Tag Spider-Man

Carnage

Spider-Man has always had one of comic’s best rogues’ galleries. Filled with the iconic and the absurd, the villains range from the unforgettable to the laughable. It is always a treat to be collecting a book at the time when…

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Gang War

  Despite the fact that Spider-Man has fought supervillains, megalomaniacal despots, and galactic level threats, I have always thought of Spider-Man as more of a street level hero. Maybe it is the origin of the character so connected in the…

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J.M. Dematteis

52 weeks. 52 different writers. 2 trade paperbacks or hardcovers a week. Each week I’ll take a look at a different writer and read two different collected editions from within that person’s repertoire to help in the examination of their work. This week is a peek at the writer J.M. Dematteis.
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The Goblin War!

For some readers today, it might be hard to imagine that once upon a time Todd McFarlane was the top artist in the industry and not just a toy company mogul or occasional cover artist. But he was huge. Highly…

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Toronto Comic Book Show Report

On July 6th I had the opportunity to attend the Toronto Comic Book Show (TCBS) for the first time. This was the second TCBS after its inaugural show in May. You won’t see any cosplay or signings at TCBS—the show’s organizers are 100% focused on serving those who just want to get their hands on books (both raw and graded). The admission person I spoke with said they expected over 400 people throughout the day. While that’s a far cry from some of the bigger Toronto shows or US shows, it’s a pretty respectable number considering TCBS is a collector-first show.
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Review: Amazing Spider-Man 2

The summer of superhero sequels rages on with Amazing Spider-Man 2. Personally, I would have pushed for the title Spectacular Spider-Man but, surprisingly, I was not involved in the making of this film for asked for my opinion at any juncture. Perhaps for the inevitable 3 entry into the series. Oh, and if you haven't seen it yet: spoiler alert and read no further.
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#4 | Amazing Spider-Man 100-102 & Marvel Team-Up 3-4

This is a battle where I was definitely going to lose something (mmm…). My love of comic reading and Spider-Man vs. the raging hormones of a 15 year old me about to enter high school with all those girls. There was not enough time for both and the girls were winning. Reading comics was starting to feel a bit juvenile and my interest in them was beginning to wane. It didn’t help that my favourite title Spider-Man had been going through weak or flat spot (for me any way) in its run (issues #83-99) for a while with a couple of exceptions. Even the 2nd return of the Green Goblin, the drug issues (#96-98) hadn’t lifted me out of the doldrums as those books felt like drug story sermons to me back then. I was however holding out for a special issue #100, and that is where our Arcs and Runs tale begins today.
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St. Patrick’s Day Special: Spider-Man’s Green Villains

It’s St.Patrick's Day. The only day of the year when the world goes green, and actually means it. We all want to be Irish today and if we’re not, we can pretend we are and go to the pub to celebrate anyway. All this green gets me thinking, not about money, but about comics, and a question. Why are all of Spider-Mans villains costumes green?
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Marvel Now, Continuity, and What If?

However, the more I think about Marvel Now the more I feel that success (or lack thereof) is mostly owed to these unique interpretations. When I talk with fans at conventions or comic book shops they either love or hate what is going on in Marvel Now. And I think that is primarily due to the fact that the concepts behind Marvel Now are all or nothing; you either love them or or hate them because they are What If? stories.
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