DC, MARVEL, Dark Horse Comics / Graphic Novels, TV Shows, Movies etc

Been a looong time since I saw the 90's cartoon (oh the sweet notalgia, grew up watching that before school I did, that and X-men) but I recall it being a fair bit tamer than the comics.  It was good for what it was, a kids show, but it still doesn't hit the same mark as the comics.  Case in point Norman didn't really do any of the nastier things he does in the comics, and I remember Venom not really having the same sort of impact as he does in his comic debut.  In the cartoon it was more "yay an evil Spider-man so cool!" whereas the things he does in the comics get in to more serious issues.  

Don't get me wrong I have a fair bit of nostalgia for the 90's cartoon and it did its job as a gateway to Spidey for kids, but at the same time it's not something I'd suggest as a gateway in general.  

The problem is that most of the alternate media for Spider-man usually falls in to one of two areas, either they faff it up or it's something more for pre-existing fans.  For me at least there's really no substitute for the comics, I'm still waiting for that magic adaptation that absolutely nails everything about Spidey.

Hopefully MARVEL nail it with homecoming, Yeah if I read the comics and same with Superman as well they I may a different opinion but the comics as a kid wasn't something I had or I could even get easily compared to now.

Maybe I should give one of his best arcs a read but at the same time I could read something related to Batman for instance which I know I'm more likely to enjoy instead with my time.

I'd say it's worth a shot (of course I'd say that though!), a read of a couple of regular arcs over a couple of hours for the chance of opening the gates to sixty-plus years of content, I'd say the commitment/potential-payoff ratio is a decent one, however it's entirely your choice.  

If you do choose to hunt down a few volumes I'd say give Ultimate Spider-man's first two volumes (Power and Responsibility, Learning Curve) a go.  The problem with the "check out a fan fav arc" is that a lot of Spidey's best stories rely on already being invested in the series in general and Peter as a character to have a big payoff, they're good but they're just not the material I'd rec to someone if I had one chance to try and get them in to Spidey, if you get what I mean.   Ultimate Spider-man's a great read for veterans and newcomers alike imo, offering enough of its own spin to please fans already familiar with the character in Marvel's main continuity and a well executed fresh start for newcomers.  

The first four volumes of Ultimate Spider-man is some of my favourite material involving any incarnation of the character.  Even if you don't like it enough to continue past them I feel fairly confident you'll at least have a fun read with those two if you do decide to give Spidey a go!  

I'll defer to Athers on this one. I haven't read enough Ultimate, and I can hardly imagine being a newcomer any more, having spent literally my whole life reading Spidey.

Utimate doesn't get Mary Jane right either.

To be fair most things don't get MJ right, even the main series fluctuates between getting her right and character assassinating her in recent times.  Even the upcoming movie has my hopes a lil' fried that they'll get the supporting cast right.  



Also yay Spider-verse shipped! Going to have to savour it, money's going to be very tight from here on out.

The film is introducing MJ while Spidey's still at school, so they're already getting it wrong.
I know what you mean about her in the comics. She's an interesting character because she was never created to be Peter's primary love interest but fans, characters and writers couldn't help but fall for her and the editorship have been trying to go back on that ever since.

To me MJ was ruined straight after the controversial One more day arc.

They just don't know what to do with her now

I'd say it goes a bit further than just not knowing what to do with her honestly, ever since OMD they've taken quiet a few dumps on her, there was a brief glimmer of the girl we know and love in Spider Island but then Superior happened. Much as I love that arc I will say they did a few things with the portrayal of MJ I thought were pretty suspect.

Yeah in Spider island she was great and after that I can't really remember her being about bar popping up to see why Peter was acting weird and then the alt universe arc Spider-man renew your vowels and then when Tony asked her to work for him after ruining her club

She was one of my favourite things about Spider Island. The problem is that after that, there was no way of not having them get back together without assassinating her character, and Marvel seem pretty intent on keeping them apart.

When something happens it seems to stick in the Spiderverse.

I dunno, the Superior Venom incident could've been a good opportunity for a permanent split to occur without the assassination to her character.  But no, they simply had to have Spock get away with a lie and simply have MJ not give a crap when Peter reveals he's been dead for several months instead.  I'm not saying I entirely blame them for wanting to keep the split (okay, I blame them a lil'), but the way they keep doing it beggars belief.  There is no way in hell MJ's response to Peter revealing he'd been dead for several months after being shoved in to the literally rotting soon-to-be corpse of a super villain would be "dun care I've had enough of my life being hijacked by your problems".

Guys, sorry, I know the conversation moved on, but I've missed a few days - just going back to Spiderman being given a raw deal in cartoons etc.; back in the late 80s, at the end of the "buy everything syndicated and cheap" era of TV, they re-ran the 60s Spierman cartoon. Spiderman drives to events in his car, even though he is Spiderman.

Various relatives bought me Spider-man bikes, cars and mechs when I was younger. I was never any less than disgusted.

Trouble is they are actual things now. And if the mech is what I think it is that also existed in Japan

Talking about 60s, you guys see that there doing a new Batman animated movie based on the 60s show with Adam West & Burt Ward reprising their roles.

I would never complain about Leopardon.

Having finished watching Supergirl S1 - good fun, will look out for S2 - I've now graduated onto The Flash S1. It's just about got going at episode 9 or 10 but I'm going to stick with it. Grant Gustin is just so goshdarn loveable in the title role.

I watched the Ultimate Edition of Batman V Superman last night, I honestly couldn't tell you what was added to the film to make it 3hrs long but what I can tell you its still pretty awful.

It felt like Luthor's plotting and scheming was given more detail, there was a bit extra in Bruce's prophetic dream of Superman taking over, and there were some extra scenes of Lois and Clark investigating separately, but not much of any great import or that massively changed the plot. Sadly.

Yeah as people were saying it changed the film and it didn't at all.

Was Jon Stewart in it in the cinema? I don't think he was

I don't think think he was.

Wrote a thing about Spidey there.

I'm in the middle of rewatching Captain America: Civil War. Having rewatched Batman VS Superman: Dawn of Justice not too long ago, I'm reminded how much CW absolutely embarrasses that film.

Better action, better job of showing the repercussions of a world with superheroes, better connection between leads, better pacing... Batman V Superman isn't really the DC equivalent of Civil War. It's a three hour version of the bit in Avengers where Thor fights Iron Man in the woods.

It even does the "dead mum" twist better than BVS' infamously stupid "Martha" moment.

Civil War Spoilers: