Support NeoGAF

[mattx5]

Spidey 2 has renewed my interest in the Spiderman mythos, though it has been a long time since I've bought any comics.

I've heard about this new Ultimate series, though I'm not really interested in a re-imagining of the series.

I stopped collecting (Though I never really had a big collection, no more than 100 comics) about 7 years ago. I missed out on a lot, like the 'rejuvenation' of Amazing, the re-emergence of Norman Osbourne, the death of Doc Ock (He did die, right?), and more. Not to mention that I never could afford a lot of the older comic books, so I never had the Peter and MJ wedding comics, first appearances, the symbiote saga, not to mention I never finished the clone saga (Though that's fairly recent). In fact, the clone saga is why I stopped collecting. The plot lines were getting too convoluted.

Is there any way for me to recap what I missed? I've heard about Marvel Essentials, what is it exactly?

Any reccomendations, ie. story arcs bundled together into one big paperback for cheap?

 

[neptunes]

go tomorrow

It's FREE COMIC BOOK DAY.
July 3rd.


go here for more information

http://www.freecomicbookday.com

 

[Willco]

Even though Ultimate is a re-imagining of sorts, I highly recommend it. It's the main source for Raimi and Co. when dealing with the movie adaptation and it easily has had the best writer/artist run on any Spidey comic in years. Get it, dude.

In the Amazing Spider-Man storyline, they've basically erased anything from the 1990s, bringing back Norman Osborn and Aunt May, as well as telling Aunt May that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. JMS is the curren writer for Amazing and his run started out great and is currently mediocre. Pick up Coming Home, if you must.

Mark Millar just released "Spider-Man" to coincide with the release of the movie and while it's in the normal Marvel Universe, this title is a throwback to older titles where Spidey battles rogues and what not. I recommend it.

But you got to get Ultimate. The Doc Ock scene in Spider-Man 2 is practically taken right from the pages of Ultimate Spider-Man. A lot of the film inventions are really from Ultimate Spider-Man as well.

 

[Baconäger]

Yeah, you really should buy some of the Ultimate books. They're awesome.

 

[Dead]

I really reccomend Ultimate SpiderMan even though youre not interested in it. Its easily the besy SpiderMan comic on the market now imo, with MK SpiderMan close behind

 

[mattx5]

I checked up on Free Comic Book Day, seems they only have one Spidey comic for free though??

As for the Ultimate series....I dunno, nostalgia has a strong hold on me. How far are they into the series? If they're only a few dozen issues in, I might consider grabbing it all up.

Edit- I just took a look at the Essential Spiderman Volumes. Holy crap, they're jam packed! Are they plannign on continuing them for a long time, encompassing a large portion of the Amazing series? Second, I assume they're in black and white? Does that hinder the reading experience?

 

[Willco]

I checked up on Free Comic Book Day, seems they only have one Spidey comic for free though??

As for the Ultimate series....I dunno, nostalgia has a strong hold on me. How far are they into the series? If they're only a few dozen issues in, I might consider grabbing it all up.

Edit- I just took a look at the Essential Spiderman Volumes. Holy crap, they're jam packed! Are they plannign on continuing them for a long time, encompassing a large portion of the Amazing series? Second, I assume they're in black and white? Does that hinder the reading experience?

Essential is decent, although dated. The current Amazing series has their own TPBs and won't be involve in Essential.

I think we're what, maybe 60 issues into Ultimate Spider-Man now? I forget. They've got them all conveniently put into great volumes, in either paperback or hardback. They're current, not to expensive and highly recommend. My guess is you'll see a lot of similarities between Ultimate and the movies.

Plus, Sam Raimi makes a cameo in Ultimate Spider-Man!

 

[Dead]

I checked up on Free Comic Book Day, seems they only have one Spidey comic for free though??

As for the Ultimate series....I dunno, nostalgia has a strong hold on me. How far are they into the series? If they're only a few dozen issues in, I might consider grabbing it all up.

Edit- I just took a look at the Essential Spiderman Volumes. Holy crap, they're jam packed! Are they plannign on continuing them for a long time, encompassing a large portion of the Amazing series? Second, I assume they're in black and white? Does that hinder the reading experience?

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/bo...ISBN=0760761337&userid=Vi7JPPc9jJ&cds2Pid=946

Buy that


1000 page hardcover book collecting the first 6 TPBs of Ultimate SpiderMan


One Thousand pages for 39.99

Ive seen the book, its quality. Buy it, you wont regret it, trust me.

It even has a classic issue inside as well as character sketches, notes and all that

 

[Bowser]

TalesOfWonder.com deal: First three Ultimate Spider-Man Hardcovers (First 40 or so issues) for $39.99!

 

[The Fronde]

I don't know if they're any good, though they seem to be from this Ultimate series, but Marvel put some free comics up on their site.

http://marvel.com/dotcomics/index.htm

 

[Matrix]

I think im going to pick up some Ultimate Spiderman paperbacks.Any difference besides price in the hardcover versions?

 

[mattx5]

So Ultimate is arranged in volumes as well? Excellent, I guess I'll start out with one, and then work my way from there.

And could you elaborate a bit on the situation between the Essentials, and the current Amazing series? Have they started arranging the newer Amazing stories into volumes as well? What about the older Amazings? I remember seeing a TPB of the entire Pete and MJ wedding story arc, do they have other compilations similar to that?

PS, I'm not really savvy with comic book terminology, when you say TPB, you're not referring to the individual comics, but rather a collection of them all in one paper back, correct?

 

[Dead]

So Ultimate is arranged in volumes as well? Excellent, I guess I'll start out with one, and then work my way from there.

And could you elaborate a bit on the situation between the Essentials, and the current Amazing series? Have they started arranging the newer Amazing stories into volumes as well? What about the older Amazings? I remember seeing a TPB of the entire Pete and MJ wedding story arc, do they have other compilations similar to that?

PS, I'm not really savvy with comic book terminology, when you say TPB, you're not referring to the individual comics, but rather a collection of them all in one paper back, correct?

yep TPB = Trade Paper Back, usually collecting a single arc, sometimes more.

just buy this: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/bo...ISBN=0760761337&userid=Vi7JPPc9jJ&cds2Pid=946

 

[mattx5]

Woah, nice! Would that bring me up to the most recent issue in the Ultimate series, more or less?

 

[Matrix]

yep TPB = Trade Paper Back, usually collecting a single arc, sometimes more.

just buy this: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/bo...ISBN=0760761337&userid=Vi7JPPc9jJ&cds2Pid=946

Thats sexy,im buying that So that covers volumes 1-6?

 

[mattx5]

I just noticed another title. What's Marvel Masterworks?

 

[Bowser]

Woah, nice! Would that bring me up to the most recent issue in the Ultimate series, more or less?

I think it brings you up to speed on the first 40 or so issues (same as TalesOfWonder.com deal, just that the BN version has all 40 in one collectiong, while the TalesOfWonder.com has the three seperate hardcovers; They're both the same tho).

 

[Dead]

Woah, nice! Would that bring me up to the most recent issue in the Ultimate series, more or less?

well there are 9 total volumes of Ultimate Spidey now.

The book I linked covers volumes 1 - 6. Its totally worth it. and at 39.99 its a steal considering each hardcover usually costs 24.99 at stores.

 

[mattx5]

About Free Comic Book Day-

Besides the free comic books (Though I only saw one Spidey comic on the site), are there any sales? if so, that's when I'd pick up the Ultimate Collection.

 

[Dead]

About Free Comic Book Day-

Besides the free comic books (Though I only saw one Spidey comic on the site), are there any sales? if so, that's when I'd pick up the Ultimate Collection.

The ultimate collection is only available from Barnes and Noble im afraid. You can only get it from theire website or theire store

 

[Semjaza Azazel]

I'm not into Ultimate. It's not bad per se, it just does not appeal to me.

I'm liking the new Marvel Knights Spider-Man though.

 

[Willco]

Yeah, there's a more recent arc where Spider-Man and Doc Ock get upset after Avi Arad and Sam Raimi start filming a movie about him, which he gets no royalties and Doc Ock's ex-wife sells his rights without his permission. Funny stuff. It's pretty much Bendis' homage to superhero movies. I mean, there's lines and scenes from a billion different things, including Unbreakable. It's not in that hardback, but it's recent enough that you can probably track down issues for cover price if you wanted to.

 

[mattx5]

Barnes and Nobles only eh? Well, I'll save up this week's paycheck then

Also, sorry to regurgitate previous questions, but -

Could you elaborate a bit on the situation between the Essentials, and the current Amazing series? Have they started arranging the newer Amazing stories into volumes as well? What about the older Amazings? I remember seeing a TPB of the entire Pete and MJ wedding story arc, do they have other compilations similar to that?

Second, what is Marvel Masterworks?

 

[Willco]

I'm not into Ultimate. It's not bad per se, it just does not appeal to me.

I'm liking the new Marvel Knights Spider-Man though.

Marvel Knights is Mark Millar's Spider-Man title based in the regular Marvel Universe continuity. It's pretty swank, as I posted above.

 

[Seth C]

I already have all three Ultimate Spider-Man hardcovers and I'm still considering buying that collected volume. To the thread originator, please PLEASE get that hardcover. It is so very worth it. Ultimate Spider-Man really is one of the best tellings of the Spider-Man story, ever. Trust me, you don't really want to read the 60's Amazing spider-Man. The stories are fine, but the writing is just a chore to sit through.

Ultimate Spider-Man is up to issue #61, I believe, possibly #62. Carnage Part 2.

 

[Willco]

Barnes and Nobles only eh? Well, I'll save up this week's paycheck then

Also, sorry to regurgitate a previous question, but -

And could you elaborate a bit on the situation between the Essentials, and the current Amazing series? Have they started arranging the newer Amazing stories into volumes as well? What about the older Amazings? I remember seeing a TPB of the entire Pete and MJ wedding story arc, do they have other compilations similar to that?

The new Amazing stories are in volumes as well. You can get some older Amazing trades, but it's a lot harder. Marvel really didn't start putting out trades until about the time the original Spider-Man came out. Now, it's a huge business for them. Trades are out all the time, moreso than their rival DC Comics.

But, basically anything before JMS is garbage and not worth buying anyway.

 

[mattx5]

So the new Ultimates will keep coming out in TPBs as well as individual issues? Because I don't think I'd be able to keep up with the series on a regular basis, and being able to just buy a whole volume at a time is a lot more convenient

 

[BobbyRobby]

Damn, that Ultimate Spiderman hardcover makes me so glad I get a discount at Barnes & Noble. I was skeptical of the Ultimate universe at first, but after reading the UXMs, all doubt has been erased.

Willco pretty much covered everything except the new Spectacular Spiderman series which just started pretty recently. Issue #16 just came out. Its basically more of the same, thought the artwork for the first 12 or so issues was a bit too unrealistic looking. I personally like it, but I'm pretty biased towards Spidey.

Edit: As for securing the real old Spiderman stories, I'd check the back issues at your local store for issues of Marvel Tales. After a certain point, the series just became reprints of old Spiderman comics. I think they're pretty cheap too.

 

[Dead]

So the new Ultimates will keep coming out in TPBs as well as individual issues? Because I don't think I'd be able to keep up with the series on a regular basis, and being able to just buy a whole volume at a time is a lot more convenient

Yep, this is pretty much what I do now. ive stopped buying indivisual comics and just wait for the trades. Its much better that way, and besides many comics are padded to suit TPBs so its jarring to read them individually. Reading it straight through in a TPB is much much better

 

[Willco]

So the new Ultimates will keep coming out in TPBs as well as individual issues? Because I don't think I'd be able to keep up with the series on a regular basis, and being able to just buy a whole volume at a time is a lot more convenient

Yeah, not only do they keep coming up in TPB, the Ultimate line comes out in TPBs a lot quicker than other lines simply because the Ultimate line is, by far, Marvel's best-selling brand.

 

[mattx5]

Any idea how long they'll continue the Essential Series? I'd love to see them take it as far as they can, I'd be able to catch up on all that I missed (which is a lot )

And while I'm at it, could anyone reccomend a good Spidey encyclopedia?

 

[Agent Dormer]

Fact: Ultimate Spider-Man is kick-ass.
Fact: Wilco is one of the best posters on NeoGAF.

 

[Willco]

Any idea how long they'll continue the Essential Series? I'd love to see them take it as far as they can, I'd be able to catch up on all that I missed (which is a lot )

The Essential Series has been in print for forever, but I doubt it'll go much farther than the '80s.

The problem with older comics is that in Marvel, save for the X-Men (and that's not all true here as well), a lot of continuity has been replaced.

That's why for people who read comics, Ultimate Spider-Man is a welcome relief. We can start fresh, it's better than any Spidey title in years and we don't have to deal with a convoluted history.

 

[Seth C]

Marvel Knights is Mark Millar's Spider-Man title based in the regular Marvel Universe continuity. It's pretty swank, as I posted above.

Technically it's in the Marvel Knights universe, which is a little different.

 

[Willco]

Technically it's in the Marvel Knights universe, which is a little different.

Not really. Marvel Knights is still within the Marvel Universe. They get to use profanity. Good for them! It's just an easier way for Marvel to separate brands.

 

[Baconäger]

Plus, Sam Raimi makes a cameo in Ultimate Spider-Man!

I actually wasn't thrilled about the movie arc. It seemed really forced.

 

[Seth C]

Not really. Marvel Knights is still within the Marvel Universe. They get to use profanity. Good for them! It's just an easier way for Marvel to separate brands.

But the storylines don't mix between the MK line and the standard ones. It takes place in current Marvel continuity, but at the same time they don't "mix." Marvel Previews refers to it as the "MK Universe."

 

[Willco]

I actually wasn't thrilled about the movie arc. It seemed really forced.

I don't think it was forced at all. It definitely wasn't one of the best arcs, but it was great to see Bendis compile an arc basically using scenes from other movies, books and whatnot.

 

[Seth C]

Oh, and "Hollywood" was the most recent story arc, before the current "Carnage" arc which just got started. It should be easy to find for anyone wanting to read it.

 

[Willco]

But the storylines don't mix between the MK line and the standard ones. It takes place in current Marvel continuity, but at the same time they don't "mix." Marvel Previews refers to it as the "MK Universe."

That's not true at all. Look at Alias and Daredevil, for example. Stories from both have found their way into other Marvel titles and all the continuity from both are in The Pulse, which is not Marvel Knights.

 

[mattx5]

I just read a summary of the Clone Saga arc over at some site, and all I have to say is wtf? Ben Reilly was really Peter Parker, and the man in the costume for over 200 issues of Amazing was a clone? What a load of dog shit?!

 

[Seth C]

That's not true at all. Look at Alias and Daredevil, for example. Stories from both have found their way into other Marvel titles and all the continuity from both are in The Pulse, which is not Marvel Knights.

That's true. Daredevil and Alias fit within MK more than the regular universe anyway though. MK Spider-Man certainly won't be finding its way in to Amazing or Spectacular though.

I dunno, it seems like it's the same universe when they want it to be, and not when they don't.

 

[Willco]

But that's the way it is with ALL Marvel titles nowadays. Even if Millar's Spider-Man was just a regular Marvel print, you wouldn't see it share stories with Spectacular and Amazing because Marvel is trying to avoid crossovers. There are some good and bad benefits. The good is that we're not cheated out of dollars by buying shitty comics by shitty writers to figure out what the hell is going on. The bad is that it forces writers to make up shit to explain a very significant event in another book, like how Chuck Austen fucked with Morrison's second evolution stuff in Uncanny because of Morrison's run on New X-Men.

 

[Bowser]

I just read a summary of the Clone Saga arc over at some site, and all I have to say is wtf? Ben Reilly was really Peter Parker, and the man in the costume for over 200 issues of Amazing was a clone? What a load of dog shit?!

Just pretend it never happened; Please, just ignore it

 

[Willco]

I just read a summary of the Clone Saga arc over at some site, and all I have to say is wtf? Ben Reilly was really Peter Parker, and the man in the costume for over 200 issues of Amazing was a clone? What a load of dog shit?!

Hence the reason why the entire Clone Saga and virtually anything that came out of the 1990s was erased when they rebooted Amazing Spider-Man a few years back. The Clone Saga probably was the death of Spider-Man in his original form and no retconning will ever bring Amazing back from where it once was.

That's why, again, Ultimate is such a welcome relief.

I think that's also the reason why a lot of people like Ultimate Spider-Man, despite their attachment to the glory days of Amazing Spider-Man and some will never, ever read Ultimate X-Men (especially Nomo!) because there really hasn't been a Clone Saga-like event to destroy the rich, albeit convoluted history of the X-Men.

 

[Seth C]

I just read a summary of the Clone Saga arc over at some site, and all I have to say is wtf? Ben Reilly was really Peter Parker, and the man in the costume for over 200 issues of Amazing was a clone? What a load of dog shit?!

And this one story arc made me stop collecting comics so many years ago. Ugh.

 

[Bowser]

I think that's also the reason why a lot of people like Ultimate Spider-Man, despite their attachment to the glory days of Amazing Spider-Man and some will never, ever read Ultimate X-Men (especially Nomo!) because there really hasn't been a Clone Saga-like event to destroy the rich, albeit convoluted history of the X-Men.

It doesn't help that Ultimate Spider-Man is basically the only consistently good Ultimate title.

 

[Seth C]

But that's the way it is with ALL Marvel titles nowadays. Even if Millar's Spider-Man was just a regular Marvel print, you wouldn't see it share stories with Spectacular and Amazing because Marvel is trying to avoid crossovers. There are some good and bad benefits. The good is that we're not cheated out of dollars by buying shitty comics by shitty writers to figure out what the hell is going on. The bad is that it forces writers to make up shit to explain a very significant event in another book, like how Chuck Austen fucked with Morrison's second evolution stuff in Uncanny because of Morrison's run on New X-Men.

This sort of holds true, but then again the MK stuff us about the only thing not taking part in the Avengers Disassembled crossover. I guess you could say MK is the very edge of the Marvel Universe.

 

[Willco]

It doesn't help that Ultimate Spider-Man is basically the only consistently good Ultimate title.

I'd slap you in the face for not mentioning either The Ultimates or Ultimate Fantastic Four, although The Ultimates has a rather inconsistent release pattern and Ultimate Fantastic Four is still young, but promising.

 

[Bowser]

BTW, dunno if this is the site mattx5 saw, but it's a really good, informative site on the Clone Saga:

http://www.newcomicreviews.com/GHM/specials/LifeOfReilly/