Michael Davis: Spider-Man, Spider-Man does whatever and who cares…
Am I the only one that could give a flying fish about the new Spider-Man movie?
I have no desire to see that film. You would think that a Spider-Man junkie like myself would be counting the days until it opened.
Nope. It could have opened already and it would still not be a blip on my must see radar. It would be great if the reason I have no yearning to see this film is because The Avengers was so good it made waiting to see any other superhero film unattractive.
Nope. I still can’t wait to see the next Dark Knight movie.
I simply have no desire whatsoever to see the new Spider-Man film. Is it the new actor that turns me off? Maybe, in the clips I’ve seen I have none and by none I mean no emotional attachment to him. Granted, I only get to see snippets of him in coming attractions but in those snippets I can garner no interest in this guy.
None.
Perhaps I’ve gone extreme fanboy and by extreme fanboy I mean, perhaps Marvel Studios has done something that just does not sit right with me so I must go to a dark fan place.
I’ll admit to being a fanboy and I’m mighty proud of that distinction, but being an extreme fanboy is something I’d never thought I’d succumb to. The difference between fanboy and one who is of the extreme kind is this; an extreme fan boy will spend endless hours, debating, blogging and otherwise conversing about whatever is bugging he or she. A regular old fan boy will just enjoy the ride and revel in all that is his or hers pop culture drug of choice.
I think with regards to the Spider-Man movie I have made the move to the dark side of fan boy domain and I think I know why. The more I think about it the more I’m certain what has brought me over to the dark side of fandom.
The side in which I must make my ire known to all that want to listen and more importantly those who don’t want to listen and more importantly still is to get my message of disgust out to those who simply could give a shit about any to this stuff.
That is the essence of the true extreme fanboy; talking passionate shit about something most of the world could give a fish about!
So, what has gotten me to extreme fan boy status over the Spider-Man movie? What has sent me from can’t wait to I could give a shit?
Gwen Stacy.
Gwen Stacy is in this retelling of the new Spider-Man movie.
Why? Oh why is that?
There were plenty of places to take Peter Parker after the third movie but someone had the bright idea to dig up Gwen Stacy. My beloved Gwen Stacy.
Why? Just so I can watch her die again? Everyone knows that Capt. Stacy, Gwen’s police chief dad and Gwen bite the damn dust. Well every real fan of Spider-Man knows that. I guess killing Gwen all over again for the delight of the millions who don’t know is O.K.
O.K?
It’s O.K. to kill the first non-real woman I ever loved?
Well, it’s not O.K. with me. No, I have not seen the movie nor do I have any insider knowledge that Gwen will be killed in the movie but whatever other reason is there to jump back in continuity? What other reason is there to bring back dear, sweet, lovable, I’m old enough now to tap that ass, Gwen?
I can’t think of any reason except Sony and Marvel studios desire to reinvent Spider-Man and bring in some Twilight or some other pussy franchise’s fan base. What better way then getting you to take your girlfriend to a superhero movie and get you to cry like a little bitch when Gwen dies?
That, my friend, is just cold blooded. Or, to put it another way, that’s Hollywood.
So, no I won’t be seeing this Spider-Man. If I’m wrong and Gwen survives I still won’t see it. If she survives this film you can be damn sure she will be toast in the next one.
I’m not going out like that-seeing her neck broke when I was a little kid was enough for me.
Sony, Marvel you killed Gwen Stacy!!!
You bastards!!
TUESDAY AFTERNOON: Emily S. Whitten, real girls, and costumes!
WEDNESDAY MORNING: Mike Gold Follows The Kids!
I don’t care to see it simply because I couldn’t care less. I think they jumped on the re-boot train too quickly. The first two Spider-Man movies of this century were great and enough to hold me for quite some time.
Yeah-I know what you mean.
Yeah Michael, I think it is inevitable. From what I understand, it won’t happen in this one….but since they want to take the darker more “grounded” turn with the property, those around the web slinger will ultimately have to prove just how dangerous it is being around him…with their lives. It has all left me with the feeling of “meh’ *shoulder shrug*
Felt the same way when they killed her in the comics. I loved Gwen, too (although I think I loved Jean Grey more because she’s a redhead and I have a thing about redheads). Well said, Michael! (Although i probably see the film anyway.)
Man, when she died in the comics I thought I had really lost a (girl) friend. I know, I had issues. I still do.
… and those issues are bagged and boarded.
I’m not super excited about the movie, especially the Gwen Stacy part (I prefer MJ), but I will see it. I think that Andrew Garfield is a terrific actor and Dennis Leary playing a cop is always good. I agree that its too close to the last film for a reboot, but Sony wanted a fresh start AND they had to start production by a certain time, or loose the rights. Marvel had little to do with the decision
NO ONE seems to be super excited. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen this of type lukewarm reception to a big superhero movie from comic fans.
As a Spiderphile of many decades myself, I hear what you’re saying to some extent. I too find myself surprisingly not-very-excited about the new Spider-Man flick. In fact, I’m halfway expecting it to bomb and that the Dark Knight will be handing Spidey his webbed posterior on this one. But it’s not Gwen Stacey for me. Don’t get me wrong, i was as traumatized as anyone when Conway (with Stan behind the scenes, I speculate) dropped that little bomb on everyone’s favorite adolescent power fantasy. In fact, the addition of Gwen, and the restoration of a little original continuity would normally be something I’m in favor of. It bugs me that most of the public who know Spider-Man only through the Raimi trilogy have the completely wrong impression of Gwen and her importance in the Spidey mythos. No, to me, it’s just too damned early to reboot that franchise! I too was rather disapointed with SM3 (the first 2, along with Nolan’s Bat movies, quite frankly wrote the book on how to do Super Hero movies IMO). But come on man! Tobey Mcquire is still too fresh in our memories as PP, and I think a lot of fan’s still have that emotional attachment to the Raimi characters and will have an impulse to spurn the new movie as a result. I’m not saying no one should ever do a Spider-Man movie again, I’m just saying that this is way too early in the scheme of things to have a go at reinventing the franchise.
And it’s a shame quite frankly. Andrew Garfield is a fine actor whose work I’ve enjoyed before. And while I don’t know much about Emma Stone or Marc Webb for that matter, they seem to have good reputations and solid resumes. Pop culture is a weird thing, and sometimes it’s not necessarily the quality of a piece of entertainment that determines its success (though I’d like to think that helps), but the general “zeitgeist” surrounding it. The Dark Knight, for as good a movie as it was, would never have been the phenomenon it was if it had not been released against the backdrop of Ledger’s tragic death (I know that’s debatable, but I truly believe it). I’m just not feeling that the zeitgeist is there for Amazing Spider-Man.
And that’s a shame. Gwen’s death effected us all so keenly in our early years (and the fact that we’re still talking about it this way is testament to that). I just have a bad feeling that it’s going to be largely ignored by movie goers and her memory diminished as a result . . .
Ed (a different one)
Your post is better than my article…stop that. ;-@
I know that’s not true, but you made my day nonetheless!
I bow to your obvious superiority . . . Thanks
Ed,
NOT kidding dude. I LOVED your post. Consider yourself on Death Ray notice.
You need some work on correct pronoun usage.
“… conversing about whatever is bugging he or she. A regular old fan boy will just enjoy the ride and revel in all that is his or hers pop culture drug of choice.”
“He or she” must be replaced with the objective pronouns him and her. The possessive pronoun “hers” does not require an “s” at the end since the possessed noun “drug” is stated, not implied.
I’ll keep that in mind.
Not.
I’m more likely to see Spider-Man theatrically than i am the next Batman film.
Really Mike?
Why so my friend?
Because i am one of the (apparent) few who was completely and categorically unimpressed by the last one.
Particularly by the portrayal of the Joker. No disrespect to Heath Ledger, but dying before the film came out was a great career move.
My kids will attest that I’ve always said, the loudest, most horrifying sound effect ever in a comic was a tiny little “snap.” Sometimes Marvel’s hard realism sucked. “Not an imaginary story” as they said at DC (nowadays called ‘alternate worlds’). We knew the hero hadn’t saved the girl!
♥
But, they got over those days and cloned her. [Had blocked it out… all … out…]
DL,
That little ‘snap’ changed my little world. I heard that in reprints they did without it. I can’t be sure but that’s what I heard.