A Handy, Anti-Troll Guide to Marvel NOW!

It’s no big revelation that the online comic book community is overpopulated with trolls. The combination of online anonymity and staunch viewpoints can turn ordinarily timid, shrinking violet fanboys into raging, foaming-at-the-mouth lunatics at the very mention of a change of the status quo in their favorite funnybook. I use the word "favorite" lightly, because you'd be hard-pressed to get one of these jokers to name something they actually enjoy.

And to a certain extent, that’s OK. We all have opinions. Some of us are just better at voicing them without opining about our childhoods being “raped” while our Dorito taco shell crumbles into the keyboard and Mom yells downstairs about that Code Red Mountain Dew stain on the couch.

The biggest problem with trolls is that they are very often just plain wrong. Despite the wealth of knowledge available on the net, some people reach conclusions based on whatever first impression their Hot Pocket-fueled brain manages to muster.

Such is the case with Marvel NOW!. There’s been a great deal of speculation about what it’s really all about. There’s a common assumption that this is basically Marvel’s version of DC’s New 52 reboot – a reset button for the entire Marvel Universe. The scope of the event is also somewhat unclear to some. Which books with this affect? How long it will last? Will Emma Frost still have a big rack?

So, to combat the misinformation, I’ve compiled this handy, dandy Marvel NOW! overview. Next time you encounter an anti-Marvel troll, feel free to throw this link at them, tell them to defog their coke-bottle glasses and read a few facts for once.

Or, you know, just tell them that every character in the Marvel Universe is getting adamantium claws and watch their heads explode.

So, what is Marvel NOW?

In essence, it’s a new jumping-on point for current and potential readers wherein Marvel’s creative teams have been shaken up and the characters enter the next great chapter of the Marvel Universe.

Axel Alonso, Marvel’s editor-in-chief, offers this concise, informative response on Marvel.com: “Marvel NOW! is the next chapter in the ongoing saga of the Marvel Universe. From October through February, we’ll provide at least one great reason for readers—old, lapsed or new—to go into a comic store each week: a new issue #1, featuring an exciting new creative team and driving concept, that’s an easy entry-point into the Marvel Universe. Each and every one of these launches is built to last”

Like I need another reason to go the comic shop every week.

DC's New 52 was a very mixed bag of cats for me, but I really enjoyed its launch. There were many, many books that piqued my interest and I loved being able to finally “jump on” DC books with great characters, writers and artists at a new #1. The problem was, when I picked up those new numero unos, I discovered that they didn’t play by the same rules. Batman kept most of his continuity, Green Lantern kept it all, Superman kept none. Action Comics focused on a different time period that Superman. Now there’s Earth 2. This was meant to simplify the DCU? It wasn’t a complete and clear reboot and I’m sure it lost new comic readers quickly. I mean, it lost me and I love comics more than any other media. Marvel NOW! will accomplish all of the fun of the New 52 launch without the confusion of mixed continuity. To top it off, we’ll get all the fun of the launch for over four months!

Time will tell if “each and everyone” is built to last. I have little doubt that Avengers and X-Men will thrive due to their fan-base and new creative teams (Rick Remender and John Cassaday on Uncanny Avengers, Brian Bendis and Stuart Immonen on All-New X-Men and Jonathan Hickman and Jerome Opena on Avengers). However, there are smaller books focusing on more obscure characters with less established writers and artists that will struggle to find an audience that can sustain them. I’m looking at you Journey Into Mystery (starring Lady Sif by Kathryn Immonen and Valerio Schiti) and X-Men Legacy (starring Professor X’s jerk son Legion by Simon Spurrier & Tan Eng Huat).

So, this is a total reboot of the Marvel Universe, right?

Nope. No. Not at all. But you might think so if you get all your info from your tweeps. If you trust what Marvel says, then it’s clear:

“Marvel NOW! is the next step in Marvel story evolution and character evolution. It’s not a reboot.”  - Joe Quesada, Marvel’s Chief Creative Officer. Marvel.com

“… because we are not wiping the slate clean—we’re just trying to tell these stories from a clean point of view and allowing a good jumping-off point for new readers.” – Joe Quesada, Marvel.com

"Everything's going to be one nice melting pot of Marvel Universe goodness," says (Tom) Brevoort (Marvel’s executive editor), who insists that Marvel NOW! is not a reboot. "This is the same Marvel Universe you were reading about the month before and the same characters. They haven't gone back to square one — all of that history isn't out the window." – USAToday

"With Marvel NOW! everything that happened yesterday and the year before STILL happened.” – Dan Slott, Amazing Spider-Man writer via Twitter.

 “It is not a reboot.”  - Axel Alonso, Marvel.com

If you don’t trust what Marvel says, it’s still clear. Just check out the October and November solicitations for the first round of Marvel NOW! Nary an origin story in sight. It’s all new stories for well-established characters, with a lot of new elements mixed in. In short, IT’S NOT A REBOOT, DUDE!

Will this affect the entire line of Marvel Comics?

Yes. Well, OK, just the Marvel Universe proper (i.e. 616). Starting in October and running until February of next year, another Marvel book will be assimilated into Marvel NOW! every week. Many of the titles focusing on Marvel’s bigger characters (i.e. Avengers, Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, X-Men) have been announced for October and November releases.

Interestingly, Daredevil and Spider-Man are noticeably absent from that list. With the popularity and critical acclaim of Mark Waid and Dan Slott’s runs, it will be interesting to see if they keep them on those titles once they become part of the event. I would not be surprised if Daredevil and Amazing are some of the few titles that won’t get the “creative team shake-up” part of Marvel NOW!, but you never know. The precedence that has been set thus far is new creators on every new title, so maybe Mr. Slott and Mr. Waid will be moving on.

What’s important is that this event does not start off strong and go out with a fizzle. Marvel’s “architects” have already staked their claims on one, if not more, big Marvel titles. Will there be enough talent to go around? This remains to be seen.

Here’s a list of Marvel NOW! titles that have been confirmed as of August 21: 

October

MARVEL NOW! POINT ONE (64-page one-shot)

Various Writers and Artists

UNCANNY AVENGERS
RICK REMENDER & JOHN CASSADAY

November

INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK
MARK WAID & LEINIL FRANCIS YU

ALL-NEW X-MEN
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS & STUART IMMONEN

IRON MAN
KIERON GILLEN &  GREG LAND

THOR: GOD OF THUNDER
JASON AARON & ESAD RIBIC

CAPTAIN AMERICA
RICK REMENDER & JOHN ROMITA JR.

A+X  (A book that I’d imagine will rotate artists and writers in and out every month)
Various Writers and Artists

X-MEN:LEGACY
SIMON SPURRIER & TAN ENG HUA

FANTASTIC FOUR
MATT FRACTION & MARK BAGLEY

FF
MATT FRACTION & MIKE ALLRED

DEADPOOL
GERRY DUGGAN & BRIAN POSEHN &  TONY MOORE

JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY (The only book mysteriously retaining its current numbering …)
KATHRYN IMMONEN & VALERIO SCHITI


Beyond

AVENGERS

JONATHAN HICKMAN & JERONE OPENA

NEW AVENGERS

JONATHAN HICKMAN & STEVE EPTING

I’m salivating for the release of Uncanny Avengers, Hulk, X-Men, Thor and Captain America. Fantastic Four will most likely be necessary since I’m a sucker for a new take on Marvel’s first family and with the brilliant comedian Brian Posehn on Deadpool, I may finally become a fan of the merc with a mouth. I’ll admit that I have very little interest in the others, but the good looks to far outweigh the bad.

No doubt Marvel has more up its sleeve, but this first round of books is pretty damn impressive.

The Wrap
So there you have it, a brief summary of all things Marvel NOW! with a little color commentary thrown in for good measure. I hope this goes a little way to give you a better understanding of just what Marvel is up to with this relaunch (not a reboot).

Remember, this article makes the perfect gift for the online, anti-Marvel, mouthbreathers in your life. Maybe we can make Marvel NOW! into a kind of 12-step troll recovery process. Hmmm … that sounds like another article entirely ...

‘Til next time, loyal reader. In the meantime, make mine Marvel (NOW!)!

Still Hating on Spidey? Read This, Fanboy.

Fair warning: This article is riddled with spoilers. That said, if you've sworn off seeing the movie due to critical reviews or otherwise, this article is for you. Listen up, fanboy. You're making a huge mistake.

Spoilers begin below!

"An unnecessary, premature reboot."
"Peter Parker screen time > Spider-Man screen time (like, by a lot)"
"The f@$#ing origin - again?!"
"Mask's off."
"What's going on with that costume?"
"Peter Parker ... on a skateboard. A. skate. board."
"That's a lot of lizards for a movie set in New York City."
"Ooops, the mask is off again."
"Oh, the Lizard's inner monolouge is just like the Green Goblin's?"
"A villainous plot damn near lifted from "Batman Begins."
"A lizard rat. Yes, a lizard rat."
"Is his mask seriously off, again?"

Had I not remained relatively spoiler-free leading up to this movie's release, these things, taken out of context, would have kept me from seeing Amazing Spider-Man. Hell, lots of people are spouting these very things all over the interwebs (tee hee) right now, convincing others (maybe even you) to stay away. The scary part is they're kinda right. Truthfully, these are all things about the movie that, frankly, I still don't like very much.

So why am I compelled to convince you to drop 10 or 12 hard-earned bucks at your local movieplex on what some describe as more nonconsentual sex with your childhood? Because the stuff they get right, proves why this movie had to happen and makes it the best Spider-Man flick as well as one of the top 5 superhero films of all time. No foolin'.

Gwendolyn Loves Spider-Man
Since this seems to be the go-to reason to see the movie from fans and critics alike, let's get this one out of the way quickly and early. Peter and Gwen are perfectly characterized and their relationship is believable, entertaining and relatable (well, for some of us - we all know some of you trolls aren't getting any).

Anyone who's seen "500 Days of Summer" saw this coming from director Marc Webb a mile away. Haven't seen it? Good day, sir. Kindly return when you're up to speed.

Garfield and Stone deserve lots of credit here as well. Mainly for being better looking and more talented than Maguire and Dunst.

But Isn't the Lizard ... Y'Know ... a  Pretty Shitty Villain?
Sure. He's not great. Ledger's Joker he ain't, but what he is, is a violent, intelligent, straightforward, formidable villain that can go toe-to-toe with Spidey in thrilling, fast-paced action sequences in which Spidey gets beaten and battered and sliced open and nearly drowned in 3D. Will that work for you? No? Drop dead. Do you even like movies like this?

Everybody's Smart (Except When They're Not)
Many of us do a lot of screaming at our TVs and movie screens ourselves. When a character makes a dumb move we get pissed. These are usually annoying characters that screw shit up for everyone in the name of moving the story along. You know, they're usually dumb kids or Jar Jar Binks. Well ... OK, mostly Jar Jar.

We yell at our protagonists when they make mistakes, too. "How could they be so stupid?!" Guess what? We humans do dumb shit that doesn't make any sense all of the time. Even you. ESPECIALLY you. We need the characters to be flawed and behave like humans to make them relatable and to tell interesting stories. To give us a reason to root for them. Spider-Man is a perfect example of this, and it's on display here, but that not what I'm talking about.

Mistakes are made by the characters in this story. Big ones. But it's not because they're dumb. To the contrary. The characters are much brighter than in your average movie, picking up on all of the played-out superhero movie tropes as they occur. This is a world where it's hard to have a secret identity. It's a world where a teenager with spider powers might not realize how important it is to even have a secret identity.

Wouldn't Gwen figure out that her dying father would make Peter promise to stay away from her to protect her? Yes, and she does. Right away.

Wouldn't Flash Thompson kinda notice that Pete's starting to show up to school all buff and confident? Sure would.

Wouldn't Aunt May figure out why her nephew comes home beat up every night while she watches round-the-clock Spider-Man coverage on TV. Of course she would.

Hey, I said it'd be spoilery.

A Very Necessary Reboot
Go pull out the three Spidey movies and rewatch them. Go ahead. I'll wait...

Oh, wow. Those weren't as good as you remembered, huh? Yikes. Generally good yarns, but the dialogue? Blech. Green Goblin's costume? The Power Rangers must have had a garage sale. Let's not even discuss 3.

These movies have not aged well and I can't help but feel that many of the writers of Amazing Spider-Man must have watched Raimi's movies whilst screaming at the screen, "NO! Not like that! You're doing it wrong! AUUUGGGGHHHHH! Someday, Spidey, someday I'll make this right." Yet, they must have also been saying, "OK that part wasn't bad. Let's use that. Red and blue costume, eh? Genius!" 

They kept what worked and made vast improvements to the special effects, the action, the spider-powers and the interactions between the characters. The movie rebooted the franchise by putting Spider-Man in a much more believable, sci-fi world and it doesn't skimp on the emotions and excitement that are vital to any powerful Spider-Man tale.

The pursuit and ultimate failure to apprehend Uncle Ben's killer gives Peter a believable reason to become and stay Spider-Man. True to the comics, Peter is driven by responsibility, but thankfully, they never go so far as to reuse the cliched, "With Great Power Come Great Responsibility" line.

Perhaps the best part about the Amazing Spider-Man is where it can lead. They've made the story much more personal for Peter. The origin of the Lizard is closely related to his family. His own origin is related to his father's work for Oscorp. All signs point to future villains being tied to this secret history as well, which makes a hell of a lot more sense than a new villain popping up every few months with some insane, new, unrelated origin with Spidey feeling compelled to kick their butt around Manhattan.

With the world that's been created here, and stories like the death of Gwen and a rebooted Goblin on the horizon, I believe that it's a very real possibility that we see a sequel on par with The Dark Knight. Maybe better.

In Conclusion, What the Hell Are You Even Complaining For?!
In the end, we live in a time when it's profitable to put out high-budget Spider-Man movies every few years. Spider-Man MOVIES, people! And we're complaining about Peter Parker riding a skateboard between scenes of him swinging from New York skyscrapers, dodging bullets and punching a giant Lizard.

If this movie isn't for you (and I'd be surprised if it isn't), there will probably be another not far behind that will be. Until then, if you're a Spider-Man fan, put your reservations aside and get your butt to a theater and see this one. It's the truest version we've ever seen in live-action and you'll want to be in at the ground-level as a true Spidey fan. This one's for us.

Jack Welcomes the Return of the Webhead

Hey everybody, this is Jack reporting in once again. Hope you all had a great Fourth of July, and more importantly, that you all had a chance to go and see the Amazing Spider-Man. I know I was first in line Tuesday evening, but before I delve into my review, allow me to share with you the following personal story.

I’ll never forget when, ten years ago, the very first Spider-Man movie hit the big screens. Back then, good superhero flicks were the Holy Grail of fanboys everywhere. We all wanted to believe it was possible to make a decent live-action comic book, but had yet to really see it. The original Batman films were good for their day, but even as a kid I was keenly aware of just how corny they were. But then, just when all hope seemed lost, the X-Men movie debuted and was a surprising hit. Not long after, the ads started to roll for a Spider-Man film and instantly I was hooked. My best friend bought me the movie poster to which I immediately hung on the bedroom wall. Teaser trailers appeared online depicting a helicopter caught in a giant web between the World Trade Center towers. (The ad was later pulled after 9/11.)  You couldn’t read a Marvel issue without a full page ad of Spidey swinging right at you and seemingly off the page. When the day finally arrived I bolted from school, piled into the car of my only friend with a license, and made haste for the nearest theater.

Now, a decade later, we’re blessed to live in an age where superhero movies have become their own genre. Not a year goes by without at least two or three, and for the most part, they’ve all been very successful. With the exception of the Hulk, that is. Oh well. At least he was badass in the Avengers. Even Batman managed to turn it around with their reboot of the franchise. Yet, of all the great movies we’ve been given over the years, I still feel that the original Spider-Man was my favorite experience. Not just because it revolutionized the industry, but also because it was the first film that truly made me feel like I could be a hero too. So the question is: does the Amazing Spider-Man hold up to the original?

The short answer is yes, absolutely. As comic book movies go, it’s everything you could hope for and more. Although don’t be too surprised if you wind up comparing it to the original every step of the way. Yes, it’s true that the story feels awfully familiar right from the start, and not just because Spider-Man’s origin is common knowledge. It’s mainly in part because the previews didn’t do a great job of portraying it as a complete reboot. The tagline: “The Untold Story” led me to believe that Amazing was going to be a prequel of sorts, touching only briefly on his origins. I mean, we’ve seen that part already, right? With that in mind, I certainly wasn’t expecting his origin to be drawn out through the entire first half of the movie. To me, this is an overused device in filmmaking. When Stan Lee first created these characters, their origin was summed up in the first page of the issue and then hit the ground running. If only that were the case at the box office. At a certain point I always find myself getting impatient. It’s like: “C’mon already, get bit by the spider. Is Uncle Ben dead yet? Let’s get this show on the road.”

That being said, I have to admit that everything else was a pure delight. Andrew Garfield’s performance is spot on for both Peter Parker and Spider-Man. As Peter, he’s the lovable misfit we all felt like in our younger years. Yet as Spider-Man, he’s as confident and compassionate as well all strive to be. Not to mention that unlike Tobey Maguire, this Spidey is downright funny, just the way he should be. Hell, Amazing Spider-Man has more jokes in the trailer than the original three films combined. With the addition of web-shooters this time around, we actually get to see Peter’s scientific mind in action; a refreshing change of pace.

Additionally, the inclusion of Gwen Stacy as the love interest was not only more accurate to the original story, but also a nice reward for those of us who’ve followed the comics long enough to know who the Stacys are, and let’s face it, Emma Stone isn’t hard to look at for two hours either. But I think my favorite concept was the relationship between Peter and Captain Stacy. There’s nothing worse than the anxiety of meeting your girlfriend’s dad for the first time. Now imagine being the masked vigilante her detective father is publicly trying to apprehend on top of that. As if first impressions aren't hard enough. There's a dinner table scene in particular where the tension between the two gave me horrible flashbacks of my own adolecent dating experiences. Trust me. You've all been there before.

Lastly, I'd like to make mention of how great a choice the Lizard was as the villain. He's a scientist who turns into a giant raging reptile. Our hero is a student with the powers of an arachnid. The symmetry of the two has such a natural flow, and I love the friends/enemies dynamic. Plus, the special effects really bring the Lizard to life in a believable way, and even Dr. Connors' missing limb is convincing rather than a cheap camera trick or an actor with his arm so obviously tucked into his shirt. With Spider-Man, my favorite villains were always the animal themed ones. I know Norman Osborn is the main event, but personally, I'll take the Vulture or Doc Ock any day.

So there it is. If you've found yourself asking: "is it as good as the original?" the answer is yes. As for: "did it need to be rebooted?," well, probably not, but it is a solid film with something for everyone. I won't give anything away, but I will tell you the movie even has some genuine heart. There's a scene towards the end that's particularly touching where some New Yorkers rally to help everyone's favorite wallcrawler in his darkest hour. I'm sure all you True Believers know to stay put during the end credits because, as always, there's a teaser. A brief one at that, but check it out anyway.

To those of you who have already seen the Amazing Spider-Man I hope you liked it as much as I did.  Those of you who haven't: what are you still doing reading this? Get to the box office, you slackers!

Jack of all Trade Paperbacks
Contributing Writer
_______________________________

If you'd like to contribute to Salt City Fanboy, either as a writer, an artist, or otherwise, shoot me an email at saltcityfanboy@gmail.com.

Symbiote Fans Anonymous: Why I Love Carnage

I'm come to a very serious conclusion lately. So serious that I'm somewhat hesitant to share, and yet I must. Prepare yourself, I'm about to shed some nerd cred...

"My name is Matt Wheeler, and I have a symbiote problem."

Some might say, "So you like Venom, who doesn't?" or ""it's OK, the black costume saga is great!" or "Spider-Man 3 is my favorite movie, too!" (OK, maybe not that last one) ...but it's more serious than that.

It's very hard to admit, but deep down I've always known it. Carnage is my favorite Spider-Man villain.

Yes that's right - Carnage. Height of the 1990's supervillain, psycho-killer, oughta be committed, Kletus Casady, Carnage. And as one of Spidey's biggest fans, I know I'm supposed to say Green Goblin or Doc Ock or Lizard or Vulture or Sandman, but he's my favorite and I'm coming to terms with it right here, right now.

Back in 1993, I was brand new to fanboydom and Carnage was at his peak of popularity. "Maximum Carnage," the 14-part crossover, pitted Spider-Man, Venom and a motley crew of other Marvel heroes against the psychopath, and I savored every issue. On top of that, we had the video game (complete with Green Jelly soundtrack) to go with it. I felt like the luckiest boy in the world to have his favorite comic book storyline in video game form. Looking back on it, I should have! How many comic book storylines have their own game?

To this day, I still break out the trade paperback from time to time. I won't say that it completely holds up all these years later, but next to Secret Wars, I still call it my favorite Marvel story arc. OK, so besides blind nostalgia, why do I love Carnage? Here's the top three reasons:

1. He has no moral code.

In one of the first scenes of "Maximum Carnage," Carnage attacks a middle-aged couple driving through New York. He rips off the top of their car and brutally murders them with is sharp, symbiote claws. Why? Because.

Before he bonded with the symbiote, Kletus Casady was already a serial killer with all of  the sick and twisted qualities of the best incarnations of the Joker. With the symbiote at his disposal, he was given the power to really do some damage. What make him scary is that he just doesn't have any concern taking human life. He's not trying to take over the world, he's just getting his kicks slaughtering the innocent. You know ... because.

2. He genuinely outmatches Spider-Man.
Nothing makes for a good story more than the deck being stacked against the protagonist. This is the case everytime Spidey and Carnage face off. Carnage doesn't set off Spider-Man's spider-sense, so it's easy for him to get close, and when he gets close, he can slice and dice. Super strength, intelligence and spiderwebs can't do much against that. Once he decides he's coming for you, there's not much you can do about it. Unless of course you have that handy-dandy sonic disruptor the Fantastic Four hoard. (Hey Reed Richards - Can't you just build one of those for Pete? Sheesh. He's gotta ask you guys everytime he wants to borrow it? But I digress...)

3. He's Marvel Universe-level powerful, but he remains Spider-Man's villain.
Sure, Pete always brings a few friends with him when he knows he's going up against ol' Kletus, but you never see Carnage appear as the main threat in X-Men or Avengers comics. He could, but Marvel doesn't use him that way. You always feel that he's Spidey's problem to deal with no matter how large of a threat he's posing. One of my complaints about recent Avengers yarns is that Spidey fans have had to give Norman Osborne up to the rest of the Marvel Universe. Instead of Harry's dad and part-time Gobby, he's Marvel's version of Lex Luthor. Unluckily for Pete, Carnage remains his cross to bear.

Bonus reason: Zeb Wells likes to write him. Clayton Crain likes to draw him. Marvel gives them a long leash. 'Nuff said. If you read this week's superb and disturbing Carnage U.S.A. #1, you know what I mean.

So there you have it: my Carnage confession. Hopefully, my argument allows me to preserve what little credibility I have. What can I say? I'm a sucker for that crazy symbiote. Keep the comics coming and his rumored appearance in future movies in your prayers, even if it's just for this one committed fanboy. Pun intended.

Updated: Think I'm nuts?! You're not the only one. For an opposing viewpoint on all-things Carnage, be sure to check out Mark Ginocchio's article on Chasing Amazing!

Glenn Beck Hates Spidey

I didn't realize you were trying to brainwash us, Brian Michael Bendis. Good thing it's "just a stupid comic book."

Death of Spidey, Birth of Blog

Well they finally did it. After many months and many books subtitled "Death of Spider-Man," Peter Parker officially bit the big one. Oh....uh...spoiler alert. And oh yeah, I started a blog! But anyway...

By reuniting artist Mark Bagley and writer Brian Bendis for the arc, Marvel might as well have set up an automatic withdrawal from my checking account, so I was damn pleased when this story delivered.

When the all of the ultimate baddies in Spidey's life team up with a shared knowledge of his secret identity courtesy of a supposed-to-be-dead Norman Osborne/Green Goblin you know things aren't going to be good, but usually in the funny books, the villains usually decide to hold it over the hero's head or something equally silly and status-quo-preserving. Here, Bendis takes it to a simple, but much more realistic place. Gobby and his gang mobilize to Pete's Queens home to murder his family and friends to draw him in and to murder him too. Simple. Realistic. Impactful.

You fear for the lives of Peter's supporting cast as he does, and then, when Peter shows up ready to enter the fray of an unwinnable fight ,with a bullet through his stomach (courtesy of Ultimate Frank Castle), your concern immediately turns to him. I mean, he's just a kid here. Sure he's Spider-Man, but he's what? 16? And here is a group of twisted grown adults murdering him in front of his family, friends and neighbors. Really, Bendis doesn't kill Spider-Man, the lovable cartoon character, he kills Peter Parker, the lovable teenager. That's how this becomes such an emotional story.

The follow-up to all this is shaping up to be just as interesting as this story. It starts in this week's Ultimate Fallout #1 (dare you not to cry) and will continue in a sort-of relaunch for the Ultimate line: All-New Spider-Man ('cause we need some Spidey in our lives, even if it ain't Pete), X-Men, Ultimates (i.e. the Avengers) and Hawkeye. I'll be reviewing those in the coming weeks.

The first printing of "Death of Spider-Man" is all but gone now, but you should still be able to track it down. If anything, buy the complete trade when it's published, sit down and read it in one sitting.

Just don't let anybody catch you crying over a cartoon character.