He's A Spider-Man!?

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by Jetfire, Jan 15, 2010.

  1. TemporalFlux

    TemporalFlux Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I can't cite point for point evidence, but my "feel" of it has always been a pretty natural progression in the mainstream Marvel universe.

    1960's - Pete in high school / early college
    1970's - Pete's college age years
    1980's - Pete in mid 20's
    1990's - Pete in mid to late 20's
    2000's - Pete around age 30

    Of course, the recent "Brand New Day" kind of throws a curve ball in things; I can't really get a handle on where things are. I suppose he's supposed to be exactly where he was when Stracynski's book left off; but for me, "Brand New Day" feels like a regression in age back to mid 20's.
     
  2. TemporalFlux

    TemporalFlux Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I can't cite point for point evidence, but my "feel" of it has always been a pretty natural progression in the mainstream Marvel universe.

    1960's - Pete in high school / early college
    1970's - Pete's college age years
    1980's - Pete in mid 20's
    1990's - Pete in mid to late 20's
    2000's - Pete around age 30

    Of course, the recent "Brand New Day" kind of throws a curve ball in things; I can't really get a handle on where things are. I suppose he's supposed to be exactly where he was when Stracynski's book left off; but for me, "Brand New Day" feels like a regression in age back to mid 20's.
     
  3. Snaploud

    Snaploud Admiral Admiral

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    I think he works best as a thirty-something teacher.
     
  4. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    So, no super heroics from 8am-3pm?
     
  5. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    Yeesh, he'll be 40 in a decade or two! ( if comics last that long!)
     
  6. Snaploud

    Snaploud Admiral Admiral

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    Of course, the Spider-girl comics have Peter Parker as an older man (Spider-girl's father).
     
  7. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    Which is the right way to do it, always in the "future" or an alternate reality.
     
  8. Hermiod

    Hermiod Admiral Admiral

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    I believe he should grow up. We've spent decades telling the Peter Parker Loser storyline. It's done. The moment Captain America shook his hand and told him how much he admired and respected him is the same moment that storyline ends.

    He still had to juggle teaching his classes and being a superhero and people still don't entirely trust him (see the reaction when the New Avengers were announced with Spidey, Wolverine, Luke Cage and Spider-Woman a members).
     
  9. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    Should Bruce Wayne stop being a Millionare playboy? Should Clark Kent stop being a mild-mannered reporter? Why should Peter Parker "grow up"? Because you are tired of the "stoyline? What about new fans who've yet to encounter Peter Parker? Ones without decades to grow tired? Should Bart Simpson grow up too? Archie Andrews? Shaggy and Scooby? Charlie Brown?
     
  10. Hermiod

    Hermiod Admiral Admiral

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    It's called character growth. He's still the same person, just with a different job and a different set of responsibilities. They don't exactly pay young science teachers a fortune, after all.

    Judging by the reaction to One More Day/Brand New Day storyline, it would seem that a lot of people agree too.
     
  11. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    Is it? Or is it a lack of abilty to write Peter Parker as originaly conceived? Can't or won't write about a teenager? Simple solution, make him a twenty something and call it "character growth". Peter Parker is a fictional character in a medium where aging and time is irrelevent. No need to age him to invent "new" stories. Just write new stories about a teenager named Peter Parker. Pandering to the aging fan who needs Peter to "grow" with him is a slow road to a shrinking fanbase and oblivion.
     
  12. Hermiod

    Hermiod Admiral Admiral

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    ^Perhaps we should stick to writing Sue Storm as the Invisible Girl who needs to be saved by her teammates every week as well.

    Marvel's characters are not stuck in a time warp.
     
  13. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    Changing the role of a female (or male for that matter) character as societal attitudes evolve is a different matter. I'm all for comic book characters existing in today's world with todays attitudes A sliding scale time line is best for this type of serial fiction. Spider-man is always happening right now. His origin always happens in the past. (how far in the past is irrelevent) You don't have to write Sue a 1960s woman anymore than you have to dress her in 1960s fashions. But she does have to be Reed's fiancee and Johnny's sister.
     
  14. Jetfire

    Jetfire Guest

    I have no problem with Spider-Man's origin...but the movies and cartoons...etc always have him at that stage...and yes he is in costume and called Spider-Man...but it gets old after a while...there has to me more to the character...is the life of a Spider-Man only from 16-20???
     
  15. Hermiod

    Hermiod Admiral Admiral

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    ^And Peter Parker was still Mary Jane's husband and Aunt May's nephew.

    The fact that other heroes respect him more than he realises has been going on since at least the 80's. He was still Peter Parker, just with a better job and a bit more self-respect.

    Unfortunately, Brand New Day turned him back in to a loser.
     
  16. Anwar

    Anwar Admiral Admiral

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    It also screwed up some other stuff:

    It is now revealed that Harry Osborn never died back in 1993, but his father saved him and had kept him locked up in Europe until he felt it was right to revive him totally.

    Originally, Norman's motivation for planning the Clone Saga and returning to duty as the Goblin was to get back at Peter for "killing" Harry (back then, Norman really DID love Harry and was PO'ed he died fighting Peter). Now, since Harry never died and Norman knew it, why did he come back to torment Peter?!
     
  17. RandyS

    RandyS Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Not if you happen to BE over 30 son.;)
     
  18. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    I guess I missed MJ showing up in Amazing Fantasy #15.
     
  19. Hermiod

    Hermiod Admiral Admiral

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    ^MJ is Peter's longest running love interest. The fact that she wasn't around right at the start is unimportant.
     
  20. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    Thats part of the problem. Peter shouldn't have a long running love interest.

    Sue and MJ aren't equivalent. At best, MJ is Alicia.