jane is an ex-girlfriend now. Pete lost her for as-yet-undisclosed reasons. That really all we know as BND begins.

<b>NRAMA</b>: Just for final confirmation here - the Spider-Man FCBD issue by Dan and Phil Jimenez – that was the first post-OMD story, right? With that finally revealed, can readers take the tone in that issue to be indicative of what a BND <b>Amazing Spider-Man</b> will be like?

<b>SW</b>: (For anyone readers overloading on acronyms, FCBD is Brady’s hip way of saying FREE COMIC BOOK DAY. He’s soooooo inside.)

The style of that book fits into Brand New Day, but that book really needed to have an all-ages tone and won’t match the regular book much. Let me be clear, this is not a return to any sort of sweetness and light. Going back to Steve and Stan, I’ve always seen <b>Amazing Spider-Man</b> as a book filled with drama and tension. There’s a palpable darkness at the core of Pete’s beginnings as a super-hero and I think it affects him everyday. It’s what drives him to put on that costume and do something to try and make a difference.

Sure there’s levity and humor, but when a Spider-Man story is made up of only those elements, I think it misses something integral.

Side Note: I should mention that the Director’s Cut of that Free Comic Book Day story is on sale later in the month with dialogue added back that we took out at the last minute because Joe Q is a tyrant who tells us all what to do (and because it gave away too many post-Civil War details).

Okay that’s all I can do for now. See ya next week.

[Gservo]

i am taking an "wait and see attitude" :rolleyes:

[Bob LeFevre]

Joe Q has been getting a lot of flack but I for one am really interested in reading the stories to come.

[Winteriscoming]

Nothing against the new creative teams but I'll pass.

[KraziJoe]

It's "Chomping at the bit"...Unless I missed something...

[xmen510]

Good to hear from Steve on this issue. Hopefully the stories coming out of OMD will be good ones.

[Doctor_Chronos]

I'm not going to talk about OMD or Spider-Man anymore as my decision has been made, but I do want to applaud Mr. Wacker for coming into the proverbial lion's den. And Scorpion's den, and wolf den, etc. Well done :)

[caats19]

so peter's now a bum huh

[Troy Brownfield]

It's "Chomping at the bit"...Unless I missed something...

Matt is correct.

"If someone is eager or anxious to do something, they are said to be champing at the bit, (not chomping at the bit. nor chomping on the bit).

CHAMPING: Repetitious, strong opening and closing action of the mouth which produces sounds when the teeth hit together. Champing in swine may be a threat signal, but also is performed by boars during courtship and mating. Definition from Hurnik et al., 1995.

- The Encyclopedia of Farm Animal Behavior <http://www.liru.asft.ttu.edu/EFAB/letter.asp?Letter=C>"

"champ
v. tr. - To bite or chew upon noisily.
v. intr. - To work the jaws and teeth vigorously.
Idiom: - champ at the bit
To show impatience at being held back or delayed.

- The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved."

[von Doom, M.D.]

I like the teams they've got set-up, and if it were any other character, I'd be on this in a heartbeat, but after what's happened, I just don't care about Spider-man anymore. No knock to these guys, as it looks like they've got some awesome stuff planned, but even if it was Alan Moore and Alex Ross on the book, I would pass.

http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/Spider-Man/BND/Preview/BND546_02.jpg

I guess this is what happens when take MJ away from him

;)

[Nate28]

Craptastic!

[Simon DelMonte]

For the record, Mr. Wacker, Spidey is a Mets fan, too. Or so Paul Jenkins told us about eight years ago.

Though maybe if Peter is lucky, Mephisto erased his memory of last September and of Bobby Bonilla.

[RoiVampire]

well looks like they didn't jump in the past or anything. glad he was still a teacher and that FNSM didn't get erased totally, i love peter as a teacher

[Chad Anderson]

It's "Chomping at the bit"...Unless I missed something...

You did. It's "champing," even though everyone — except Newsarama, apparently — always gets it wrong.

[wither]

I'll check it out..love mcniven's work, i'm going to keep an open mind, since i have not been impressed with spidey stories the last few years anyways.

[Joejito]

so basically peter went from a married man with a JOB to a broke ADULT bum that is mooching off of his elderly aunt. i think divorce would have been the better option.

[Bird Flu Man]

Sounds promising -- but what "Brand New Day" really needs is a bit more magic . . .

http://www.tubewad.com/tw_images/gob_fw.jpg

Office Magic!

[Omega Flyer]

I'd already decided to pick up the first Arc of BND after the preview pages but if i hadn't you can bet this would have convinced me. Wacker's brilliant! :D

[Merai]

Heh, I gotta say, an interview with Wacker is ALWAYS entertaining.

My favourite part was the bit about Bob Gale putting up a letter on a competing site though. :p

[shadowchaser]

still passing

[Ken B.]

Steve, you're trying WAY too hard to be funny. This isn't your audition for Last Comic Standing (get it! it's a pun!)

Best of luck with your stories, but I won't be buying them. And don't leave the Spider-team halfway through their series for another job at Image or something.

[Skyrider]

Still apathetic, sorry Steve. :\

[SifoDyasJr]

The comment about Mephisto making everyone forget his ID is interesting. Does this mean that Mary Jane doesn't remember Peter is Spider-man either? If I remember correctly (unless Mephisto/Joe Q. messed with my head too), Mary Jane knew Peter was Spider-man before they even officially met.

I'm not thrilled with how they got here, but I do like the opportunities for stories BND presents. I'll be one of the five still reading.

[SifoDyasJr]

(sorry... accidentally double-posted. Mephisto will make you forget this ever happened)

[KraziJoe]

The comment about Mephisto making everyone forget his ID is interesting. Does this mean that Mary Jane doesn't remember Peter is Spider-man either? If I remember correctly (unless Mephisto/Joe Q. messed with my head too), Mary Jane knew Peter was Spider-man before they even officially met.

I'm not thrilled with how they got here, but I do like the opportunities for stories BND presents. I'll be one of the five still reading.

It doesn't matter anymore...It's Magic...

[7thunders]

I don't know why people would want Wacker fired...its Q that blew it. No matter, I have no more interest in Spider-man so I will be passing on all Spider books ( and I buy over 60 dollars a week just cause I like to read stories) This story line just helped me save money.

[bigdaddyhub]

I got my hands on 545 yesterday, and to be honest with you, I kind of...well...enjoyed isn't the right word, but I appreciated it. And I knew all the things going in about it. But I still appreciated it. The final few pages really made me anticipate BND. I hope it is great.

I feel for JMS having to go out the way he did (having to tell someone else's story), but to be honest, I haven't really enjoyed his stories for the past year and a half.

[red-maverick]

You have me excited Steve and the creative teams are pretty solid, and it looks like they are in fact going to be explaining the magic.

[macwagen]

Any chance of a weekly "Back in Wack" in lieu of "New Joe Fridays"?

[skaly]

Best of luck with your stories, but I won't be buying them. And don't leave the Spider-team halfway through their series for another job at Image or something.

It's his life. If he finds a better opportunity and wants to take it, he doesn't have to answer to you. Besides, what do you care? You won't be buying them.

[Clem]

Sorry Steve, but i can't in good conscience buy your issues. I love Slott, i love McNiven and i love you, but One More Day was a travesty and i need to reflect that somehow. The idea that Joe has disgarded entire runs of my Spidey collection offends me like you wouldn't believe.

I know you've got to tow the "But everything happened, they just weren't married" line, but not being married doesn't resurrect beloved characters, not being married doesn't rebuild burnt down houses, not being married doesn't reverse radical genetic changes to his body, etc.

Sorry man, i really am. Any other time and i would've killed for this lineup, but Spidey just went radioactive.

[artemicion]

"The style of that book fits into Brand New Day, but that book really needed to have an all-ages tone and won’t match the regular book much."

Too bad, I felt that the tone of swing shift matched that tone of spidey stories long lost somewhere in the 90's wich is the main reason I think the last years of spidey have been so bad.
Anyway, in Slott I trust however still not buying BND, gonna read somewhere else

[skaly]

I feel for JMS having to go out the way he did (having to tell someone else's story), but to be honest, I haven't really enjoyed his stories for the past year and a half.

Tie-ins and crossovers tend to have that effect. I believe a good deal of that was mandated.

[Ken B.]

It's his life. If he finds a better opportunity and wants to take it, he doesn't have to answer to you. Besides, what do you care? You won't be buying them.

He can do whatever he wants. But facts are facts; he left 52 halfway through.

Oh, wait, I should have flooded that with smilies. Hmpf.

And I would think someone with your signature would have got something like that.

[bigdaddyhub]

Tie-ins and crossovers tend to have that effect. I believe a good deal of that was mandated.


You might be correct about that! Now that I think of it, Spider-Man hasn't had his own book in ASM for the last two years. Although "the Other" was JMS's idea that I just didn't jive with too well.

[Gorgeousaur]

I enjoy reading interviews from Steve. He's a funny guy.

[jonnynyc]

They really are trying to make Peter look idiotic. That "no wheat cakes" image makes me want to punch the screen, yet my computer is new so I will pass on that I think.

[lpjunior]

Steve Wacker is the funniest guy in comics that doesn't write comics.

[spiderman196]

I didnt read anything that instills renewed confidence in the editorial direction of the character. Reading the responses to OMD has been so much more enjoyable than OMD itself was that maybe Marvel ought to release a comic about just the responses?:p What I consider bad comic decisions actually saves me money:cool: . I get the same sense of wonder from Invincible that I used to get from Spiderman. So I'm good.

Magic fix, deal with the devil, and a loser still living with his aunt with the same problems he had as a teenager. Sigh.:o Help us Robert Kirkman, you're our only hope!

[Smalls]

I mean, there's an extent to which... you sort of can't blame anyone other than Quesada for this. Wacker, JMS, Slott, everyone... there's only so much they can say without either getting fired or losing even more creative control.

It's a terrible editorial edict... the way everyone is dancing around this is Mark McGuirian in its obviousity "I'm not here to talk about the past when I was totally doing steroids, I'm here to talk about the future when I am possibly no longer doing steroids" kind of says it all.

There are three kinds of people who are even claiming to like the Spidey situation:

People who feel the need to be blindly loyal to Joe Quesada either as employees or as journos who want access to the Marvel EIC or fan-partisans... troll contrarians on the internet who have figured out that the easiest way to get people angry on the internet is to argue the unargable and... Joe Quesada.

That's it.

You're given lemons, you can arguably make lemonade. Everyone else in this situation seems to have done everything they can to make this ridiculous story slightly less terrible but...

This isn't lemons.

They were given poop and all you can make out of poop is poop juice, no matter how much damned sugar and mint leaves and crushed ice you add.

That's all, that's all.

Ain't Wacker's fault and it's part of his job to not publicly admit that he's slingin' poop juice.

[GLG]

Steve,

No one is angry with you. While a good portion of fandom wants your boss's head on a pike (figuratively of course) it's got nothing to do with you. Personally, I think Spider-Man has needed someone like you running the ship for a long time now. I just wish it wasn't a crappally done reboot that you took over.

[Ken B.]

Steve,

No one is angry with you. While a good portion of fandom wants your boss's head on a pike (figuratively of course) it's got nothing to do with you. Personally, I think Spider-Man has needed someone like you running the ship for a long time now. I just wish it wasn't a crappally done reboot that you took over.

This sums it up rather nicely. You just came onboard at the wrong time.

Hopefully when the sales show the book can't warrant 3x a month due to the EiC's current vision, you're still around to kind of fix the mess that they thought would fix what they though was a mess.

[Spy_Smasher]

How snidely superior. He takes us at "our anonymous words." [My emphasis] As if the anonymity of the internet somehow makes us more likely to be dishonest than to be honest.

The more my feelings about OMD/BND are dismissed by Marvel the angrier and angrier I get. I've already removed the Spider titles from my pull list because I'm not any more interested in reading these stories about some guy masquerading as Peter Parker than I was during the Clone Saga. After reading this interview, I've moved into actually rooting for Marvel and all the creators involved in BND to fail miserably.

I wonder what's going to happen when I read the next interview dismissing me as a dishonest, petulant internet troll? Maybe drop all my Marvel books? I'm right on the verge, honestly.

[shadowchaser]

You know how Jonah barks out “PARKER!!!”? My take on the character is that Pete will drive anyone in his life to that exact moment. Everyone he knows will eventually yell his name in complete and utter frustration.



does Peter Parker really need to be this way?? a douche?

[FireLight]

I'm not gonna say I will or won't buy it - because I probably will - but I am honestly going to avoid ASM for a couple of months - gather them together and read them at once (kinda TPB style).

After my fury for the death of the marriage subsides and I feel open to more Spidey goodness. But right now - it's like someone kicked my dog. He's gonna recover and live - and still be there for me - but the person that did this is just a jackass and it hurts to know someone hurt something I love.

I do not own the character - and I am not JQ's boss - but I've been a SM fan (Superman and Spider-Man were the FIRST comic characters I was ever introduced to - the SM VS SM 11x17 oversized special is still one of my most treasured books) - uh-hem - anyway - I've known Parker to be married to MJ for 20+ years... he was unmarried for 21 years until then.

HOW can he be a better character when almost an equal amount of stories (good and bad) have been told already?

I'm really looking forward to the creators on this - but I also get the sense that NOTHING in the next 3 months will touch upon - or leave any clues - to how this mess gets undone.

Still - Wacker is a good guy - creative and amusing - and I love - just love - his "Next question." reaction!

[Spot]

Nice interview. I'm anxiously awaiting Brand New Day! :cool:

[Daiyongo]

Okay, so it's not "sweetness and light".

But isn't an obsession with darkness and not being inclusive of all ages at least a part of how the hole that Marvel is wishing to get out of was dug in the first place? His supporting cast members getting killed or turned into villans or getting turned into villans and then killed. Things getting so dark an angsty there's actually an issue where Peter webs himself up in a friggin cacoon at one point.

So what can we look foward to, yet more shots of Spidey in the rain on a gargoyle slathered in shadow only this time he's single?

If you're tying to get back to a classic feel for Spider-Man then you would have to realize just because the event that made him a hero is fairly dark and he has some bad luck does not mean that gobs of darkness and death being dumped on Peter Parker's head is the catch-all for writing him.

[80Pork]

so basically peter went from a married man with a JOB to a broke ADULT bum that is mooching off of his elderly aunt. i think divorce would have been the better option.

But, umm, after the divorce, wouldn't he be a broke bum anyway?

[drs9p]

To try to combat the sentiment that these boards don't reflect the opinions of most readers, I'm someone who never posts on these boards, but I am posting now to express my profound disappointment in OMD.

I'll say this. I find some of Joe Q's arguments for why a married Peter doesn't work very persuasive. I would even be in support of breaking up the marriage, if it was done in a way that made sense (like probably the way JMS would have done it).

Instead, I had to read a story where you could literally feel editorial reaching in and changing what they wanted to, with no more explanation than "Mephisto." I can think of a million better ways to have done this.

My biggest problem with the story was not its result, but just that it was REALLY DUMB! Like insultingly dumb.

If you want to mess with Spidey's history for the sake of future stories, I'm ok with that. It has to happen from time to time, but for God's sake do it with some brains and style. Don't just throw in Mephisto. JMS is a better writer than that and, if he's not willing to do it, you've got a whole bullpen full of people who could craft a good, interesting, and sensible story that gets you the same result without slapping your readers in the face.

Yeah, I'll still read BND, and I'm hopeful that it's good enough to make OMD worth it. But when Joe Q and Whacker dismiss the board posts saying that story really sucked as "just the anonymous internet," they are wrong. That story was poorly done and anyone could see that, whether they post on boards or not. And I stand by that.

Non-anonymously,

Dan Stevens, Berkeley CA

[frikybilbao]

And The Avengers?? What about The Avengers?? Because Spidey is yet at New Avengers with the black costume...

And why Iron Man built the scarlet spider (now in the Initiative) if he doesn´t know Peter??

[artiepants]

Steve, you're trying WAY too hard to be funny. This isn't your audition for Last Comic Standing (get it! it's a pun!)
heh, i always love Wackers interview, he cracks me up.
And don't leave the Spider-team halfway through their series for another job at Image or something.see, now that was just uncalled for.

[80Pork]

They really are trying to make Peter look idiotic. That "no wheat cakes" image makes me want to punch the screen, yet my computer is new so I will pass on that I think.

Well, it just goes to show you...make a deal with the devil and your biggest problem will only be the lack of wheat cakes...it's a win/win situation!!

[Edogawa1983]

How snidely superior. He takes us at "our anonymous words." [My emphasis] As if the anonymity of the internet somehow makes us more likely to be dishonest than to be honest.

The more my feelings about OMD/BND are dismissed by Marvel the angrier and angrier I get. I've already removed the Spider titles from my pull list because I'm not any more interested in reading these stories about some guy masquerading as Peter Parker than I was during the Clone Saga. After reading this interview, I've moved into actually rooting for Marvel and all the creators involved in BND to fail miserably.

I wonder what's going to happen when I read the next interview dismissing me as a dishonest, petulant internet troll? Maybe drop all my Marvel books? I'm right on the verge, honestly.

.... that's kind of extreme there.

[Merai]

There are three kinds of people who are even claiming to like the Spidey situation:

People who feel the need to be blindly loyal to Joe Quesada either as employees or as journos who want access to the Marvel EIC or fan-partisans... troll contrarians on the internet who have figured out that the easiest way to get people angry on the internet is to argue the unargable and... Joe Quesada..

And this is possibly the most hilariously arrogant post I've read all week!

Allow me to submit a fourth category- people who just.... disagree wtih you.

There, I know your mind is probably blown.

[Equinox]

You know how Jonah barks out “PARKER!!!”? My take on the character is that Pete will drive anyone in his life to that exact moment. Everyone he knows will eventually yell his name in complete and utter frustration.



does Peter Parker really need to be this way?? a douche?
I don't see that as Wacker saying Pete is a douche; rather, he's saying that Pete is a genuinely good guy who a lot of people love, but at the same time he's so boneheaded at times that he frustrates the hell out of people.

I'd like to end this post by saying that Steve Wacker is brilliant man, Joe Q. seems like he just wanted this for story potential and that's all, and (heaven help me) I think I'm going to pick up the first issue of Brand New Day to see what this is all about. A single, boneheaded, everyman good guy with girl troubles and job headaches sounds like a great superhero idea. I wonder who thought it up?

Oh yeah. Stan Lee. :)

[ejulp]

Its weird...even if I put OMD aside, or the context it places the character in...the way he's acting in these previews is...self absorbed and self-purposefully naive-innocent acting, that I honestly don't think I'll like this New Peter Parker.

[darrenmdr]

Point 1. That was the best interview and reactioi to the whole OMD and internet fanboy nonsense I have read since that post that Brubaker did earlier.

Point 2 Chomping and Champing are both correct. Chomping is a derivative of Champing with exactly the same meaning. You will find both in both, English and American dictionairies, but chomping is more prevalent in the U.K than the USA.

Point 3. It is a FACT that right handed people can't edit comics. Fire this loser now.:mad: :rolleyes: :mad: :mad: :confused: :eek: :cool: :o :) :cool: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[ejulp]

I don't see that as Wacker saying Pete is a douche; rather, he's saying that Pete is a genuinely good guy who a lot of people love, but at the same time he's so boneheaded at times that he frustrates the hell out of people.

I'd like to end this post by saying that Steve Wacker is brilliant man, Joe Q. seems like he just wanted this for story potential and that's all, and (heaven help me) I think I'm going to pick up the first issue of Brand New Day to see what this is all about. A single, boneheaded, everyman good guy with girl troubles and job headaches sounds like a great superhero idea. I wonder who thought it up?

Oh yeah. Stan Lee. :)

YES a bonehead...thats what I wanted to say. He's like a poor version vigilante version of Reed Richards now or something

[DAV!S]

I'm really looking forward to this. Good job guys :D :D :D :D

[funjoe]

Spider-Man has always been my favorite character, but I stopped buying his comics (except USM) about midway through JMS' run, as I lost interest in the stories he was telling and the other two books did nothing for me. I think the non-Ultimate Spidey books really did lose a lot of what made the character great. The unmasking brought me back, and I like what they did with it, but really how much further could they go with the "consequences" of that storyline? As Joe Q said, unless you want to continue to read about Spidey, MJ, and Aunt May constantly on the run and/or under protective custody the unmasking storyline/consequences had pretty much run its course.

While I didn't particularly care for how they undid the marriage, and agree the whole thing probably causes continuity headaches if one thinks about it too much, I'm over it and am looking forward to buying BND. I think this time next year most Spider-Man fans will be happy with the end result of OMD, even if they still don't like the execution of it.

[Edogawa1983]

I don't see that as Wacker saying Pete is a douche; rather, he's saying that Pete is a genuinely good guy who a lot of people love, but at the same time he's so boneheaded at times that he frustrates the hell out of people.

I'd like to end this post by saying that Steve Wacker is brilliant man, Joe Q. seems like he just wanted this for story potential and that's all, and (heaven help me) I think I'm going to pick up the first issue of Brand New Day to see what this is all about. A single, boneheaded, everyman good guy with girl troubles and job headaches sounds like a great superhero idea. I wonder who thought it up?

Oh yeah. Stan Lee. :)

back to basic

[Xheight]

Sorry Steve, but i can't in good conscience buy your issues. I love Slott, i love McNiven and i love you, but One More Day was a travesty and i need to reflect that somehow. The idea that Joe has disgarded entire runs of my Spidey collection offends me like you wouldn't believe.

I know you've got to tow the "But everything happened, they just weren't married" line, but not being married doesn't resurrect beloved characters, not being married doesn't rebuild burnt down houses, not being married doesn't reverse radical genetic changes to his body, etc.

Sorry man, i really am. Any other time and i would've killed for this lineup, but Spidey just went radioactive.


Pretty much a ditto - I've reached a 'what should I care what happens' state of mind. I'm not frothing over or out to Get JoeQ it's just that you can't unscrew the pooch with talent alone.

[Mezzrow]

It's "Chomping at the bit"...Unless I missed something...

No. "Champing at the bit" is the correct phrase. Roots in British horsemanship.

[Equinox]

To try to combat the sentiment that these boards don't reflect the opinions of most readers, I'm someone who never posts on these boards, but I am posting now to express my profound disappointment in OMD.

I'll say this. I find some of Joe Q's arguments for why a married Peter doesn't work very persuasive. I would even be in support of breaking up the marriage, if it was done in a way that made sense (like probably the way JMS would have done it).

Instead, I had to read a story where you could literally feel editorial reaching in and changing what they wanted to, with no more explanation than "Mephisto." I can think of a million better ways to have done this.

My biggest problem with the story was not its result, but just that it was REALLY DUMB! Like insultingly dumb.

If you want to mess with Spidey's history for the sake of future stories, I'm ok with that. It has to happen from time to time, but for God's sake do it with some brains and style. Don't just throw in Mephisto. JMS is a better writer than that and, if he's not willing to do it, you've got a whole bullpen full of people who could craft a good, interesting, and sensible story that gets you the same result without slapping your readers in the face.

Yeah, I'll still read BND, and I'm hopeful that it's good enough to make OMD worth it. But when Joe Q and Whacker dismiss the board posts saying that story really sucked as "just the anonymous internet," they are wrong. That story was poorly done and anyone could see that, whether they post on boards or not. And I stand by that.

Non-anonymously,

Dan Stevens, Berkeley CA
I agree with your sentiments on OMD, but I think in your frustration you're missing a few points---Wacker never said it was a good story. He said, multiple times in the interview, that he thought it was crazy, and (half-jokingly) he said he'll stick around even though Joe is making bad comics on purpose. He dismissed the anonymous users who are all screaming "I'LL NEVER READ MARVEL OR SPIDER-MAN AGAIN!!!!11" (as am I) because it's a ludicrous, half-cocked statement; if you're going to be so disrupted by a bad story as to leave comics, they don't need your dollars. There are other good comics out there, especially from Marvel. What Wacker DID say is that he was proud to work with people who are willing to take the risk of an unpopular story to see the possibilities of the aftermath; kind of what DC is doing with Countdown.

Steve Wacker said, first and foremost, that we should all have an opinion and we should state our opinion. My opinion is that you ought to go back and re-read the article before assuming what Wacker said versus what you thought he said.

Non-anonymously,

Christopher Burch
Bellingham, WA

EDIT: And no, "most readership" is NOT represented by the boards. I know a guy who loves his comics but nevers posts on the boards. Just because we're here doesn't mean we're the only guys reading.

[JamesF]

Ahhh.... Wacker is a funny funny guy.

I've no ill will towards him, buy like some others I won't be buying the book. Even though as others have pointed out these are fantastic teams they have lined up. I just can't bring myself to buy it.

Having said that, it is my personal opinion that those of us that don't buy the book won't have that much of an impact on overall sales. If I remember Amazing used to be selling like 100k and the other two titles were around 50k. So even if the numbers drop to 66k for Amazing, they'll still be ahead overall (and realistically I just can't see even a third of the people that buy Amazing dropping it because of OMD, I'll be shocked if it drops by more than 10 percent).

-JamesF.

[newfoundma]

Man I hated OMD, and Joe Q is the new Dan Didio. But I like Wacker and the creatoors lined up, and the idea of Spider-Man as Ted from "How I Met Your Mother" with Harry as Barney Stinson and MJ as a possible Robin kinda excites me. Still I would prefer that they kept them married, and tried to present an actual interesting, healthy young marriage, instead of deciding that the idea of such a thing is creatively bankrupt.

[theodoros]

I haven't really enjoyed his stories for the past year and a half.

I don't think JMS liked the stories he wrote the last year. It wasn't actually the stories he wanted to write.

[TF_Loki]

so basically peter went from a married man with a JOB to a broke ADULT bum that is mooching off of his elderly aunt. i think divorce would have been the better option.

He was living with MJ. She kicked his loser ass out. He hasn't found a new apartment yet because New York's expensive and he wants a rent controlled apartment with talking cockroaches (like ' Joe's Apartment'). It's not hard to come up with a reason.
How snidely superior. He takes us at "our anonymous words." [My emphasis] As if the anonymity of the internet somehow makes us more likely to be dishonest than to be honest
It just makes it impossible to validate or disprove anyone's actions. And generally people who seem to drop stuff always seem to know an awful lot about what came after it. You've read it as a snark (and granted that was the tone of a lot of it) but equally he could have been playing it straight.
And why Iron Man built the scarlet spider (now in the Initiative) if he doesn´t know Peter??
Because he knows Spider-man?

Any chance of a weekly "Back in Wack" in lieu of "New Joe Fridays"?
Seconded. Get your ass back here weekly, Wacker. Or least when there's a new issue out.


Please.

On a related subject, Steve, I don't know if I'll be able to keep up long term with BND/ASM financially. Any ideas on what the trade release schedule will be like yet?

[Clem]

The weirdest part of this whole mess is that i'm more interested in MJ than i am about Peter. She's part of the Initiative? will she be in the ongoing? she's taking her cues from Stark? what exactly are her powers? should we disgard the entire of that series too? how does she feel about hunting friends (if she even remembers them)?

In contrast, when you look at Pete, he's a jobless douche who gave up the hero gig when it got too tough and is whiling away his days living with his elderly Aunt with no notable supporting cast to speak of.

They pimped one and gutted the other. What is Mephisto, a publicist?

[Ken B.]

see, now that was just uncalled for.

Truth is truth. Bobby Petrino quit the Falcons towards the end of the season to get another job. It was in his best interest but it doesn't mean he can't get called on it.

Quitters never win. Peter Parker's an example. He quit on his marriage and look, he's on his track to nowhere again.

.....

Whoa, I actually connected it to Spider-Man.

really now, there is some dry humor in the above, so calm down

[Kevin T. Brown]

Matt is correct.

"If someone is eager or anxious to do something, they are said to be champing at the bit, (not chomping at the bit. nor chomping on the bit).

CHAMPING: Repetitious, strong opening and closing action of the mouth which produces sounds when the teeth hit together. Champing in swine may be a threat signal, but also is performed by boars during courtship and mating. Definition from Hurnik et al., 1995.

- The Encyclopedia of Farm Animal Behavior <http://www.liru.asft.ttu.edu/EFAB/letter.asp?Letter=C>"

"champ
v. tr. - To bite or chew upon noisily.
v. intr. - To work the jaws and teeth vigorously.
Idiom: - champ at the bit
To show impatience at being held back or delayed.

- The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved."

Actually, BOTH are correct. "Chomp" is a dialect variation of "champ",

[KraziJoe]

No. "Champing at the bit" is the correct phrase. Roots in British horsemanship.

Sorry, I didn't do too well in my, Queen's English class.

[Equinox]

Truth is truth. Bobby Petrino quit the Falcons towards the end of the season to get another job. It was in his best interest but it doesn't mean he can't get called on it.

Quitters never win. Peter Parker's an example. He quit on his marriage and look, he's on his track to nowhere again.

.....

Whoa, I actually connected it to Spider-Man.

really now, there is some dry humor in the above, so calm down
I dunno. Wacker may have left 52 mid-stream, but all the creators have come out saying they understood and respected that. Man's gotta have food on the table, and the better job is the better job.

[TF_Loki]

Point 1. That was the best interview and reactioi to the whole OMD and internet fanboy nonsense I have read since that post that Brubaker did earlier.


Was that here? I gotta see that....

[funjoe]

Man I hated OMD, and Joe Q is the new Dan Didio. But I like Wacker and the creatoors lined up, and the idea of Spider-Man as Ted from "How I Met Your Mother" with Harry as Barney Stinson and MJ as a possible Robin kinda excites me. Still I would prefer that they kept them married, and tried to present an actual interesting, healthy young marriage, instead of deciding that the idea of such a thing is creatively bankrupt.

No one has ever said that the idea of portraying a healthy young marriage is "creatively bankrupt". They said it is not right for this particular character. If you want to read the adventures of a superhero in a healthy marriage you can try Flash, Superman, Fantastic Four, Black Panther, etc

[alaska1125]

Steve,

No one is angry with you. While a good portion of fandom wants your boss's head on a pike (figuratively of course) it's got nothing to do with you. Personally, I think Spider-Man has needed someone like you running the ship for a long time now. I just wish it wasn't a crappally done reboot that you took over.
This is 100% accurate. I think you're great, Steve. You creative team is top notch and, under any other circumstance, I'd totally be on board. Unfortunately, OMD sealed the deal for me. ASM is comming off the pull list today. Sorry. :(

[BlakSun]

How snidely superior. He takes us at "our anonymous words." [My emphasis] As if the anonymity of the internet somehow makes us more likely to be dishonest than to be honest.

The more my feelings about OMD/BND are dismissed by Marvel the angrier and angrier I get. I've already removed the Spider titles from my pull list because I'm not any more interested in reading these stories about some guy masquerading as Peter Parker than I was during the Clone Saga. After reading this interview, I've moved into actually rooting for Marvel and all the creators involved in BND to fail miserably.

I wonder what's going to happen when I read the next interview dismissing me as a dishonest, petulant internet troll? Maybe drop all my Marvel books? I'm right on the verge, honestly.

hilarious...

[Spy_Smasher]

.... that's kind of extreme there.It's extreme? Really? Am I supposed to have some kind of loyalty to a company that has no loyalty to me? Put money into the pockets of creators who tell stories I don't like?

Marvel has decided, as is their right, that I am not the customer they want. They want the guy who hasn't been buying every Spider-man issue published in the last decade and a half. So be it. I'll go read someone else's books. *shrugs*

[Xheight]

.... because it's a ludicrous, half-cocked statement; if you're going to be so disrupted by a bad story as to leave comics, they don't need your dollars. There are other good comics out there, especially from Marvel. .

LOL...but apparently they do need the dollars of readers of bad comics. ???
That is what Spider-man is hence forth - bad because the story is broken; the one that they told for 500+ issues. That seems to be what is not getting through here that it isn't about what Joe Blow wrote for his run or arc or trade, it is about the ongoing life arc of Peter Parker.

[ejulp]

Truth is truth. Bobby Petrino quit the Falcons towards the end of the season to get another job. It was in his best interest but it doesn't mean he can't get called on it.

Quitters never win. Peter Parker's an example. He quit on his marriage and look, he's on his track to nowhere again.

.....

Whoa, I actually connected it to Spider-Man.

really now, there is some dry humor in the above, so calm down
I wonder if he quit...when Civil War got too hot, or Post-Reg...stopped being Spidey for awhile.

[CaptainTemerity]

Steve is another person I wish I could support on his new venture, but, unfortunately, can not.

I still enjoy reading his interviews, though, and I wish him the best. Which is not to say that I wish the best for Brand New Day. I hope it blows up in Marvel's face, honestly. But I sincerely hope Steve and his creative teams don't bear the brunt of that. Unfortunately, I don't know how that would be possible.

I appreciate the people who say they are glad for the new direction, and are looking forward to buying the new books. You should buy what you like, and I fully support you in that.

I, personally, just can't find a lot of reason to trust a company run on the whims of someone like Joe Quesada. I understand creators will always have to take chances, and I see that change can be a very positive thing in comics. But I don't believe an Editor-In-Chief should come in and impose how he wants a story to be over his creative staff. Maybe I just don't get the job, but I thought an editor tries to enhance a writer's work, not overpower it with his own ideas. Especially when they are, in my opinion, such poor ones.

The more Joe pushes control over stories written by his staff, the less inclined I am to buy any works his company publishes. I hope Spidey will be the only example of this, I really do. And maybe even a short-lived one.

We'll see. Good luck to the new teams, though, either way.

[Bugaboo-X]

I'm sorry, Mr. Wacker, but as lovely as your work is, all that has taken place immediately before you prevents me from purchasing that product and appreciating your efforts. You know who to blame.

And on that note...

By now, you think you’ve probably seen all of the reactions to One More Day that are out there: euphoria, bliss, happiness, hopefulness, renewal, optimism, cautious optimism, neutrality, dislike, anger, hatred, rage enabled by anonymity, keyboard frothing, apoplexy and coma, from imbibing in too much rageohol.

I haven't seen ANY euphoria or bliss -- at least not unless we count Joey Q.'s own emotional satisfaction with himself.

[TF_Loki]

Marvel has decided, as is their right, that I am not the customer they want.

No, you decided that. They put out product. YOU buy it or don't.

[greeneclipse]

No one has ever said that the idea of portraying a healthy young marriage is "creatively bankrupt". They said it is not right for this particular character.

Yet Stan Lee believes otherwise. Oh, wait. He's just the co-creator of Spider-Man. It's not like he knows anything. :rolleyes:

[Edogawa1983]

It's extreme? Really? Am I supposed to have some kind of loyalty to a company that has no loyalty to me? Put money into the pockets of creators who tell stories I don't like?

Marvel has decided, as is their right, that I am not the customer they want. They want the guy who hasn't been buying every Spider-man issue published in the last decade and a half. So be it. I'll go read someone else's books. *shrugs*

you said you want the Spider-books and the creative team to fail.

saying you don't want to read it is one thing, hoping they would fail is another.

it's your choice if you don't want to read Spider-Man, I respect that, actively hoping Spider-Man and the creative team would fail just sounds extremly bitter to me.

[Edogawa1983]

I'm sorry, Mr. Wacker, but as lovely as your work is, all that has taken place immediately before you prevents me from purchasing that product and appreciating your efforts. You know who to blame.

And on that note...



I haven't seen ANY euphoria or bliss -- at least not unless we count Joey Q.'s own emotional satisfaction with himself.

believe it or not, some people here are actually looking forward to BND, your truly being one of them.

[no1knowsme]

Well, I'll buy it because I like Spider-Man, well, that and my O.C.D. which makes it difficult to not have EVERY SINGLE ISSUE due to the MENTAL TORTURE! But if it's crap, maybe some tiny pixies will come along and sprinkle some MAGICAL FAIRY DUST over my comic box and make all the bad memeroies go away.

I don't know why the pixies have fairy dust. Maybe they barter with the fairies in some kind of fantastical stock exchange. Who knows.

Magic is (and get ready for this you great phrase debaters) a "cop out."

[Edogawa1983]

Well, I'll buy it because I like Spider-Man, well, taht and my O.C.D. which makes it difficult to not have EVERY SINGLE ISSUE due to the MENTAL TORTURE! But if it's crap, maybe some tiny pixies will come along and sprinkle some MAGICAL FAIRY DUST over my comic box and make all the bad memeroies go away.

I don't know why the pixies have fairy dust. Maybe they barter with the fairies in some kind of fantastical stock exchange. Who knows.

Magic is (and get ready for this you great phrase debaters) a "cop out."

magic, science, powers, all cop out I say.

[chrissama200]

Sorry Steve, but i can't in good conscience buy your issues. I love Slott, i love McNiven and i love you, but One More Day was a travesty and i need to reflect that somehow. The idea that Joe has disgarded entire runs of my Spidey collection offends me like you wouldn't believe.
Ditto. And ordinarily I enjoy Wacker's humor, but trying to humorously downplay what Quesada's done with OMD just isn't funny to me, having been a lifelong Spidey fan.

[erasion]

The comment about Mephisto making everyone forget his ID is interesting. Does this mean that Mary Jane doesn't remember Peter is Spider-man either? If I remember correctly (unless Mephisto/Joe Q. messed with my head too), Mary Jane knew Peter was Spider-man before they even officially met.
According the the "Parallel Lives" graphic novel that is exactly the case. But herein lies one of the biggest problems stemming from OMD - readers are not certain which stories and incidents have been tweaked and which haven't. Steve seems to indicate that the BND stories will start addressing such matters (eg the aborted wedding) in due course but for the meanwhile no-one can be entirely sure what the status quo actually is.

[Diespinne]

Looking forward to BRAND NEW DAY!!! :D :D :D

[nightwingoracle]

I have to say...I've always liked Wacker. He's smart, funny, and he does a good job. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him.

But I won't buy these books. Marvel as represented by Quesada has no respect for the fans and consumers right now. You could have Marv Wolfman, Geoff Johns and George Perez on the Spidey books right now and I wouldn't buy them.

I seriously encourage anyone who was angered by OMD to drop all Spider-Man books right now...make a statement and let your voice be heard. Because that's really the only thing that's going to be listened to...sales. If sales remain fairly consistent or only have a slight drop-off before returning to normal, than nothing will change. All the posting and comments will be nothing more than free publicity for Marvel, who will continue to insult its readership.

I do want to comment on a few things from this interview though:

By now, you think you’ve probably seen all of the reactions to One More Day that are out there: euphoria, bliss, happiness, hopefulness, renewal, optimism, cautious optimism, neutrality, dislike, anger, hatred, rage enabled by anonymity, keyboard frothing, apoplexy and coma, from imbibing in too much rageohol.

I think Matt needs to sometimes lose his "I'm superior to you posters" attitude when he posts things like this. And while I realize he has to be accomodating to Marvel (and DC) in order to keep his access, sometimes the "kiss-ass" part of what he has to do becomes a bit too much.

I’ll tell ya this too, we sure made this a heckuva lot easier for DC if they ever decide to unmarry Lois and Superman.

Wacker's comment hit the nail on the head for me....because that is my fear that DC will eventually do this to Superman and Lois. We all know there are a group of writers that have wanted to do that for years. My hope is that DC will resist such a bone-headed move...but it's more possible now than ever before thanks to OMD.

To be honest (and I don’t even know if I’ve ever actually told Joe Q this), I had heard rumors about this Spidey idea for a year or two beforehand as just industry gossip thrown around at cons. Like a lot of people, I thought it sounded crazy, but my opinion was that it was best for the character in the long run.

Unfortunately, no one can trust Wacker when he makes this kind of statement because what else would he say in his position? He has to publicly support the change. I have no problem with him making the statement - it's his job - but I can't trust that he's telling the truth there.

I’ll say this…when this many people are arguing about a particular story…it’s a good thing.

The thing is - there's not a lot of arguing going on. Oh there are a few posters who enjoyed the story, and a few who are just stirring things up for their own reasons. But the posters are overwhelmingly aligned in their hatred for the story and the change. There's not a lot of people arguing.

You know how Jonah barks out “PARKER!!!”? My take on the character is that Pete will drive anyone in his life to that exact moment. Everyone he knows will eventually yell his name in complete and utter frustration.

That has never been Peter's characterization. Jonah barks out that way because of Jonah's flaws and impatience, not because it's Peter's fault. Why Marvel wants to make their main hero a jerk is beyond me. Faults are one thing; being a jerk is something totally different.

[Skyrider]

No one has ever said that the idea of portraying a healthy young marriage is "creatively bankrupt". They said it is not right for this particular character. If you want to read the adventures of a superhero in a healthy marriage you can try Flash, Superman, Fantastic Four, Black Panther, etc

Discounting the Fantastic Four, which has quite possibly the MOST dysfunctional marriage in comics at this point, and Black Panther, who will most likely follow down the same road...

What is the big difference between Wally West and Peter Parker that Wally can have a stable marriage, yet Peter cannot?

Hell I'd say that Wally having kids may not have been the best move for his character, but he's never had a problem with his relationship being interesting...mostly that's because his marriage isn't the center of his books. The Flash is a super-hero book where most of the time Wally has enough on his plate with interesting villains that DC hasn't HAD to focus on the marriage to make his life interesting.

Why must Peter Parker be a perpetual loser with no chance of ever possibly having a happy normal life?

The fact that editorial has declared his life must always suck is one of the main reasons I've lost all interest in the books. Without and opportunity to grow, who cares what predicament the character finds himself in? His situation will never improve.

Wacker's comment hit the nail on the head for me....because that is my fear that DC will eventually do this to Superman and Lois. We all know there are a group of writers that have wanted to do that for years. My hope is that DC will resist such a bone-headed move...but it's more possible now than ever before thanks to OMD.

DC has no reason to break up Clark and Lois. They're meant to be together, they're perfect for each other, they remain interesting as a couple, and there's no story worth telling that involves them separated.

[Jeremy Holstein]

Heh, I gotta say, an interview with Wacker is ALWAYS entertaining.

I'll second that! Wacker cracks me up. And his enthusiasm for the project comes through on the interview, which is great.

[jfk5351]

This is 100% accurate. I think you're great, Steve. You creative team is top notch and, under any other circumstance, I'd totally be on board. Unfortunately, OMD sealed the deal for me. ASM is comming off the pull list today. Sorry. :(

Sounds good to me. Sorry JMS, Joey Q and Steve, your screwing around with one of my icons for the last 25 years plus has done the unthinkable. I'm out of Marvel completely. Dumping everything from the pull list and selling all the back issues back at a loss. OMD, BND, W/E... I'm done. At the 3rd stage of the break-up. I just don't care any more.

Dan Didio- Pay attention. One more gratuitous Bat-death and retcon (Leslie Hopkins?) and you're next.

[darrenmdr]

you said you want the Spider-books and the creative team to fail.

saying you don't want to read it is one thing, hoping they would fail is another.

it's your choice if you don't want to read Spider-Man, I respect that, actively hoping Spider-Man and the creative team would fail just sounds extremly bitter to me.


Wow. I don't think I've ever totally agreed with one of your posts before now. Well said Sir. That spysmasher person was the definitiion of the internet fnaboy that Mr Wacker was describing.

[Edogawa1983]

According the the "Parallel Lives" graphic novel that is exactly the case. But herein lies one of the biggest problems stemming from OMD - readers are not certain which stories and incidents have been tweaked and which haven't. Steve seems to indicate that the BND stories will start addressing such matters (eg the aborted wedding) in due course but for the meanwhile no-one can be entirely sure what the status quo actually is.

it's impossible for MJ not to know his id if she lived with him until recently in BND.

[Congo Jack]

"The style of that book fits into Brand New Day, but that book really needed to have an all-ages tone and won’t match the regular book much."

Too bad, I felt that the tone of swing shift matched that tone of spidey stories long lost somewhere in the 90's wich is the main reason I think the last years of spidey have been so bad.
That's the way I feel too. Marvel Adventures Spider-Man has been the best Spider-Man book for the past couple of years, I wanted the tone of Brand New Day to be similar to that.

[nightwingoracle]

DC has no reason to break up Clark and Lois. They're meant to be together, they're perfect for each other, they remain interesting as a couple, and there's no story worth telling that involves them separated.[/QUOTE]


I agree that DC has no reason to break them up, nor do I want them to.

However, DC often will allow a top name creator to do whatever they want to do with their characters without thinking through long term results....and it has been some top name creators that misguidedly want to split up Superman and Lois as well.

[vbartilucci]

I’ll tell ya what Newsarammers, you can vent about Spider-man all ya want, but you sure as heck can’t say your anger isn’t pandered to like an Iowa voter! I think there have now been more interviews about Spider-Man this week than there were issues in last the year!

I've seen...hang on...carry the bum...two. And an email from JMS.

<b>NRAMA</b>: So - short form, what's Peter Parker's status quo in Brand New Day?

<b>SW</b>: Mid-20s.
So is that the same age as he was pre-OMD or not?

[KyleCowstar]

I didn't see any kewl magik in those previews...frankly, I'm disappointed. I assumed that the title would become Spider-Man and the Adventures of Satan his Bestest Friend. I would have read that.

[Demogoblin]

hilarious...

It's not really. Why do comic companies spend so much time and effort in doing interviews with web sites then? If the knee-jerk reaction is to dismiss the message board using segment of your readership, why cater to an online audience whatsoever? Some Marvel guys seem to want to have it both ways, internet users are great - until they disagree with us.

A brief bit of online research tells me that North America has 237 million internet users now. Sure, most of those aren't comic readers and you could even argue that those who seek comic news aren't also using the boards. The error comes, IMHO, when you paint every dissatisfied fan / reader as a troll. I've been a Newsarama reader for years and while there's a lot of stupid posters, there's a generous helping of intelligent, passionate posters as well.

So I can agree with the negative reactions to such statements.

[Bugaboo-X]

I haven't seen ANY euphoria or bliss -- at least not unless we count Joey Q.'s own emotional satisfaction with himself.
believe it or not, some people here are actually looking forward to BND, your truly being one of them.

Nifty. So that would be hopefulness and optimism, as noted in the introduction to the feature, right? Or genuine eupohoria and bliss?

[Skyrider]

However, DC often will allow a top name creator to do whatever they want to do with their characters without thinking through long term results....and it has been some top name creators that misguidedly want to split up Superman and Lois as well.

DC and all of the characters therein are owned by Warner Brothers. There is nothing of consequence that happens to any of them, especially Batman and Superman, that does not get sent to, looked over, and approved by WB first.

Trust me when I tell you that, accuracy to the source material and quality of their movies aside, Warner Brothers is VERY protective of Superman, and wouldn't likely allow such a big change to happen.

For example: The Death of Superman, as a story, only came about because WB wanted DC Comics to stall for time so that Lois and Clark could get married in the comics on the same week that they wanted to marry the couple in "Lois & Clark" the TV show (which at the time had not even begun to air).

Never forget: Warner Brothers calls the shots.

[tridon]

I really want to enjoy this but I think I'm going to have trouble because I don't like the direction. Oh, and is just me or does it seem really wrong to see Peter kissing another woman?

[BlueBeetleIII]

Here's a question:

Divorce would have been because you would have to explain it to kids and it would be all over the paper

So you:

1) Change it to they lived together in "sin". Because the same people who complained about divorce would complain about living together

2) They call it splits anyway. Which is still a "divorce" depending how long they were together. So they are divorced just we're not using that word.

[Spy_Smasher]

extremly bitter to me.On this point you are correct. I am bitter. Is that not an appropriate reaction? Should I be cooly disinterested, instead? What I don't understand is why people like me, who are bitter about OMD and how it has been handled, are so easily dismissed.

I have an emotional investment in these characters. I don't think that makes me childish or stupid. To the contrary, I think it makes me a more valuable reader. It's internet whackos like me who buy the endless parade of over-priced statues. Who are in the LCS every week making sure we have the complete collection of Spider-man books. Who are unembarassed ambassadors of a medium that struggles to compete in an increasingly competitive entertainment marketplace.

[greeneclipse]

Here's a question:

Divorce would have been because you would have to explain it to kids and it would be all over the paper

So you:

1) Change it to they lived together in "sin". Because the same people who complained about divorce would complain about living together

2) They call it splits anyway. Which is still a "divorce" depending how long they were together. So they are divorced just we're not using that word.

But selling out to the devil is perfectly acceptable and so much better than divorce! Can't you see that? How dare you question the wisdom of the Great God Quesada? ;)

[Capt_Piett]

funjoe,

They'd been married 20+ years. I fail to see how that qualifies as being "not right for this particular character" Regardless of how long they've been married in Comic Time in the Marvel U. I would be interested in seeing what Stan Lee thinks of this. Does anyone know if he's commented publicly anywhere?

And tridon, you're not alone. I saw that panel and thought it was just wrong too.

[Garden Gnome]

I'd been planning to use BND as my re-entry into buying superhero comics (I moved to mostly manga and a few indies a while back) but now my interest is gone. The whole internet OMD mess has been fun to watch but has had the side effect of killing my interest in BND. Hope those who follow it get their money's worth.

[Edogawa1983]

funjoe,

They'd been married 20+ years. I fail to see how that qualifies as being "not right for this particular character" Regardless of how long they've been married in Comic Time in the Marvel U. I would be interested in seeing what Stan Lee thinks of this. Does anyone know if he's commented publicly anywhere?

And tridon, you're not alone. I saw that panel and thought it was just wrong too.

Stan Lee doesn't really care, and Stan Lee doesn't really say anything negative about Marvel.

[Edogawa1983]

funjoe,

They'd been married 20+ years. I fail to see how that qualifies as being "not right for this particular character" Regardless of how long they've been married in Comic Time in the Marvel U. I would be interested in seeing what Stan Lee thinks of this. Does anyone know if he's commented publicly anywhere?

And tridon, you're not alone. I saw that panel and thought it was just wrong too.

double post.

[Jiminy Snick]

SW: I’ve been on message boards since the early ‘90s and all of us here know deep in our hearts that nothing said here represents a “large portion” of the readership. A “large portion” of internet posters perhaps, but a large portion of internet posters would argue with me if I said I was right handed.

You know, I love Steve - and think he gives great interviews, and that his heart seems very much in the right place - but how many more people, from Dan Didio, Mike Carlin, to Joe Q to Steve, are going to keep throwing out this one?

Maybe I am wrong, but I think it is they that are wrong. I think in this day and age the internet community entirely constitutes the largest portion of readership.

I also think that the more the TPTB say this, the more alienated the readership ends up feeling.

[Blackbeard]

I assumed that the title would become Spider-Man and the Adventures of Satan his Bestest Friend. I would have read that.

Me, too! :D

[I am MODOK]

I always like the Wacker interviews. He's a funny guy.

Making it really tough to pass on BND. Do I REALLY want to hold a grudge against a whole new editorial and creative team?

[SpyGuy]

All of "One More Day"'s craptacular storytelling aside, I'm not encouraged by any of the promotional pages and interviews concerning "Brand New Day." Marvel took a storyline that was going somewhere (Peter, unmasked as Spider-Man, on the run with MJ and Aunt May), waved a magic wand before seeing it through to a natural conclusion, and now suddenly we're back where we were thirty years ago. But hey, it's magic. You don't have to explain it.

If the main things "Brand New Day" has to offer are scenes of Peter making out with chicks that aren't MJ and acting like a complete douchebag too clueless be considered heroic anymore, then I'm out as well. If I want to read about a young, single Peter Parker that struggles to balance his chaotic life against being a superhero, I can read ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN. A twentysomething Peter Parker that's too much of a loser to move out of his Aunt's house and goes on about wheatcakes? No thanks.

[Skyrider]

I always like the Wacker interviews. He's a funny guy.

Making it really tough to pass on BND. Do I REALLY want to hold a grudge against a whole new editorial and creative team?


Would you be buying the book out of pity, or out of genuine interest?

If you do not like the direction the character is going in, you really have a right as well as a responsibility as a consumer to voice your opinion with your dollars.

If you neglect this right and continue to purchase the book while disliking it, the company will read your sale as an affirmation of their decisions, and nothing will change.

This is the ONLY power you have as a consumer. Remember to use it wisely.

[Kevin T. Brown]

DC has no reason to break up Clark and Lois. They're meant to be together, they're perfect for each other, they remain interesting as a couple, and there's no story worth telling that involves them separated.


I agree that DC has no reason to break them up, nor do I want them to.

However, DC often will allow a top name creator to do whatever they want to do with their characters without thinking through long term results....and it has been some top name creators that misguidedly want to split up Superman and Lois as well.

Not exactly true....

If DC didn't allow Mark Waid, Mark Millar, Grant Morrison and Tom Peyer to do so many years ago, odds are they wouldn't do it now.

[Bender-braü]

Here's a question:

Divorce would have been because you would have to explain it to kids and it would be all over the paper

So you:

1) Change it to they lived together in "sin". Because the same people who complained about divorce would complain about living together

2) They call it splits anyway. Which is still a "divorce" depending how long they were together. So they are divorced just we're not using that word.
I think the problem is that because Marvel couldn't divorce Peter and MJ because it ages the characters, it doesn't leave them with many alternate ways to end the marriage realistically aside from one of them dying (marriage generally being until "death do you part" and all that).

Since killing MJ would have caused an uproar of unimaginable proportions and, alternatively, killing the title character of the book has already been done (being done? still done? Cap's still dead right?:) )

What else is left but the improbable?

I think Marvel put themselves in a no win scenario as soon as Joe Q decided that separating Peter and MJ was a necessity.

[SuperBil]

Spider-Man has always been my favorite character, but I stopped buying his comics (except USM) about midway through JMS' run, as I lost interest in the stories he was telling and the other two books did nothing for me. I think the non-Ultimate Spidey books really did lose a lot of what made the character great. The unmasking brought me back, and I like what they did with it, but really how much further could they go with the "consequences" of that storyline? As Joe Q said, unless you want to continue to read about Spidey, MJ, and Aunt May constantly on the run and/or under protective custody the unmasking storyline/consequences had pretty much run its course.

While I didn't particularly care for how they undid the marriage, and agree the whole thing probably causes continuity headaches if one thinks about it too much, I'm over it and am looking forward to buying BND. I think this time next year most Spider-Man fans will be happy with the end result of OMD, even if they still don't like the execution of it.


You sir, are in danger of sounding like a rational human being... instead of a frothing at the mouth, crazed fanboy. What are you doing posting on this message board?

[RockLeefan]

I'm confused. Both Joe Q and Steve have both said that all that has changed is that they never got married, but all the things they did do (as a married couple) still occurred. If that's the case then i can't see how them breaking up is any more damaging to Peter's character than if they got divorced. Surely going through all those things in a relationship, only to break up is bad regardless of being married. If so, why not ditch the devil angle and just have the divorce?

It looks like I'm stuck with the first 6-9 issues of OMD due to my agreement with my local comic shop. Worst thing is - I think i'll probably enjoy them - but I have to stick to my guns (like i did when dropping X-men after decimation) and sit this out until this retcon is retconned in two years time

[Edogawa1983]

I'm confused. Both Joe Q and Steve have both said that all that has changed is that they never got married, but all the things they did do (as a married couple) still occurred. If that's the case then i can't see how them breaking up is any more damaging to Peter's character than if they got divorced. Surely going through all those things in a relationship, only to break up is bad regardless of being married. If so, why not ditch the devil angle and just have the divorce?

It looks like I'm stuck with the first 6-9 issues of OMD due to my agreement with my local comic shop. Worst thing is - I think i'll probably enjoy them - but I have to stick to my guns (like i did when dropping X-men after decimation) and sit this out until this retcon is retconned in two years time

divorcing a wife is a bit tougher than breaking up with a girlfriend.

[BelaKarloff]

But selling out to the devil is perfectly acceptable and so much better than divorce! Can't you see that? How dare you question the wisdom of the Great God Quesada? ;)

I don't really have an opinion about OMD one way or the other but I have to say, that pretty much hits the nail on the head.

Wacker does good interviews.

[I am MODOK]

Would you be buying the book out of pity, or out of genuine interest.

If you do not like the direction the character is going in, you really have a right as well as a responsibility as a consumer to voice your opinion with your dollars.

If you neglect this right and continue to purchase the book while disliking it, the company will read your sale as an affirmation of their decisions, and nothing will change.

This is the ONLY power you have as a consumer. Remember to use it wisely.

I've been the loudest guy yelling vote with your dollars. That's the only way to send a message, I agree 100%.

But, I never liked any of the changes JMS introduced. I dropped Spidey while JMS was writing it. I longed for a more fun, "classic" style of Spidey story. BUT, I also liked the marriage. I hate OMD, I think it was foolishly and arrogantly executed.

I am interested in the creative teams and new direction for the Spidey-title now though. The only reason I would not be buying the BND book is because I'm mad about how stupid OMD was.

[BlueBeetleIII]

I think the problem is that because Marvel couldn't divorce Peter and MJ because it ages the characters, it doesn't leave them with many alternate ways to end the marriage realistically aside from one of them dying (marriage generally being until "death do you part" and all that).

Since killing MJ would have caused an uproar of unimaginable proportions and, alternatively, killing the title character of the book has already been done (being done? still done? Cap's still dead right?:) )

What else is left but the improbable?

I think Marvel put themselves in a no win scenario as soon as Joe Q decided that separating Peter and MJ was a necessity.
Yes but to me it is almost the same thing. If he has been with MJ the same amount of time he was married then it still ages him. Still the same result.

And I know many mid-20's divorced.

[Panelologist77]

You know how Jonah barks out “PARKER!!!”? My take on the character is that Pete will drive anyone in his life to that exact moment. Everyone he knows will eventually yell his name in complete and utter frustration.




Sounds interesting. Spidey has long been written like that but oddly not so much when he's Peter. I see some good comedy potential there. Very nice art too! All in all I'm definitely picking this up!

Pan

[newfoundma]

I disagree with Wacker. I don't know that fan discussion is always positive. Marvel shouldn't be thrilled that 90% of fan reaction is overwhelming negative (and I am being gracious; I haven't read anyone being like "This was great!"). I think what will save BND is that it is not brought to you by the butchers who brought you OMD. I think Quesada and JMS ruined a lot of credibility, so it was smart for Marvel to bring in fresh blood, as I can't see myself buying anything that Quesada has direct creative involvement in anymore.

[BlakSun]

It's not really. Why do comic companies spend so much time and effort in doing interviews with web sites then? If the knee-jerk reaction is to dismiss the message board using segment of your readership, why cater to an online audience whatsoever? Some Marvel guys seem to want to have it both ways, internet users are great - until they disagree with us.

A brief bit of online research tells me that North America has 237 million internet users now. Sure, most of those aren't comic readers and you could even argue that those who seek comic news aren't also using the boards. The error comes, IMHO, when you paint every dissatisfied fan / reader as a troll. I've been a Newsarama reader for years and while there's a lot of stupid posters, there's a generous helping of intelligent, passionate posters as well.

So I can agree with the negative reactions to such statements.

nope. still hilarious.

[spiderman196]

BND. Brand New Dork?:eek:

[Illustr8r]

The only thing I object to so far? The red "BOLD" text.

[Panelologist77]

I really want to enjoy this but I think I'm going to have trouble because I don't like the direction. Oh, and is just me or does it seem really wrong to see Peter kissing another woman?

That's why it was used to open the book. It's the shock value of telling readers to expect the unexpected.

Pan

[newfoundma]

A single, boneheaded, everyman good guy with girl troubles and job headaches sounds like a great superhero idea. I wonder who thought it up?

Oh yeah. Stan Lee. :)
Don't tell Steve Ditko that...

[dcbill]

You know how Jonah barks out “PARKER!!!”? My take on the character is that Pete will drive anyone in his life to that exact moment. Everyone he knows will eventually yell his name in complete and utter frustration.

I always figured that was more a function of Jonah than of Peter

[Bfujioka]

How snidely superior. He takes us at "our anonymous words." [My emphasis] As if the anonymity of the internet somehow makes us more likely to be dishonest than to be honest.

The more my feelings about OMD/BND are dismissed by Marvel the angrier and angrier I get. I've already removed the Spider titles from my pull list because I'm not any more interested in reading these stories about some guy masquerading as Peter Parker than I was during the Clone Saga. After reading this interview, I've moved into actually rooting for Marvel and all the creators involved in BND to fail miserably.

I wonder what's going to happen when I read the next interview dismissing me as a dishonest, petulant internet troll? Maybe drop all my Marvel books? I'm right on the verge, honestly.

While I don't agree with every sentiment expressed in this post, I do feel more and more insulted with every interview or press release from Marvel or a Marvel spokesman/editor about OMD. I don't wish the creators to fail outright, and yet I don't wish the book success either. I'm one of those that has dropped the title along with almost all Spider-man related books, and to me, this change in the status quo is just a slap in the face to everyone who cared one iota about the character.

I don't like how every interview I read dismisses the reaction of fans everywhere, assuming that we will always be there to support the title, and that if we are not, others will be there to take our place.

I don't like how the buyers are taken for granted and forced to accept something they don't like just because of an editorial mandate.

And most of all, I'm insulted at the way that my concerns are more or less being dismissed after being a paying customer for 25 years.

Let's face it. This change was more about protecting the longevity of a property than promoting a creative new direction on the book. This is about money, pure and simple, and that being the case, I think it is only fair that the fans respond in kind, not only by refusing to buy the book if they don't like it, but also by complaining that the stories that they have accumulated and purchased over the years are now worthless, in that many of them never happened or have been altered substantially by the events of OMD. To ask us, all of us, to now buy into BND after considering all this, I think, really exemplifies a fundamental lack of care and consideration on Marvel's part.

[Sano]

Wacker - Thanks for clearing up the continuity issue which was bugging me. And thanks for the laughs man LOL! Everything for BND looks really good but I just can't be among the new readers because I don't support this move. I'm a long time Spidey reader and no matter how JQ spruces it up I still feel slighted. I'll be reading Spider-Girl in the meantime so I can support married Spidey. Lots of luck with BND and I hope things work out well.

[Edogawa1983]

While I don't agree with every sentiment expressed in this post, I do feel more and more insulted with every interview or press release from Marvel or a Marvel spokesman/editor about OMD. I don't wish the creators to fail outright, and yet I don't wish the book success either. I'm one of those that has dropped the title along with almost all Spider-man related books, and to me, this change in the status quo is just a slap in the face to everyone who cared one iota about the character.

I don't like how every interview I read dismisses the reaction of fans everywhere, assuming that we will always be there to support the title, and that if we are not, others will be there to take our place.

I don't like how the buyers are taken for granted and forced to accept something they don't like just because of an editorial mandate.

And most of all, I'm insulted at the way that my concerns are more or less being dismissed after being a paying customer for 25 years.

Let's face it. This change was more about protecting the longevity of a property than promoting a creative new direction on the book. This is about money, pure and simple, and that being the case, I think it is only fair that the fans respond in kind, not only by refusing to buy the book if they don't like it, but also by complaining that the stories that they have accumulated and purchased over the years are now worthless, in that many of them never happened or have been altered substantially by the events of OMD. To ask us, all of us, to now buy into BND after considering all this, I think, really exemplifies a fundamental lack of care and consideration on Marvel's part.

all I can say is... comics is addictive like cigrettes..

for every person that drops amazing, two will take his place.

[DRDOOM25]

Sorry no matter what creative teams are on BND and no matter what crap they come up with, at the end of the day, I want nothing to do with this. That is how dedicated I am to the idea of Mary Jane and Peter being together. If I have to live without the idea of them having a child for now, so be it...but now that their marriage is over, I am only sticking with Ult. Spiderman and definitely Spidergirl.

The way I see this is that its a form of brainwashing: Quesada was the only scum out there that saw a problem with the marriage which had really never been brought up in a public setting. Through his countless rants, he brought it up over and over to the point where people starting believing that there was something to it. Now at the end, he has claimed victory and us fans lose THE definitive couple in comics.

This interview about BND where it states that they almost got married just literally makes me wish I could burn every copy of BND and OMD off the planet....

[CodeGuy]

Of all the things to complain about with Brand New Day, this will probably be the most minor:

Please stop drawing Aunt May like an old woman in the 60s. She should look like and old woman in the current decade. Hair bun and full length dress? I'm sure there are women somewhere who dress like that, but I haven't seen them. Even when I visit my grandmother in the nursing home and see women older than May, they're all dressed and wearing their hair in a more modern fasion.

It just makes the comic look antiquated. The big thing I'll miss from JMS's run is Aunt May looking and acting like a modern woman her age.

[Capt_Piett]

That's why it was used to open the book. It's the shock value of telling readers to expect the unexpected.

Pan

Be that as it may, it still seems like another slap in the face for the peopel who've read the book since MJ and Peter got married. Magical Regression and Resurrections aside, they've not been married less than a month, and BOOM: Marvel's already showing him making out with other women.

[Jiminy Snick]

Originally Posted by Demogoblin
It's not really. Why do comic companies spend so much time and effort in doing interviews with web sites then? If the knee-jerk reaction is to dismiss the message board using segment of your readership, why cater to an online audience whatsoever? Some Marvel guys seem to want to have it both ways, internet users are great - until they disagree with us.

Exactly!

A very sound point to make.

If the internet community doesn't - as Wacker, Didio, Quesada, and Carlin keep saying - represent the majority of their readership, then why spend so much time doing interviews and promotional things on the internet.

Nice way of deflecting a barrage - but I am inclined to think they are wrong.

And if it is true that we don't actually represent a substantial portion oif their readership, it is still kind of a slap in the face, to the very people reading these interviews when you essentially say: "You may be very vocal in your criticism of our recent series/story - but frankly, you don't represent a substantial portion of our readership for me to give a rat's ass."

[superfishguy]

forget this book. I'm tired of the drama surrounding OMD, the lame retcons and all that other sh*t. oh and I'm still gonna destroy my copy of OMD and enjoy my back issues where there was quality writing, spidey and mj!

[Kiryu]

You know how Jonah barks out “PARKER!!!”? My take on the character is that Pete will drive anyone in his life to that exact moment. Everyone he knows will eventually yell his name in complete and utter frustration.



does Peter Parker really need to be this way?? a douche?

Excuse the cliche, but quoted for truth.

Count me out for BND.

Count me out for Countdown too.

Count me back in when the editors take a back seat and let the writers do their friggin jobs.

[longshot7]

sorry Steve, but I'm passing too. Let us know when you're editing something else.

[Dennis K]

The best analogy I can come up with for how I feel about this:

It's like someone punched me in the gut and followed up by offering me a mystery box saying that there was delicious cake inside.

I'm not interested. I'm going to go read my back-issues and enjoy the love between Mary Jane and Peter.

[Innercaine]

With all the commotion I decided to check out some Marvel news. In fairness, I won't comment too much not being a reader.

I don't hate this OMD idea (and in fact I don't hate the idea of Louis and Clark splitting up either), but I don't like how this was executed, ala deus ex machina.. doesn't attract me as a prospective reader.

[Bfujioka]

all I can say is... comics is addictive like cigrettes..

for every person that drops amazing, two will take his place.

Thanks for dismissing all my concerns. Marvel does that too, and that's why I'm dropping ASM.

[I am MODOK]

One of my friends just told me that Mephisto has also made him forget that that he used to like Spider-Man. So he's passing on OMD. I like that.

[stingermck]

Thanks but no thanks. Ive left Spider-Man before, and I'm doing it again. I will not spend money on a story/direction I do not agree with. I like that they are stream lining the title in Amazing, but its too little too late for me. As a DC guy with the lose of Spidey, I'm down to Captain America and Punisher MAX, as my Marvel monthlies.

I don't appreciate stories Ive read and spent money on, now being different than how I originally read them. I cant go back and read an old Spider-Man issue, and pretend they are not married. Even though DC has had its share of Crisis, at least stories before it were not changed. A new Earth was born, but those stories still happened as they did, and even now DC is embracing that idea again.

As far as creators go, sure I have some favorites, but I don't care who is doing a book, just as long as I enjoy the story. Put whoever they want on Spider-Man and its not going to change my mind on their current direction. And lets face it, if the story could stand on its own, there wouldn't be a need for all these interviews.

One day the Internet community is going to have to be taken seriously, when it comes to media. Sure we are the fans who post, rant, and rave, but in doing so, I'm sure we are the ones who spend the most money. Other wise, why would we care?

And maybe its just me, but I know Wacker is a funny guy, but it seems like hes trying too hard to be funny, to take heat off of this topic.

[bawker]

SW: Mid-20s. Freelance photographer, former teacher, former grad student, and all the other stuff you’ve seen him do. He’s between apartments, staying with Aunt May right now, but even May knows that that’s not as charming as it once was. She loves her nephew, but come on!

So, basically,it's a reset to long about the old Web Of Spider Man title maturity and timeline wise.

Thing is,I read that already about twenty years ago...and even though I like Slott as a writer, the eight page preview and "frosty MJ" panel in the article I read did nothing but convince me further that the title has lost me as it tries to be all things to all people and sets itself up making no one happy in the end.

Don't we have a Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane title for those with a more soap opera interest? An Ultimate Spider Man title for those with an interest in a younger viewpoint? Wouldn't it be prudent to have a title that reflects an older, more mature Peter as well as all these other riffs on the character?

Do this many people want to see Spider-Man hook up and go throught the so-very-70's drama of get girl/lose girl/have to leave date 'cause I'm Spider-Man, etc.? If that's the case, then that's fine...but regardless, we all know we've been there before through Betty Brant, Deb Whitman, Liz Allen, Felicia Hardy and MJ. It's been done. Harry Osborne coming back in the title for what's sure to be some sort of return of a Goblin? So many iterations of that it would take a seperate post to speak of.

Perhaps I'm in the minority here, but I just don't see "Brand New Day" as anything but "Web Of Spider Man Redux". There are a million different ways to take an MJ free Spidey rather than reset the character into a 198X timeline and supporting cast.

Every Spider-Man arc over the past few years has been ULTIMATE! LIFECHANGING! SUPERMEGA! with little to no characterizations, focus on support cast or anything else other than "Let's do this to Spider-Man". Now, I'll give Quesada/JMS credit here...I'm extremely glad to see a lot of that (I have fangs, I made a cocoon, I got reborn, I'm a Spider-Totem, etc) fall by the wayside, but not at the expense of making the character into a stagnant retread of previous Spidey incarnations in some regards.

...and, lastly, Steve Wacker really ought to just answer questions rather than take his internet shots at the beginning at each of these. If I can debate without nebulous "Waxor suks" comments, then I'd imagine he could be persuaded to do the same towards the folks who read message boards online. You don't go looking for publicity on Newsarama and then decide to berate the very traffic that comes to the site.

[Elixir]

I just cannot wait for Brand New Day. I've been apathetic towards Spidey for a while. JQ is so right about the supporting cast needing to come back after having whittled down to just MJ and May.

Mephisto and the whole of One More Day isn't the best way to have got there but I'm not really that bothered by it. I'm just really excited for the new stories that await us.

I'd like to think Pete and MJ could still end up together but for now, I havnt been this excited about Spidey since I started reading comics 6/7 years ago. I feel now towards him how the old 90's cartoon made me feel...and that's goood!

[JonWes]

I didn't care for OMD. I didn't even buy it, but just read a friend's.

That being said, I will be getting at least the first 3 issues of Amazing. I haven't collected Spider-man in ages, but this looks fun. I tried Amazing during the Civil War run but the characterization of Tony was just too bizarre to enjoy it. But I'm on board.

Oh, and I thought Wacker's comments were funny. I really enjoyed this interview, but I'm not proclaiming a jihad on Marvel for OMD either.

[Bender-braü]

I feel sorry for Steve. He's being put in a VERY difficult position. This storyline is a mess! Jebus bless the man if he can pull a rabbit out of his hat and make this all come up smelling like roses again but I fear for his sanity in trying.

This would be my recommendation: "Steve, congratulations! You're now the new EIC. Joe Q, you're now the writer, artist and editor of BND. You made this mess. You fix it!" :D

[patient37]

If I remember correctly (unless Mephisto/Joe Q. messed with my head too), Mary Jane knew Peter was Spider-man before they even officially met.

A few years back I had a bet with a co-worker that MJ knew Pete's identity way back before her debut. I couldn't find Parallel Lives (the GN where that tidbit was revealed), so I tracked down a copy of the Untold Tales of Spider-Man issue where they deal with it further. Unfortunately, someone in Marvel had just decided Untold Tales was non-canon, so my "proof" was rendered moot.

So, thanks Marvel. Your wimpy continuity lost me a $100 bet.

[Edogawa1983]

Thanks for dismissing all my concerns. Marvel does that too, and that's why I'm dropping ASM.

sorry to burst your bubbles, but the whole BND thing is Marvel trying to attract new readers. of course they don't want the old readers to leave, but they rather attract two new readers for every old one that want to leave.

I'm not saying they will attract two new readers for every old one that leaves, but that's what they are trying to do, it's a gutsy risk they are taking.

[BornToRun]

I love Wacker. His involvement alone could make me pick it up, even though I'm really not very interested in the new standard.

[johnnyrocket]

- The Encyclopedia of Farm Animal Behavior <http://www.liru.asft.ttu.edu/EFAB/letter.asp?Letter=C>"

"


That's classic.... Almost Monty Python in it's implications. I imagine finding a copy of that book in the Office of Farm Animal Relations just down the hall from the Ministry of Silly Walks... ;)

[Shinlyle]

I like the teams they've got set-up, and if it were any other character, I'd be on this in a heartbeat, but after what's happened, I just don't care about Spider-man anymore. No knock to these guys, as it looks like they've got some awesome stuff planned, but even if it was Alan Moore and Alex Ross on the book, I would pass.

http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/Spider-Man/BND/Preview/BND546_02.jpg

I guess this is what happens when take MJ away from him

;)

Actually, that's what Joe Q is saying to us.

Steve sounds like a great guy, but I'm not reading this. Period.

As for the "Anonymnity" of internet posters and the fact that they don't equal readers, that's not entirely true, unless my dad made a deal witht he devil to erase his marriage, at which point, I shouldn't be typing this, huh?

Honestly, if the interenet folk aren't real, then I guess they can hang out with the imaginary "new" comic readers that Joe believes will come from this mess.

And, because it needs to be said: Peter Parker made a deal with the DEVIL!! Ugh.

[Edogawa1983]

I just cannot wait for Brand New Day. I've been apathetic towards Spidey for a while. JQ is so right about the supporting cast needing to come back after having whittled down to just MJ and May.

Mephisto and the whole of One More Day isn't the best way to have got there but I'm not really that bothered by it. I'm just really excited for the new stories that await us.

I'd like to think Pete and MJ could still end up together but for now, I havnt been this excited about Spidey since I started reading comics 6/7 years ago. I feel now towards him how the old 90's cartoon made me feel...and that's goood!

90s Spider-Man cartoon was good stuff...

[newfoundma]

you said you want the Spider-books and the creative team to fail.

saying you don't want to read it is one thing, hoping they would fail is another.

it's your choice if you don't want to read Spider-Man, I respect that, actively hoping Spider-Man and the creative team would fail just sounds extremly bitter to me.

I disagree. I hope they don't suceed so that Marvel learns a lesson and maybe replaces Joe and does not retcon such major stories. I don't wish pain on anyone, but I don't want a product that I am seriously unhappy with (yes, I have yet to read BND, but this reflects on OMD), to exist if it keeps me from getting a married Spider-Man back. Especially after revealing that they always had an out for Spidey revealing his ID, I think that magic was used to the undoing of the marriage can easily be undone. I think if BND failed, this process would speed up.

[spideyisgod]

i have to say that at the end of all this none of it will matter. some people may drop, but i truly believe that more people will pick up. if the stories are great, just like ultimate spider-man back when it started, it will sell. ok i know continuity is important to some people,but to me great spider-man stories are far more important and if this the way to get back to basics and start new so be it. i tend to believe that if you don't at least give this a chance, you are not true spider-man fans. as far as people complaining that peter parker is a good guy who is a bit of a mess, well then you don't know spider-man at all. one more day was a mess, i don't disagree, but i couldn't possibly be more excited about brand new day.

[Shinlyle]

sorry to burst your bubbles, but the whole BND thing is Marvel trying to attract new readers. of course they don't want the old readers to leave, but they rather attract two new readers for every old one that want to leave.

I'm not saying they will attract two new readers for every old one that leaves, but that's what they are trying to do, it's a gutsy risk they are taking.

Yep. I think they're just throwing out all the talent they can to lure people back to a book which they KNOW is going to lose it's old readers. Agree 100%

[CRAIG-BBRS]

Hey Joe Q if Spiderman is better off like this why dont you put your money where your mouth is?

Only publish 2 Spidey books a month for 12 months. One continuing pre-OMD, where peters married, in the NA etc and one thats in the style of BND.

I know which I'd rather buy

Craig AKA BUHBUHRAYSPIDEY

[santino]

Another funny interview from Wacker. I am very much looking forward to BND, and seeing what directions the new creative team(s) take Peter's reimagined status quo.

[Mediancat]

If Marvel's goal is to attract new readers to Spider-Man, let me just say that as a potential new reader that I will not be "one of the two" alleged new readers for everyone who drops it.

No, I don't buy Spider-Man related comics now. And because of this misbegotten storyline I have absolutely no plans to do so in the future.

So, apologies to Mr. Wacker, who has just been just been handed a pile of dog droppings and told to find the diamond inside, but there ain't no diamond inside this one.

Rob aka Mediancat

[Mark_S]

Interesting interview. Funny, yet patronizing and condescending at the same time.

Marvel truly does seem to thrive only on anger and if it is not out there they will make a supreme effort to create it.

Mark_S

[TheJerkle]

I can't wait for Brand New Day. As long as the stories are good, I'll be reading.

[jpeso]

[QUOTE=SuperBil]You sir, are in danger of sounding like a rational human being... instead of a frothing at the mouth, crazed fanboy. What are you doing posting on this message board?[/QUOTE

Thats nonsense, you uptight poster who think your better than other posters because your calm or actually act you like the stupid ass outcome of omd kill me. try being smug when marvel starts pulling the rug from under all there great other heroes, then lets see how rational you are..........unbelievable, this guy comes on says a few words and people forget how much of a huge FU this is to real comic fans. not just spidey fans!

1 more thing, i just feel like people talk about online message boards like we arent real people. i work on 40th and park ave, live in the bronx and am thee only person i know who collects comics lol my friends and wife laugh at me for my dedication to it, i play semi pro football, and i enjoy my nightlife at clubs as well. all in all i dont take none of it as serious as i do my comic books. you either live in a comic world or you dont. i do and damn proud of it lol

[Edogawa1983]

Yep. I think they're just throwing out all the talent they can to lure people back to a book which they KNOW is going to lose it's old readers. Agree 100%

it's what DC did with 52, they are trying to start a weekly comic, never been done before.

They put all their top talent on it, Waid, Morrison, Johns, Rucka, Griffin, it was a success..

and then along came Countdown....

I'm afraid Marvel will cut corners if BND become a sucess by pulling out the talents.

[Panelologist77]

Be that as it may, it still seems like another slap in the face for the peopel who've read the book since MJ and Peter got married. Magical Regression and Resurrections aside, they've not been married less than a month, and BOOM: Marvel's already showing him making out with other women.

Nah, it's only an irritant for people who take superhero comics too seriously. I for one felt that Spidey had gotten a little stale. This new direction makes everything fresh and exciting. It might turn out to be a pile of cr@p but it'll be interesting to find out.

Pan

[Jdniu197]

Are there really a bunch of teenangers out there saying "sweet, now that Spider-Man's not married anymore I can start reading him."?

I just don't get that logic.

[Saintv1]

I'd like to chack it out, but reading Spider-Man now is only going to make me angry.

[roblewmac]

I'm just amused that Peter Parker can make a deal with the devil to undo 20 years of history and we STILL get "Oh that's trolls being negitive.
Of course it's disliked becuse it's really STUPID!
Every third rate Marvel character has been offered a deal with the devil at one point, Spider-man should not be the one who takes it.
Robert L McCarthy

[dlfurman]

But, umm, after the divorce, wouldn't he be a broke bum anyway?

Yes, but you'd understand WHY - post divorce - why he's a broke bum other than "It's magic. You don't need an explanation!" or "The devil made it so..."

[DoctorTom]

Just remember, it could have been worse.....

If they had gone with the 'Peter and MJ get divorced" angle, we would probably have still ended up with OMD. Instead of erasing the marriage totally, Mephisto would have had MJ have an affair with Wolverine in Avengers Mansion which would have led to the divorce...


I'll still try BND because Wacker is a new editor on it and shouldn't be held accountable for the mistakes of Joey Q, and because of Dan Slott. Who knows, maybe we'll get a future storyline from Dan Slott where the Earth Alpha Peter Parker, along with his wife Mary Jane comes on a vacation to the Marvel Earth and gets the spider powers (complete with webshooters). They like it so much they convince the 616 Parker to switch worlds with them.

[Panelologist77]

sorry to burst your bubbles, but the whole BND thing is Marvel trying to attract new readers. of course they don't want the old readers to leave, but they rather attract two new readers for every old one that want to leave.

I'm not saying they will attract two new readers for every old one that leaves, but that's what they are trying to do, it's a gutsy risk they are taking.


I agree! For the first time in years I'm really looking forward to a Spider-Man comic! (I must be entering my second childhood. :D )

Pan

[newfoundma]

it's impossible for MJ not to know his id if she lived with him until recently in BND.

It's not impossible, "It's magic."

[Kane429]

LOL... it looks like JOEPHISTO t-shirts are now making the rounds.

http://www.cafepress.com/truefanboy

This is priceless! I just bought one for myself and can't wait to wear it at the cons.

[Bfujioka]

i have to say that at the end of all this none of it will matter. some people may drop, but i truly believe that more people will pick up. if the stories are great, just like ultimate spider-man back when it started, it will sell. ok i know continuity is important to some people,but to me great spider-man stories are far more important and if this the way to get back to basics and start new so be it. i tend to believe that if you don't at least give this a chance, you are not true spider-man fans. as far as people complaining that peter parker is a good guy who is a bit of a mess, well then you don't know spider-man at all. one more day was a mess, i don't disagree, but i couldn't possibly be more excited about brand new day.

Quite frankly, don't you think that the bulk of Ultimate Spider-man buyers were already buying the main title or were comics buyers to begin with? I know I was one of them. Here are some sales figures from the title.

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN
11/01 Ult. Spider-Man #15 - 80,278
11/02 Ult. Spider-Man #30 - 91,405
11/03 Ult. Spider-Man #49 - 96,707
11/04 Ult. Spider-Man #68 - 91,075
11/05 Ult. Spider-Man #86 - 76,864
=====
11/06 Ult. Spider-Man #102 - 77,121 ( -2.3%)
12/06 Ult. Spider-Man #103 - 76,251 ( -1.1%)
01/07 Ult. Spider-Man #104 - 108,082 (+41.7%)
02/07 Ult. Spider-Man #105 - 74,376 (-31.2%)
03/07 Ult. Spider-Man #106 - 73,832 ( -1.3%)
03/07 Ult. Spider-Man #107 - 72,818 ( -1.4%)
04/07 Ult. Spider-Man #108 - 72,713 ( -0.1%)
05/07 Ult. Spider-Man #109 - 72,478 ( -0.3%)
06/07 Ult. Spider-Man #110 - 73,646 ( +1.6%)
07/07 Ult. Spider-Man #111 - 75,487 ( +2.5%)
08/07 Ult. Spider-Man #112 - 76,523 ( +1.4%)
09/07 Ult. Spider-Man #113 - 67,476 (-11.8%)
09/07 Ult. Spider-Man #114 - 66,682 ( -1.2%)
10/07 Ult. Spider-Man #115 - 74,310 (+11.4%)
11/07 Ult. Spider-Man #116 - 61,534 (-17.2%)
6 mnth (-15.1%)
1 year (-20.2%)
2 year (-19.9%)
3 year (-32.4%)
4 year (-36.4%)

Considering that the average sales of ASM number around 100,000-120,000 for this same period, isn't that entirely plausible? Nothing in here shows me that Ultimate Spider-man brought new readers into the market, at least not in substantial numbers (10,000+). Until I see breakdowns of demographics, I'm unconvinced by your argument. Also, if you think that people who don't buy BND are not TRUE Spider-man fans, there is no way that you'll win that argument. I stuck with the title through the horrid clone saga. How am I not a fan again?

[Equinox]

Thats nonsense, you uptight poster who think your better than other posters because your calm or actually act you like the stupid ass outcome of omd kill me. try being smug when marvel starts pulling the rug from under all there great other heroes, then lets see how rational you are..........unbelievable, this guy comes on says a few words and people forget how much of a huge FU this is to real comic fans. not just spidey fans!

1 more thing, i just feel like people talk about online message boards like we arent real people. i work on 40th and park ave, live in the bronx and am thee only person i know who collects comics lol my friends and wife laugh at me for my dedication to it, i play semi pro football, and i enjoy my nightlife at clubs as well. all in all i dont take none of it as serious as i do my comic books. you either live in a comic world or you dont. i do and damn proud of it lol
Here, I have something for you:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ASBE5X70L.jpg

:D

[Kiryu]

About us internet posters not mattering...

Remember Bart Allan and Flash Fastest Man Alive?

How about when Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo were going to be taken of Fantastic Four because he refused to write about the FF going broke as editorially mandated? Remember how they got put back on?

Or maybe editors notes?

Steve, might want to be a little nicer in the future.

[newfoundma]

It's not really. Why do comic companies spend so much time and effort in doing interviews with web sites then? If the knee-jerk reaction is to dismiss the message board using segment of your readership, why cater to an online audience whatsoever? Some Marvel guys seem to want to have it both ways, internet users are great - until they disagree with us.

A brief bit of online research tells me that North America has 237 million internet users now. Sure, most of those aren't comic readers and you could even argue that those who seek comic news aren't also using the boards. The error comes, IMHO, when you paint every dissatisfied fan / reader as a troll. I've been a Newsarama reader for years and while there's a lot of stupid posters, there's a generous helping of intelligent, passionate posters as well.

So I can agree with the negative reactions to such statements.

Agreed. And message board fans are some of the most passionate; hence we post. And you really don't want to allienate your passionate fans. In the past, fans have been a saving grace for sci-fi franchsies like Firefly becomins Serentiy and Jericho getting its cancellation repealed. Pasionate fans can organize to save something, but they can also rally to bury something.

[Panelologist77]

Are there really a bunch of teenangers out there saying "sweet, now that Spider-Man's not married anymore I can start reading him."?

I just don't get that logic.

Well, it brings ASM in line with the other Spider-Man comics and how Spidey is in other media, so that makes sense. Also, it's not just the relationship that's gone, - there's a whole new start to the comic, new trade dress etc. It's a good place for kids to start AND for old time readers to come back to the comic.

Someone said that the revamp is pointless 'cause the core comic store fanbase are 30 or 40 somethings. Well, I'm a 40 something and the Spider-Man I remember was single, had Harry as a best pal, and the comic had a bright look to it, so there's three incentives to bring back the core reader. (A simplified view but you may see what I mean.)

Pan

[jpeso]

Here, I have something for you:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ASBE5X70L.jpg

:D

lol lol im pissed lol lol

[marioboon]

I know who Marvel is targeting!
DC-readers!

think about it: people who haven't been reading Spiderman and would be lost if they have to start with the established continuity. Yet, they know the archetypes who's who in the SPiderman mythos.

[Liliaeth]

So apparently this spider-jerk version of Peter has somehow skipped five years of Marvel's continuity, yeah right. Sorry Steve, no matter what nonsense you try to make us believe, you can't wipe away the fact that Peter is at least 30 years old. No matter how much you try to deny it.

I mean, why in gods name should we be reading about the intollerable Spider-jerk that you seem to want to force on us? One Eric O'Grady is more than enough for one universe, why turn one of your most likeable character into a clone of your most unlikeable character?

[Skyrider]

it's what DC did with 52, they are trying to start a weekly comic, never been done before.

They put all their top talent on it, Waid, Morrison, Johns, Rucka, Griffin, it was a success..

and then along came Countdown....

I'm afraid Marvel will cut corners if BND become a sucess by pulling out the talents.

52 spinning out of Infinite Crisis was an entirely different situation. It had all of the buildup from before Infinite Crisis fueling it.

Countdown following 52 has been hit or miss, it definitely isn't the work of art that 52 was, and I doubt DC will do the same type of series again after Final Crisis.

Either way, you really can't compare it to Amazing Spider-man. The setup, the history behind it all, it's entirely different. Not nearly as cut and dry as "just tossed their best talent on it."

52 was Johns', Waid's, Morrison's, & Rucka's baby...as well as a number of other members of DC's production staff.

ASM is a changing of the guard. 52 was a movement.

[Edogawa1983]

Agreed. And message board fans are some of the most passionate; hence we post. And you really don't want to allienate your passionate fans. In the past, fans have been a saving grace for sci-fi franchsies like Firefly becomins Serentiy and Jericho getting its cancellation repealed. Pasionate fans can organize to save something, but they can also rally to bury something.

but message board fan can talk smack all they want, and usually it doesn't mean anything. it's much better to get opinion of fans in cons when they actually watch what they say.

[Vijinand]

I just can't get excited about BND. I'm not going to stop collecting Amazing because I'm curious. Although, It's hard to care when there's no faith in Marvel. Joe flat out said that there would be no retconning of the unmasking. He lied to fans. He didn't use misdirection. HE. LIED. A year down the road, they may undue this. I don't know if that would make me any happier though..

[Edogawa1983]

52 spinning out of Infinite Crisis was an entirely different situation. It had all of the buildup from before Infinite Crisis fueling it.

Countdown following 52 has been hit or miss, it definitely isn't the work of art that 52 was, and I doubt DC will do the same type of series again after Final Crisis.

Either way, you really can't compare it to Amazing Spider-man. The setup, the history behind it all, it's entirely different. Not nearly as cut and dry as "just tossed their best talent on it."

52 was Johns', Waid's, Morrison's, & Rucka's baby...as well as a number of other members of DC's production staff.

ASM is a changing of the guard. 52 was a movement.

they are both an experiment. 3x Amazing is an experiment like 52, a weekly series.

[Liliaeth]

How snidely superior. He takes us at "our anonymous words." [My emphasis] As if the anonymity of the internet somehow makes us more likely to be dishonest than to be honest.

The more my feelings about OMD/BND are dismissed by Marvel the angrier and angrier I get. I've already removed the Spider titles from my pull list because I'm not any more interested in reading these stories about some guy masquerading as Peter Parker than I was during the Clone Saga. After reading this interview, I've moved into actually rooting for Marvel and all the creators involved in BND to fail miserably.

I wonder what's going to happen when I read the next interview dismissing me as a dishonest, petulant internet troll? Maybe drop all my Marvel books? I'm right on the verge, honestly.


Hell, if he wants to have my name, he can have it.

I'm Lore Krajsman, I'm a 30 year old Belgian woman who lives in a little town called Herentals. I made it clear when I cancelled my subscription to Amazing Spider-Man, that it was because I won't support the crap in OMD. Is that enough for my anger to count Mister Wacker?

[newfoundma]

Be that as it may, it still seems like another slap in the face for the peopel who've read the book since MJ and Peter got married. Magical Regression and Resurrections aside, they've not been married less than a month, and BOOM: Marvel's already showing him making out with other women.

On top of that, isn't Parker supposed to be suffering for eternity without MJ? I thought that was how Mephisto was getting his jollies. Macking with random biddies does not seem like eternal punishment.

[SuperBil]

Spider-Man without a secret identity... is NOT Spider-Man. Spider-Man with stingers and weird mystical powers... is NOT Spider-Man. If all of you so-called "die hard" Spider-Man fans want a dark and moody violent anti-hero, with sharp things that pop out of his arms... go read Wolverine! I for one applaud this new direction! I feel it's been a long time coming. In fact, I may buy 5 copies of each issue, just to help it succeed.

[Liliaeth]

But, umm, after the divorce, wouldn't he be a broke bum anyway?


Not really, since MJ's the one with the higher income. He could probably get her to pay him alimony. :D

[GrimmGargoyl]

I'm actually kind of interested to see what happens with all of this and how Joey Q and the rest of Marvel are going to explain around what's happened to Spidey. I for one don't go for the "Magic" answer, but I know there's going to be some kind of reprecussions sooner or later that will have to come from all of this. I think the funny thing about this is that the ending of OMD reminds me too much of Ghost Rider the movie. MJ made a deal with the devil for the sake of love. I don't really see Mephisto being able to capitalize on that.

It's going to be just a matter of time before the clock's springs are wound too tight and the whole clock's going to explode and I want to be around to see them pick up the pieces.

[dlfurman]

I think the problem is that because Marvel couldn't divorce Peter and MJ because it ages the characters, it doesn't leave them with many alternate ways to end the marriage realistically aside from one of them dying (marriage generally being until "death do you part" and all that).

Since killing MJ would have caused an uproar of unimaginable proportions and, alternatively, killing the title character of the book has already been done (being done? still done? Cap's still dead right?:) )

What else is left but the improbable?

I think Marvel put themselves in a no win scenario as soon as Joe Q decided that separating Peter and MJ was a necessity.

PFAH!
Britney Spears got married and had it annulled all in the space of 55 hours.
Look at where she is now....

UH...Never Mind :)

[Liliaeth]

Spider-Man without a secret identity... is NOT Spider-Man. Spider-Man with stingers and weird mystical powers... is NOT Spider-Man. If all of you so-called "die hard" Spider-Man fans want a dark and moody violent anti-hero, with sharp things that pop out of his arms... go read Wolverine! I for one applaud this new direction! I feel it's been a long time coming. In fact, I may buy 5 copies of each issue, just to help it succeed.


So basically you'd rather read about a morally bankrupt asshole with no redeeming personality traits, than try and read something new about Spider-Man, like him dealing with being unmasked?

[Kintoun]

I've seen...hang on...carry the bum...two. And an email from JMS.


So is that the same age as he was pre-OMD or not?

It's not the same age according to Joe Quesada. In part one of the new "One More Day" interviews at Comic Book Resources, he said "The Peter and MJ in this segment of the story aren't twentysomethings, they're definitely in their thirties to mid thirties."

[Edogawa1983]

Not really, since MJ's the one with the higher income. He could probably get her to pay him alimony. :D

actually MJ's broke too.

[SuperBil]

Agreed. And message board fans are some of the most passionate; hence we post. And you really don't want to allienate your passionate fans. In the past, fans have been a saving grace for sci-fi franchsies like Firefly becomins Serentiy and Jericho getting its cancellation repealed. Pasionate fans can organize to save something, but they can also rally to bury something.

Well then, if your lucky, and you get what you want... Spider-Man will cease publication and then you can be happy again. Good luck.

P.S. That Serenity movie... BLEW!!!

[Edogawa1983]

So basically you'd rather read about a morally bankrupt asshole with no redeeming personality traits, than try and read something new about Spider-Man, like him dealing with being unmasked?

Eric O'Grady is popular here. :) So's Deadpool.

[Den]

SW: I suppose I take them at their anonymous word. Everyone in this building and every creator involved knew this was a risky move and that we might lose some readers, so it’s not like this was unexpected. Bottom line is folks here felt we had a strong enough destination and that it was worth taking the risk. I’m thrilled to work at a place that’s willing to take a risk like that and stick to it. It shows a lot of faith in the creators and the character.

SW is a funny guy. However, I think he's underestimating the amount of people that won't be touching BND because of how it got to where it is. There's "risk" and then there's reckless, and OMD was reckless... many, indeed most of the fans at least seemed to be okay with, or even very pro the marriage to begin with. Add to that the 'deal with the devil' and even people who were on the fence now have lost a lot of respect for Peter Parker and MJ as characters, and few people want to spend money on heroes they no longer like or respect.

Of course, I could be very wrong. It could be that there are droves of new readers just 'champing at the bit' to start reading when they weren't already. I doubt it, and despite the fact Slott is one of my favorite Marvel writers, I hope not. Sloppy out of character transitions like OMD should not be encouraged with success.

[spideyisgod]

Spider-Man without a secret identity... is NOT Spider-Man. Spider-Man with stingers and weird mystical powers... is NOT Spider-Man. If all of you so-called "die hard" Spider-Man fans want a dark and moody violent anti-hero, with sharp things that pop out of his arms... go read Wolverine! I for one applaud this new direction! I feel it's been a long time coming. In fact, I may buy 5 copies of each issue, just to help it succeed.

lmao, i was thinking of buying multiple issues as well, i just didn't vocalize it yet. i want this to succeed and be great, because i actually love the character, unlike some of the wannabe fans who as soon as they don't get their way go wahhhhhhhhhhhh i am dropping the book wahhhhhhhhhhhh!

[Liliaeth]

YES a bonehead...thats what I wanted to say. He's like a poor version vigilante version of Reed Richards now or something


Worse than that, up to OMD, if you asked me who the three moral pillars of the Marvel Universe were, I'd have said Steve Rogers, Peter parker and Benjamin Grimm.

These were the guys that if you asked what the right thing to do was, that could probably tell you the answer and they'd be right.

They killed off Steve, they turned Peter into a jerk, right now they've got me really worried for Ben.

[Capt_Piett]

A thought has occurred to me that I'm not sure if anyone else has had: It seems like the Mephisto deal was Marvel's equivilent of Super-Boy Prime punching the crystal wall and altering continuity....

[Den]

Worse than that, up to OMD, if you asked me who the three moral pillars of the Marvel Universe were, I'd have said Steve Rogers, Peter parker and Benjamin Grimm.

These were the guys that if you asked what the right thing to do was, that could probably tell you the answer and they'd be right.

They killed off Steve, they turned Peter into a jerk, right now they've got me really worried for Ben.

That is the most accurate yet depressing summary of my problem with Marvel right now I think I've read in months.

[Edogawa1983]

Worse than that, up to OMD, if you asked me who the three moral pillars of the Marvel Universe were, I'd have said Steve Rogers, Peter parker and Benjamin Grimm.

These were the guys that if you asked what the right thing to do was, that could probably tell you the answer and they'd be right.

They killed off Steve, they turned Peter into a jerk, right now they've got me really worried for Ben.

Ben was dead to me when he went to France during Civil War... of all places...:D
I could have lived with Canada, but France? the A on Captain America's head does not stand for France.

[Bfujioka]

Spider-Man without a secret identity... is NOT Spider-Man. Spider-Man with stingers and weird mystical powers... is NOT Spider-Man. If all of you so-called "die hard" Spider-Man fans want a dark and moody violent anti-hero, with sharp things that pop out of his arms... go read Wolverine! I for one applaud this new direction! I feel it's been a long time coming. In fact, I may buy 5 copies of each issue, just to help it succeed.

So you expect the person that mandated those changes you hate to begin with to do any better with BND? You act as though people didn't hate the spider totem elements, the unmasking, The Other, Sins Past, and all the rest of the stuff of the last few years. Don't just assume that because people hate the regression the series has taken that they approve of all the things you listed. I sure didn't.

[Equinox]

Jesus Christ.

Guys. He didn't say Peter was a douche. He said Peter frustrates the people around him. That's seriously different. I like to think of myself as a good guy; the people I know and love say I'm a good guy; but man I can piss them off with the best of 'em sometimes. Why? I'm a bonehead. And that's what Peter Parker HAS ALWAYS BEEN. A cool nerdy bonehead. His biggest boneheaded decision? Choosing May over MJ. Was it a good story? Hell no. Did Wacker say it was? Hell no. Is he doing his damndest to take that and run a Hail Mary with it? Yes he is. And he's not even WRITING this book; he's just making sure it gets out there 3x a month. Wacker also said that anyone with a strong opinion should state their opinion, but he did also state (correctly) that the interwub folks aren't THE ONLY READERS of comics. Did he say your opinions don't count? Hell no. But let's face it; WE'RE NOT THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF COMIC BOOK READERS.

Why, oh god oh jesus christ WHY are so many of you guys being so dense? You're reading waaaay too much into what he said, and you're BLASTING him for BND, which he isn't writing nor drawing?

Where the hell is Mark Waid to threaten to punch people in the face when you NEED him?

[Liliaeth]

No one has ever said that the idea of portraying a healthy young marriage is "creatively bankrupt". They said it is not right for this particular character. If you want to read the adventures of a superhero in a healthy marriage you can try Flash, Superman, Fantastic Four, Black Panther, etc


But why isn't it right for this particular character? We're talking about Peter Parker there, the guy who wouldn't start in a serious relationship with a girl without at least considering to marry her. This is the guy who considered marrying Felicia before he even dared to tell her his real name. That's how much it is in character for him to be married.

[jack_lama]

OK, my 2 cents... er 3 cents
1. We aren't "arguing" Steve, most of us are all in agreement OMD sucked.
2. The word "controversial" is not the same thing as "sucks" Newsarama. OMD sucks, it's not controversial, it sucks
3. Don't let their Damage Control work, don't let them get away with this, the only thing they'll listen to is the bottom line. BOYCOTT. Don't buy Brand New Day. They're pumping them out so fast they'll get the point fast. Practice what you preach my fellow Fanboys.
:D

[Kintoun]

I just can't get excited about BND. I'm not going to stop collecting Amazing because I'm curious. Although, It's hard to care when there's no faith in Marvel. Joe flat out said that there would be no retconning of the unmasking. He lied to fans. He didn't use misdirection. HE. LIED. A year down the road, they may undue this. I don't know if that would make me any happier though..

I'm not really trying to stand up for Joe Quesada's integrity here but it's a tad harsh to claim any statement regarding a retcon is a lie. Based on my understanding of Joe's stance on the unmasking, I can see how he could believe it was not a retcon because it still happened. Memories have indeed been erased but all continuity pertaining to the unmasking has not. Is that a lie? It's a very tough call. Personally, I don't pay much attention to retcon questions for this very reason.

[Snowspinner]

This does not sound like the Peter Parker I grew up reading.

[Obliviax]

He is absolutely right when he says that bitching and moaning on this (or any) forum will not effect change. Companies look at sales figures. They may listen to complaints if sales drop, to see if they can get a handle on why, but as long as sales remain strong, they're pretty unconcerned with unhappy customers because they have enough happy customers.

Which should make the right course of action for those unhappy with Joe Q, JMS, and Marvel over OMD obvious.

[Stratocaster]

so basically peter went from a married man with a JOB to a broke ADULT bum that is mooching off of his elderly aunt. i think divorce would have been the better option.


I agree. A shy, bookish sixteen or seventeen year old living with his aunt and who likes juggling test tubes is one thing. With this sort of character I can identify. A mid-twenties former-grad student, former-teacher, who must be rousted by his elderly aunt strikes me as a singularly unattractive character, quite frankly, a dork. Perhaps Marvel should just have Peter move into his aunt's basement and begin amassing a large collection of bad-girl comics next. ;)

[Liliaeth]

I'm sorry, Mr. Wacker, but as lovely as your work is, all that has taken place immediately before you prevents me from purchasing that product and appreciating your efforts. You know who to blame.

And on that note...



I haven't seen ANY euphoria or bliss -- at least not unless we count Joey Q.'s own emotional satisfaction with himself.

You know, I was wondering the exact same thing. I might have seen tollerance, somewhat tempered 'it's not that bad' answers, but euphoria? Only from Joe Quesada.

[l.21]

I'm not sure what to think, I'm going to wait and read to find out. Joe said the marriage would probably return in a year or two and if that's so, then I think this could be some of the best stories in SM's life.

And to Steve I would just like to say that to discount what readers say, whether internet or not, doesn't matter, well, that's not too smart. I don't expect you or JQ to treat every word as gold, but don't be pithy.

rolleyes, spitwad, bag of poop!

[Liliaeth]

you said you want the Spider-books and the creative team to fail.

saying you don't want to read it is one thing, hoping they would fail is another.

it's your choice if you don't want to read Spider-Man, I respect that, actively hoping Spider-Man and the creative team would fail just sounds extremly bitter to me.


Not really, since the only way for JQ to get the message that we do NOT want this crap, is for this to fail, preferably as obviously as possible.

[Shinlyle]

There's really no real way for the fans to win this unless they stop buying the book...which I have. I'm not going to picket the LCS telling people not to buy it, but when people ask what I think, I tell them. That's all I can do.

The problem I see is this:

Fans have been BEGGING Marvel to hand the reigns of ASM over to Dan Slott for years. Everyone bitched about JMS's run, and bought it anyway, so his run is considered a success by Marvel.

If Dan Slott is writing, and we don't buy it, then it will probably be spun into one of those delightful "The fans don't know what they want" rants that Mr. Q loves to get into every month or so when this crap happens. Either way, Captain Q's holding all the cards, and we have to deal with it....unless of course you don't buy the books, which goes back to my original point.

[grahamgg]

I agree. A shy, bookish sixteen or seventeen year old living with his aunt and who likes juggling test tubes is one thing. With this sort of character I can identify. A mid-twenties former-grad student, former-teacher, who must be rousted by his elderly aunt strikes me as a singularly unattractive character, quite frankly, a dork. Perhaps Marvel should just have Peter move into his aunt's basement and begin amassing a large collection of bad-girl comics next. ;)


CLASSIC!

What I can't figure out is how Marvel wants us to be all excited over the new status quo? I mean come one, you just erased the last 20 years (at least) worth of stories.....yeah, yeah, I know they're saying it all still happened but give me a break. The stories either did or they didn't take place. Marvel's saying they were never married, that's just not true. I have the issue in the long boxes and it doesn't say "The Almost-Wedding Issue".

Besides what's to keep them from just MAGIC-ing over everything that happens in BND come one or two years down the line?

I have seen no reason that I should continue to invest my money in this series. Glad I dropped it.

ggg

[Edogawa1983]

There's really no real way for the fans to win this unless they stop buying the book...which I have. I'm not going to picket the LCS telling people not to buy it, but when people ask what I think, I tell them. That's all I can do.

The problem I see is this:

Fans have been BEGGING Marvel to hand the reigns of ASM over to Dan Slott for years. Everyone bitched about JMS's run, and bought it anyway, so his run is considered a success by Marvel.

If Dan Slott is writing, and we don't buy it, then it will probably be spun into one of those delightful "The fans don't know what they want" rants that Mr. Q loves to get into every month or so when this crap happens. Either way, Captain Q's holding all the cards, and we have to deal with it....unless of course you don't buy the books, which goes back to my original point.

sigh, is it really a postive message if BND turns out to be really good but people refuse to buy it.

[Edogawa1983]

CLASSIC!

What I can't figure out is how Marvel wants us to be all excited over the new status quo? I mean come one, you just erased the last 20 years (at least) worth of stories.....yeah, yeah, I know they're saying it all still happened but give me a break. The stories either did or they didn't take place. Marvel's saying they were never married, that's just not true. I have the issue in the long boxes and it doesn't say "The Almost-Wedding Issue".

Besides what's to keep them from just MAGIC-ing over everything that happens in BND come one or two years down the line?

I have seen no reason that I should continue to invest my money in this series. Glad I dropped it.

ggg

I ask the same question with DC and Crisis, but DC is still going strong. :D

[s*p rules]

I've been reading the JQ interviews over on comic book resources, and Joe basically said that he and others at Marvel knew OMD would piss people off, but he had to do what was "right" despite the fans emotional response. Well, this fan is also posting a financial response, and not buying a 616 Spiderman comic till someone at Marvel comes to their senses and fixes this crap (if it wasn't for the excellence of Messiaha Complex and Iron Fist, I'd quit marvel altogether). I hope all the others who, along with me, have complained long and hard about OMD, aren't just shooting their mouths off just to still hand over the $$$ to Joe. If you really dislike the direction of OMD and BND, hit 'em where it hurts, in the wallet.

[Xheight]

On this point you are correct. I am bitter. Is that not an appropriate reaction? Should I be cooly disinterested, instead? What I don't understand is why people like me, who are bitter about OMD and how it has been handled, are so easily dismissed.

I have an emotional investment in these characters. I don't think that makes me childish or stupid. To the contrary, I think it makes me a more valuable reader. It's internet whackos like me who buy the endless parade of over-priced statues. Who are in the LCS every week making sure we have the complete collection of Spider-man books. Who are unembarassed ambassadors of a medium that struggles to compete in an increasingly competitive entertainment marketplace.

I'm think it is real not just the usual picky-pick bitching that all fans do. I don't get what the dismissal is either except that only blithering idiots who throw down their money seem to need to apply anymore as Fans.

[Liliaeth]

Would you be buying the book out of pity, or out of genuine interest?

If you do not like the direction the character is going in, you really have a right as well as a responsibility as a consumer to voice your opinion with your dollars.

If you neglect this right and continue to purchase the book while disliking it, the company will read your sale as an affirmation of their decisions, and nothing will change.

This is the ONLY power you have as a consumer. Remember to use it wisely.


Yeah, it's like the old Spidey used to say: "With great power comes great responsibility", it seems to me like the new Spidey hasn't even heard about that phrase yet.

[Kintoun]

I'm not sure what to think, I'm going to wait and read to find out. Joe said the marriage would probably return in a year or two and if that's so, then I think this could be some of the best stories in SM's life.



Which Joe are you talking about and where was this comment made?

[Robb Welch]

I will buy this.

[Liliaeth]

There's really no real way for the fans to win this unless they stop buying the book...which I have. I'm not going to picket the LCS telling people not to buy it, but when people ask what I think, I tell them. That's all I can do.

The problem I see is this:

Fans have been BEGGING Marvel to hand the reigns of ASM over to Dan Slott for years. Everyone bitched about JMS's run, and bought it anyway, so his run is considered a success by Marvel.

If Dan Slott is writing, and we don't buy it, then it will probably be spun into one of those delightful "The fans don't know what they want" rants that Mr. Q loves to get into every month or so when this crap happens. Either way, Captain Q's holding all the cards, and we have to deal with it....unless of course you don't buy the books, which goes back to my original point.


I haven't, I haven't wanted Slott in charge of ASM since that horribly bad FCBD issue, the status quo in that issue was so horrifyingly bad that it's turned me against wanting to support Slott on ASM

[Stratocaster]

Despite my snarky remarks earlier, and despite my opinion that OMD was poorly conceived and very poorly done, I must confess that I am curious to see what the new creative teams have in store for this character. And despite all the harsh criticism Joe Quesada is receiving here and elsewhere, he must feel that he has struck Texas tea. If the amount of interest and passion this board is exhibiting is any indication, the thrice-monthly ASM will at least initially be a commercial bonanza. It will be interesting to see if the momentum and interest that have been generated can be sustained.

[Jiminy Snick]

Jesus Christ.

Guys. He didn't say Peter was a douche. He said Peter frustrates the people around him. That's seriously different. I like to think of myself as a good guy; the people I know and love say I'm a good guy; but man I can piss them off with the best of 'em sometimes. Why? I'm a bonehead. And that's what Peter Parker HAS ALWAYS BEEN. A cool nerdy bonehead. His biggest boneheaded decision? Choosing May over MJ. Was it a good story? Hell no. Did Wacker say it was? Hell no. Is he doing his damndest to take that and run a Hail Mary with it? Yes he is. And he's not even WRITING this book; he's just making sure it gets out there 3x a month. Wacker also said that anyone with a strong opinion should state their opinion, but he did also state (correctly) that the interwub folks aren't THE ONLY READERS of comics. Did he say your opinions don't count? Hell no. But let's face it; WE'RE NOT THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF COMIC BOOK READERS.

Why, oh god oh jesus christ WHY are so many of you guys being so dense? You're reading waaaay too much into what he said, and you're BLASTING him for BND, which he isn't writing nor drawing?

Where the hell is Mark Waid to threaten to punch people in the face when you NEED him?


Well, I never!

I...I...just...listen...I...what I was trying to say... - excuse me a moment will you? I seem to have something in my eye...look, I am feeling very emotional here, okay? And...and...when you speak to me that way...it makes me feel...well...it just hurts me okay?

I have to go to home for a while...I don't think we should see one another for a while...okay?

Maybe, when you spend some time away from me, you'll have some time to consider how you can make me feel with when you express yourself that way.

I don't even know how I feel about the engagement - let alone our impending marriage now! You've hurt me that badly.

I just need some time.

I'll call you next week - late next week - I'll see how I feel then, okay?

[spiderman196]

"lmao, i was thinking of buying multiple issues as well, i just didn't vocalize it yet. i want this to succeed and be great, because i actually love the character, unlike some of the wannabe fans who as soon as they don't get their way go wahhhhhhhhhhhh i am dropping the book wahhhhhhhhhhhh!"--spideyisgod

Hy-ster-ical! These messages are great fun! My Spidey collection goes back to #1, and yes I'm in my 40s. And I STILL miss Stans writing. Wannabe fan? Die-hard. BND? Not if they are giving them away. I lived through-shudder-the Clone Age.:eek: Sheesh. Enough is enough. I can afford to wait until the latest screw up is history without supporting it. Gives me more $$ to spend on 360 & PS3 games!:) My missing $$ wont hurt Marvel because there will always be those drones who support drivel simply because they like the character regardless the writing or art. Support drivel and guess what you can expect?

"If we always do what we've always done, we will always be where we've always been."--Charles Ryrie:p

[DeadlockRox!]

Im digging the underlying theme of "this isnt right" that Pete's existence now has. Done right this has the ability to be the most poignant character study of pete ever.

I still hope that Logan remembers the way things were The Day Before Last. It serves to set up a vintage dynamic between the two. Wolvie giving him ____ about "great responsibility".

[Edogawa1983]

I haven't, I haven't wanted Slott in charge of ASM since that horribly bad FCBD issue, the status quo in that issue was so horrifyingly bad that it's turned me against wanting to support Slott on ASM

go read the Spider-Man Human Torch mini then come and talk again.

[tesh_karde]

i'm stickin' around just for the Wack-Man

[Edogawa1983]

"lmao, i was thinking of buying multiple issues as well, i just didn't vocalize it yet. i want this to succeed and be great, because i actually love the character, unlike some of the wannabe fans who as soon as they don't get their way go wahhhhhhhhhhhh i am dropping the book wahhhhhhhhhhhh!"--spideyisgod

Hy-ster-ical! These messages are great fun! My Spidey collection goes back to #1, and yes I'm in my 40s. And I STILL miss Stans writing. Wannabe fan? Die-hard. BND? Not if they are giving them away. I lived through-shudder-the Clone Age.:eek: Sheesh. Enough is enough. I can afford to wait until the latest screw up is history without supporting it. Gives me more $$ to spend on 360 & PS3 games!:) My missing $$ wont hurt Marvel because there will always be those drones who support drivel simply because they like the character regardless the writing or art. Support drivel and guess what you can expect?

"If we always do what we've always done, we will always be where we've always been."--Charles Ryrie:p

DC have Drones and Marvel have Zombies :)

[Equinox]

Well, I never!

I...I...just...listen...I...what I was trying to say... - excuse me a moment will you? I seem to have something in my eye...look, I am feeling very emotional here, okay? And...and...when you speak to me that way...it makes me feel...well...it just hurts me okay?

I have to go to home for a while...I don't think we should see one another for a while...okay?

Maybe, when you spend some time away from me, you'll have some time to consider how you can make me feel with when you express yourself that way.

I don't even know how I feel about the engagement - let alone our impending marriage now! You've hurt me that badly.

I just need some time.

I'll call you next week - late next week - I'll see how I feel then, okay?
Quite possibly one of the best responses ever. You win the interwub, the media, and the car behind curtain number three. You can even keep the ring.

[spideyisgod]

Quite frankly, don't you think that the bulk of Ultimate Spider-man buyers were already buying the main title or were comics buyers to begin with? I know I was one of them. Here are some sales figures from the title.

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN
11/01 Ult. Spider-Man #15 - 80,278
11/02 Ult. Spider-Man #30 - 91,405
11/03 Ult. Spider-Man #49 - 96,707
11/04 Ult. Spider-Man #68 - 91,075
11/05 Ult. Spider-Man #86 - 76,864
=====
11/06 Ult. Spider-Man #102 - 77,121 ( -2.3%)
12/06 Ult. Spider-Man #103 - 76,251 ( -1.1%)
01/07 Ult. Spider-Man #104 - 108,082 (+41.7%)
02/07 Ult. Spider-Man #105 - 74,376 (-31.2%)
03/07 Ult. Spider-Man #106 - 73,832 ( -1.3%)
03/07 Ult. Spider-Man #107 - 72,818 ( -1.4%)
04/07 Ult. Spider-Man #108 - 72,713 ( -0.1%)
05/07 Ult. Spider-Man #109 - 72,478 ( -0.3%)
06/07 Ult. Spider-Man #110 - 73,646 ( +1.6%)
07/07 Ult. Spider-Man #111 - 75,487 ( +2.5%)
08/07 Ult. Spider-Man #112 - 76,523 ( +1.4%)
09/07 Ult. Spider-Man #113 - 67,476 (-11.8%)
09/07 Ult. Spider-Man #114 - 66,682 ( -1.2%)
10/07 Ult. Spider-Man #115 - 74,310 (+11.4%)
11/07 Ult. Spider-Man #116 - 61,534 (-17.2%)
6 mnth (-15.1%)
1 year (-20.2%)
2 year (-19.9%)
3 year (-32.4%)
4 year (-36.4%)

Considering that the average sales of ASM number around 100,000-120,000 for this same period, isn't that entirely plausible? Nothing in here shows me that Ultimate Spider-man brought new readers into the market, at least not in substantial numbers (10,000+). Until I see breakdowns of demographics, I'm unconvinced by your argument. Also, if you think that people who don't buy BND are not TRUE Spider-man fans, there is no way that you'll win that argument. I stuck with the title through the horrid clone saga. How am I not a fan again?

i was just trying to make a point that continuity fanatics were saying what a bad idea ultimate spider-man would be and instead it turned out to be the best spidey book since the silver age spider-man.

[Spy_Smasher]

Someone said that the revamp is pointless 'cause the core comic store fanbase are 30 or 40 somethings. Well, I'm a 40 something and the Spider-Man I remember was single, had Harry as a best pal, and the comic had a bright look to it, so there's three incentives to bring back the core reader. (A simplified view but you may see what I mean.)You mean that the core reader hasn't bought a Spider-man comic in twenty years? Because that's how far back you would've had to have stopped reading in order for what you describe to be your memory of Spider-man. The rest of us core readers remember a married Spidey and a dead Harry. From twenty years ago and two issues ago.

[tbaxe]

wacker tries too hard to be funny.

i said it before, i will say it again: our experiences in life are what shapes our personalities. this new peter parker didn't have the same experiences as our pre-omd peter parker, he had different experiences therefore he is a different personality. a different person. a different peter parker. another alternate peter parker. our peter parker ceased to exist. it's simple as that.

i have no interest in this new persons adventures. so i'm out.

bye....

[Lawyer Dave]

You know how Jonah barks out “PARKER!!!”? My take on the character is that Pete will drive anyone in his life to that exact moment. Everyone he knows will eventually yell his name in complete and utter frustration.

does Peter Parker really need to be this way?? a douche?

WHERE do we think this characterization of Peter is coming from?

Jonah barks out at everyone. I can't think of ANYONE else who does this to Peter. Certainly, there are times when his activities as Spider-Man interfere with some of his "real world" responsibilities, but unless I'm mistaken, the guy has excelled at every level of academia.

*High school honor student, even while working.
*Full-ride scholarship to Empire State University.
*I BELIEVE that he graduated with honors from there, as well.

He's honest, responsible and friendly.

Do we really have everyone being driven to yelling by Peter. I can't stand it when people think that a thing can be true and accurate simply because they (or others) say it is so.

[Alextron]

The sad fact that everything in the last two years was absolutely pointless and that every 'risk' they were going to take went absolutely nowhere because all that matters is they get to this pathetic moment really sucked all the energy from Spider-man.

I just don't think Joe Quesada knows what he is doing. He kept hyping this delayed story and ended the marriage in the worst way possible. I don't care about Brand New Day or new Chapter One. This is just sad. This is not what the comic book industry needed right now. I wanted a coherent story two years ago, not waiting as more promises come for a new 'great' story' Your boss missed the boat about five times already Mr. Wacker.

No thanks.

[andrevellozo]

How snidely superior. He takes us at "our anonymous words." [My emphasis] As if the anonymity of the internet somehow makes us more likely to be dishonest than to be honest.

The more my feelings about OMD/BND are dismissed by Marvel the angrier and angrier I get. I've already removed the Spider titles from my pull list because I'm not any more interested in reading these stories about some guy masquerading as Peter Parker than I was during the Clone Saga. After reading this interview, I've moved into actually rooting for Marvel and all the creators involved in BND to fail miserably.

I wonder what's going to happen when I read the next interview dismissing me as a dishonest, petulant internet troll? Maybe drop all my Marvel books? I'm right on the verge, honestly.



it´s not just marvel, but most of the websites too... funny to see how fast people lose their spine, a week ago all the net journos agreed this was one of the worst things that ever happened to spider-man, now they´re all making jokes to pander to Marvel.

joke all you want buddy, people are still PISSED!

[pop monkey]

<b>Steve Wacker</b>: First of all, Joe has declared that I’ve always worked for Marvel. Any memories of me working somewhere else have been erased to get me back to my classic status quo where, frankly, I worked better and had more soap opera in my life. Don’t worry, though, all your old copies of “Amazing FantaSteve” haven’t been erased from continuity, they just happened differently than you remember. And my wife? Actually happier post-OMSteve.


Jeez, I LOVE this guy! Now I have to buy him TWO beers at the next con he attends!!

[michaeljjt]

I dont post very often, but I read everything that goes on here

And one thing I have to say is that the more Quesada,and Wacker and whoever is involved here open their mouths and talk about this, the LESS I want to have to do with any of this.

I personally feel that if Quesada had not spoken at such great length about the Spider-marriage, and his distaste for it, this would not have been as big of a deal as it is. (It still would be a big deal, I'm sure) But there was no reason was this had to be announced as if battle lines were being drawn.

"Hey you guys like the spider marriage? Well I hate it" Over and over again? Was that necessary at all? If he had kept his opinions to himself, knowing its causing such an uproar....just make the story naturally progress in that direction somehow. And while I think alot of fans would be upset over the direction of story regardless, it wouldnt have seemed as calculated and selfish.

And honestly, If the opinion of message boards and internet fans is so small and unrelated to the rest of fandom...Then these creators should stop doing online interviews. You can't in one breath be using the medium to its full advantage, and then constantly discount the reaction you get over that medium. I find that to be highly hypocritical.

[math]

I never say when there is an artist or writing change in a book that I'am done with the book,new creative teams have to be given a chance to tell their stories.In fact one more day should not affect in the least brand new day. this is the point that the new teams are comming in at,this is the world of Peter they have been given to work with. For them this is great! They don't have any of the baggage from over 20 years of stories. The reality they are working in is Peter and Mary Jane have recently broken up(hey isn't that a divorce but just off stage?),and are no writing a new chapter in Peter's life. In fact I don't really need to see the reasons for the breaK up. There ar too many talented people involved in this re-launch for it not to work.

[SuperBil]

So you expect the person that mandated those changes you hate to begin with to do any better with BND? You act as though people didn't hate the spider totem elements, the unmasking, The Other, Sins Past, and all the rest of the stuff of the last few years. Don't just assume that because people hate the regression the series has taken that they approve of all the things you listed. I sure didn't.

You're right. Sorry about that. I hate it when other people act like they speak for everybody, then I go and do it myself. My bad.

[JonahsWhale]

Steve Wacker should be my best friend. I love him that much!

[Liliaeth]

Eric O'Grady is popular here. :) So's Deadpool.


MIght be so, but I sure don't want him as Spider-Man. I can stand him in small doses, but Peter is supposed to be a better person than that or at least he was until OMD happened to him..

[spideyisgod]

"lmao, i was thinking of buying multiple issues as well, i just didn't vocalize it yet. i want this to succeed and be great, because i actually love the character, unlike some of the wannabe fans who as soon as they don't get their way go wahhhhhhhhhhhh i am dropping the book wahhhhhhhhhhhh!"--spideyisgod

Hy-ster-ical! These messages are great fun! My Spidey collection goes back to #1, and yes I'm in my 40s. And I STILL miss Stans writing. Wannabe fan? Die-hard. BND? Not if they are giving them away. I lived through-shudder-the Clone Age.:eek: Sheesh. Enough is enough. I can afford to wait until the latest screw up is history without supporting it. Gives me more $$ to spend on 360 & PS3 games!:) My missing $$ wont hurt Marvel because there will always be those drones who support drivel simply because they like the character regardless the writing or art. Support drivel and guess what you can expect?

"If we always do what we've always done, we will always be where we've always been."--Charles Ryrie:p

ok look, i admit that i sort of dropped the spider-books during the clone saga while maintaining close watch until things were restored to normalcy, but this was because i couldn't handle that they were telling me that there were two peter parkers and that i was reading about a fake one. as for what i am saying, let me clarify. i did NOT like spider-man making a deal with the devil and i DON'T like how we got to where we are now. However, I love where we are now and all i am saying is you are pre-judging what could quite possibly be one of the great spider-man runs of all time based on what i have seen and the talent involved. one more day is over and no one is saying none of the stuff of the last 20 years didn't happen, it just has been altered, which to me is part of the intrigue.

[s*p rules]

sigh, is it really a postive message if BND turns out to be really good but people refuse to buy it.

Yes, and do you know what that message is? It's that there is a history at Marvel that is bigger and more permanent than any of the people working there now. Spiderman and co. aren't now - nor ever - owned and controled by Joe Q. et al. They are simply guiding a relatively small chapter in their continuing stories. These characters have been around for much longer than the current decision makers at Marvel have been, and will be along for much longer after they are gone. Joe, the editors, writers, etc. have a responsibility to - first and foremost the fans, without whom there wouldn't be a "Marvel Comics", as well as the creators who have come before them, to honor these characters and display them in a light that has been consistent for the past 40 years. Reed Richards shouldn't all of a sudden become an evil scientist that creates killer clones. Tony Stark shouldn't become Captain America's worst enemy, or start locking up heroes without probable cause like some fascist dictator. Spiderman's marriage shouldn't be "magic-ed" away because of one man's opinion. There were numerous ways to judge the fans opinion on this, i.e. put a poll up on Marvel.com. "Should Spiderman stay married to MJ?" The results should have been the beginning or end of any discussion to break up Peter and MJ, and judging from the last few days on this board, OMD would never have happened. It's OUR opinions, not Joe Q or any other EIC's, that matter in something as huge as this decision. Again, WE, as the fans, were here before Joe Q, and unless he completely drives us away with his egotistical, self-serving storylines, we'll be here way after. Creators have all kinds of opportunities to drastically change versions of the original Stan and Jack ideas - What if?, the Ultimate U., etc. But when they are handling the original, 616 stuff, there are rules to follow. Like it or not, you can't make yourself and your opinion bigger than those rules. It's the tradeoff for getting to write about some of the greatest fictional icons of all times. So to completely disregard not only our feelings, but the hard work done by the creators of all the storylines from the past 20 years that were made obsolete by one bad decision, was horrendous. And despite whatever stories we could be missing in BND (and really - after reading for years about Peter married to MJ, why would I want to read about their roundabout way of hooking back up? especially when THAT could be all wiped away, too?), if you hated OMD, you're only recourse is to not spend ONE RED CENT on the 616 Spiderman tales until Joe Q serves up a mea culpa and fixes what he ____ed up.

[Edogawa1983]

MIght be so, but I sure don't want him as Spider-Man. I can stand him in small doses, but Peter is supposed to be a better person than that or at least he was until OMD happened to him..

no, Spider-Man is a douche bag :D just like Johnny Storm.