When I read the entire run in sequence for my first time ever (in the 80's), and again a few years ago, my criticism, if anything, was that the transition in the various characters' personalities was a bit TOO abrupt. Not only was Romita drawing "prettier" people, at the same time they began to be much nbicer than they had been. I suspect that if Steve Ditko had continued guiding their destinies, some of the same transitions might have happened anyway, but not quite so suddenly as to feel like someone flipped a light switch from off to on.
I doubt Flash Thompson would ever have "grown up", though. He was just TOO much of a neanderthal. It's sad, but I recall in high school thinking that once I graduated, things should be different, and that people should not act like total childish A**H***s out in the "real", grown-up world. And I was proved WRONG. Again and again. Some people, you see, NEVER "grow up".
Oddly enough, there's an argument (not really a discussion the way it's going) at another board about how Romita drew Gwen so much prettier and so perfect and not like the (expletive deleted) that Ditko drew. But that's not correct. For his first dozen issues, Romita was drawing the SAME GIRL. You gotta really look at the face. It wasn't until around #50 or right after that Stan told John "Draw Gwen PRETTIER!" --and the result was, he "recast" the part, JUST as Don Heck had recast both Happy & Pepper at some point. It's not so simple that there was a "Ditko" Gwen and a "Romita" Gwen-- the "Romita" Gwen didn't appear until about a dozen issues into Romita's run. He'd changed her hair by then, and maybe her wardrobe, but women do that all the time. From about #53-up, the FACE is completely different.
It does bother me that Pete went back to putting up with Jameson once Romita took over. Worse, that Jameson became more and more out of control. He was played for laughs on the Grantray-Lawrence cartoons. But not in the books. I'd have preferred if he'd been reduced to "comic relief" status. At least I could have tolerated that. (It worked for "Dr. Smith" on LOST IN SPACE. If he'd stayed the rotten way he was in the first few episodes, viewers would have been begging the producers to KILL him off!)
Not long after starting college, Peter should have found himself another part-time job, and gotten AWAY from all those horrible vibes at The Daily Bugle. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's people who insist on making their own lives-- or those of other people-- as miserable as possible. I guess that goes for writers of "soap-opera", too. Drama and chararacter development and conflict is one thing, endless misery for its own sake gets tired before too long. (At least, for some people.)
Registered: Aug 2003
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So any concerns I had a the beginning of Slott's run regarding my all-time favorite villain, the original Hobgoblin have been proven wrong. Slott not only showed why he still a top notch enemy, but set up his status going forward in a real great way, picking up a thread Mark Millar started a decade ago that no one ever followed up on.
I actually liked the double Hobgoblin arc quite a bit. It was fun and action packed, and put Spidey in a classic powers-related dilemma (yet a fresh one).
I haven't started the next arc which I've seen has caused some online drama but hope to get to it soon.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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