Alright, it's safe to say that you shouldn't even bother reading this unless you're willing to read spoilers, or you've already read Amazing Spider-Man #698-700.
Last call, half-nerds. SPOILERS from here on down.
By now you've either read the aforementioned issues, or you've spent thirty seconds online and seen the wrong headline too soon. That the Amazing Spider-Man has reached a high-record 700 issues, which as far as I know stands as tall as only a handful of other legendary comics. You know that Dan Slott, longtime Spidey fan himself and current writer, has not only ended 50 years of The Amazing Spider-Man, but has actually killed Peter Parker. Not only that, but the nefarious Doctor Otto Octavius "Doc Octopus" has used "evil science" to swap brains, leaving Spidey intact while Parker dies in a withering old man's body.
Some of you might think that this is enough of a reason to drop your comic in disgust and stop spending money. And you'd be wrong.
First off, I think it's a ballsy move; I love that he's taking the risk, and in order for the character to progress, *some*thing had to continue changing in order for the character's growth and to keep fans interested. He's had some great successes with getting on the Avengers (more officially), joining Horizon labs, finally having some success in the relationship world (not always perfect, but hey). I refuse to believe that somehow I've got more common sense than so many of you fellow comic bookies. It may not be what the fans "want", but only a few such long-life, first-wave superhero characters have died, and/or changed, and been better off for it. (Supes, Batman, Flash, Cap. Green Lantern plural if you want to play semantics.) In this mentality, I think it's fitting that Spidey is the next. Who else has been around so long that it NEEDS a good shaking up?
He (Dan Slott) had a choice to make. Let it get stale/stabilize where it was and have people complain the character had stopped growing, OR do what he's been doing and shake things up a bit. And I for one am looking forward to the change. Slott himself has said (checkout Newsarama, here, for more) that for oh-so-long, the fans have been the only one with the knowledge of Pete's secret identity, and rooting for him to win against Jameson's "hero or menace?" campaign as Spidey struggled to win against rough odds. And now, after a very emotional issue where Otto has been literally forced to feel all of the things that made Peter into the hero who won't lie down after a punch, he gets exactly what it is that makes Spider-Man a legend. Slott chose not only to humble a villain, but to change a hero. Otto's ego will be a GREAT arc, however long it does or doesn't last.
I think this Otto/"superior" Spider-Man is here to stay for awhile. And as far as I can tell one of two things will begin happening. I won't put bets on it, but I also think Slott is doing it for a reason. He's one of the most outgoing, excited, and committed Spidey fans himself and his mettle has been proven. I will trust him blindly (as well as Brian Michael Bendis, but more on that next month). I am excited to see how Octavius' ego will change the "Friendly Neighborhood..." reputation. Already in the first tie-in issue (Avenging Spider-Man, #15.1) has shown us a retooling of costume and Otto's realizations that being Spidey, being a better Spidey than he himself was, will be a bit of work. From thinking outside the box to doing the right thing...it's actually looking to be a lot of fun.
Spider-Man and Batman were the first two comics I grew up with, sitting in my cousin's closet in the nineties and reading any back-issue I could get my hands on, sometimes with trade paperbacks going into the sixties and seventies. Like many, I relate to him, and felt at times that his struggle was written personally for me even as I know it isn't. To choose this option, making him a different man, is also a great symbol of growing up. We are not always the men (or women!) we set out to be. And when that changes-when what we seek, or what we seek to conquer, is within our reach, a shift occurs. We're at a new plateau. And it's up to each of us to rise to the new challenges. Otto will be rising to those, and he's got all the emotional baggage of Peter Parker with him. Just as we take our own baggage, and our sophmoric bravery creates "the new us" as we leave college, and try to suffocate the past we're embarassed to be. The new man we're trying to become. Otto's Spider-Man. So he's got to be better. Just like we strive to become better versions of ourselves with each passing year.
Soapbox over. Time for the theories.
Both rest on the idea that is this: that the Parker personality, which we know is still in there, will resume control. Yeah, I hate to be a cynic but nobody stays dead in comics, so I'll come out and agree with the gut-reaction denial...sort of. You see, I think it's still worth reading, to enjoy the ride and see how it develops. With everything coming, I expect this to last. Anywhere from six months to three years.
First theory is, the Parker personality will regain control...but after Otto has left some permanent effects as a "superior" hero. This would be cool to see a more cold, scientific and badass spidey (just look at how Octavius fights in 700! or Avenging 15.1!) but runs the risk of the Johnny Storm Miscalculation, to which we all ask "why bother killing him off in the first place?". Ergo, nothing has changed and people have wasted their money. I think Slott knows damn well how much people hated the post-Civil-War bullshit with nulling the marriage via satan himself, etc etc, and he's not doing that.
However the other option is that he comes back and Otto's ego has turned Spidey into a villain. Violent, superaggressive, and smarter but more trouble. Legitimately this will, upon Pete's return, give us the warm blanket of the Raincloud-Followed Parker version of Spidey, always struggling to make up for someone else's mistakes, with a real uphill battle and some fun stories to see as he fights the Avengers not only for the purpose of selling comics, but also to reclaim his title. This would be a proper arc of redemption and also has a lot of potential. (yeah, potential for sales!) You can see why I think this is what'll happen, and why.
But you also have to remember, Slott has said in MULTIPLE interviews that he's got another plot twist in SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #1. So most bitching might go out the window if you pick it up (and christ himself knows you'll see internet folks like yourself complaining about it within six hours of the issue's release). Because everything he's been doing for 100 issues (that's pretty much the last four years, and he's been cranking them out twice a month. The man has a plan, you can't argue with that.
So put down the pitchforks, douse the torches, and grab some popcorn. I personally think it's going to be a great ride. It's my two cents and I welcome some dissent. But my roomie who got me back into ASM because of Slott's "amazing" run on spidey (look, pun and reference!) has the same thoughts I do. We are giddy as a Coulson in a Cap museum.
ASM #700 gets 9.5 out of 10 clones from me.
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