Great Moments In Comic Book History #26: Spider-Man Teams Up With Batman For The Last Time

Posted on August 14, 2022 by Jedadiah Leland

It’s easy to forget now but there was once a time when Marvel and DC would set aside their differences and their heroes (and sometimes, their villains) would team up. Spider-Man met Superman. The X-Men met the New Teen Titans. Darkseid met Galactus. Green Lantern met the Silver Surfer. Silver Surfer met Batman. Actually, a lot of Marvel heroes met Batman, everyone from the Hulk to Punisher to Daredevil to, again, Spider-Man. It makes sense. Batman, with his antisocial tendencies and his tragic backstory, had more in common with the typical Marvel hero than with Superman.

These events were never an official part of the Marvel or DC universe. Both companies eventually developed their own version of the multiverse and it was accepted that the Marvel/DC crossovers all took place in an alternate universe where Gotham City and Metropolis existed alongside Marvel’s version of New York City. Though these crossovers were not canonical, they always felt like a big deal. They were a chance to answer the age-old question of who would win in a fight, Batman or Spider-Man. It didn’t matter that the crossovers usually copped out on giving a definitive answer. Usually, the heroes would fight to a draw and then team up to battle the real enemy. That way both fandoms could be happy and there was still a reason to buy the next crossover.

The crossovers are something that will probably never happen again, not with the rivalry between the MCU and DCEU. It’s too bad because the crossovers were always enjoyable. The final Batman/Spider-Man crossover was called New Age Dawning and it was published twenty-five years ago, this month. Batman’s villain, Ra’s al Ghul, poisoned the wife of Spider-Man’s villain, Kingpin. Ra’s al Ghul thought he could blackmail the Kingpin into helping him sink the island of Manhattan. Instead, the Kingpin teams up with Spider-Man and Batman to defeat Ra’s plan. It’s a simple story but it ends on a note of grace, with Batman giving Spider-Man the cure for the poison and then Spider-Man taking it to the Kingpin. If the Batman/Spider-Man crossovers had to end, that was the way to end them, with two heroes coming together to do the right thing.

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Music Video of the Day: What We’re All About by Sum 41 (2002, directed by Marc Klasfeld)

Posted on August 6, 2022 by Jedadiah Leland

In this song from the soundtrack of the 2002 Spider-Man film, Sum 41 plays upside down, in the best tradition of Spider-Man fans everywhere. Along with keeping an eye out for clips from the film, also watch out for Slayer’s Kerry King, who shows up to remind everyone what rock is all about. As someone who grew up with an MTV that played music, I miss the music videos that always used to be released to promote movies. I always enjoyed the mix of performance footage with the most kinetic scenes from the movie.

This music video was directed by Marc Klasfeld, who has directed music videos for literally everyone. Don’t even think about becoming a rock star if you can’t get Marc Klasfeld to direct at least one music video for you.

Enjoy!

Great Moments In Television History #21: The Origin of Spider-Man

Posted on August 1, 2022 by Jedadiah Leland

The first Spider-Man television series was the famous cartoon series that premiered in 1967. This was the one the featured the theme song about how Spider-Man could do everything that a spider can. The first season of Spider-Man was produced by Grantray-Lawrence Animation and it started in medias res, with Peter Parker already fighting crime as Spider-Man and also with Spider-Man already knowing most of his villains.

Grantray-Lawrence went bankrupt halfway through the first season of Spider-Man and, as a result, the second season was produced by Krantz Animation, Inc. Krantz made the important decision to bring in Ralph Bakshi, to executive produce and direct the series. Bakshi wanted to move the show away from just being a mindless kid’s cartoon. Instead of emphasizing action, he emphasized character. The 2nd season premiered on September 14th, 1968 and was rebooted the series, taking it in Baskshi’s new direction. It started with The Origin of Spider-Man, which told the story of the death of Ben Parker in Bakshi’s trademark style.

In the scene below, Peter learns of his uncle’s death and suits up as Spider-Man to get justice.

We all know how the story ended. Spider-Man continued to fight crime in New York and Ralph Bakshi continued to challenge the conventional assumptions about what animation had to be.

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Great Moments In Comic Book History #25: Spider-Man Meets The Fantastic Four

Posted on August 1, 2022 by Jedadiah Leland

August 1st is celebrated as Spider-Man Day because Spider-Man made his debut in Amazing Fantasy #15, which was given an August, 1962 cover date despite hitting newstands in June. Though Amazing Fantasy ceased publication after the 15th issue, Spider-Man was a hit as a character and was on his way to becoming one of the iconic figures of the Marvel universe.

Spider-Man himself would not get his comic book until March, 1963 with the first issue of The Amazing Spider-Man. The majority of that issue featured Marvel’s newest hero battling the Chameleon, a Russian criminal who was committing crimes while disguised as Spider-Man! Of course, Spider-Man’s bad reputation didn’t start with the Chameleon. Especially in the early days of his career, people often assumed that Spider-Man was up to no good. (Having J. Jonah Jameson as an enemy didn’t help.) While all the other heroes were celebrated by the public, Spider-Man was always misunderstood. That’s one reason why readers identified with him.

Before battling the Chameleon, the continually cash-strapped Spider-Man tried to improve his situation by getting a job with the Fantastic Four.

It didn’t go well. Spider-Man’s idea of a job interview was breaking into the Baxter Building and proving that he could hold his own in battle with each member of the group. Spider-Man proved that he could fight but Mr. Fantastic was not impressed, telling Spider-Man that the Fantastic Four were a non-profit organization and that picking a fight was not the way to get a job. Offended, Spider-Man announced that he didn’t need the Fantastic Four and left. Because Mr. Fantastic and the rest of the Fantastic Four always came across as being full of themselves, I am sure many readers agreed with Spider-Man. By swinging out of there, Spider-Man let his readers know that he didn’t need anyone’s approval.

Not only did this moment establish who Spider-Man was as a character but it also started a long Marvel cross-over tradition. Heroes would frequently meet each other, crossing over from book to book. They would often team up but, before they could do that, they always had to fight over a misunderstanding and trade insults. The moment that Spider-Man told off Mr. Fantastic was also the moment that the Marvel Universe first truly came to life.

Later, of course, Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four made up. Spider-Man and the Human Torch co-starred in several issues of Marvel Team-Up. But most readers will always prefer to remember Spider-Man telling Mr. Fantastic to get bent.

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Every Generation Gets The Spider-Man It Deserves

Posted on August 1, 2022 by Jedadiah Leland

August 1st is Spider-Man Day. Despite this being the day that observes Spider-Man’s first appearance in the 15th issue of Marvel’s Amazing Fantasy, the trash is still being collected and the mail is still being delivered. Spider-Man Day is a holiday when no one gets any time off. I’m sure that the web slinger himself would appreciate the irony.

The appeal of Spider-Man has always been that he’s the hero who never feels that he’s done enough. He’s also the hero who is almost always unappreciated by the rest of the world. He’s the hero who often resents having to do his job but who still feels a responsibility to try to make the world a better place. Spider-Man is the superhero that almost everyone can relate to.

As far as television and movies go, every generation has gotten the Spider-Man that they deserved.

The boomers got Nicholas Hammond’s Spider-Man. Hammond played Spider-Man for two seasons in the 70s. He was a little boring but, from what I’ve seen, his show has a reputation for being worse than it was. Like the best of the boomers, Hammond’s Spider-Man could be stuffy but he got the job done.

Generation X got Tobey Maguire, who played Spider-Man in three films that Sam Raimi directed in the aughts. Like Generation X, Maguire’s Spider-Man was quiet but clever. Despite his quick wit, he was frequently neurotic and more than a little introverted but he always came through in the end.

Then, Andrew Garfield played the millennial version of Spider-Man. Angsty and awkward, Garfield’s Spider-Man was aware that society would never fully accept him, both as Peter and as Spider-Man. At times, it seemed like his every attempt at making things better somehow only made them worse.

And finally, the Zoomers have got Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, an earnest idealist who struggles with the fact that the world is more complicated than it seems. You can criticize him for being naïve but never doubt the sincerity of his beliefs.

All of the actors who played Spider-Man have done a good job and they all deserve praise. My favorite is Tobey Maguire but that’s largely because, having been born in ’82, I’m on the dividing line between Generation X and Millennial and I’ve always leaned more towards the Generation X side of things. Plus, I can relate to this:

When an introvert guy starts to date an extrovert girl pic.twitter.com/afkMpkVv63

— arishhh (@introvertbalak_) March 28, 2022

Maguire, Garfield, and Holland all came together to appear in the previous Spider-Man film, which I thought was a nice touch. I just wish Nicholas Hammond had been invited to join them.

Nicholas Hammond, as Peter Parker

Nicholas Hammond, Today

Having an older, perhaps retired Spider-Man joining forces with the Maguire, Garfield, and Holland versions of the character would have provided an extra-dimension to the movie, much as used to happen on Doctor Who whenever any of the previous incarnations of the Time Lord would meet the newest version.

Regardless of who plays him or whether he’s Peter Parker or Miles Morales, Spider-Man remains the hero to whom we can all relate. Spider-Man is all of us.

Happy Spider-Man Day to all!

Great Moments In Comic Book History #23: J. Jonah Jameson Is Elected Mayor of New York City

Posted on May 31, 2022 by Jedadiah Leland

In 2009, the crusading newspaper publisher, J. Jonah Jameson, was elected Mayor of New York City. At least, that’s what happened in Amazing Spider-Man #591.

It didn’t turn out well, of course. Mayor Jameson spent too much time obsession on Spider-Man and not enough time fixing the subways. He was bombastic, stubborn, and refused to admit when he was wrong. That shouldn’t have taken anyone by surprise. New Yorkers knew what they were getting when they voted for him but they elected him anyway. Of course, in 2009, the idea of a buffoon like J. Jonah Jameson ever holding a major political office seemed like a fantasy. Today, Jonah would fit right in with the majority of the people in Washington.

As mayor, Jameson ended up getting manipulated by both Doctor Octopus and the Green Goblin. It’s no wonder that Mayor Jameson failed to even finish his first term before having to resign.

He was still better than De Blasio, though.

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Great Moments In Comic Book History #22: Alex Ross Captures Spider-Man

Posted on March 25, 2022 by Jedadiah Leland

This is from the 4th issue of 1994’s Marvels, in which Kurt Busiek reimagined the early history of the Marvel Universe through the eyes of photographer, Phil Sheldon. The artwork is by the amazing Alex Ross.

On this page, Spider-Man is climbing up the Daily Bugle. That’s something that happened frequently in Spider-Man’s own comics but Marvels was the first comic to capture what it would be like for the ordinary people inside the building to suddenly look over and see Spider-Man, complete with a wrinkled suit, climbing up the outside windows. Long before any of the movies were released or the PS4 game meticulously recreated New York, this page from Marvels made Spider-Man seem real.

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Great Moments In Comic Book History #17: Spider-Man and The Dallas Cowboys Battle The Circus of Crime

Posted on January 23, 2022 by Jedadiah Leland

Spider-Man meets the Dallas Cowboys!

In 1983, Marvel comics teamed up with local newspapers to produce inserts that would feature heroes like the X-Men and Spider-Man visiting towns outside of New York, meeting with local celebrities, and, of course, providing ad space for local businesses. One of the newspapers that they teamed up with the now-defunct Dallas Times Herald, which was also the original home of Texas’s own drive-in movie reviewer, Joe Bob Briggs.

Marvel ended up doing three inserts for the Dallas Times Herald, one with the X-Men at the State Fair and then two featuring Spider-Man. In “Danger in Dallas,” Peter Parker accompanied J. Jonah Jameson and Dr. Mudge to Dallas so that Dr. Mudge’s wheelchair-bound son could meet his heroes, the Dallas Cowboys.

Dr. Mudge had also developed an anti-gravity device and the Circus of Crime was determined to steal it for themselves. Spider-Man had to stop them but to fight an entire circus, he would need some help. Good thing that Cowboys didn’t have anything to do that day!

Once the Cowboys had tackled the Circus of Crime, Peter and even Jonah were able to enjoy opening day. Peter even proved his courage by eating a Texas Stadium hot dog!

Spider-Man wished the Cowboys a good game, letting us know that even super heroes from New York were rooting for America’s Team in the 80s.

Out of curiosity, I decided to see how the Cowboys did during the 1983 season. They went 12-4 and were second in the NFC East. They earned a wildcard spot but lost to the Rams, 17-24. Despite Spider-Man’s blessings, it was not the Cowboys who went to the Super Bowl but instead the team currently known as Football Team. (Full disclosure: By default, that was my family’s team until Baltimore finally got the Ravens.) Fortunately, Washington lost to the Raiders, 9-38.

According to the cover, this was a 60 cent value in 1983. Currently, it sells for $18.00 online.

The Dallas Cowboys and Spider-Man #1 “Danger in Dallas” (1983)

Writer Marie Severin and David Kraft
Pencilers Marie Severin and Kerry Gammill
Inker Mike Esposito
Colorist Stan Goldberg
Letterer R. G. O’Shaw

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Great Moments In Comic Book History #14: Spider-Man No More!

Posted on January 9, 2022 by Jedadiah Leland

One of the things that made Spider-man unique amongst the heroes of the Silver Age was that he often didn’t want to be a hero. When he first got his powers, he wanted to make money. It was the death of Uncle Ben that left him feeling obligated to fight crime. But even then, he would have much rather have been Peter Parker. Often times, when Spider-Man swinging across New York and fighting folks like Electro and the Sandman, he would have much rather have been at home, taking care of Aunt May or studying for a midterm or out on a date with Gwen Stacy or Mary Jane Watson. Unlike the similarly angsty Hulk and The Thing, Spider-Man actually could had the option of abandoning his secret identity and trying to live a normal life if he wanted. That Peter Parker not only felt obligated but often resentful made him a hero to which readers could relate.

He finally did try to walk away in 1967’s Amazing Spider-Man #50 and it led to a classic cover from John Romita. This cover, with both Peter and Spider-Man turning their backs on each other, perfectly captures the inner conflict that Peter dealt with every issue. When he was Peter, he didn’t want to be Spider-Man and when he was Spider-Man, he didn’t always want to be Peter Parker. In Amazing Spider-Man #50, exhausted from being continually condemned by J. Jonah Jameson and worried about Aunt May’s health (as always), Peter tried to walk away.

It didn’t last, of course. At first, Peter enjoyed not being Spider-Man but, as crime increased, Peter realized that he still owed it to the people of New York City and the spirit of Uncle Ben to fulfil his “great responsiblity.” At the end of the issue, Peter retrieved his costume and once again took to the streets. It wasn’t a minute too soon because this issue featured not only a classic cover. It also featured the first appearance of the crime lord known as the Kingpin. New York needed Spider-Man more than ever.

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Spider-Man: No Way Home (dir. by Jon Watts)

Posted on December 18, 2021 by Leonard Wilson

This is basically where we are.

If you haven’t seen a film on the Thursday preview night, chances are every online publisher is going to share spoilers by Friday Evening. I get it. It’s the Nature of the Beast. It makes for news, and there are people out there who either don’t mind being spoiled or need to know what they’re seeing going into a film. It’s partially why sites like Movie Pooper, and Does The Dog Die are popular. I usually try not to say anything about a movie on Twitter because of this. Everyone deserves to feel that sense of awe and surprise when the lights come down in their cinema.

These are as spoiler free as I can make them. I may write something else to focus on my thoughts with spoilers down the road.

If you managed to stay off the Internet and avoid any spoilers to Spider-Man: No Way Home (outside of the trailers themselves), then you are in for some grand fun that is almost on the level of Avengers: Endgame. I’ve been to the theatres a few times during the pandemic. Perhaps because it was an After-Midnight showing, but the audience was fantastic. The film comes full circle, with an adventure that celebrates Spider-Man’s guest appearance in the MCU for Disney/Marvel, while still building on the character for Sony’s purposes in the future. As a Trilogy, Jon Watts and the team deserve a round of applause for sticking the landing so very well here. The third film in a series is never easy, and even Sam Raimi found that out with Spider-Man 3. By the time the movie was done, I was soaking up the applause like Colin Robinson in What We Do In the Shadows.

The film picks up right at the last end credit from Spider-Man: Far From Home with Quentin Beck’s Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) proclaiming to the world (through J. Jonah Jameson, played by J.K. Simmons as usual) that Spider-Man was in control of the Stark Drones and that he is really Peter Parker. Normally, my first thought here would be to own it – like Stark did. However, with murders tied in, it’s a bad rap for our webbed hero and anyone associated with him. Peter decides to make things right by visiting Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch, Power of the Dog) to make everyone forget that Spider-Man is Peter Parker. This gets botched and pulls through some villains that our Peter (Tom Holland) isn’t quite ready for.

As you’ve seen in the posters and trailers, Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina, Spider-Man 2), and Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe, Spider-Man) along with a few others are pulled from their universe into Peter’s. When Peter discovers their fates in their own universes, he makes an attempt to save them, which puts him at odds with Doctor Strange. Can Peter find a way to change their futures, and clear his name in the process?

Of course, the gang’s all here. Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Tony Revolori, Angourie Rice, Marisa Tomei, and Jon Favreau are all on hand for this third one. Everyone has something to offer, with Zendaya, Batalon, and Tomei carrying the most weight. The only awkward character in the whole bunch is Favreau’s Happy Hogan, who is regulated into kind of a silly comic relief here. I don’t know. I just remember Happy being a bit more capable than they way they have him this time around.

From a writing standpoint, it’s somewhat innovative. If we didn’t already have the 2019’s Academy Award winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse, I’d say No Way Home was walking into uncharted territory. The film makes up for this by allowing our Peter to choose differently, compared to what we historically know about Spider-Man and these villains. I honestly enjoyed that angle and thought it helped to drive home the whole “With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility” motto that defines Spider-Man.

Musically, Michael Giacchino weaves his own form of magic here. Pulling themes both from Doctor Strange and what he’s done with the previous films, there are a number of great sequences. When all is said and done, the score for this film may very well rival Shirley Walker’s Batman: Mask of the Phantasm score for me.

At the time of this writing, it sounds like NYC is headed for another lockdown. I’m hoping that’s not the case. If this is the last movie I get to see in a theatre for a while, I’m thankful for it. Spider-Man: No Way Home completes a great handoff from Disney/Marvel to Sony. The character did what he needed for Disney/Marvel’s MCU, and Sony still holds the movie rights to the character for where they want to take him. I’m hopeful for Spider-Man’s cinematic future.

Our Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s going to be okay.