It's a Marvel: Spidey Unmasks By Geoff Boucher Times Staff Writer June 15, 2006 Behind the 'Spider' mask, he's just Peter Parker. Forty-four years after first donning a mask, Spider-Man takes it off in public in a comic book that hits stores Thursday. In the book, the second issue of "Civil War," Spider-Man, Captain America and other familiar heroes in Marvel Comics are struggling not with villains but with federal legislation requiring that they register and reveal their identities. That federal crackdown begins after hundreds of children are killed at an elementary school when a battle between heroes and villains spills onto their campus. In the issue now on sale, Spider-Man is the first major hero to acquiesce, pulling off his mask at a Washington news conference. Captain America, meanwhile, goes underground and leads a faction of heroes who believe the government has gone too far. The government versus masked men theme has become a staple of superhero lore (it was memorably defined by "The Watchmen" comics in the 1980s but was recently made far more famous by "The Incredibles" and "X-Men" films) but with Spider-Man revealing to the world that his real name is Peter Parker, Marvel is sacrificing one of the core components of its most famous character's mythology. It is also creating a major divide between the comic-book continuity and the hit Hollywood franchise. "It can be very intimidating if you don't know where the story is going or how it ends; we do, so we're just excited about where it takes us and the story possibilities it offers," Joe Quesada, Marvel's editor-in-chief, said Wednesday.He also promised that Marvel won't be backing-off of Spidey's big revelation by zapping the public with a forget-me ray or saying the press conference was a dream or a hoax. "We won't be pulling a Bobby Ewing with this." http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...ry?coll=la-headlines-entnews&track=crosspromo
It doesn't seem to make sense that he's protected his identity this long primarily to protect his loved ones. I don't knwo where there story is going and I haven't read up on Spider-man in soooo long. Just don't know what his motive is. Sounds like a lame move to me but I also think if a villain wanted to know who he was it wouldn't be difficult to find out.
I think it makes sense. Gwen Stacy died because the Green Goblin found out he was Peter Parker. As for his motive, Lately, Peter has become Tony Stark/Iron Man's apprentice/assistant. He's promised Tony that he would stick with him because he has done so much for his family lately (Spiderman is now a member of the Avengers, he has a new advanced suit Tony made him and has moved into a nice apartment there in the building where Mary Jane and Aunt May are safe). After the accident, where a school and neighborhood are blown up by a villain who can explode as he was being chased by some formerly good heroes who were rewritten as being D list types who do their hero work for a reality show, the government pushes their superhero registration act. Anyways, Tony Stark/Iron Man is for it, and people already know he was Iron Man, though he was hiding the fact that he was Iron Man again and he admits it to the President. He tells Peter that if he's going to side with him, he has to go all the way. Peter is definately hesitant and goes to discuss it with Mary Jane and Aunt May. He's ready to empty his bank account and bolt to Canada, but they convince him that other people working for the public good can't hide their identities and that they are proud of what he does and want other people to know him as well. The decision making happens in the Spiderman comics that are tied into Civil War, but the unmasking happens in Civil War. It's been a good story so far and I think people who haven't read comics in a while could jump back in with this event.
Sorry, I meant it didn't make sense that he would reveal it all of a sudden but like I said I haven't been keeping up but I totally forgot about his new situation with the avengers and aunt may and MJ living at the avenger towers. Good point. Most villains probably already know who he is anyway, might as well let the whole world know.
I think it has great story potential, but it's not being executed properly. I don't care what Tony Stark has done for him, Peter would never under any circumstance short of an official pardon and some sort of superhero protection relocation program ever put his loved ones in danger by voluntarily outing himself. Look at the short list of what's happened when a villain finds his identity: Norman Osborn - kills Gwen Stacy, kidnaps Aunt May, kills Peter's daughter, puts Flash Thompson into a coma Harry Osborn - has robotic duplicates of Peter's parents created for the sole purpose of ****ing with him Eddie Brock - intimidates Mary Jane, shows up at Aunt May's house, comes close to killing Peter several times Scorpion - kidnaps Aunt May That's just FOUR guys here. There are countless MU villains that would use the secret in a heartbeat. From heavy hitters like Doc Ock and Doc Doom who would love to put down a guy that has been a thorn in their side for years, to two-bit startups who would thrill at the boost their reputations would recieve from being the one to finally hit Spidey hard. The writers are really selling Pete short making him sell out so easily. Why does he not call bull**** that Stark (a billionaire industrialist who really has so much less safety issues to worry about) only has to come clean with government officials, yet he has to go completely public? I think the story would have packed more emotional punch if Spidey's hand was FORCED, and a group of SHIELD types publically exposed him. Oh well, it's not like this is going to stick. Just like the last two publicity stunts this year - the "death" of Spidey and the new costume. Marvel is all hype now. They act like they're some renegade ballsy company with these gimmicks, but they just switch right back to the status quo at the end of the day.
you're right. because at the end of the day, the formula that works is the story of this guy...not the gimmicks.
The story arc sounds pretty entertaining. Waaaay cooler than Clone Wars. But unless my unborn children like comics I will probably never pick up another Spidey book in my life. So I vote yall in the know keep guys like me informed by posting updates to the story here. Thanks?
Well I still haven read Civil War #2 yet, but the one character that Marvel should be careful about is Spidey. His entire mythos is based on the losses he's absorbed because he is extraordinarily powerful. Peter Parker is not like Superman pondering why he wasn't able to save millions in Malaysia, but if Marvel's not careful they'll end up with the same paradox DC has with their 70 yeard old characters. Reed Richards, Tony Stark and Matt Murdock may fear no reprisals about their identity being known, but Spidey's unique charm is that he always blunders when he shouldn't, never learns as much as he should and is usually at the wrong place at the wrong time. He's the last guy Marvel should have made a focal point in this, but as long as Dr. Strange is back, hey no biggie.
This idea is about as smart as the idea some f*cker had about having Magneto ripping out Wolverine's adamantium skeleton. BONE CLAWS?!?! wtf...