So I was interviewed for a documentary last night. I was approached by a fellow with the frankly unfortunate name of Constantine Valhouli, whom I can only assume is a comic fan now because he got the crap kicked out of him as a kid. Referred to me by Catherine Gruenwald (widow of the late, great Mark Gruenwald) and working in conjunction with comic historian Peter Sanderson, they’re putting together a documentary about the history of comics. It’s an endeavor to look at an artform that is all too often relegated to the status of juvenile pastime by the general public. They hauled some camera equipment to my office and we chatted for an hour and a half about comics in general, and my work on such titles as HULK in specific. Interviews have already been completed with Colleen Doran and Jim Valentino. They said Colleen said flattering things about me. Considering I thought she couldn’t stand me, that was nice to hear. Maybe she can stand me now. Not everyone can. Every so often I still worry about Kathleen coming to her senses and running screaming into the night. Thank God for that homing beacon I installed in her while she was sleeping…
Peter Sanderson also pointed out to me that Spider-Man, as depicted in the movie, is portrayed in terms of origin and powers almost exactly the way that I played “Spider-Man 2099.” Genetic manipulation rather than radioactive blood. Biological webspinners. Bristles on his fingertips (the talons on 2099’s were larger than the microscopic versions in the movie, but even so, 2099 had extensions on his fingers whereas the modern day one crawls walls through an enhanced version of static electricity, according to the Handbook). In 2099, his inner warning system consisted of what I called accelerated vision which enabled him to see all manner of attack and react to it before it got to him, which is the movie version…as opposed to the comics where his spider sense is sort of an all purpose ESP.
Coincidence? Well, let’s see if Peter Parker acquires fangs in the next film.
PAD
• 
Nice to see some familiar and respected names address the much-neglected area of comics history — better still to see them select an interview subject like Peter David, who’s been in the thick of things with an open mind for a great many years,in both writing and distribution. (As opposed to — let’s not name names — but some names who are considered marquee but who have Spawned some pretty awful things in the quiet privacy of their own egos.)
Anyway, feel free to send Sanderson & Co. my way for comments on hinterland comics journalism, if they don’t have an earful already from Sangiacomo.
Oh, and I’ve made mention to those that will listen that you broke ground on the organic webspinners! Don’t get the big head, tho, cuz one of those “How Spidey’s powers work” features several decades back first introduced his wall-crawling as being due to little hooks in his epidermis. I was so appalled by this idea I looked it up in the arachnid section of my jr. high library back in the ’70s. I never saw it mentioned again, tho, so maybe it was quietly dropped.
Loved every second of the movie; hope you did too.
Well, the movie version pretty clearly has Spidey’s “Spider-sense” being an esp derivative. The tour guide clearly stated (though it in the background while other things were going on with Peter and the others) that the one spider had a knack for sensing danger that “borders on pre-cognition.”
Other scenes corroborate that as well, Jim. When Flash is lumbering toward Peter, he throws a punch at Peter, who facing completely away from Flash, yet manages to avoid the punch. At the World Unity Festival, right after MJ avoid’s Harry’s kiss, we see that Peter’s spidey sense is going off, because he’s sensing the imminent arrival of the Green Goblin, even though he isn’t even around yet, and Peter isn’t even looking at the direction from which he’s flying.
As the sister (and business partner) of documentarian Constantine Valhouli, I find it very unprofessional of you to be making snide postings about someone’s name, especially coming from someone who has two first names.
All best,
Christina Valhouli