COMICS: Dan Slott And Stephen Wacker Discuss The End Of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #700
Marvel themselves have spoiled the ending of the landmark Amazing Spider-Man #700 in an early interview with the press. After the jump, you'll find comments from Stephen Wacker and Dan Slott on the shocking events of the issue and what we should expect from The Superior Spider-Man.
It's been 50 years since we were first introduced to the Amazing Spider-Man, but in today's issue #700, Peter Parker's time as the wall-crawling superhero came to a heartbreaking end. Trapped in the dying body of his nemesis Doctor Octopus, Peter fails to reclaim his body and dies at the hands of "Spider-Man". However, before he passes away, he manages to make Otto Octavius realise that, "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility" and the villain makes a vow to be both a hero and a "Superior" Spider-Man. "This is Moriarty in the head of Sherlock. This is Prince John inside of Robin Hood. This is the greatest villain inside the body of the greatest hero and trying to do good," writer Dan Slott told USA Today earlier this morning.
"We want to do Spider-Man by way of Batman — a little creepier and darker," adds editor Stephen Wacker. "It's also what the good part of our first year of Superior is about: Doc behaving in a manner he's not accustomed to. We see a more sympathetic side of Doctor Octopus. We couldn't have a Spider-Man who was running around murdering people. And I have no interest in seeing that sort of character win." So, it sounds as if this new status quo will be sticking around for at least a year; something which is sure to leave many fans of the beloved character more than a little upset.
However, despite being a fan of Peter Parker himself, Slott went on to reveal that he has been enjoying the opportunity to write Doctor Octopus as Spider-Man. ""Doc is kinda like me: He's short and schlubby. This is a guy who now gets to be in the body of Peter Parker. This opens up whole new things. He had to be a hero in his own eyes, and on some level Otto Octavius is facing that struggle not with Spider-Man's world but with the readership. How do you get more Peter Parker than that? Now the readers think he's a menace. That's exciting. On a meta level, that is Spider-Man." How do you guys feel about these changes? Do you want Peter Parker back or are you happy to give Otto a chance? Sound off with your thoughts in the usual place!