The Ever-Expanding Spider-Man Family of Comics

If you weren’t aware, Spider-Man is a pretty popular character for Marvel Comics.  He has had multiple solo books out at one time, but now he is back to starring in the monthly Amazing Spider-Man (sometimes bi-monthly).  Spider-Verse involves every Spider-character ever.  This has allowed the public to be introduced to old and new heroes, and fans have been vocal on which ones they’d like to see star in their own comics.

Spider-Gwen became an overnight sensation during the Edge of Spider-Verse mini-series.  Because of all the positive feedback, Marvel greenlit a Spider-Gwen ongoing.  Silk is another solo comic that will spin out of Spider-Verse.  Spider-Woman launched during Spider-Verse.  Along with Spider-Man 2099, the Spider-Man family of titles will have ballooned in under a six month period.

It’s great that the powers-that-be at Marvel are listening to the fans.  I’m glad that these books are given a chance to sink or swim.  However, I have to wonder if there is an oversaturation of comics now under the Spider-Man umbrella.  The Avengers and X-Men are known to have multiple comics out with their names on the cover.  This will be a first for Spider-Man.  My suggestion is launch a Spider-Man team book.  Recycle the “Spider-Slayers” name and have it star Spider-Gwen, Silk, Scarlet Spider, Spider-Girl, Spider-Man 2099 and whoever else is still around after Spider-Verse.

I posed these questions to Twitter and got a nice conversation started.  @williambwest and I had a back and forth regarding Spider-Woman and Spider-Gwen, when Dennis Hopeless (writer of Spider-Gwen) chimed in:

@williambwest @timdogg98 Spider-Gwen’s gonna have some monster shadow for sure (it’s fantastic). But I think we’ll hold our own.

— Dennis Hopeless (@HopelessDent) February 3, 2015

@williambwest @timdogg98 The two books are VERY different and our sales have been great. — Dennis Hopeless (@HopelessDent) February 3, 2015

I had the opportunity to meet Dennis Hopeless at Heroescon 2014 and he couldn’t have been nicer.  I was a big fan of his Avengers Arena and Avengers Undercover work.  Once Spider-Verse is over, I believe Spider-Woman will really kick off.  Jessica Drew will have a new status-quo as a street-level crimefighter and a new outfit.  Later that afternoon, Amazing Spider-Man writer Dan Slott gave his thoughts on possible competition:

Confused by Spider-Fans who think there’s a competition between Spider-Gwen & Silk. It’s ok for BOTH characters & BOTH books to do well. 😉 — Dan Slott (@DanSlott) February 3, 2015

If you haven’t noticed by now, comics creators like to do Twitter searches for specific terms.  Which I actually don’t mind.  I always remember this when I’m tweeting my opinions, because someone is always watching.

Healthy competition is GOOD in business!  I know that creators get into comics for their love of the medium, but always remember that at the end of the day they have to provide for their families.  Will made a good point, that the rising cover prices of comics means that readers continue to have to make difficult decisions on which books to purchase.

The key to each book’s success is making them unique.  If they are carbon copies of one another, then it doesn’t give readers incentive to try them all.  Luckily, it appears that each one will fill a different void.  Spider-Woman will be a street-level, detective comic in the vein of Daredevil.  Spider-Gwen takes the Spider-Man dynamic and flips it by having Gwen Stacy filled with power and responsibility and Peter Parker is the love who perished.  Silk looks to be a story of a person adjusting to life after being stuck in a bomb shelter.

What do you think?  Are there too many Spider-Man related comics hitting the shelves?  The more the merrier?  I’m curious to hear your thoughts, so please let your voice be heard in the Comments section below.

Follow me on Twitter @timdogg98

Timdogg

#ComicBookChronicles @CBChron founder. Editor-in-Chief of @thekliqnation. Comic book reviewer, podcaster #RABBLERABBLE