Greetings, Spider-Fans!
The NY Daily News has just published a major scoop: Peter Parker will return to his webslinging duties in April with “Amazing Spider-Man #1” This has been rumoured since earlier this week when the cover art below was released once again showing a grinning Spider-Man that could only be the real Parker, but finally confirmed with today’s news article.
It’s been a long year without Parker, who has been absent from his own book for just over a year. For those not up to speed on the continuity, late last year, villain Otto Octavious (aka Dr. Octopus) switched bodies with Spider-Man, leaving Peter Parker stuck in his terminally ill body. So when “Octavious” kicked the bucket, so did Peter’s psyche. This body-switching and killing off of a major character prompting everything from death threats to highest praise for writer Dan Slott. As of the past few issues of the “Superior Spider-Man,” Octavious has now found himself merged with the Venom symbiote. Superior, indeed.
Regardless, we all knew it was only a matter of time before Peter Parker came back for realsies, right? First, there were the numerous times Octavious found himself arguing with Parker’s “ghost” in his mind. A little Ben Kenobi/Incredible Hulk, maybe, but it wasn’t like Parker was really completely gone those first few issues.
Even after Octavious seemingly was able to rid himself of Parker’s conscience, it seemed clear Marvel would bring Peter Parker back and relaunch an “Amazing Spider-Man” title. The answer is all about the $$$$$$$$$$$.
One important date to remember is May 2, 2014 – the day “Amazing Spider-Man 2” hits theaters and looks to smash box office records like its predecessors in the franchise. Did anyone ever think Marvel would keep Doc Ock in Spidey’s body through then? Because they totally wanted this to happen:
INT: A comic book store
Impressionable Youth: I just got out of the new Spider-Man movie and it was awesome! I wanted to get some Spider-Man comics
Clerk: Sure! This is the latest issue, and in it, Spider-Man is actually Doctor Octopus, who I know, he wasn’t in this movie, but he was actually the villain in 2004’s Spider-Man 2, directed by Sam Raimi, which is the best Spider-Man movie of the franchise and here’s why. . .
{Youth backs out of store slowly, never to return)
And. . . scene. Instead, what Marvel wants to do is have a helpful, not at all scary clerk say: “Sure, this just came out a few weeks ago—‘Amazing Spider-Man #1.’ It’s a perfect jumping-off point. And here, try out this ‘Ultimate Spider-Man’ Volume 1 trade paperback. Read both of those and then come back and tell me which you like and I can give you more suggestions.”
Indeed, writer Dan Slott visited Andrew Garfield, himself a huge fan of the character and comics, on the set of Amazing Spider-Man 2 and promised him Peter would be back by the time the film premiered.
The second financial decision here is the consideration of relaunching with a first issue in a new series. Why? Because those sell like hotcakes, son! According to Diamond Distribution, Issue #1’s made up almost every single one of the 10 titles sold in 2013.
With Marvel knowing that movie releases also cause an uptick in comic sales, this was bound to happen. And not at all coincidental that it’s happening when it is.
What it has been, for me at least, is a palliative. It’s that bite of ginger to clear your tongue for the next piece of sushi. Since 1963, Spider-Man has been about one guy battling more or less the same villains. The “Brand New Day” was supposed to reset Spider-Man, but that to me was just a cop out. “Superior Spider-Man” has been a breath of fresh air, as Doc Ock’s Spidey is mean, arrogant, and kind of a jerk. Getting little Petey Parker back will be perfect, and I’m not the only one who thinks so.
In fact, Marvel Editor in Chief Axel Alonso said, “I do feel people will appreciate him a little more after this. I do think people have been taking him for granted.”
Dan Slott has taken to Facebook and Twitter warning of spoilers that may come out between now and Wednesday, so he’s advising those who are spoiler averse to go on social media blackout until you get your issue this Wednesday (of course!)
“We’ve gone over 30 issues without Peter Parker, so when we let him out of that box and he gets to put on that costume again and he gets to swing through the sky, it’s going to be the greatest feeling,” says Slott.
“But there’s a twist. There’s always a twist.”
Slott’s also been a naughty boy, confirming to the Daily News that the plan from the beginning was always to bring Peter back. But in the meantime, he’s made some people cry. Some are over-privileged loudmouth fanboys who deserve it. Others are little kids:
“To do that for a solid year of my life, that’s the hardest thing I’ve had to do — to look small children in the eye at a convention and lie to them,” Slott told The Daily News. “Inside, part of me was dying.”
Lying to children? Naughty.
But bringing back Peter Parker will be nice.
Check it out when “Superior Spider-Man #25” hits shelves, and make sure you tell your local comic shop to add “Amazing Spider-Man #1” to your pull/hold as soon as you can.