Amazing Spider-Man 545
I’m a comic book fan. Comics were pretty much the first things I ever read and they’ve fascinated me ever since. They’ve entertained me, taught me right from wrong, and been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. When I’ve been out of work and out of money, I still found a way to buy comics.
The thing about comics, and super-hero comics in particular, is that they tell stories where the hero always wins. No matter the odds, no matter how fearsome the villains, no matter the consequences, the hero always, ALWAYS, beats the bad guys and saves the day. He does this not for money, not for fame, and not because it’s the easy thing to do. He does this because it’s the right thing to do.
Until now.
Until Amazing Spider-Man #545.
Until Joe Quesada, the editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics, decided that today, Spider-Man was going to act completely out of character and make a deal with the Devil.
Why did he do this? What reason are we given for Peter going against everything he ever stood for and making a deal with the devil? It wasn’t to save the life of his Aunt who’s been on death’s door for years and was, in fact, dead long ago before being brought back by another poor editorial decision. No, Peter made the deal because he couldn’t live with himself because it was his fault that she was dying. It was his fault because he was stupid enough to unmask in Civil War and his Aunt was shot as a result.
As a 43 year old fan I could talk about how I’ve grown up with Peter Parker and how I’m against any story that tries to alter the character’s history both arbitrarily and through a deus ex machina.
If I was religious I could talk about how nothing good can come out of making a deal with the devil.
I could talk about how incredibly short-sighted it is for an editor, or a corporation to undo a long standing marriage and forcibly restrict the growth of a character in some misguided attempt to make him more accessible to a younger audience. A younger audience who has largely never known the character to be unmarried.
I could talk about all of that and more, but I won’t.
Instead I’ll simply say that I don’t like this story.
The Peter Parker I’ve grown up with would never, Never, NEVER sell out to the devil. Period.
I’ll be amazed if this storyline isn’t undone within the next six months.
I waited more than 10 years for Hal Jordan to be vindicated. I don’t think I’ll have to wait that long for Spider-Man.