Spider-Man: One More Day or Why I stopped reading Spider-Man

I was really hoping that my first post of the new year would not be comic related... but it is. Let me start by saying enjoy that scanned cover because I WAS going to be lazy and just use someone else's cover but all anyone is using is the stupid Marvel promo art, so I actually took the time and scanned it and such. I'm sure it will be stolen countless times and put on other websites and desktops since that's what my (poor man's) site has become, a grabbing ground for cool pics. Any ways... Spider-Man... One More Day.

Let me start by directing you to another site... here! Now depending on when you read this and what's on their front page at the time you might notice something in the articles/blurbs they have... they're all pretty negative. And that's what's wrong with comic fans writing about comics. I'm guilty of it myself. I start off positive and end up negative every time no matter how much I enjoyed the book it never seems good enough. So I'm going to try and not just be negative for the shake of being negative, I'm going to try and be positive for a change... also if any of the people from the other site read this know that I'm not attacking you I'm just giving you an outside perspective on what it's like to visit you're site, in hopes that my opinion will help you make your site better.

Spider-Man has become the most recognizable character on the planet. When I go into a Walmart and they have 50 Spider-Man pinata's it's safe to say that Spider-Man is over-saturated. You can argue that Superman or Batman is, and they are, but guess what? Little kids want to be Spider-Man because he's not an alien or a millionaire and neither are they. That's why people like him, they can 100% relate to him. They understand what it's like to loose a family member and feel responsible, or struggle to make ends meet. That's Spider-Man, he's the closest thing to real life in comic books.

One More Day was interesting. First it wasn't delayed by Joe Q who's last series took over a year to finish, and it was the last Spidey story JMS will be writing for now. When JMC (JMC = look it up I'm not going to explain it to you!) started writing Spidey I started reading Spidey again, and frankly the man could do no wrong in my eyes. In fact if he didn't have such a shitty artist paired with him most of the time people would probably have paid more attention to the book (You might know the artist he recently drew World War Hulk into Cross-over meritocracy with his 20 year old art style) I always say it doesn't matter how good the story is if the art sucks it will take away from the story, just like in movies when a character is casted wrong and but the rest of the movie is great but that one character ruins every scene their in. In short JMC's Spider-Man is what I think of when I think of the character. And he made him deal with a lot, and frankly he made Peter and MJ's marriage valid. And then it was all pissed away in typically comic fashion just to sell some more issues.

Was Peter revealing his identity hard to write? Yes, but it was an amazing twist that no one had ever done. Was Aunt May dying something unheard of and taboo? Yes, but that's what happens in life. Rather than deal with either of these issues that would have been real that wouldn't have been the happy go lucky ah shucks Spider-Man everyone knows for the most part, Marvel did what they and DC always do and found a loop hole. Mephisto to me is perhaps the worst character in comics... so when he showed up I had to check the cover again and see who the hell was actually writing the book because it couldn't be JMS, no, no it just couldn't be... but it was. I think everyone knew how the book was going to end, but I hoped, that just maybe, maybe their was a small chance that they would stick to their guns and actually show the characters true character.

It was the most depressing issue I've ever read in comics. As much as Fan-Boys hate comics they keep reading them and that's why Marvel and DC can do whatever to the characters. But really they should do what people do in Television and stop reading the book. If people had done that after the Clone Saga who knows what would have become of Spider-Man, frankly I think the clone saga was cool and wish that Marvel had again stuck to their guns. If you stand by your product, if you say this is how it is get use to it and then show them why it's good... then people will continue to read the book and enjoy it rather than waiting to see it wreck into a tree. By Marvel taking away Peter's secret identity being reveal they ruined some of the best press they have ever received... but more importantly by taking away Peter and MJ's marriage they have ruined two of the best characters in all of comics.

I am not interested in reading a Spider-Man who's history I do not know. The issue after Spider-Man starts and instantly I have no idea who this character is... is he a good guy? Is he cocky? Does he care about anyone other than himself? I don't know. I understand that for a new reader (Which is not what makes money in comics is consistent readers) it's great because now you get to figure everything out right along side of everyone else reading the book... because Spider-Man was so hard to read before. I mean it was so annoying when they would refer to character's like Uncle Ben and Harry Osborn or Gwen Stacy, shit like that gets old quick! Of course I read Spider-Man and never knew anything about his previous history, I was not their from the beginning and knew every intimate detail of his world but through good writing and good story-telling I was able to learn about the character and his history. After all the journey is the best part, in life when you get to the finish line you reflect upon what got you there not your foot crossing the line.

I will read the next issue, because I made the mistake of buying 545 and 546 together. In fact I have already started reading 546 and that's why I had to write something, because Marvel lost a Spider-Man reader. I did not stop reading Captain America when Steve Roger's was killed, because they journey (there's that word again) getting their made the death for lack of a better word... Good. I didn't feel cheated or as if it was just another comic Publicity Stunt. I'm sure if you've reader any of my comic articles you've figured out that I read just about every comic out there that I can get my hands on, so when I stop reading a book... that should say something. I will never forget the last issue of Spider-Man I read for it damn near made me cry as I saw something beautiful destroyed so that the writing would be easier. Writing isn't easy nothing worth while is otherwise everyone would do it.