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Some random thoughts about 1986.

During the early part of ’86 Secret Wars II was wrapping up, and the Spider-titles had significant tie-ins to this Marvel event.  Unfortunately Secret Wars II as a whole just didn’t work for me, but I did find the Puma arc in the Spider-titles to be more interesting than the mini-series itself.  And I did like the classic vibe of the sweet Leiber/Romita  Sr. cover for ASM 274.

 In Amazing Spider-man the ongoing subplot revolved around the Betty/Flash/Ned triangle and Flash being framed and imprisoned for being the Hobgoblin.  Jean DeWolff’s brother Brian also made an appearance in ASM 278 in a story co-plotted by Peter David.

In Spectacular Spider-man Peter David brought some significant changes to the life of the Black Cat.  When Spider-man sought out Dr. Strange’s help to rid him of the lingering effects of the black Cat’s ‘bad luck’,  Felicia ended up losing her powers.  Felicia then developed a relationship with the master assassin, Foreigner, and began hatching a plot against Spider-man that she would execute shortly before the big wedding in ’87.

 In August there was a Spider-title crossover of sorts called Missing in Action whose primary purpose was to get rid of the ‘red and blues’ and make the black costume Spider-man’s official costume.

In Web of Spider-man Spider-man Peter became a traveling international photojournalist  for Jameson’s NOW magazine.  Nothing really spectacular or amazing here, but I kept wondering how a capable journalist like Joy did not realize that Peter was Spider-man.

 Last but not least… Peter and MJ.  During the previous two years there was significant movement and growth for Peter and MJ.  However in ’86 their relationship became more stable.  Throughout 1986 MJ continued to be Peter’s confidant while the spectre of Spider-man continued to be a source of friction in their ongoing relationship.

 In ’84 we had the symbiote costume and MJ’s big reveal.  In ’85 we had the breakup with Felicia and The Death of Jean DeWolff.  But ’86 just didn’t have anything to match the scope of the previous two years… or the Big Wedding that would take place in 1987.

Almost there… :)

Here are some thoughts about 1985

Tom DeFalco began 1985 with a promising story featuring the Hobgoblin, Harry Osborn, and the birth of little Norman.  But for whatever reason after the first two ASM issues of 1985, the Hobgoblin/Harry subplot didn’t progress any further for the remainder of the year.  I believe 1985 also marked the first appearance of Silver Sable in ASM #265 who played a key role in Dan Slott’s recent Ends of the Earth arc.

From a title perspective, 1985 marked the end of the original Marvel Team-Up series, which was replaced by the new Web of Spider-man title.  Web of Spider-man #1 was a nice Alien Costume story which laid the groundwork for the Venom manifestation of the costume which would appear years later.

Even though Spider-man only appeared once in issue #2 in 1985 I did include the secret Wars II miniseries in my reading list for a couple of reasons.  First, Secret Wars II #2 did contain a significant crossover to Web #6 and ASM #268.  And second,  the last three issues of Secret Wars II do crossover with the spider-titles in early 1986 beginning with the Prologue in the closing pages of ASM #272.

The Black Cat/Spider-man relationship officially came to an end in Spectacular-Spider-man #100.  With MJ back in the picture and a relationship where Black Cat didn’t even like Peter Parker it was time to bring the flawed Spider-man/Black Cat relationship to an end.  The Kingpin’s role in the Black Cat/Spider-man breakup was interesting, but I just couldn’t get into The Spot, who also played a significant role in the story leading up to the breakup.

From a creator perspective, the last half of 1985 could almost be titled “Peter David Cometh”.  Peter David’s first Spider-man story of 1985 was in Spectacular Spider-man #103.  Peter David then continued to write Spectacular Spider-man from August (#105) through the end of the year (#109).  In addition To Spectacular Spider-man Peter David also wrote the following in 1985:  Amazing Spider-man #266-267,  Web of Spider-man #7, and Spectacular Spider-man Annual #5.  Peter David’s greatest Spider-man story, The Death of Jean DeWolff, ran through Spectacular Spider-man #107-110 and regularly appears in top 5 best Spider-man stories of all time lists.

With the breakup of Spider-man and the Black Cat, the Spider-man writers began to start developing the Peter/MJ relationship again.  Louise Simonson did some nice work on the Peter/MJ relationship in her run on Web of Spider-man #1-3.  And later in the year, Louise foreshadows the marriage two years before it actually happened in this scene from Amazing Spider-man Annual #19.

Mary Jane is having lunch with her Aunt Anna and Aunt May

Aunt Anna:  …So you see, Mary Jane, your quarrel with Peter is actually a good sign!

Aunt May:  Really, Dear!  Within three weeks of my big quarrel with Ben, we were married!

Aunt Anna:  In fact, May, I think we should give some serious thought about what to wear to their Wedding…!

So shortly after MJ’s big reveal in 1984 and the Black Cat breakup in early 1985, the Spider-man writers were teasing the Peter/MJ relationship… and foreshadowing the wedding two years before the Peter/MJ wedding took place.

Yea!... I just finished 1985!

At the rate I’m going it looks like the 25^th Anniversary of the Marriage of Peter and MJ will arrive before I make it to Amazing Spider-man Annual #21… But ‘faint heart never won fair maid’… and besides reading the spider-books leading up to the marriage is fun... so onward and forward.

 Here’s my reading order for 1985

Amazing Spider-man #260-261 – Hobgoblin

Marvel Team-Up #149-15 – X-Men & Juggernaut

Amazing Spider-man #262

Spectacular Spider-man #98-99 – Kingpin & The Spot

Amazing Spider-man #263 – The Spectacular Spider-Kid

Spectacular Spider-man #100 – Kingpin & The Spot

Web of Spider-man #1-3 - Alien Costume & Vulture

Spectacular Spider-man #101 – Backlash

Amazing Spider-man #264-265 - Black Fox & Silver Sable

Amazing Spider-man: Hooky

Spectacular Spider-man #102-103 - Killer Shrike & Human Torch

Amazing Spider-man #266  – Toad & Frog Man

Web of Spider-man #4-5 – Dr Octopus

Spectacular Spider-man #104 – Rocket Racer

Amazing Spider-man #267 – Human Torch

Spectacular Spider-man #105-106 - Wasp

Secret Wars II #1-2 - Beyonder

Web of Spider-man #6 – Kingpin

Amazing Spider-man #268 – Kingpin

Web of Spider-man #7 - Nightmare

Amazing Spider-man #269-270 – Firelord

Spectacular Spider-man Annual #5

Amazing Spider-man Annual #19 – Alistaire Smythe

Web of Spider-man #8-9

Web of Spider-man Annual #1

Amazing Spider-man #271-272 – Crusher Hogan & Slyde

Spectacular Spider-man #107-110 – Death of Jean DeWolff – Daredevil and Sin-Eater

Secret Wars II #3-6

I save my comments about 1985 for another post.

We'll just have to disagree on this I think.  I much prefer John Byrne as a writer over the likes of Brian Michael Bendis, Dwayne Mc Duffie, Geoff Johns, Roy Thomas, and Dan Jurgens.  I would put him slightly above Mark Millar, Peter David, both of whom have really high notes but have flaws.  I view Mark Waid as his virtual equal, and Stan Lee was is and always will be his better as far as creativity and originality, but then again was anyone really more creative than Stan who enjoyed great success with many different artists.

As for art John Byrne is without a doubt my favorite comic book artist of all time.  For four color superhero fun he really has no equal.  Good girl art I'd give to Dave Stevens.  I recognise the likes of Jack Cole, Jack Kirby, Neil Adams, Jim Steranko, George Perez, Arthur Adams (arthur being a close second for me)  I just think Byrne's body of work wins out.

I have often heard how terrible John Byrne is on his message board but hears the thing for me.  I dont go there so I never can be bothered by it.  He dosen't to the best of my knowledge Stalk every comic site forum twitter formsping facebook myspace ect... to get in fans faces because they dont like something he does.  He's off in his little corner where you can go to talk to him, or he just dosen't care.

May 22, 2012 -- 12:27AM, D._Slott wrote:

If it's so easy, show me a specific post where that editor has done what you're accusing him of-- and I guarantee you I can find a previous post from the "fan" he was responding to that was rude and/or meriting of that editor's retort.

You are correct that some times the behaviour in question is a response to rudeness.  But there are also times when the behaviour in question is just unjustified rudeness.  That's the problem with painting with a wide brush.   Carpet bombing often takes out innocent civilians as well.

Here's the problem with the tit for tat mentality.  Fans justify obnoxios behaviour because they are 'responding' to something creators have said or done that they don't like (and I understand that you have been the target of some horrific and unexcusable behaviour by some crazy people).  Then editors/creators at times will respond obnoxiously to fans because of 'rudeness' (sometimes real... somtimes imagined)... And then the cycle continues and feeds upon itself.

My position is that all sides need to lay off dialogue (and actions) that are personal in nature... period.  I don't think that incendiary language and behaviour is helpful... even in response to other incendiary behaviour.

So if a person thinks Spider-man Chapter One sucked... fine.  Let's discuss what people think sucked about Spider-man Chapter One.  But I don't think personal incendiary comments towards Byrne himself are helpful even if Chapter One sucked or even if Byrne may have insulted other creators and/or fans on his website somewhere.