I think we all agree Marvel Comics is struggling a bit right now. And that’s part of the reason why they’re having a shake-up. Sometimes the proof is right there on the page. What follows is kinda harsh, so I apologize in advance to the creators involved. I know they are overworked and doing their best. I know they care deeply about Marvel and their readers. But if you want to see an illustration for “malaise,” the build up to Spider-Man #1000 show some signs of strain.
I first noticed this myself when this teaser image from the Free Comics Book Day, excuse me, Comics Giveaway Day issue of Spider-Man was making the rounds. Including a spotlight on Marvel’s official instagram page.
As Christian Holub wrote when I put this on my BluSky account, “kinda looks like a free educational comic.” We all love JRJr and he is one of the all time greats but he must have been in a hurry that day. No backgrounds, and, most troublesome to me, the half hearted shock lines for Mr. Crane’s discovery that his mother is May Parker. Yes, the big shocker that will change Peter Parker’s life this time is a heretofore unknown relative. Petey has a rich tradition of unknown relatives, clones and familial activities, so a good, sturdy storyline there. But this bland excerpt (and weird coloring) do little to build excitement, in my opinion.
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While I was looking for that post, I came across another one from Marvel’s IG touting the same storyline, as Cormac Crane confronts his…mother! This is actually a strong sequence with the close-up on May having some heft, but this mix of flat and fussy coloring is just not to my liking.
I’m not alone in side-eyeing some of the promos for the gala 1000th issue. Key Collector Comics (one of those comics pricing entities) found the main cover a bit lacking.
This is the main cover for The Amazing Spider-Man milestone issue 1000?!
Is it just me or did Marvel miss the mark on this?
Scroll to see all the anniversary issues going back to no. 100 and comment which one is your favorite.
This diss was brought to my attention while I was listening/watching an episode of the Beyond Wednesdays podcast. Like many people, I guess, i’ll put on a four hour podcast of people shooting the shit while I clean-up my apartment. Unfortunately, listening to comics retailers go on and on about the value of comics is not useful while you are trying to clean up your comics collection. Every time I find some weird old thing I think “Hey maybe it’s valuable???” and just file it away. Again.
As the late great Peter David once said, but I digress. The Key Collector account posted all the previous anniversary covers, and the Beyond Wednesday crew critiqued them all, and found #1000 not up to code. For one thing, why is Spider-Man shrugging? Does he not care? The panelists thought this basic cover might be an incentive to buy the variant covers, and they may have a point.
In fact, let’s go back through memory lane and check out previous anniversaries!
1971, John Romita Sr and Frank Giacoia. Nostalgia sense….tingling!
JRSr again. I wouldn’t call this a dud, but it’s typical. Also….Spider-Man’s primal scene revisited yet again. 1979
Todd McFarlane, 1988. The panelists gushed over this and it must be admitted….it’s a pretty great cover.
From 1995, Mark Bagley, This cover actually came with some kind of shroud over the tombstone, I guess. The story by J.M. DeMatties features Aunt May dying, so once again, the key players are involved and PETER PARKER’S LIFE CHANGES FOREVER.
This J. Scott Campbell number from 2003 is a banger. The story features Peter revisiting all the times his life changed forever and the ghost of Uncle Ben telling him it’s gonna be ok.
From 2009, Jon Romita Jr takes his first crack at an anniversary issue with a wraparound cover that is quite dark and dramatic and captures the feel of the urban superhero at work. The story includes Ant May marrying JJJ’s FATHER, J Jonah Sr.. Sorry I need a family tree for all of this. J. Jonah Jameson. I did not know that happened. I am learning a lot in this trip down memory lane.
This 2012 cover is by French collage artist Mr Garcin. Conceptually it’s incredible! The story wraps up the “Dying Wish” storyline in which a dying Doc Ock swaps bodies with Spider-Man and features Peter reliving all the moments that have changed his life forever. Peak Dan Slott.
I’m a big Alex Ross fan, but this from 2018 isn’t my favorite cover of his. Still, it effectively gets across the idea of Peter Parker reliving some of the moments that changed his life forever….which according to the synopsis on Fancom.com DOES NOT ACTUALLY HAPPEN IN THIS STORY.
JRJr with a lively look at my favorite rogues gallery, the Sinister Six! This is from just four years ago, 2022, so we’re now passing 100 issues in four years instead of the eight years of last century. Publishing two issues a month will do that to you. The story does not feature flashbacks, but it does have Doc Ock. This was also actually The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #6 so we’re well into “legacy numbering massaging” territory here.
And that brings us to 2026, and this cover by JRJr and Paolo Rivera, two of my favorite artists. It is a nice strong composition with Rivera’s painting skills on display, but a bit flat. But, as the blub promises, PETER PARKER’S LIFE CHANGES FOREVER! Also, nice work on the #1000 branding.
This anniversary sized issue is sure to have 6 gabillion variant covers but the only one released thus far is this one by Pepe Larraz.
This issue has many stories by various creators, and with the revelation of a new cousin, and Aunt May and Uncle Ben seemingly having a child they gave up for adoption, is sure to change Peter Parker’s life forever, or at least until issue #1100.
Once again, I don’t mean to mock the creators involved. Anniversary issues are a good jumping on point, and a good place for shocking story reveals and looks back. It’s what you do. These are chaotic and uncertain times. The cover to Spider-Man #1000 probably isn’t going to be anyone’s favorite but it does an adequate job of showing us the entity known as Spider-Man. Could it have done more? Well, you tell me.
Which cover is YOUR favorite? Sound off in the comments!
BNUS ROUND: The cover to AMAZING FANTASY #1000 also by JRJr
Man, it’s true, there’s something going on with the JRJR stuff. I’m a fan and have defended him in the past but it seems in some corners he’s become a real polemic talent. You either love or hate his current style. One of my defenses, like or not like his style, is he’s obviously selling books and Marvel keeps assigning him the books and hiring. But one of your angles on this article has made me see it a little differently maybe. Like, your whole thing about, sorry creators I know you care but this might come off as harsh. That’s just it, isn’t it? Or could be it. The creators have too much editorial influence or something. Like, if you just let JRJR draw whatever he wants it might be fire but it also might not be as good as with some editorial collaboration. Obviously, not like the old days where the editors would write and take credit and and assign themselves to gigs and stuff but maybe has it veered too far the other direction? Clear editorial vision, could that be something that hugely missing from current/just-fired Marvel editorial? They’ve just completely let the Hickmans, et al. run the farm?
I seriously doubt that giving creators too much power is part of what got Marvel to its current state of flux.
ASM #100 and #200 are miles better than any of the other ones. #300 is incredibly overrated, between the squashed peephole, black costume, and 300s everywhere. The “A” cover for #400 is the enhanced version, which is embossed. It’s better than the non-enhanced version, but still kind of boring. #500 is fine; too bad it’s around a JMS issue. #600 is a great composition, but putting one where your hero practically disappears on an anniversary issue is A Choice. I don’t like the collage covers. #800 is too overcrowded; Ross can do better. #900 is after JRJR on the downside. #1000 is atrocious; I don’t know who is to blame between JRJR and Rivera, but something is wrong with Spidey’s shoulders.
I hear you.
I guess that’s what I mean, then, where was editorial to fix those shoulders, for instance, before fans saw them?
Nah, the problem is so much bigger than one of a number of covers on one book or art from a creator pushing seventy who’s been doing this for about fifty years.
the problems include: The lousy pay resulting in a dearth of major talents and sixty-five years of continuity (not necessarily in that order). And there’s no reason IMO to believe Cebulski was ever the person they need for EIC.
I don’t Marvel needs to be DC tossing out continuity every couple of years but they maybe need something like it now. (And I have no faith that the Armageddon thing is anything more than a reasonably cool story; nothing that moves the needle anywhere as much as it needs to be moved.)
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