Spider-Man, Superman, Grim and Gritty

[Will E Worm]

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN Hits Marvel NOW! With New Suit, Attitude

That old NYCC battle is so on, and Spidey isn't letting Supes be the only fashion show with new duds and a big announcement. Dan Slott, along with artists Ryan Stegman, Humberto Ramos and Giuseppe Camuncoli, is launching Superior Spider-Man in January 2013, and Spidey's new look is just the beginning.

The original "Superior" teaser was the most enigmatic of Marvel's one-word clues to the future of their Marvel NOW! relaunch. Last week, the word added a few more: Slott, Stegman, Ramos, Camuncoli. All four, the writer and three artists, are closely associated with one Peter Parker, Spider-Man. With Amazing Spider-Man coming to an end with Decemeber's 700th issue, the creative team being attached to "Superior" in January 2013 certainly made us think Spider-Man. But what did "Superior" actually mean?

Well, we were right about Spidey, and he's definitely going to be superior. Revealed today by Marvel on USA Today's comics page, Spider-Man has a new series, new abilities, and like his pal over at that other publisher, a new suit to boot. And he'll be darker, with "friendly neighborhood" out the door, says USA Today.

"The first story arc is called 'Hero or menace?' I think that pretty much tells you where we're going," Slott told the publication. "He's not going to be doing things the old Spider-Man way. There will be a new way of doing things."

The writer teased that something very bad will be happening to Peter Parker in Amazing Spider-Man #700, and it will culminate in him being more ruthless in order to be more effective.

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DC Announces New ACTION COMICS Team, New Superman Suit?

The jockeying for comic book news supremacy during New York Comic Con has started a day early.

DC Comics just officially announced that writer Andy Diggle and artist Tony Daniel are the new post-Grant Morrison creative team on Action Comics, beginning with March’s issue #18.

And judging by this Daniel promo art, you may have noticed Superman might also
get a new suit, although DC isn’t talking about that yet.

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10 'Grim and Gritty' Superhero Makeovers

With the news that January will bring a new Superior Spider-Man with a darker attitude coming on the heels of the reveal of a newly frowning, dark-suited Superman, it's becoming increasingly clear that the pendulum is at least partially swinging back towards "Grim and Gritty" when it comes to beloved superheroes.

With that in mind, let's look back at 10 previous superhero makeovers that gave characters even more reason to grimace.

10. DARK FLASH
As Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn raced towards the end of their Flash run, Wally West disappeared for some time and was replaced by another, more mysterious Fastest Man Alive who didn't suffer fools gladly.

It turns out, the grimmer, grittier Flash was actually Wally West himself (well, "Walter West") from an alternate Earth -- remember Hypertime? -- where Linda Park was dead, and the "regular" Wally soon returned to make everything right again. Consider this a glimpse at an unfortunate future that didn't happen.

9. CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN
In the mid-'80s, Steve Rogers was forced out of his position as Captain America and replaced by John Walker -- a super patriot (literally) who, unfortunately, really wasn't up for the psychological pressures of the job (spoiler: The Red Skull may have had something to do with both Rogers' removal and the selection of Walker).

After supervillains killed his parents, Walker snapped and America was left with a somewhat insane, definitely dangerous Super Soldier until Rogers returned to make everything right again. Consider this proof that it takes a particular type of hero to shoulder the responsibility of being a national icon (though Walker has had a successful subsequent career as U.S. Agent).

8. AQUAMAN LOSES HIS LEFT HAND
When Peter David took over the reins of Aquaman in the early 1990s, the character's reputation was... wen worse than it was before Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis' run started last year.

Looking for a way to make fans take the character seriously again, David went for the obvious solution: Have his left hand eaten by piranhas (Joseph Campbell would be proud). If Arthur hadn't been grim enough before losing an appendage, he certainly was by the time he'd replaced it with a hook and a particularly bleak sense of humor. Consider this proof that, sometimes, going darker really does work.

7. WORLDENGINE THOR
Another somewhat forgotten reboot of a character -- undone by Heroes Reborn and Heroes Return, and mostly ignored ever since -- Warren Ellis took the God of Thunder and stripped him of his faux-Shakespearean dialogue, made him mortal and hooked him up with the Enchantress, resulting in a character who was far more down to Earth (in many senses) than before and, yes, more than a little closer to what you'd expect from a Warren Ellis comic.

Shame, then, that Ellis left the title after his first storyline was finished, leaving the character -- and comic -- floundering until he was pulled away to the Jim Lee/Rob Liefeld pocket universe for a year. Consider this a sign that not all reboots are destined for posterity.


6. AZRAEL BATMAN
Oh, Jean-Paul Valley. We had such high hopes for you when you stepped into the Batman-shaped void left in Gotham when Bane broke Bruce Wayne's back during the "Knightfall" storyline, but before too long, your brand of justice devolved into the kind of hyper-violence that was specifically designed by the creators behind the storyline to demonstrate that not everyone can keep Gothamites safe in the manner to which they'd become accustomed (which is to say, "actually safe and not as afraid of their protectors as they are the bad guys").

Of course, Wayne returned to make everything right again. Consider this an argument against superheroes whose moral codes match their nemeses -- or against superheroes with overly-elaborate armor. Either one works.


5. GREEN LANTERN KILLS EVERYONE
Hal Jordan's grief-stricken transformation from Green Lantern into Parallax really is the gift that keeps giving in terms of 1990s themes that it fits into. As an attempt to make the Green Lantern title edgier and grab attention, there's little that's more definitive than driving your title character insane, having him kill his friends and bosses and then try to reboot reality, in the process wiping out everyone and everything he's ever known.

Thankfully, Geoff Johns soon showed up to make everything right again by revealing that Hal was possessed and didn't really mean it in the first place, in the process revealing that heroes with greying temples should never be trusted. Watch out for that Reed Richards, I'm telling you.

4. REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN
The last time that we saw Superman in an all-black outfit was, of course, when he also had a mullet and was returning from the dead to make everything right again after we'd seen not one, but two different "dark" variations on Superman: The characters that we've since come to know as the Eradicator (Superman stripped of his morality) and the Cyborg (Superman stripped of his humanity).

Although the entire Reign of the Supermen story only lasted six months, from the announcement of the storyline to the return of the real Kal-El, there was a period where either of these two characters may have been the "new" incarnation of the real deal -- something that was just a little bit too much of a change for comfort. Consider this a lucky escape (and a bit of a sneaky dodge, considering the answer to "Which is the Real Man of Steel?" turned out to be "None of The Above").


3. THE FALL OF ARSENAL
Coming further up to date, the storyline that saw Roy Harper's life fall apart drew a considerable amount of criticism when it appeared in 2010, considering that it involved erectile dysfunction and dead cats that our hero hallucinated into his dead child.

Clearly intended to push the character into a new place so that he could join the cast of the retooled Titans series, it nonetheless seemed a steep fall from his role as Red Arrow in Justice League of America, and perhaps a fall too far too quickly for fans' credibility to remain intact. Consider this a lesson about the limits of how far you can push things.

2. WONDER DOG JOINS, MAIMS THE TEEN TITANS
And talking of a darkening too far, there is always the revelation that Wonder Dog -- the DC Universe version of the Super Friends mascot -- was actually an Apokoliptian hellhound that killed Marvin and crippled Wendy, something that surprised everyone and shocked many. Consider this something that still seems on the line of gratuitous years later.

1. SPEEDBALL BECOMES PENANCE
Finally, there's poor Robbie Baldwin, the hero who was too bright, too silly and too fun to make it out of Civil War unscathed.

Not just new levels of angst and self-loathing for the former Speedball, he took on a new name and a new career as professional self-harmer as Penance, member of the Thunderbolts and poster boy for the all-new all-serious Marvel Universe. While it's unlikely that Superior Spider-Man will be as dramatic a recreation of a Steve Ditko character as this was, we can but hope that it will be something that will be longer-lasting... and maybe involve a little less blood.

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Marvel and DC reboot just to bring back "grim and gritty" comics?

 

[Will E Worm]

Comic-book legend regrets starting 'grim and gritty' trend

In 1986, Dick Giordano helped drag our heroes into darkness. The rest of pop culture has spent a quarter of a century catching up with him.

That was the year when DC Comics published Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, Alan Moore's The Watchmen and John Byrne's Man of Steel.

The Dark Knight was a reimagination of the Batman, transforming him from a leaden private eye with a utility belt to an aging, recovered alcoholic with a mean streak.

The Watchmen pulled the superhero archetype into the gutter, and is arguably the best mainstream comic ever produced.

Man of Steel rescued Superman from hands-on-hips proclamations and reignited his priceless brand.

As executive editor at DC Comics at the time, Giordano greenlit The Watchmen, co-wrote drafts of The Dark Knight, and inked Man of Steel. It's a straight line from Giordano to the Star Trek reboot and the nastifying of Mickey Mouse (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/business/media/05mickey.html).

Now 77 and in semi-retirement, he exchanged emails with us from his home in Florida.



When do you know that an iconic character needs to be reimagined?

I'm not sure that there is any science to deciding that a change is due. In the case of The Dark Knight Returns, we weren't so much trying to reimagine as we were trying to publish a dramatic, creative story and make it fit into the DC universe. (Writer and artist) Frank (Miller) had a vision of Batman that wasn't conventional in any sense of the word, and I wanted to bring that vision to our readers because I thought it would be a blast.

By contrast, John Byrne's Superman redo was thought necessary because DC's most iconic character was not DC's best seller ... and hadn't been for years and needed to be jump started to get it back to where it belonged ... in the reader's eye as well as the sales chart.

John's vision of Superman had nice little bits that I liked, but we didn't throw out the baby with the dishwater. He was different but still very much Superman. I asked John to make the opening Splash page in the series a radically different view of Krypton so that the every one would know that real change was in the air.

What are the dangers in doing so? What specific pressures were you and Frank Miller working under with Batman? Did you have any road maps that you were following?

Comic readers (and comic companies) often reject change no matter what the intent or execution of that change. "That ain't Batman! DC really screwed up this time" The main goal in re-doing or updating a major character is to retain the audience you have while adding new readers to your audience base

Marketing and some DC execs thought it was folly. A story line set in the future? In a format never tried before (48 pages, square bound with a cover price more than double the current price point)?: "We'll be killed!"

Road map? Flying upside down was the most fun, so that's what I did.

The Dark Knight Returns additionally helped start the "grim and gritty" trends in comic storytelling that still exist today. That was an unintended result, and I am truly sorry it happened. Comics are much too dark today. Er – in my opinion ...



Maybe it's the time specifically, but why are we suddenly so in love with the idea of good guys gone bad?

Who's "we"? Not me! I miss the heroes of yesteryear. Maybe that's why I don't get much work.

I think readers have become inured to the mindless violence on TV, the movies, and are comfortable with the anti-hero ... and the fact that there are so few heroes on our planet, the concept seems kinda silly to them.



Every time you see Mickey, Star Trek, Spider Man, etc. tweak the character, how do you feel about your own place in pop culture?

I didn't know I had a place in pop culture. I tried to have fun while doing my job. That was my only goal.

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Dark Age of Comic Books/ The Modern Age of Comic Books is an informal name for the period in the history of mainstream American comic books generally considered to last from the mid-1980s until present day. In this period, comic book characters generally became darker and more psychologically complex, creators became better-known and active in changing the industry, independent comics flourished, and larger publishing houses became more commercialized.

An alternate name for this period is the Dark Age of Comic Books, due to the popularity and artistic influence of grim titles, such as Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen.

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[darkwarrior3007]

I read that Superior Spider-Man isn't going to be Peter Parker at all because he will be dead.

 

[Will E Worm]

I read that Superior Spider-Man isn't going to be Peter Parker at all because he will be dead.

Not a good idea. They already changed too much.

Spider-Man: Four Theories On Why Peter Parker Dies Or Retires

The Amazing Spider-Man writer Dan Slott has made no secret of the fact that he might have to go into hiding after Amazing Spider-Man #700 is released. With Spider-Man having fifty years of history, comic book fans are often none to pleased when creators make major changes to their icons. There is definitely something big planned in Spider-Man’s imminent future. With today’s announcement of Superior Spider-Man, it was also strongly hinted that Peter Parker won’t be Spider-Man anymore. How does Peter Parker get replaced as Spider-Man? Who becomes the new Spider-Man? Here are four theories on what major event might occur in Amazing Spider-Man #700.

4. Major Supporting Character Dies– Of all the possibilities, the most obvious thing Marvel Comics might do in order to garner media attention is to kill off a major supporting character in Spider-Man. Killing off Peter Parker’s beloved Aunt May would of course create a big emotional impact, but the Aunt May is dead plotline has been used so many times before it would hardly be shocking. Mary Jane Watson’s death would actually probably inspire more outrage, especially if Marvel insists her death is real and that she will never return. If someone very close to Peter Parker dies, then it might be enough to push him to give up being Spider-Man.

3. Spider-Man Kills– Everyone suspects that Doctor Octopus won’t survive Amazing Spider-Man #700, but what if Spider-Man kills him. What if Doctor Octopus is remotely controlling his robotic arms and is about to kill someone close to Spider-Man? What if Spider-Man’s only choice is to kill Doctor Octopus to stop him? Having Spider-Man become a killer would definitely be a shocker. The guilt from having to take a life might be enough to make Peter Parker retire from being Spider-Man.

2. Peter Parker Is Severely Injured – Maybe some traumatic event happens in Amazing Spider-Man #700 where Peter Parker is severely injured. It’s possible that Peter Parker could be rendered no longer able to perform the job requirements of being Spider-Man. Could Alpha step in to take Peter Parker’s place as Spider-Man temporarily?

1. Peter Parker Is Killed – Forget about Peter Parker retiring or being injured, the most shocking and controversial thing that Marvel Comics could do is simply kill off Peter Parker. With retirement, there would always be the chance Peter Parker would come back. With death, Peter Parker would be gone for good. Ok, well he wouldn’t really be gone for good because we all know how comic books really work, but Marvel could sell the press on it being permanent and get a lot of headlines. At the end of Spider-Men #5, Peter Parker does a search for Miles Morales on Earth 616 on Google. Peter’s expression gives the appearance that he must have found something. Could Miles Morales of Earth 616 replace Peter Parker as Spider-Man?

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The Superior Spider-Man Seemingly Confirmed as Not Peter Parker

Earlier today, The Amazing Spider-Man writer Dan Slott talked to the media about his upcoming series The Superior Spider-Man, and both he and the reporter danced around the question of whether Peter Parker was still Spider-Man or not–and still alive or not.

Now, in a formal statement from the publisher, it appears as though Marvel and Slott have confirmed that the hero at the heart of The Superior Spider-Man is, in fact, not Peter Parker…although he’s apparently someone who has some experience superheroing.

“Peter Parker has spent a lifetime living up to the responsibilities his powers foisted upon him but his Amazing story finally ends dramatically in the historic Spider-Man #700,” Marvel said. “NOW! the new Spider-Man has arrived and he is better in every single way. Smarter, stronger…Superior.”

“This is still very much the world of Spider-Man. There may be a new Spider-Man here, doing things in a new and different way, but you’re going to see the Spider-cast reacting to this,” Slott. “You’re going to see how this Spider-Man will deal with our Spider-Man’s villains. How will he react to this Spider-Man’s supporting cast? That is clearly the world of this book. The world hasn’t changed, just the hero.”

“Spider-Man has learned a lot during his time as a super hero, making him not just amazing anymore, he’s more than that,” said Axel Alonso, Editor In Chief, Marvel Entertainment. “Dan and Ryan have Spider-Man on a path that will challenge him in every way. Just because Spider-Man is Superior, it doesn’t mean things are even close to getting easier!”

More on this over the weekend, surely.

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