Weblines: THE J. MICHAEL STRACZYSNKI RUN – Part XII.

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The Marvel Universe is a rich and complex place. Its (fiction) history spans millions of years, if not more, thanks to the vast array of creators who were imaginative enough to create and push the boundaries of its corners, with some characters specifically designed to fulfill their function according to their base of operations and time of origin in it.
Few of them can migrate through these areas allowing a deeper exploration of their attributes and the plot they’re placed at. Such is the Fantastic Four – no superhero comic book reader is fully educated in the genre without reading the entire run by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby; everything there is to be known about the Marvel Universe is in the first 101 issues of the world’s greatest comic magazine. The possibilities of their tales are just endless, due to the nature of the characters: a family of explorers. And as such, the reliability of one another and the power they possess, representing the forces of nature itself: air, water, fire, and earth. there’s just no challenge big enough that they cannot overcome. It’s been proven, simply as that. It’s what a family of superheroes does. It’s a fantastic (pun intended) concept.

The vast majority of the milestones – the great sagas that left their mark in the history of superhero comics and beyond are the ones that extrapolated the convention of reality that some characters were inserted in: The Coming of Galactus (1966) and The Kree-Skrull War (1971), for instance, are two (of many that followed) which successfully transported the earthly heroes from their respective arenas on Earth to a different battleground – the science-fiction type; later to be baptized as Marvel’s Cosmic Corner. Most of the heroes have their share of adventures and elements inserted in them; like Captain America with the Cosmic Cube and the X-Men with the Shi’ar Empire. Not relatable concepts at all, but the audacity of their writers made such connections possible and intricate parts of their mythology.
Even Thanos‘ first appearance happened in an Iron Man issue (#55, Feb. 1973) – written and drawn by the matchless genius of Jim Starlin. So think twice if their showdown in the MCU Avengers – Endgame movie was just something made for the big screen – the nihilist Titan and Tony Stark share a history in comics. Starlin himself is a scholar of everything that Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby created for Marvel (and DC) – their influence in such epics with Captian Marvel (Mar-Vell), Adam Warlock, and mainly the Infinity Saga (Gauntlet, War, Crusade, Abyss, Revelation, Relativity, Siblings, Conflict, Ending) spanning through decades with Thanos taking center stage in each one of those installments, is the peak depiction of a character study dealing with his existence in the universe and the search of infinite power. In certain ways, cosmic philosophy in comic book format, but nonetheless exceptional. Dreadstar is the creative culmination of his love for the genre – also highly recommended reading.

As a result of such influence, Starlin proved that Spider-Man could and should participate in bigger events of cosmic scales, even in solo adventures – such as the classical Marvel Team-Up #55 (Vol. 1, March 1977)  – written by Bill Mantlo and drawn by John Byrne, narrating an adventure where Arachknight goes to the moon with Adam Warlock. In it, the guy from Queens is a direct witness of not only a confrontation of cosmic proportions between Warlock and The Stranger on the Blue Area of The Moon but also meets one of the Elders of The Universe: The Gardener – who possessed until then a Soul Gem, renamed later as Infinity Gem (or Stone) by Thanos himself. In the heat of the battle for the gem, The Stranger imprisons Warlock; but with the help of the Gardener, Spider-Man frees Warlock – for the first time – but at the cost of the whole vegetation that once flourished in the Blue Area of The Moon, then turned into a wasteland. Peter witnessed firsthand its transformation into the arena in which Jean Grey killed herself to save the universe.
The first volume of the Marvel Team-Up title provided side stories from his main title, in which he could swing throughout all the corners of the Marvel Universe – meeting characters and fighting some of them being the Living Monolyth, the Inhumans, The Guardians of The Galaxy, to Man-Thing, Satana, even battling the Frankenstein Monster. Some of those great tales were written by legendary authors like Roy Thomas, Len Wein, Gerry Conway, including X-Men scribe Chris Claremont; also drawn by Frank Miller, Gil Kane, Howard Chaykin, Sal Buscema, Jim Mooney, Ed Hannigan, and others, with many covers by John Romita Sr. Most of the issues were edited by Archie Goodwin – considered by some as one of the best editors of the industry. In addition to Starlin and Mantlo, they also understood Spider-Man’s potential to (occasionally) cross his battleground borders. The title also featured the first appearance of Jean DeWolff on issue #48 – written by Mantlo and drawn by Sal Buscema.

But this wouldn’t be the last time Spidey would meet Warlock; after four years of intertwining stories in different monthly Marvel titles, Starlin (with the help of Goodwin) built the first Thanos Saga; this was before a limited (event) series being a trend in the market. With The Avengers and Captain Marvel losing a battle to the Mad Titan in his space ark; Warlock dies in battle only to have his essence transferred to the Soul Gem, knowing a brief moment of peace. All of that happened in the classic The Avengers Annual #7 (August 1977), but its culmination was published in Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2 (Dec. 1977).
The issue starts with Peter having strange dreams while sleeping. But in reality, besides being a recap from the Avengers Annual issue for the reader, they are also a call for help from Moondragon – flooding his mind with images of the battle with Thanos. Ever the relentless friendly neighborhood (and yet-to-be) Avenger, Peter suits up and heads to the Baxter Building, seeking means to go to space – again. The Thing is the only member of the Fantastic Four available; after a brief explanation of his nightmare, they head out into space. Lo and behold, they find trouble, only to be defeated by the Titan as well. But Thanos’ gloating of his own triumph grants Spider-Man to escape out of fear – realizing that he’s the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time, admitting to himself that the situation is just too big for him to handle.
But there are higher powers at play as the story progresses: two of those are the Lord Chaos and Master Order – Starlin’s cosmic creations, certainly inspired by those of Ditko’s with their first appearance also in this issue – entities in charge of the balance of the Universe and all of those who live in it, including Peter Parker; with such a concept within the cosmic landscape of the Marvel Universe, Starlin drops a hint of who (or what) was really creditworthy of scheduling a science exhibition and placing an irradiated spider at the right time when Peter would be attending it. Without interfering or even suggesting a hint of retro continuity, Starlin goes full circle in his Ditko-inspired creations to add a “cosmic touch” into Spider-Man’s origin story.

When all seemed lost and Spider-Man realizing he’s way overpowered to do anything against Thanos, he uses his own body to break down the machine that was keeping the Avengers imprisoned in stasis; once freed, they go an all-out assault on the Mad Titan. Spider-Man regains consciousness and rejoins the battle against the hordes. Then, his Spider-Sense begins to guide him to the Soul Gem – so he frees Warlock for the second time, to Thanos’ demise.

Simply put, Spider-Man helped to save the Universe.

And though that was the end of the first Thanos Saga, Starlin would still employ Spider-Man’s presence in future storylines with Thanos, but not before Chris Claremont and John Byrne made another small but effective contribution to Spider-Man’s connection to a larger cosmic sphere.
The year is 1980. A young mutant named Jean Grey is possessed by an old cosmic entity of nearly unparalleled power named the Phoenix Force. A ruthless mutant named Mastermind from The Hellfire Club briefly controls her mind, only to find out that his reckless influence over Jean unleashed the dark side of this creature within her. When it takes control, she obliterates everything in her path, consuming even a system’s star, destroying the closest planet and the billions of lives in it – this is the Dark Phoenix Saga. Its climax takes place in the Blue Area of The Moon (where Spider-Man saw it going into decay), in which the X-Men fought the Imperial Guard and where Jean Grey sacrificed herself in front of Scott Summers in order to save the Universe. Another mandatory reading for any Marvel Comics reader.
The small but nonetheless intriguing detail here is when from the Dark Phoenix takes over Jean, some beings take notice of her energy signature: Dr. Strange and the Silver Surfer, due to their connection to the cosmos; but Spider-Man is one of them, through his spider-sense.

And it doesn’t stop there.

When Jim Starlin decided it was time to bring Thanos back, the stakes would be infinitely higher – thus, The Infinity Gauntlet, published in 1991. Learning from his own mistakes after being brought back from the dead, the mad strategist learned that harnessing the power of the Infinity Stones wouldn’t be enough – he had to put them all together in his own hand, to bend (or destroy) the Universe at his own will. But not without killing half the life in it first with one single snap of his fingers first, as a means to please the one thing he loves: Death.

Once more, just like the Silver Surfer, Peter is one of the few people who can sense the scale of the imminent disaster. He then sees it: people disappearing in front of his eyes – when in fact they’re actually dying.

Although Spider-Man’s range of power couldn’t do much damage against Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet, Starlin made sure that his participation in the story and many others that followed (aforementioned) had meaning: that the Webhead is part of something much bigger than he realizes – not only because he’s one of the company’s flagship characters and a Steve Ditko creation -, but also because there’s so much more the character is able to do. For all intents and purposes, Spider-Man is one of the most flexible characters in superhero comics. And Jim Starlin is one of the authors who prove it; and well.

Even during the eighties, Spider-Man demonstrated that he could handle anything thrown at him – even if it meant cosmic or otherwordly threats; the first Secret Wars (1984) says it all: he brought an alien symbiote to Earth, after encountering a supreme being whose powers could create or destroy galaxies – the Beyonder. In the sequel (Secret Wars II – 1985), after taking human form, Peter Parker had to teach him how to use the bathroom.
In The Amazing Spider-Man #269-270 (1985), the hero went mano a mano with a Firelord – a Galactus’ Herald –  and won by beating him unconscious.
In 1989, came the Acts of Vengeance event: in a twisted version of The Avengers #1 (July 1963) – where Loki was indirectly responsible for bringing together Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, he decided it was time to assemble Earth’s most dangerous villains and switch their nemesis since they kept losing. Spider-Man got Doctor Doom, Sebastian Shaw from The Hellfire Club, and Graviton, to name a few. What they didn’t expect was (in Spectacular Spider-Man #158 Dec. 1989 – written by Gerry Conway and drawn by Sal Buscema), while working as a lab assistant at ESU to Professor Maxwell Lubisch whose work focused in extra-dimensional and unknown energy sources, an accident with the equipment that generated the energy field hits Peter Parker and changes him into something more; the first outcome of the accident is his spider-sense going absolute haywire and making everything perceivable around him.

Eventually, the Avengers defeat Loki, but not without him leaving a final memento to Spider-Man: a Tri-Sentinel. The battle occurs in The Amazing Spider-Man #329 (Feb. 1990), written by David Micheline and drawn by yet-to-be Image founder Erik Larsen. Finally aware of the Uni-Power that had been channeled to him in the lab accident, Spider-Man reaches the final stage of his transformation:

Loki’s Tri-Sentinel proves to be a mighty opponent. In an effort to end the battle, Peter channels all the Captain Universe power in a burst of incredible energy aimed at the robot, shattering it into scrap metal. The exertion makes the Uni-power leave his body; he’s back to normal. Just after realizing its full potential, Peter woefully regrets that he could have done much more, if not being constantly overwhelmed with it. Another succinct reflection on power from the one character in superhero comics that understands the concept like few others.
A noteworthy factor from Acts of Vengeance is that, just like Jim Starlin’s first Thanos Saga, the event took place in each of the characters’ titles, without the need to publish a unique miniseries as it is done nowadays, where the monthly titles are used to show the specifics of the event for each character. Effective, but often costly and unnecessary, since the main story can be read alone in the miniseries. it’s a superhero trend that has reached a certain level of fatigue in the 21st century.

Still, all those abovementioned stories attest to what Jim Starlin set out to do in the first place with Spider-Man in his stories, just as Steve Ditko before him in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2 (1964), which shows the hero entering Dr. Strange’s battlefield – a theme already reviewed in this post. And that begs an intriguing cross-examination: can Marvel’s cosmic side also be accessed by its Mystic one or vice-versa? Are cosmic and mystical entities somehow connected? In the comics’ side, Dr. Strange, Thor, Adam Warlock, and The Silver Surfer indeed can answer such questions; even Reed Richards. If the matter is taken seriously by the authors of these tales (besides Starlin, Ditko, Kirby, Lee), like Claremont, Byrne, Walt Simonson, Roy Thomas, Mark Waid, and many others, they can conceptually distinguish who belongs to what.
But when it comes down to explain and show how Spider-Man can fit in both concepts, the list grows radically thin.

And J. Michael Straczynski is on it.

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CHASING A DARK SHADOW – ASM#503-504 (vol.1 – March-April 2004):
(Covers by John Romita Jr.)

Back to ASM #500, where Spider-Man and Dr. Strange are sucked into an interdimensional portal in Times Square due to Spidey’s interference in his battle with Dormammu. Many bystanders witness the event, just like a woman named Tess Black.
Fact: portals are exactly like doors – they offer a way in and out of places; this time, a dark chaotic shadow reaches out from the portal and comes out:

…and reaches for Tess, taking control of her mentally and physically.

From the moment that possession happens, and with all the extra-terrestrial and supernatural concepts that were here presented with the purpose to elaborate their vastness – especially to offer a link to Spider-Man’s very existence in the Marvel Universe -, the reader is presented to one of the most enthralling pages ever featured in the ASM title featuring the likes of:

Two of The Elders of The Universe:  The Grandmaster, and The Gardener; two Asgardians: Heimdall and Loki; Death itself and Lord Chaos. Cosmic entities and demigods sharing one page in a Spider-Man comic book. What is so shocking about it? Just like those extraordinary beings sensing an anomalous presence in the Universe, Peter Parker shares the same sensation. Once more, his spider-sense providing an unexplained connection to both the cosmic and metaphysical sides.

Apart from the other entities (and Heimdall), Loki is the only one who decides to investigate, because he actually felt pain from this presence; he then asks the help of the Great Asgardian Tree (Yggdrasill) holding a Runestone which can be used to provide answers; they come then in two forms: the city of New York and a spider. Once in the city, he takes the form of a boy and coincidentally (if there’s such a thing in this context) is met with Spider-Man in action chasing a group of robbers. When the criminals are finally and literally trapped in his web in an alley, the Arachknight comes face to face with a possessed and transformed Tess Black, clad in Asgardian attire. The robbers escape; Loki as a boy overhears their conversation. Unbeknownst to Spider-Man as who she is, the woman is direct in her proposal: as a token of gratitude for freeing her – or the entity – from the dimension she was trapped in, he must accept what is to be given by her.

Once again, ultimate power is bestowed upon him by an undisputed sense of cosmic balance, but Peter does not want it. Because he knows exactly what the notion of power means. Still, he has the night to think it over. As she vanishes, Spider-Man goes to Dr. Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum for counseling, but the Doctor is not home; Loki seizes the opportunity and approaches him disguised as a boy, convincing him that Strange is elsewhere and he would meet him there. Loki reveals himself and tells him who the woman really is: Morwen. Forcing Peter to give his word and stay with him until Morwen returns, Loki hurts a bystander endangering his life; that’s how the god of mischief operates. After leaving the man at a hospital, Loki explains who she is: the first sorcerer of chaos – an ancient deadly entity who was once defeated and imprisoned into a dimension millennia ago by the Ancient One – Dr. Strange’s mentor. When he and Spider-Man crossed the portal, Morwen came out; when it dominated Tess Black, he and Loki felt it. By exchanging information and facts, they shake hands in a traditional Viking fashion for an alliance and then form a strategy: separate Morwen from the obsessed woman. And while they wait, eat traditional new york hot dogs.
Morwen returns. Loki recognizes Tess Black; she is his daughter – one of many. He even offers her an alternative: to give him the power, instead of Spider-Man. She refuses for one simple reason: Morwen is a sorceress whose role is to serve chaos (possibly Lord Chaos and more) – that in which a race can evolve by being stronger. And what she sees in Peter Parker that —

Once again, the acknowledgment of higher forces whose eyes are on him – due to his connection to an entity already met during an incursion in the astral plane with the help of Dr. Strange to save innocent children; a story analyzed in this post.
By stating that Loki is a god who wishes to exert control and not let the chaos reign so that only the strong will survive and thus improving the Universe, Morwen declares him as his enemy. A battle for power begins; Spider-Man sees the irony of the situation and realizes that the reason Morwen possessed Tess is that she is the daughter of a god. The matter becomes personal, therefore increasing the chances for Loki to reach her telepathically and set her mind free within her own body. The danger increases by the second, and Spider-Man is rendered immovable against the wall by Morwen’s powers; she refuses to leave Tess’ body. In the moment of truth, Loki accomplishes his telepathic incursion. She falls into a deep sleep of obliviousness, never to recall what occurred and neither her progeny. So wishes Loki.
He also finds himself in debt to Spider-Man for helping to save her life – so leaves him a rune with information on his Daughter and a direct line that reaches the Asgardian god in case Tess should be in any danger; also with the promise of a favor that he can collect upon it, should he chooses to do so.

Being a colleague from work with an Asgardian god like Thor is something. Having the assistance of his brother who is a powerful and knowledgeable sorcerer at any time, despite his villainy, is a whole new level of a Spider-Man team-up.

The tale was co-plotted and scripted by Fiona Avery – her second foray into the ASM title alongside Straczynski. John Romita Jr. and Scott Hanna continue to deliver the goods as they approach the end of their stable run. The one critique goes again to the color palette provided by Matt Milla – the blandness of the primary colors for a story with both Asgardian and cosmic elements with characters could have had more embellishment; for that reason, the colors from issues #503 and #504 in the panels here presented were enhanced and slightly saturated.
For all intents and purposes, this could be the third Intermezzo part after the half-millenary issue. But chronologically, given how the order of events transpired after the portal opening in ASM #500, this tale could only have happened before the events shown in ASM #501 & #502.

J. Michael Straczynski is an experienced writer for TV and movies who knows his business and is much acquainted with the cosmic history of the Marvel universe. Through this story, he starts to stretch his muscles to explore and expand his knowledge in Asgardian culture and history. He offered a second perspective on Loki without changing his nature; detailing how an Asgardian god behaves.
Stories like this might have conferred him the job of writing Thor – another mandatory run.

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This two-part tale reaffirms Spider-Man’s hazy relation to the stellar and arcane sides of the Marvel Universe. No way of denying it, notably considering the page in which Peter and Tess Black share from the moment Morwen takes control after some of the most powerful cosmic entities take notice is just another corroboration – neither a bizarre coincidence nor a stupid idea? With all the evidence here presented insofar from past adventures, it is past time to acknowledge the fact that Spider-Man’s Totemistic origin side is no news; Straczynski since the beginning of his run is just exploring it deeper. And that is not an issue. When in fact, it offers more possibilities to delve into the character’s essence. From a mythological standpoint, it enriches him. Because Spider-Man, just like Superman and Batman has reached the status of a modern myth. The Spider in the astral plane – as presented by Straczynski and Romita Jr. in ASM #42 (vol. 2)  – is also an ancient and cosmic force: Peter felt it himself when facing it; also when confronting Shathra for the first time because of his incursion in the astral plane, she addressed him as “The Son of The Spider”.
When Ezekiel Sims told Peter about the other side of his origin and powers, he got it right: Spider-Man is connected to something way much bigger than he thinks; maybe even part of it. Because there’s a strong precedent. It only makes sense because after all, he’s a Ditko creation – and that says a lot.

Peter’s powers emulate a spider’s, but what is the exact extent and purpose of the Spider-Sense? How and why it not only functions but operates? Sure, it alerts Peter from imminent danger to assure his survival: the louder and stronger it is, the more hazardous the challenge; in dangerous and immediate situations, it actually steers him through them. But every time something of cosmic proportions appears or happens, regardless of the distance, it works in clairvoyant fashion – like an invisible and immeasurable web of reality is all around, with him always in its center, boundless to space and even time; after all, it warns him of the future. As if he’s connected to everything and possibly everyone. Another recurrent trope: in some stories when Peter is asleep, his brain is still practicing mindfulness under the influence of the Spider-sense, which makes him dream of the future, even in a distorted manner.
That alone is a theme that can be more explored and it has been only tapped on.

Many readers see their favorite superhero comic as a dependable system – an easily recognizable mold that each character is born in it, with their battlegrounds already established; if it changes, it’s bad. Changing a character is quite different from exploring it; that was the case when The Punisher became a murdering agent from heaven.
It doesn’t mean that based on the premise here analyzed Spider-Man should join the Guardians of The Galaxy, be a receptacle for the Uni-Power and become the Captain Universe again, or move to Asgard indefinitely for new and exciting adventures. JMS’ Spider-Man, just like Jim Starlin before him, switched the genre within the title, while still expanding and evolving the character – he didn’t remodel Spider-Man’s origin but added some layers in it. Which makes his most important work for Marvel. He walked the path that Ditko created and Starlin extended, and that makes his ASM is a gear shifting comic. There are and always will be those who detracted the totemistic concept of Spider-Man’s powers.
Be that as it may, they have to think twice before complimenting Al Ewing and Joe Bennet’s work in The Immortal Hulk – where the character has been given a twist in his own essence; all based in the incredible runs conceived by Bill Mantlo and Paul Jenkins. The supernatural and otherworldly elements are also there. It happened to the X-Men decades ago: they dealt with cosmic forces; one of them was even possessed by one. They even more than once ventured in Asgard; so why not Spider-Man?

This is the Marvel Universe, where characters in it might play a larger and unknown role according to their function. Though not literally explained, still, made as designed.

This post is dedicated to the infinite creativity of the master Jim Starlin.