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Post by james on May 9, 2017 17:19:03 GMT -5
Just read Spider-Man Annual 5 and I was just impressed with how perfect and tight the story was. And how it made me wish for Annuals written the old fashioned way; One issue tight storytelling no muss no fuss. So I ask those familiar with the issue how many issues would it take to write this storyline in today's Marvel. I think minimum of 12 issues. It would be touted as "The Summer Event that will reverberate through the Marvel Universe for years to come!" Sad really.  |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on May 9, 2017 18:18:24 GMT -5
Just read Spider-Man Annual 5 and I was just impressed with how perfect and tight the story was. And how it made me wish for Annuals written the old fashioned way; One issue tight storytelling no muss no fuss. So I ask those familiar with the issue how many issues would it take to write this storyline in today's Marvel. I think minimum of 12 issues. It would be touted as "The Summer Event that will reverberate through the Marvel Universe for years to come!" Sad really. I love this annual a lot too: great, pluse pounding story from Stan Lee, lovely artwork from Larry Lieber and Mike Esposito, who are both doing their best John Romita impression here.  And talking of ol' "Ring-a-Ding" Romita, I really dig his crazy, psychedelic front cover too. It's a gripping adventure, without doubt, full of intrigue and action, and it's one that had a big impact on Spidey's continuity. It's also nice to See Peter Parker in Algeria, rather than hanging around Manhatten yet again. I love the "Where It's At!" map of Spidey's Manhattan in the back of this issue too: things like that were always fun in Silver Age comics. Yep, this is definitely one of my favourite late '60s issues of Amazing Spider-Man. However, I should point out that some people tend to view this annual as the moment when Spider-Man "jumped the shark". Making his deceased parents into CIA spies, who died facing off against the Red Skull, isn't really in line with the everyman kind of charter that Peter Parker is supposed to be. Personally, it doesn't bother me, but I know for some people the characterisation of his parents was a step too far. As for how many issues this story would've taken to publish nowadays, what with all it's continuity repercussions, yes, I agree, probably 12 issues. But then, the entire comic book market is very different to how it was in the late '60s. |
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Post by james on May 9, 2017 18:36:04 GMT -5
Just read Spider-Man Annual 5 and I was just impressed with how perfect and tight the story was. And how it made me wish for Annuals written the old fashioned way; One issue tight storytelling no muss no fuss. So I ask those familiar with the issue how many issues would it take to write this storyline in today's Marvel. I think minimum of 12 issues. It would be touted as "The Summer Event that will reverberate through the Marvel Universe for years to come!" Sad really. I love this annual a lot too: great, pluse pounding story from Stan Lee, lovely artwork from Larry Lieber and Mike Esposito, who are both doing their best John Romita impression here. And talking of ol' "Ring-a-Ding" Romita, I really dig his crazy, psychedelic front cover too. It's a gripping adventure, without doubt, full of intrigue and action, and it's one that had a big impact on Spidey's continuity. It's also nice to See Peter Parker in Algeria, rather than hanging around Manhatten yet again. I love the "Where It's At!" map of Spidey's Manhattan in the back of this issue too: things like that were always fun in Silver Age comics. Yep, this is definitely one of my favourite late '60s issues of Amazing Spider-Man. However, I should point out that some people tend to view this annual as the moment when Spider-Man "jumped the shark". Making his deceased parents into CIA spies, who died facing off against the Red Skull, isn't really in line with the everyman kind of charter that Peter Parker is supposed to be. Personally, it doesn't bother me, but I know for some people the characterisation of his parents was a step too far. As for how many issues this story would've taken to publish nowadays, what with all it's continuity repercussions, yes, I agree, probably 12 issues. But then, the entire comic book market is very different to how it was in the late '60s. Interesting that people think Spidey Jumped the Shark in 1968. But it brings up a good question. When if ever did Spidey Jump the Shark? Id say Recently with him becoming Tony Stark mach 2. Marvel and Slott have totally thrown away whay made Peter so important to many comicbook readers |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on May 9, 2017 18:44:40 GMT -5
Interesting that people think Spidey Jumped the Shark in 1968. But it brings up a good question. When if ever did Spidey Jump the Shark? Id say Recently with him becoming Tony Stark mach 2. Marvel and Slott have totally thrown away whay made Peter so important to many comicbook readers The Peter Parker/Spider-Man that I know and love ended in 2007 with the "One More Day"/"Brand New Day" nonsense. Prior to that, I think there were instances of Spidey semi-jumping the shark -- like during the '90s Clone Saga for instance -- but the series managed to stumble through that and, actually, we had the heights of the J. Michael Strazyinski run in the 2000s. But yeah, the Spidey I grew up reading died with "One More Day". |
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2017 11:10:24 GMT -5
I recently read this story for the first time. I can't answer the question though since I don't read new books much.
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Post by chaykinstevens on May 10, 2017 16:00:10 GMT -5
I love this annual a lot too: great, pluse pounding story from Stan Lee, lovely artwork from Larry Lieber and Mike Esposito, who are both doing their best John Romita impression here. GCD says "John Romita wrote that he worked very closely, page by page, with Larry Lieber, in laying out the story and assisting with the pencils, on this issue." |
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Post by Cei-U! on May 10, 2017 16:26:35 GMT -5
While I don't think the series jumped the shark with Annual #5, I do think it was a serious lapse in judgment on Stan Lee's part for exactly the reason mentioned by Confessor. (It also violated Stan's own timeline for Red Skull, and arguably SHIELD as well, but never mind.) I think Stan knew he screwed up, too, as the storyline wasn't referenced again for more than a quarter of a century. I can still enjoy the Annual in its own right, but I will never consider it part of my personal Spidey canon.
Cei-U!
I summon the middle ground!
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on May 10, 2017 16:56:27 GMT -5
I love this annual a lot too: great, pluse pounding story from Stan Lee, lovely artwork from Larry Lieber and Mike Esposito, who are both doing their best John Romita impression here. GCD says "John Romita wrote that he worked very closely, page by page, with Larry Lieber, in laying out the story and assisting with the pencils, on this issue." Ah, OK....that makes a lot of sense. The artwork is very John Romita-ish. |
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Post by pinkfloydsound17 on May 10, 2017 19:30:31 GMT -5
I have often felt this annual and the story it tells gets swept under the rug when talking about Spidey's history. To me, it is a well written tale. I wish someone with more creativity had done something with it rather than the 90's parent clones that came about and began what I feel was the slow eventual demise of Spider-Man as a character.
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Post by profh0011 on Oct 19, 2020 12:03:58 GMT -5
In several interviews he gave in the 1990s, John Romita revealed that from the moment he replaced Steve Ditko on Spider-Man, he was the "de facto editor" on the book. HE wrote the stories, with his editor occasionally "course-correcting" (I.E., being a "back-seat driver") when it came to certain things. ("Make Gwen nicer." "Make Gwen prettier." Have Pete & Gwen get serious." "Make MJ UGLIER." heh) Even when other artists were recruited (Don Heck, Larry Lieber, Jim Mooney, John Buscema, Gil Kane, Jim Starlin!), Romita was the driving force behind the stories. He once complained that the system he worked out with Buscema was actually FAR MORE time-consuming than if he'd just done the damned pages HIMSELF. (" THIS is supposed to save me time?", he apparently once asked.) Now, regarding "The Red Skull"... it's hilarious that this story came out exactly when Kirby was right in the middle of a Red Skull story in CAPTAIN AMERICA. However, in a subtle way, this was explained later on... Certain Golden Age fans made a big deal about how Cap being in suspended animation since 1945 contradicted all those comics in the late 40s, or the short-lived revival (by John Romita, funny enough) in the early 50s. Kirby didn't do those, so no doubt in 1964 he felt every right as Cap's creator to IGNORE them.  But in CAP's letters pages, a number of fan theories began to circulate, and one of them was published which mirrored almost EXACTLY the story Steve Englehart wrote when he took over the book, just a few months later. Which was, the 1950s Cap was SOMEBODY ELSE. Now, since Kirby also revealed (in TALES OF SUSPENSE) that The Red Skull had been in suspended animation longer than Cap... this means... the 1950s Red Skull was ALSO somebody else. And there you go! Without even mentioning it in the comics (or the letter pages), Englehart's story "explained" that the "Red Skull" that Spider-Man fought in ASM ANNUAL #5 in 1968-- who said he'd been running a spy ring in Africa since the 1950s-- was the 1950s Red Skull! Amazing how that fit together so easily... |
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Post by Prince Hal on Oct 19, 2020 12:37:24 GMT -5
I thought of this story when I was told (didn't read or see) the secret of Harry Potter's parents being revealed.
I read this when it first came out in that glorious (for comic books anyway) summer of 1968. (Just writing my next entry in Comic Lover's Memories about this very time!)Anyway, haven't read it since, but I do recall how much I enjoyed it.
I certainly didn't think of it as whatever the 1968 equivalent of jumping the shark would've been. Maybe, with apologies to "Easy Rider," "They blew it."
Spider-Man and the whole Marvel phenomenon were still too new and fresh for me to have felt as if they'd gone too far. It just seemed as if Marvel was revealing -- to borrow a term from DC -- an "untold story" of Spidey's past. I didn't notice continuity gaffes, the plethora of coincidences, or anything like that. Those would be problems for future fans and fanboys. For me it was an emotional, exciting, well-told tale.
Which was what 14-year-old me read comics for.
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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Oct 19, 2020 12:55:27 GMT -5
I love this annual a lot too: great, pluse pounding story from Stan Lee, lovely artwork from Larry Lieber and Mike Esposito, who are both doing their best John Romita impression here. And talking of ol' "Ring-a-Ding" Romita, I really dig his crazy, psychedelic front cover too. It's a gripping adventure, without doubt, full of intrigue and action, and it's one that had a big impact on Spidey's continuity. It's also nice to See Peter Parker in Algeria, rather than hanging around Manhatten yet again. I love the "Where It's At!" map of Spidey's Manhattan in the back of this issue too: things like that were always fun in Silver Age comics. Yep, this is definitely one of my favourite late '60s issues of Amazing Spider-Man. However, I should point out that some people tend to view this annual as the moment when Spider-Man "jumped the shark". Making his deceased parents into CIA spies, who died facing off against the Red Skull, isn't really in line with the everyman kind of charter that Peter Parker is supposed to be. Personally, it doesn't bother me, but I know for some people the characterisation of his parents was a step too far. As for how many issues this story would've taken to publish nowadays, what with all it's continuity repercussions, yes, I agree, probably 12 issues. But then, the entire comic book market is very different to how it was in the late '60s. I've not read the comic in question. I did see his parents "come back" in the 90's Clone Saga though. But in this instance I could see his parents having a mysterious background and Aunt May knowing, as she was always so hell bent on Peter focusing on school and his education and making sure that he was always safe. She was his guardian, and so that he wouldn't end up like his parents, she watched over him and protected him. If even if it was an overkill. Maybe I'll luck out, and if it's been reprinted can find a TPB at the library and read it. |
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Post by beccabear67 on Oct 19, 2020 15:47:45 GMT -5
Yeah, would be into a reprint of this! I used to have Annual #1 and #3 once upon a time, and today I have Annual #10-13. I bought Annual #13 when it came out alongside #198 and the Marvel Tales with Aunt May marrying Doc Octopus, those three plus two paperbacks of Lee/Ditko was my intro to following the saga of Peter Parker.
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Post by chaykinstevens on Oct 19, 2020 15:58:29 GMT -5
The story was reprinted in Marvel Tales #264-5, with rather wonky new covers by Brian Stelfreeze.
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Oct 19, 2020 17:24:26 GMT -5
In several interviews he gave in the 1990s, John Romita revealed that from the moment he replaced Steve Ditko on Spider-Man, he was the "de facto editor" on the book. HE wrote the stories, with his editor occasionally "course-correcting" (I.E., being a "back-seat driver") when it came to certain things. ("Make Gwen nicer." "Make Gwen prettier." Have Pete & Gwen get serious." "Make MJ UGLIER." heh) Man, did Stan Lee steal your bike or shag your wife or something? We get it. You don't like Stan Lee. But this constant bashing and belittling of his contributions to Marvel's Silver Age output is starting to get repetitive and also a little obsessive sounding. It's also wildly exaggerated, frankly. I know that Ditko, Romita and Kirby did a lot of the heavy lifting story telling-wise, but they didn't do it all. Not by a long shot. You also never produce any reliable sources to support your accusations. I mean, it's up to you what you post, of course, but it's puzzling to me why you'd spend so much time typing negative stuff about Lee. All. The. Time. |
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And talking of ol' "Ring-a-Ding" Romita, I really dig his crazy, psychedelic front cover too. It's a gripping adventure, without doubt, full of intrigue and action, and it's one that had a big impact on Spidey's continuity. It's also nice to See Peter Parker in Algeria, rather than hanging around Manhatten yet again.
