Spider-Man: Life Story By Chip Zdarsky & Mark Bagely

[ZariusTwo]

Marvel have announced SPIDER-MAN: LIFE STORY, a six issue mini-series from Chip Zdarsky and Mark Bagely that chronicles Spider-Man's career in real time!

https://www.newsarama.com/43098-spider-man-s-life-story-re-told-in-real-time-beginning-with-1966-vietnam-war.html

[TurtleTitan97]

Can't recall being this hyped for a Spidey comic in a long time.

[AquaParade]

Yeah, this is a great idea with a team I can get behind. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

Really looks like they're trying to evoke the feeling of "Spider-Man: Blue" with that preview art.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Blue was one of my favorite Spidey books. Very nice art, the story was emotional and introspective, and it recapped so much of his early life.

[ZariusTwo]

Solicitation for Issue Two:

SPIDER-MAN: LIFE STORY #2

CAN PETER AND GWEN FIND HAPPINESS IN THE 1970s? The GREEN GOBLIN is out of their lives, but NORMAN OSBORN isn't! Can PETER AND GWEN find happiness as the world of the 1970s dances on around them?

http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/1901/22/marvelapril.htm

[MikeandRaph87]

I am sold on this! Is this for April? I need to be put down for it.

[ZariusTwo]

Variant covers for Spider-Man: Life Story have emerged on reddit

https://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11127/111275673/6838882-0374841492-gp296.jpg

https://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11127/111275673/6838884-8650007446-51240.jpg

https://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11127/111275673/6838889-1214127819-D1eGmapXgAEQo7E

[TurtleTitan97]

First issue came out. Thought it was a pretty good start. Interested in seeing where it goes next issue.

[MikeandRaph87]

Interesting having Captain America confront the Vietnam War controversy he avoided during the actual period. Also, nice tie-in to responsibility. Changed around the Norman figured out Peter is Spider-Man angle to fit the story,but it was fine. Interesting call back to character deelopment and where characters were at the time. I am curious if we will see more of it in the next issues. I think Stan and Steve approve.

[ZariusTwo]

Life Story#2


Peter talks to Flash at his grave, Gwen gives him a pep talk. Harry visits his father in prison where Norman tells him to look into the Gemini Project as it is out of control. Harry goes to the disco clubs and gets stoned. We learn he is engaged to MJ. Peter arrives at the Club and gets into an argument with a drunken MJ, who reveals she knows he is Spider-Man. Later, a haggard Peter winds up arguing with Reed Richards over sharing advanced technology with the public and we learn Sue left Reed for Namor. Reed slaps him and then fires him.

Harry attacks Miles Warren's lab as the Goblin and terrorises him and Gwen. Peter arrives and battles the Goblin. Harry triggers a series of explosions which reveal a vat of clones that include Norman. Harry is shocked to find two contain clones of Gwen and Peter. He demands to know why Miles has created the other two. Turns out Norman wanted a suitable heir in the Peter clone and doesn't believe Harry is up to snuff at the job. Peter gets everyone out of the building as Harry destroys the cloning tanks, but Gwen tells Peter to go back and rescue the clones, for clones are people too. Peter salvages his own clone, but Warren tells him the Gwen in the tanks is actually the real one, and that he had switched her with the other Gwen. Peter heads back into the burning building but it's too late, the original Gwen is dead.

A year later, Gwen's clone and Peter's clone, now calling himself Ben, are preparing to skip town They've become a couple. MJ is looking after Peter. Gwen's clone has changed her name to Heather. They bid MJ farewell and leave. MJ goes back indoors to comfort a depressed Peter. Peter thinks he has nothing, MJ tells him that isn't true at all and they embrace.


My thoughts:

Overall, a surprising issue that set up one thing but sprung it's own unique take on classic Spidey lore. A twist that's almost wholesale from the 90s animated Spider-Man series, an MJ who is feisty and not afraid to put Peter on the spot for his persistent passive and judgemental nature, but she remains a true and loyal friend to him when she's not so tipsy and a situation with Gwen again compels her to mature when needed. Peter comes off the worst here, as he cannot bring himself to love a copy of someone and even had to be convinced of the clones right to life

[ZariusTwo]

Life Story#3

Peter returns from Battleworld with the alien symbiote, MJ gives birth to twins, Benjamin and Claire. Meanwhile, a Spider-Man imitator (Kraven) is going about killing criminals

Peter knows the symbiote is attempting to take control of him and chooses to wear it sporadically, placing it in a container. He later gets into an argument with MJ when the dementia-stricken Aunt May wanders off with the children and is brought home by police. MJ wants May put into a home. Peter leaves in his classic suit to prove to MJ he is not addicted to the symbiote. Kraven attacks Peter and traps him in the grave ala Kraven's Last Hunt

The symbiote senses Peter is in danger and travels to the grave site, bonding with Peter. Peter confronts Kraven and almost kills him, he begins turning in to Venom. MJ arrives with a weapon Peter invented earlier and removes the symbiote from Peter. MJ decides to take the kids and leave Peter.

My thoughts

The series gets bleaker for "LSP" (Life Story Peter) as a string of disasters in his personal and superhero life culminate in him losing everything, and it all could have been avoided if he'd listen to his wife about both his 'addictions' and his Aunt's health. I felt this story didn't serve the characters, but the characters served the story, and have been largely inconsistent and far too damaged/removed from their faithful interpretations. I also feel like this is less a celebration of Spider-Legend and more a cautionary tale and a reason why we should not take other versions of Peter Parker (be it 616, MC2 or Renew Your Vows), for granted because they have it more together than this clown. It also further explores the idea that the need to hold on to Aunt May, after a time, is detrimental to the character's health and happiness. Nice to see the birth of Spider-Twins, though will Peter ever name a boy anything other than Benjamin?

[MsMarvelDuckie]

If I ever have my way, he will ! :twink:

[Leo656]

But why would he ever do that?

It's like how there's been numerous "What-Ifs" about Superman having a kid, long before it happened in the official canon, and he almost always names him Jon. Because of course he did, that's his Dad's name. Both Clark Kent and Peter Parker have always shown devout reverence for their respective father figures, so it only stands to reason that if either of them had a son, they would look to honor the person who they credit with making them who and what they are by passing down their name. Likewise, if Clark or Peter had a girl, then names like "Martha/Lara" and/or "Gwen/May" are far superior choices than anything else anyone could come up with because they have strong meaning for the protagonist within the story. I mean, people have been doing that kinda thing for thousands of years, it's hardly unprecedented. People generally don't just pick random names for their offspring for no reason. Unless you're a Kardashian.

Makes a lot more sense to me than any alternative. "What should we name our son, Peter?" "....Kyle. We're gonna name him Kyle, MJ." "But why?" "I'unno, sounds cool." Or "Let's name him Peter Jr. because I'm a f*ckin' narcissist." :lol: Not very satisfying in either case.

I'unno. I don't see the problem.

[ZariusTwo]

Issue 4 was a step up, with Peter seemingly learning lessons, resolving his conflict with the Osborns, and relinquishing his heroic responsibilities, passing them on to someone else so he can prioritise his family

So in issue five, a decade passes, Peter is settled and happy, having reconciled with MJ and the kids, but it appears the predators of the Spider-Verse have come knocking on his reality's door...yep, it's Morlun.

https://www.newsarama.com/45984-spider-man-life-story-5-preview.html