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So I have a question that came to me last night while reading the Spider-man 26. I have been reading Spider-man for 20+ years, never missing an issue. I got into comics with Spider-man 165/166. That is where my love for comics and Spider-man started. Through the years there has been ups and downs as far as the story goes, and I have stayed with it. Now with this last issue after reading it I really wondered if I am reading out of habit, or enjoyment? I can say that I have not enjoyed Dan Slott's writing for quite some time and I think that his take of Peter Parker is somewhat misguided at best. I guess what I'm asking is do you have anything that you keep buying out of habit more that from pure enjoyment? I still have to do some soul searching and see if I can cancel this comic, I'm still holding out for a new writer. I know that Spider-man still sells well so not everyone has the same feeling as I do, nor do I expect them to. It's just what happened to the joy of reading Marvel comics? Even when Peter was at his lowest, it was always written with hope. But hey maybe it's just a sign of the times, except that when I read Superman and keep thinking that this is exactly how I used to feel about Spidey, it must have something to do with the way Dan writes him. Just a random thought.

It's not you, it's Slott. And the only way he will ever be removed from the book is if he either removes himself, or sales drop off so much Marvel wakes up and replaces him. I dropped Slott two year ago and haven't looked back. If I am ever tempted, I just visit his Twitter feed for a reminder of how much I don't like him anymore. That does the trick. You can wlays catch up using the Marvel Unlimited App or back issue bins if you feel a desire to go back and read what you missed.

Have you tried Renew Your Vows (written by Gerry Conway) or pre-ordered the new Spectacular Spider-Man (coming in July)?

bralinator wrote: I dropped Slott two year ago and haven't looked back.

If you made it all the way threw the J. Michael Straczynski run and the ridiculous spirt animal totems you are a better man than me.

the superior run of 33 issues was amazing-that was end of 2014- its been awful since-im reading out of habit now too

I am reading renew your vows, Gerry Conway is one of my favorites. I have pre-ordered Spectacular Spider-man and am hoping that I can use this as a replacement. I just can't imagine reading comics without Spider-man as part of my reading. It been hard enough dropping all of my other Marvel books. It's crazy to think that I use to have over 20 issues a month on my pull list and that I am down to 2 now. The good news is that I use this money to purchase more older Omnibus of Marvel. The latest Spider-man is incredible. I don't think I will even get any of the newest reboot this fall, I just have no faith in Marvel anymore. They have let the Writer and the politics run crazy. It's really sad since my entire childhood was built on these hero's. I know that it's just comics, but they are still part of my life. I look back and I just couldn't think about how I would have handled what life gave me without the comics to fall back on. I guess it was a different time, but still sad I can't pick up a comic and read about Thor, Hulk, Capt. America, or even the X-men. Crazy. Glad I was born when I was. It's great seeing my hero's on the big screen, but that is nothing like reading about them month to month.

fudd71 wrote:

bralinator wrote: I dropped Slott two year ago and haven't looked back.

If you made it all the way threw the J. Michael Straczynski run and the ridiculous spirt animal totems you are a better man than me.

I skipped Straczynski entirely. It was actually Slott that brought me back in during his run in the late 600's, but once I figured out his shtick (he doesn't like Peter to be the character/hero I was familiar with), I checked out after the Superior run, around when the Spider-Verse thing began.

drew wrote:the superior run of 33 issues was amazing-that was end of 2014- its been awful since-im reading out of habit now too

Yeah, that's when I checked out. And I think Superior actually ended in or around May 2014, so it's right at two years now.

jediknightbobby wrote:It's crazy to think that I use to have over 20 issues a month on my pull list and that I am down to 2 now. The good news is that I use this money to purchase more older Omnibus of Marvel.

That's the best strategy. I'm hopeful that Marvel will eventually begin focus more on the heroes that established them instead of continuing to push SO MANY titles that people don't seem to be clamoring for. As for the politics in their books, I think Marvel is figuring out that most readers don't want that. I mean, if you agree with the messages in these comics, you may not take any issue with what you're seeing lately from Marvel. However, for readers who are either neutral on these issues or disagree with the message, the comics kind of portray them as ignorant, or worse, the enemy. People don't want to spend their hard-earned money to be told how awful they are. With sales beginning to slip, I think Marvel may have gotten the message.

jediknightbobby wrote:It's great seeing my hero's on the big screen, but that is nothing like reading about them month to month.

I agree.

Well, I hope my point is relevant here, but I'll say this:

I love Spiderman. He was a childhood favorite of mine. I will always remember reading the comic books, playing the video games, and the feeling I always got when I read one of his books. Maximum Carnage, Maximum Clonage, the sagas that introduced Venom, etc.

But I noticed something very strange: When I was a kid, Spiderman was a teenager / young adult. I'm in my 30's now, and Spiderman is STILL a teenager / young adult. Spiderman didn't grow with me, he stayed the same age, and his story is being told over and over and over and over. I haven't bought an issue of Spiderman in over 6 years.

Sometimes a character's story is done. Now, if he were an older man today, or if he was retired, but his history was told through the eyes of a retired super hero, I'd be interested. But I think the publishers are only interested in pushing young sexy characters, male or female, because they believe that's the only thing that will sell. Yes, sure, but there has to be some realism to the character, otherwise they are not "real" to you.

I will always appreciate Spiderman's legacy, but his story is over. They need to come up with newer characters, take a risk, and have faith in new ideas.

ThanosXInfinity wrote:I will always remember reading the comic books, playing the video games, and the feeling I always got when I read one of his books. Maximum Carnage, Maximum Clonage, the sagas that introduced Venom, etc.

But I noticed something very strange: When I was a kid, Spiderman was a teenager / young adult. I'm in my 30's now, and Spiderman is STILL a teenager / young adult. Spiderman didn't grow with me, he stayed the same age, and his story is being told over and over and over and over.

Some say that now as an older person (some said it 20 years ago), but looking back at what was consider the era in the post, there are many that were already older. If the characters aged as much as some suggest many wouldn't have had all the Spider-Man they did enjoy because Peter would already have been an old man. There is this idea that characters need to age among many but it always to that individuals desire never realizing there are many fans of many ages and the book can't be written to make each person happy. Peter was 15-16 years old in 1962, so if he aged like a normal person using the examples given, he would have been 48 for maximum carnage, 49 for the clone saga and 42 for the introduction of Venom (as a separate character not just a suit color). Would this have been as interested in Spider-Man at that age you were then? What about readers younger, they never get a Spider-Man their age? Sure some may appreciate a 71 year old Peter currently (what he would be) but that feels like a very self-centered desire that negates all fans that aren't the exact same age or in the same point in life as the individual making the request.

As I read this I realize it seems harsh, and I have rewrote it a few times. My intention is not to pick on you (ThanosXInfinity) just making the point that Spider-Man or any character can't simultaneously be the perfect age for every reader, former reader and future reader.

ThanosXInfinity wrote:Well, I hope my point is relevant here, but I'll say this:

I love Spiderman. He was a childhood favorite of mine. I will always remember reading the comic books, playing the video games, and the feeling I always got when I read one of his books. Maximum Carnage, Maximum Clonage, the sagas that introduced Venom, etc.

But I noticed something very strange: When I was a kid, Spiderman was a teenager / young adult. I'm in my 30's now, and Spiderman is STILL a teenager / young adult. Spiderman didn't grow with me, he stayed the same age, and his story is being told over and over and over and over. I haven't bought an issue of Spiderman in over 6 years.

Sometimes a character's story is done. Now, if he were an older man today, or if he was retired, but his history was told through the eyes of a retired super hero, I'd be interested. But I think the publishers are only interested in pushing young sexy characters, male or female, because they believe that's the only thing that will sell. Yes, sure, but there has to be some realism to the character, otherwise they are not "real" to you.

I will always appreciate Spiderman's legacy, but his story is over. They need to come up with newer characters, take a risk, and have faith in new ideas.

yeah in the last six years you missed some growing up stuff in spidey: