First issue of FNSM hits the stands. Whaddaya think?
PAD
126 comments on “Out this week–Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1”
The StarWolf wrote: Why didn’t Spidey simply web the bullets? If his webbing can stop missiles, it can stop bullets. Or was he out of webbing and this was left out? Hmmm … I need to go back and re-read …
Can he even run out of webbing anymore, with the organic webshooters?
Very entertaining issue. I’m really looking foward to following this series. Your wit is perfect for Spider-Man and I see no reason for this run to not last as long as you first Hulk run did. Looking foward to the next issue.
For those who aren’t reading the crossover, or all of the crossover, and are worrying what you might miss, and therefore not sure you will pick it up when the crossover ends, you can keep track of what’s happening at Wikipedia or Spoilt!.
When I read the first pages I turned to the front of the book looking for the Comic Code of Approval (didn’t find it), but I did think it was distasteful for an all ages book. I’m surprised the editor let it in there.
>When I read the first pages I turned to the front of the book looking for the Comic Code of Approval (didn’t find it), but I did think it was distasteful for an all ages book. I’m surprised the editor let it in there.
The Comic Code isn’t used by Marvel anymore, but wouldn’t have prevented that scene from being used. I read the book and interpreted the scene as that of an affectionate wife comforting her husband. While sex is certainly a possibility, I didn’t see it as any more likely than a good kiss between the two. Much like the Simpsons, anyone too young for this to be deemed “inappropriate” would have missed that interpretation/innuendo, etc completely.
Fred
ugh…. make that deemed “appropriate”
“Putting a scene of sex between married people in an “all ages” comic is not.”
I agree.
And where does it show that they’re having sex or say they’re having sex? My fourteen year old read the sequence, I asked her what was going on in that page, and she said, “They were snuggling.”
It was not a scene of sex. It was a scene of being people affectionate. Anything beyond that is in the mind of the beholder and comments on them, not on the work.
Perhaps the sales of the book should be restricted to kids, since they couldn’t possibly see anything untoward in the sequence. That way no filthy-minded adults need be distressed.
PAD
“All in all, a very strong issue. For those who want to whine about the whole crossover thing “as part of the crap from the ’90s”, well, first, sales were pretty dámņ good back then.”
So let me get this straight Jerome, those of us who would like to read an issue of Spider-Man, a story told in ONE issue by ONE writer is a whiner. That anyone who’d prefer NOT to have to purchase other Spidey titles written by writers we DON’T like to follow a story that’s spread into issues written by someone we enjoy is a whiner. That we can’t have this preferable opinion.
And who the hëll said anything about sales?
“It seems many of those who complain about things are stuck in the ’90s themselves.”
You lost me there Jerome. I stopped buying and reading most mainstream books in the 90’s because of acts like this. Crossovers were just part of the junk (IMO) like multiple covers, poor artwork and lousy writing that sums up the 90’s to me.
“And it’s being driven by three talented writers.”
Your opinion of course, but after reading many of JMS books I’d say that his work shows that he’s far from talented.
“And guess what? FNSM#1 sold out at my locak comic shop within two days, and the shop owner ordered comparable to what he would order on JMS Spidey or Ultimate Spidey.”
“Which means. for those who are staying away because they’ve made up their minds before even reading the story”
If the story means that you have to buy 6 other books other than this title, some of which is written by a “talent” who’s work you can’t stand, just to follow a story, we’re not staying away because of the story, but because of the way it’s being sold to the reader.
If Peter or some other writer’s work I respect and enjoy were telling this story in one book, I’d buy it.
As I mentioned before I’m sure I’ll try this book out starting with issue #5, but not now during this insipid crossover.
RJM, I’m afraid we’ll have to agree to disagree on the talent of JMS, and on the idea that this crossover is “insipid”. Now, had this started as one of those megacrossovers that would have involved every major character in the MU, and a few from outside, and Peter had wound up with an alien symbiont (not symbiote – common error, really) as a costume, then maybe I’d agree that you had a point.
In this case, the entire crossover is three whole titles, all of which revolve around the same cast of characters. I’d hope that anything permanent gets mentioned in any other titles Spidey might appear in later, but there’s no need to ring in anyone not on the main list. And the major threats to Peter and his family aren’t the sorts of things that can be easily overcome with simple superhuman strength, superhuman agility, and massive amounts of silk (synthetic or not). That’s why I’m interested to follow this up – if Peter’s confronted by any of his usual villains, I already know how he’s going to defeat them. How’s he going to defeat some mysterious disease, and an immortal hunter who’s stronger and faster than he is? Especially when he’s too stubborn to call in his new teammates when he needs them? I don’t really know – yet. 🙂
Greg, what’s “distasteful” about a scene between a man and his wife, both of them main characters and important to the story, that reinforces the idea that they love each other very much? Especially when the sex is merely implied, and will be missed by anyone not looking for it?
(That, of course, leads into the question of why sex should be seen as “distasteful” at all, but I think we’ll leave that one aside for now…)
“Why didn’t Spidey simply web the bullets? If his webbing can stop missiles, it can stop bullets. Or was he out of webbing and this was left out? Hmmm … I need to go back and re-read …”
I thought MJ used up all of Peter’s webbing around page 2.
Oh, you mean the “other” webbing. Hmm, maybe that’s what the Other is all about….
Darrik
(just waiting to be banned)
This issue is seriously amazing, which i know isn’t the proper adj. But I can’t very well call it “Friendly” now can i?? Absolutely great story though. I will be looking forward to this for as long as you put it out PAD.
perhaps settling the “All Ages” argument may be that Marvel apparently doesn’t consider this series “All Ages”.
One other thought on the “page two” controversy – Neil Gaiman wrote an interesting thing about this in his blog the other day:
I would say that it’s astonishing how much people’s imaginations will do for you, which is to say, ever since I was accused of writing explicitly pornographic sex in Stardust, I realised that people can always fill in the blanks with far more detail than you think you’ve provided. So you can probably do more by writing less than you imagine.
Please, PLEASE, do not let The Other be a clone.
Please?
I realised that people can always fill in the blanks with far more detail than you think you’ve provided.
Perhaps part of the problem here is that some of us are so used to the innuendo that PAD writes into some of his others works (New Frontier in particular), that when you have a scene such as the one in FNSM #1, well, it’s easy to ‘interpret’ what is going on.
So, I say this without being demeaning PAD, but if you think we all have ‘dirty minds’, perhaps the problem may be the fact that such a scene is there that can be so *easily* misinterpreted.
PAD
Just a little question, why didn’t the bullets slow down? I would have thought that bullets would have slowed down after chaseing Spidey half way across town.
Temple, I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of an experimental weapon from the early ’60s called the GyroJet. It was an incredibly lightweight firearm, in which the slugs were basically little solid-fuel rockets. The problem came in that the spin on the rounds was to be provided by angled thrust, but the machining techniques used were insufficiently precise. The accuracy suffered as a result. A few of the GyroJet assault rifles were used in ‘Nam, and overall satisfaction with them was lower than with the original version of the M-16 (which is really saying something). A few of the pistols also made it out, into the hands of collectors.
I’m thinking Tracer has essentially adapted the GyroJet system, combining it with more-modern manufacturing, and comic-book-level guidance systems…
>Just a little question, why didn’t the bullets slow down? I would have thought that bullets would have slowed down after chaseing Spidey half way across town.
Since Spidey was able to keep out of their range for a significant amount of time and is not faster than a speeding bullet, I assumed that they had slowed down.
Fred
Jerome–
I mean, this is the first major Spidey crossover in at least SEVEN YEARS. And it’s being driven by three talented writers.
It is?
Y’mean they replaced JMS & Hudlin on the other 2/3 of the story? Woo-hoo! I might just have to check it out, after all. 😉
But, seriously, personal tastes being just that, one person’s “three talented writers” is another person’s “one talented writer and two guys whose work puts me to sleep on a good day.”
Nytwyng,
Sorry. Part of what gets me annoyed is that those who supposedly support PAD’s work are sitting this out.
Why not even pick up all three books this month and then wait. The money you save on the next two months will offset the extra expenditure this month.
Also, anybody think that with PAD, you know, working together with these two guys so many of you don’t seem to like, well, have you thought with them working together the story may be worth picking up?
And few important stories in Spidey history were simoply one-and-done, anyway. Check “The Night Gwen Stacy Died”. They actually made you wait until the next issue to find out what happens to the Green Goblin! Bášŧárdš!
Jerome–
Part of what gets me annoyed is that those who supposedly support PAD’s work are sitting this out.
Why not even pick up all three books this month and then wait. The money you save on the next two months will offset the extra expenditure this month.
For me, it’s not about “expenditure.” (Except, possibly, the expenditure of time in reading the work of writers who don’t entertain me in the least.)
It’s about not seeing much point in reading 1/3 of a story if I know going in that I won’t be reading the other 2/3 (including the finale).
Also, anybody think that with PAD, you know, working together with these two guys so many of you don’t seem to like, well, have you thought with them working together the story may be worth picking up?
While anything is possible, I’m not sure how their working with someone whose work I enjoy will suddenly make me enjoy their installments.
After all, PAD contributed to JMS’s magnum opus, Babylon 5, but that still didn’t make me like the series any better. So, I’m not certain what would make me think that their contributing to the same Spider-Man story would make me like JMS’s work in comics any better this time around. If anything, it seems more likely that it would only serve to emphasize what I don’t like about his (or Hudlin’s) work, seeing it side-by-side with PAD’s work.
Oh yeah bye the way I f’n love the story so far.
I just got part 2 PAD you rule. Also just a note off subject I CAN’T WAIT FOR FALLEN ANGEL TO RETURN. Anybody out there who could customize a Fallen Angel Action figure in scale with Marvel LegendsDC Direct figures?
Peter thanks for all the things you do!
You can count me in on the “not picking the book up ever” camp.
I was REALLY looking forward to this book. Really. I figured David and Wieringo were a great match, and the book would be a must read.
Then I found out about “The Other,” and it took the wind out of my sails. I had dropped Amazing because I wasn’t enjoying it any more, so what I thought would be a replacement was going to be mired in continuity right off the bat.
So, I figured I’d start with issue #4 (later #5, when Marvel announced the month of epilogues.) And then, time passed, and I got interested in other titles, and, well… I just kinda moved on.
At some point in the last couple of months I decided that Ultimate Spider-Man was enough Spidey for me, and I’m going to pass on FNSM, and concentrate on X-Factor and Fallen Angel, instead.
I’m sure it’ll be good, and I hope it does well, but my budget is stretched thin enough as it is, so I’ve got to make some choices.
Anyone not picking this book up is not only crazy but also has absolutely no faith in PAD.
Read just his issues or read the whole thing either way I guarantee PAD will make sure we all know what’s up. Have a little faith in the best writer in comics today. Once again thanks for maintaining my faith in the comics industries ability to produce quality.
Temple,
I have tremendous faith in PAD.
It’s JMS and Hudlin that I have absolutely no faith in.
I’m sure PAD will make sure we all know what’s up.
Which is why I’m starting with #5. He can let me know what’s up after the crossover’s done.
So, I have more than “a little faith” in the best writer in comics today. But, despite letters sent to Brevoort and Quesada, the only voices of displeasure in this format that Marvel will truly hear and potentially heed are those of the dead presidents.
hi
i was wondering will fnsm #1 be a collectible item.
• 
The StarWolf wrote:
Why didn’t Spidey simply web the bullets? If his webbing can stop missiles, it can stop bullets. Or was he out of webbing and this was left out? Hmmm … I need to go back and re-read …
Can he even run out of webbing anymore, with the organic webshooters?
Very entertaining issue. I’m really looking foward to following this series. Your wit is perfect for Spider-Man and I see no reason for this run to not last as long as you first Hulk run did. Looking foward to the next issue.
For those who aren’t reading the crossover, or all of the crossover, and are worrying what you might miss, and therefore not sure you will pick it up when the crossover ends, you can keep track of what’s happening at Wikipedia or Spoilt!.
When I read the first pages I turned to the front of the book looking for the Comic Code of Approval (didn’t find it), but I did think it was distasteful for an all ages book. I’m surprised the editor let it in there.
>When I read the first pages I turned to the front of the book looking for the Comic Code of Approval (didn’t find it), but I did think it was distasteful for an all ages book. I’m surprised the editor let it in there.
The Comic Code isn’t used by Marvel anymore, but wouldn’t have prevented that scene from being used. I read the book and interpreted the scene as that of an affectionate wife comforting her husband. While sex is certainly a possibility, I didn’t see it as any more likely than a good kiss between the two. Much like the Simpsons, anyone too young for this to be deemed “inappropriate” would have missed that interpretation/innuendo, etc completely.
Fred
ugh…. make that deemed “appropriate”
“Putting a scene of sex between married people in an “all ages” comic is not.”
I agree.
And where does it show that they’re having sex or say they’re having sex? My fourteen year old read the sequence, I asked her what was going on in that page, and she said, “They were snuggling.”
It was not a scene of sex. It was a scene of being people affectionate. Anything beyond that is in the mind of the beholder and comments on them, not on the work.
Perhaps the sales of the book should be restricted to kids, since they couldn’t possibly see anything untoward in the sequence. That way no filthy-minded adults need be distressed.
PAD
“All in all, a very strong issue. For those who want to whine about the whole crossover thing “as part of the crap from the ’90s”, well, first, sales were pretty dámņ good back then.”
So let me get this straight Jerome, those of us who would like to read an issue of Spider-Man, a story told in ONE issue by ONE writer is a whiner. That anyone who’d prefer NOT to have to purchase other Spidey titles written by writers we DON’T like to follow a story that’s spread into issues written by someone we enjoy is a whiner. That we can’t have this preferable opinion.
And who the hëll said anything about sales?
“It seems many of those who complain about things are stuck in the ’90s themselves.”
You lost me there Jerome. I stopped buying and reading most mainstream books in the 90’s because of acts like this. Crossovers were just part of the junk (IMO) like multiple covers, poor artwork and lousy writing that sums up the 90’s to me.
“And it’s being driven by three talented writers.”
Your opinion of course, but after reading many of JMS books I’d say that his work shows that he’s far from talented.
“And guess what? FNSM#1 sold out at my locak comic shop within two days, and the shop owner ordered comparable to what he would order on JMS Spidey or Ultimate Spidey.”
“Which means. for those who are staying away because they’ve made up their minds before even reading the story”
If the story means that you have to buy 6 other books other than this title, some of which is written by a “talent” who’s work you can’t stand, just to follow a story, we’re not staying away because of the story, but because of the way it’s being sold to the reader.
If Peter or some other writer’s work I respect and enjoy were telling this story in one book, I’d buy it.
As I mentioned before I’m sure I’ll try this book out starting with issue #5, but not now during this insipid crossover.
RJM, I’m afraid we’ll have to agree to disagree on the talent of JMS, and on the idea that this crossover is “insipid”. Now, had this started as one of those megacrossovers that would have involved every major character in the MU, and a few from outside, and Peter had wound up with an alien symbiont (not symbiote – common error, really) as a costume, then maybe I’d agree that you had a point.
In this case, the entire crossover is three whole titles, all of which revolve around the same cast of characters. I’d hope that anything permanent gets mentioned in any other titles Spidey might appear in later, but there’s no need to ring in anyone not on the main list. And the major threats to Peter and his family aren’t the sorts of things that can be easily overcome with simple superhuman strength, superhuman agility, and massive amounts of silk (synthetic or not). That’s why I’m interested to follow this up – if Peter’s confronted by any of his usual villains, I already know how he’s going to defeat them. How’s he going to defeat some mysterious disease, and an immortal hunter who’s stronger and faster than he is? Especially when he’s too stubborn to call in his new teammates when he needs them? I don’t really know – yet. 🙂
Greg, what’s “distasteful” about a scene between a man and his wife, both of them main characters and important to the story, that reinforces the idea that they love each other very much? Especially when the sex is merely implied, and will be missed by anyone not looking for it?
(That, of course, leads into the question of why sex should be seen as “distasteful” at all, but I think we’ll leave that one aside for now…)
“Why didn’t Spidey simply web the bullets? If his webbing can stop missiles, it can stop bullets. Or was he out of webbing and this was left out? Hmmm … I need to go back and re-read …”
I thought MJ used up all of Peter’s webbing around page 2.
Oh, you mean the “other” webbing. Hmm, maybe that’s what the Other is all about….
Darrik
(just waiting to be banned)
This issue is seriously amazing, which i know isn’t the proper adj. But I can’t very well call it “Friendly” now can i?? Absolutely great story though. I will be looking forward to this for as long as you put it out PAD.
perhaps settling the “All Ages” argument may be that Marvel apparently doesn’t consider this series “All Ages”.
At least the October solicitations labelled it as T+ (Teens and up).
One other thought on the “page two” controversy – Neil Gaiman wrote an interesting thing about this in his blog the other day:
I would say that it’s astonishing how much people’s imaginations will do for you, which is to say, ever since I was accused of writing explicitly pornographic sex in Stardust, I realised that people can always fill in the blanks with far more detail than you think you’ve provided. So you can probably do more by writing less than you imagine.
Please, PLEASE, do not let The Other be a clone.
Please?
I realised that people can always fill in the blanks with far more detail than you think you’ve provided.
Perhaps part of the problem here is that some of us are so used to the innuendo that PAD writes into some of his others works (New Frontier in particular), that when you have a scene such as the one in FNSM #1, well, it’s easy to ‘interpret’ what is going on.
So, I say this without being demeaning PAD, but if you think we all have ‘dirty minds’, perhaps the problem may be the fact that such a scene is there that can be so *easily* misinterpreted.
PAD
Just a little question, why didn’t the bullets slow down? I would have thought that bullets would have slowed down after chaseing Spidey half way across town.
Temple, I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of an experimental weapon from the early ’60s called the GyroJet. It was an incredibly lightweight firearm, in which the slugs were basically little solid-fuel rockets. The problem came in that the spin on the rounds was to be provided by angled thrust, but the machining techniques used were insufficiently precise. The accuracy suffered as a result. A few of the GyroJet assault rifles were used in ‘Nam, and overall satisfaction with them was lower than with the original version of the M-16 (which is really saying something). A few of the pistols also made it out, into the hands of collectors.
I’m thinking Tracer has essentially adapted the GyroJet system, combining it with more-modern manufacturing, and comic-book-level guidance systems…
>Just a little question, why didn’t the bullets slow down? I would have thought that bullets would have slowed down after chaseing Spidey half way across town.
Since Spidey was able to keep out of their range for a significant amount of time and is not faster than a speeding bullet, I assumed that they had slowed down.
Fred
Jerome–
I mean, this is the first major Spidey crossover in at least SEVEN YEARS. And it’s being driven by three talented writers.
It is?
Y’mean they replaced JMS & Hudlin on the other 2/3 of the story? Woo-hoo! I might just have to check it out, after all. 😉
But, seriously, personal tastes being just that, one person’s “three talented writers” is another person’s “one talented writer and two guys whose work puts me to sleep on a good day.”
Nytwyng,
Sorry. Part of what gets me annoyed is that those who supposedly support PAD’s work are sitting this out.
Why not even pick up all three books this month and then wait. The money you save on the next two months will offset the extra expenditure this month.
Also, anybody think that with PAD, you know, working together with these two guys so many of you don’t seem to like, well, have you thought with them working together the story may be worth picking up?
And few important stories in Spidey history were simoply one-and-done, anyway. Check “The Night Gwen Stacy Died”. They actually made you wait until the next issue to find out what happens to the Green Goblin! Bášŧárdš!
Jerome–
Part of what gets me annoyed is that those who supposedly support PAD’s work are sitting this out.
Why not even pick up all three books this month and then wait. The money you save on the next two months will offset the extra expenditure this month.
For me, it’s not about “expenditure.” (Except, possibly, the expenditure of time in reading the work of writers who don’t entertain me in the least.)
It’s about not seeing much point in reading 1/3 of a story if I know going in that I won’t be reading the other 2/3 (including the finale).
Also, anybody think that with PAD, you know, working together with these two guys so many of you don’t seem to like, well, have you thought with them working together the story may be worth picking up?
While anything is possible, I’m not sure how their working with someone whose work I enjoy will suddenly make me enjoy their installments.
After all, PAD contributed to JMS’s magnum opus, Babylon 5, but that still didn’t make me like the series any better. So, I’m not certain what would make me think that their contributing to the same Spider-Man story would make me like JMS’s work in comics any better this time around. If anything, it seems more likely that it would only serve to emphasize what I don’t like about his (or Hudlin’s) work, seeing it side-by-side with PAD’s work.
Oh yeah bye the way I f’n love the story so far.
I just got part 2 PAD you rule. Also just a note off subject I CAN’T WAIT FOR FALLEN ANGEL TO RETURN. Anybody out there who could customize a Fallen Angel Action figure in scale with Marvel LegendsDC Direct figures?
Peter thanks for all the things you do!
You can count me in on the “not picking the book up ever” camp.
I was REALLY looking forward to this book. Really. I figured David and Wieringo were a great match, and the book would be a must read.
Then I found out about “The Other,” and it took the wind out of my sails. I had dropped Amazing because I wasn’t enjoying it any more, so what I thought would be a replacement was going to be mired in continuity right off the bat.
So, I figured I’d start with issue #4 (later #5, when Marvel announced the month of epilogues.) And then, time passed, and I got interested in other titles, and, well… I just kinda moved on.
At some point in the last couple of months I decided that Ultimate Spider-Man was enough Spidey for me, and I’m going to pass on FNSM, and concentrate on X-Factor and Fallen Angel, instead.
I’m sure it’ll be good, and I hope it does well, but my budget is stretched thin enough as it is, so I’ve got to make some choices.
Anyone not picking this book up is not only crazy but also has absolutely no faith in PAD.
Read just his issues or read the whole thing either way I guarantee PAD will make sure we all know what’s up. Have a little faith in the best writer in comics today. Once again thanks for maintaining my faith in the comics industries ability to produce quality.
Temple,
I have tremendous faith in PAD.
It’s JMS and Hudlin that I have absolutely no faith in.
I’m sure PAD will make sure we all know what’s up.
Which is why I’m starting with #5. He can let me know what’s up after the crossover’s done.
So, I have more than “a little faith” in the best writer in comics today. But, despite letters sent to Brevoort and Quesada, the only voices of displeasure in this format that Marvel will truly hear and potentially heed are those of the dead presidents.
hi
i was wondering will fnsm #1 be a collectible item.
i have the varient edition