Oh Joe…
Remember that guy
? The one that took away the Marriage? That Guy to the left? Yeah I think we all do. Remember how Joe Quesada came out and said: (paraphrasing) “There will be a story that will be told later on next year…” A story which was supposed to be the summer of 2008, then the summer of 2009. Well this summer, we’re finally getting this story. Read on folks, as there is spoilerriffic images for this upcoming story. In this post, I will explore what, and why it took 2 and 1/2 years for this story as to ‘what really happened’ to finally see the light of day, and my theory as to why One More Day, and it’s sequel OMIT, happened. Did they legitimately think that this would ‘fade away?’ Obviously there is a sect of people who will never let it go away, but there is also a sect of the fanbase that wanted to know what the hell is different, what’s changed, what ‘counts’, or what doesn’t.
Let’s get back to what has been going on over the past three years. Too many times, we at the Crawl Space have gotten into screaming matches that do not lead to substantive debate, too many times the Deltas and Zetas battle it out in a vain attempt to try to see the other side, but when you analyze it, there is a reason we’re getting these stories, and it goes back to the JMS era, and even back to the ‘Reboot.’
At it’s fundamental core, the JMS era is defined by three characters: Peter Parker, Mary Jane, and May Parker. After the reboot, there was a shift to focus on the character of Peter Parker, who like it or not, was damaged by 3 years of character regression, most notably when then EiC-Bob Harras thought it would be a good idea to ‘re-boot’ the Amazing Spider-Man and Peter Parker titles, and by the end of that run, make Peter Parker such a loser,he became homeless and lost his costume on top of being in denial over the death of Mary Jane.
Paul Jenkins entered the picture, and started to study the character, from his first issue, Vol. II #20 (Or 118 if the relaunch never happened.) He began to have Peter start to accept MJ’s death, and 10 months later, helped reunite the couple, if only for one issue.
The goal for that beginning of the run was (eventually) wipe the filth off the character that had bogged the character down that JMS would have somewhat of a clean slate, meaning he wouldn’t have to reference a origin that wasn’t Steve Ditko and Stan Lee, or would have to work on the character of Peter Parker.
And work he did: He went back to basics, raised questions, and advanced the ongoing tapestry of Amazing Spider-Man. He made the story about Peter Parker, which is what drove the book. He was allowed to progress the character in the direction he saw fit. Which he did, his over-arching storyline of the ‘Spider-
Totem’ gave life to Aunt May by revealing the secret, introduced the concept of Peter Parker being a teacher (Getting him away from photography, which was a dying art even then), and brought life to a marriage because the characters needed time away from one another. JMS understood that being married made a whole set of problems outside of the swinging. It’s extremely clear when you read the issue Post-ASM Vol II 50 that Mary Jane was his life partner, his deepest love, and most of all: the love of his life. JMS also understood that Mary Jane had withstood everything thrown at her and Peter, and would never leave his side. This all built up to Back-in-Black, where even when he did deplorable things, (Like committing 17 felonies) the bond never waned.
Until One More Day.
With the ultimate retcon, Joe Quesada made it clear: Peter Parker had advanced too far. He must be brought back to basics. It’s for the children you know.
Because he let progressive storytelling rule the day with JMS and Jenkins, something that was needed to revive the franchise, the Marvel powers that be had to do something drastic in order to revert to a old Status Quo.
Make no mistake, he never liked the marriage because he feels that Spider-Man is about Youth. While as a Youth he made a horrible mistake, it’s not because of his youth, but his irresponsibility, something that is not because of youth, but because of recklessness.
With One More Day, like with JMS, There are no rules. Anything is possible. Nothing is sacred.
In an effort to atone for the lack of progression outside Peter, Mary Jane and May, the Powers that Be went the other direction: they are working on building up the supporting cast. Mary Jane and Peter have regressed greatly over the past three and half years, while characters of Jonah, May, Flash, and Betty have progressed, the main character has not.
Remember when I said there were no rules?
That’s what OMIT is about. OMIT is about that ‘One Moment In Time’ that he said changed: The Wedding.
Everything else still happened.
OMIT has a interesting start: Guitar Picks that were being thrown around at a comic Convention that Joe Played with a band in.
Then came the teaser.
Now, here’s the story revealed:
Almost 100 issues after it’s beginning the ‘What Counts.’ Finally get’s its answer. Is is good, or is it bad? Why wait 95 issues to do this?
Because they wanted to have the new story stand on its own, which like it or not, it could never do simply for having to come after the controversy, that and everyone wanted to introduce their own characters, all of which didn’t take. I mean think about it, which character that was created during the Brand New Day make it to now? Speedball? Really? Where’s Menace? Or Freak? Or the Snow God? Mr. Negative is around, but only when Dan Slott gets a turn.
So we get these re-vamps of the old villians, some which work, others not so much. Now that we got these stories that they wanted to tell right now away, we’re getting answers.
The question is: Does anyone care?
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Nice essay Zach. A great look back on the history of people screwing around with our favorite character.
Does this explain why he no longer has the totemistic powers he aquired in the Disassembled arc in Spectacular Spider-Man? No it does not. 🙁
As long as we get back to pre-BND, I don’t care how the hell we get there!!!!!
And I’ll say this for Wacker… how else do you expect them to keep that cluster**** selling?
Yeah I know… But I’m hoping that Marvel’s Disney merger means that they have $$$ now and can afford to keep the low selling Spider-Girl book around which is why I ‘think’ it is coming back.
I didn’t mind picking up Web. Sure it was annoying to get BND stories when my purpose of reading this book and Spider-Man Family was to get away from BND. Still at the same time certain things like underground artist Jim Mahfood drawing Spider-Man in the last issue were very cool.
I’ll say this for Wacker. Despite the OMD / BND mess he has been pretty good at getting different talents on Spidey. Spider-Man Fever being a huge example.
Sano… I’m afraid to tell you… but I’m pretty sure what that means… either Spider-Girl will once again be cancelled shortly after, or she’ll be bundled with the Spider-Man books to get you to buy them.
EDIT: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
I did give BND a shot and have jumped in here and there for some Slott stories, but ultimately I’m pretty much done with it. For me 616 Spider-Man ended with Roberto Aguirre-Sarcasa’s last Spectacular Spider-Man issue (he and MJ have 2 kids). It’s Spider-Girl from here on out. I am up for minis like Spider-Man Fever where this sort of thing doesn’t matter though.
I will not read O.M.I.T. I think it’s an insult to our intelligence as long time readers.
What I forgot to say was, “No, I don’t care to read OMIT, because I don’t like the situation it leads up to. That is why I have no trouble with Quesada writing it, as he isn’t much of a writer, and there really isn’t much I’m missing out on.”
I have no trouble with Quesada as EIC at Marvel, as he’s been there since I started to really read Spider-man, at the start of JMS’s run (yes, I liked it), and I really enjoyed all of the titles (Spectacular, Amazing, Ultimate, Spider-girl) that I came across. Now, I’m not saying I agreed with everything, or that I felt every decision was good, but I could always count on the status quo to remerge when the story was over. Even when the goblin kids emerged, I was steadfast in my belief that at the end of that story, Peter and MJ would be back on the couch, watching cheesy movies whenever she forced him to take a break.
When OMD happened, which I have no intention of reading, and I saw the changes that had been done in BND, I honestly thought it would be a farce (Look, there is MJ, dressed in green and white spandex!…or so I thought…actually I hoped, because I wanted to believe it). Now that it is clear that it isn’t, I just can’t seem to care about the character anymore. So, there it is, my qualm is with the current status quo, because writers come and go, but the status quo remains. Too bad it isn’t the status quo I want to read about.
Why do i get the sudden feeling this “change” will be MJ demanding Pete renounce spider-man and concentrate on the marriage and he says no…
I’ll just let someone else do the talking for me. Last time I said something, BD was maaaad…
Now if you need some examples of personal attacks, I got some DOOZIES…
I’m just afraid of getting banned.
SuperChencho – the comments here, as well as the editorial, are speaking specifically to Quesada’s work as EIC and someone who has written a controversial ASM story and who is about to let loose another. I’m not seeing things being thrown at him of a personal nature; just in regards to how people are genuinely expressing their opinions of his work. If it was name-calling then the Admins would step in. Someone saying, for example, “he needs to be out as EIC” is a perfectly legit opinion and not a personal attack.
Awesome. I’m new to the world of Spidey comics. All I ever knew about the character is the ’90s cartoon and some trading cards when I was a kid. I wish someone would make a list of all the “good” eras.
In an unrelated note, does this thread count as Quesada-bashing? Is that allowed here?
@SuperChencho-YES HELL it was
Will Mister Negative EVER get a resolution? And yeah are we supposed to assume Freak died in that blast since he hasn’t been gone back to? (Come to think of it, does Bob Gale even write this book anymore)
I’m a little confused. Was the JMS era… good?
Personally, I think that Joe Quesada shouldn’t be Editor-in-Chief anymore, his so-called “Spidey brain-trust” team should either go back to Stan Lee/John Romita, Sr. basics or be removed from their position, it would be sweet if Todd McFarlane and Mark Bagley would collaborate on a NEW Amazing Spider-Man comicbook series with much more romance between Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson-Parker plus the super-heroics and more fighting. As far as writers go, Marvel should find a NEW writer that has a fresh, child-like, somewhat reinvention and returning to the original special elements of the Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, and John Romita, Sr. stories. I think having a 70’s flair of when Spidey was very popular and vibrant should also be incorporated into this new book. There should be a mixture of sometimes single stories and continuing plots to where it builds up to a climax with a fight with a villain or maybe political conclusion. I like how the current pencilers/colorists returned to the 70’s-esque art.
Its not just the Spider-Man franchise. Joe Quesada has done more damage to the Marvel Universe than any other single individual period.
I’d say “too little, too late” if they were pulling a revamp to try and save the series.
Nope. They’re digging their heels in and frankly, I Don’t Care Marvel.
I.D.C.M.
Quesada has single-handedly done more damage to the ASM franchise than the marriage ever did.
He’s just too stubborn to admit it.
What they’re going to do is have a
whole heck of a lot of people OMIT
all marvel titles from their pull lists. . .
Spot on commentary by spidey dude. I picked up some ASM for the first time since they forced BND on us with these gauntlet issues because they brought back some of the old foes I love, but once Spectacular Spider Girl starts in May that will replace ASM in my buy pile. I consider the spider girl universe to be the true progression of ASM anyway, plus I always have all my old issues to read and enjoy. Hobgoblin anyone?
hahaha!!!! What? Well, another ride on the mad road that one day was Marvel Universe and Spide- Man.
My opinion on Quesada is well known. And I actually loved his art. Two requests…
1)Discuss this on the next podcast, and…
2)Have the “Bear” as a guest commentator.
It’s more a case of “Who are they trying to fool, us or them” these days with Marvel. Being in denile over your own abstract failiures will lead to self-destruction. When one of us becomes EIC of this company, if it ever happens at this rate, the marraige won’t only be back, there will probably be more of an effort to consolidate every forgotten aspect of the Spider-mythos as opposed to regressing it.
In some ways, BND is helping a lot of incular comic book fans grow up and realize Spidey’s day is over for the time being as far as being a mainstream icon. Personally, all the best creativity comes from what you don’t see make enough money, because it’s more HONEST. So long as Tom D and Ron can supply the good with Mayday and this new project, ASM can continue it’s one-way mandate into obscurity. It only has power because we keep reacting…IGNORE the problem, think with your wallets, and let them do what they do, just don’t REWARD them for it. When you reward them with cash and still complain, they WIN, you LOSE. Turn it around and defeat them with scourn and reading them in the store.
All it takes is one man to stop reading 616.
(One Man Is Thousands)
@Loli_Lover: Dude, calm down. Taking it that far just makes you look like that creepy guy on the internet.
@Spideydude: One of the best write ups I’ve read in a while. *Applause*
Appreciate the heads-up, Zach!
I think it is interesting that the acronym O.M.I.T. is the title of this new revision.
When the end of One More Day was revealed, I had a vision. Winston Smith is working in his cubicle inside the Ministry of Truth rewriting the history of Oceania. The year is 1984—or so Smith believes. Truth has been rewritten so much that even the calendar is suspect. In the next cubicle, Joe Quesada is hunched over his editing device, rewriting the history of Spider-man. And we, the (potential) readers, are expected to behave and believe. Now with this latest title revealed, I can see the hand of Quesada, working the OMIT switch in his cubicle like a jazzed motocross racer at the starting line. Perhaps Winston Smith is disturbed by the noise. More Victory gin is in order for Mr. Smith!
O.M.I.T. really is a good title, isn’t it?
Spider-Dad: “’Stories’ like this is why comics are so lowly regarded in many circles.’”
I’m with you, pal.
Javi – that art’s “real.” That’s from Marvel.
I just want to add one thing. If you say they don’t get married, that changes everything. It changes how the books for the last 20 years were written and worded. It changes the dynamics of Peter and Mary Jane’s relationship. It changes the dynamics of Peter and Mary Jane’s encounters with other heroes. So on so forth, you can’t have your cake and eat it too when you do a “Prime Punch”.er
is the wedding cake art for real or a mock up?
Well if that wedding cake teaser isn’t a giant middle finger to marriage fans, I don’t know what is.
“Rapidly Aged Goblin Babies” and a deal with the devil, “One More Idiotic Tale” is exactly what this is, I almost want to see how far Ol’ Joe can go on insulting my intelligence and defecating on storytelling at the exact same time.
I remember when the Archie Sonic the Hedgehog comics pissed me off, I miss those days…
OMIT means One Moment in Time???? Really. I thought it meant, “One More Idiotic Tale”…
Sorry, Joe…revisionist history is revisionist history. No matter how you swing it, either 20 years of Spider-Man is an alternate reality or this one is. The only way the story makes any sense is if the marriage really happened and now no one remembers. Sure it’s a remake of the OSCAR WINNING SCREENPLAY of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
“Stories” like this is why comics are so lowly regarded in many circles. Thanks for making comics harder to defend….SIGH…
Thanks Guys.
When you look at it from: “There are no rules. Nothing is sacred.” And apply that to the JMS and Current runs, it’s explains everything.
George I’ve always believed you man. Hell this entire thing reeks of Mid-life crisis.
This HAS to be brought up on the next Crawlspace show this weekend.
We’ll start taking bets on how quickly Quesada plays the martyr card when the backlash hits. “Oh I wrote it myself so that no one else would bear the burden.” That was part of his rationale for having drawn OMD.
OMD and his involvement in it made even some of the most hardcore Marvel fanboys blanch when they saw how terrible it was. So bad JMS wanted his name off the damn thing. While everyone and their dog was barking about how bad it was Quesada was telling CBR that he thought it was some of the best stuff he’d ever done.
And now, in the face of that “success,” with ASM selling to almost half the readers it used to have… he wants to bring that “magic” back with himself at the helm.
I’ve maintained before that, all along, this has been a personal endeavor for Quesada. People have told me I’m full of beans but this flat out proves me right.
Good write-up, Zach.
It’s Screwball, not Speedball.
Yeah…What he said…I may quote this a required reading to listen to my podcast.
Signed,
That Guy