Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Finished (Comics) - Death of Spiderman - Ultimate Spiderman 153-160

I haven't read all of Ultimate Spider-Man, but have liked all that I read (same goes for the entire Ultimate Universe).  If you don't know, the Ultimate Universe is a set of heroes and comic books set up by Marvel Comics, using some of their well-known characters, but modernized and re-set as new characters in a current timeline (many of the original Marvel heroes, FF, Spider-Man, Avengers were originally created in the 1960's).

What made the Ultimate Universe work was that the characters retained much of the characteristics that made them familiar, but were free to re-write, borrow, or ignore what they liked from the "parent" universe - e.g. they could kill or keep Gwen Stacy, keep Peter unmarried, though going out with Mary Jane, make Aunt May a more interesting single-parent-type than a doddering heart-attack bomb.

Marvel, in general, seems to have lost it's way lately, the mainstream comics don't work well, the did some major revisions to characters so lost their older readers (mainstream Spiderman made a deal with the devil, Hulk has gone through more changes than can be followed, IronMan has had several different back stories, I'm not sure exactly what he is now).  The "Death of Spiderman" storyline in the Ultimate universe was a good story, and I liked the characterization of all the main players - "roommates" Iceman and Human Torch helping out, Mary Jane playing a role, Aunt May and Gwen being strong supporting roles.  I hope the "death" was a comic death, with recovery around the corner.  However, I can't trust the current Marvel honchos - they certainly could kill off Ultimate Spiderman because he differs from the new "Devil-deal" Spiderman they are having issues selling in the main universe, and want to kill off the competition.

It is a nice storyline, well written and drawn.  Hopefully there will be an issue 161 (or a re-boot to a new #1 - they like to do that).

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