Former Glory

I've noticed, as I've grown up around comics and the culture that goes with it, that people don't want 'new'. No, let me rephrase that; the individual fan will always want to sink their teeth into the latest issue, while the fans in general will always be waiting to sink their venomous fangs into the latest issue. The thing is, I grew up enjoying a lot of new takes on things, whereas some older fans will tell you no new story or character has ever amounted to anything compared to the 'good old days'. Let me explain it a bit more, aye?

Take Spider-man for example. Marvels flagship hero. An icon. Everyone knows who Spider-man is, even if it's only vaguely. Trouble is, Peter's been through thousands of issues, hundreds of super-powered fisticuffs, dozens of supporting characters and loads of changes to his status quo. His Uncle Ben died. That's a given. Then Captain Stacy. Gwen Stacy. Clones. High School. Collage. Graduate School. Photographer. School Teacher. Actual Scientist. His parents return. His parents are not his parents, but Robot Replicas (No, seriously!) Loads more clones. Peter is a clone. Peter is not a clone. Peter and Mary Jane are friends. Lovers. Married. Estranged. Unmarried. Mary Jane didn't know he was Spidey. Mary Jane always knew. Peter and Mary Jane are going to have a baby. Baby? What baby?! Aunt May hates Spider-man. Aunt May knows Peter is Spider-man. Aunt May dies. Aunt May didn't really die, that was an actress with loads of plastic surgery. Aunt May didn't know. Aunt May finds out. Aunt May dies but then Peter makes a deal with the Devil. Aunt May lives. The entire world forgets Peter is Spider-man. Spidey isn't a team player. Spider-man: Avenger. Spider-man: Fantastic Four member. Peter dies. Peter is reborn with new powers. Peter forgets/loses/who-the-hell-knows said powers.

*PHEW*

The problem with being a long time reader is the status quo as you knew it when you first fell in love with the character and his world will never stay static. For a series to continue running, it has to keep trying new things, new angles, new characters, new concepts. The worst thing any comic book can do is to grow stale, predictable, safe. You miss reading Spidey during the 80's, cos nothing beats those days, right? They had that new mysterious villain, The Hobgoblin (who is he under that mask?!) and Jonah had the Bugle bought out from under him, a great supporting cast kept things bubbling, oh, and Peter and Mary Jane were soon to be married. How could this new crap beat that?

The reason so many fans miss this, I think, is because they forget the target audience. It's a six year old kid, or a mother of four who just saw that new movie and wants to give it a spin, it's anyone who is new to the series. It's them. The book has to try to reach out to as many people as possible. Your a life-long reader? That's great, but you've already fallen under the spell, this comic want's to be read by everyone!

Someday, an old fan will sit down with their grand-kids and reminisce about the 'good old days,' when Spidey used to be good. He used to work for Horizon labs, his best friend was a beautiful redhead who owned a club and the book was only just reaching #700. Someday, this will be the benchmark used to rate the series. Let's just hope the new crowd realize what they've got before it changes! The point is, it's wonderful to cherish your past, but it's important to embrace the future too.