The Premise: Rereading my JUST IMAGINE STAN LEE (in which, for
Soc.History.What-if Members, Stan Lee, the guy responsible for about 75% of
Marvel Comics' Silver Age Charecters, Especially Spider-Man, The X-Men, and
the Silver Age and later version of Daredevil, Asks what if he had worked
for DC instead of Marvel and had come up with the DC Superheroes like
Batman, Superman, Aquaman and Green Lantern) books made me wonder, how would
Marvel's Heroes have faired if "Old Faithful" had come up with them rather
than "The House of Ideas?" Each of these WIs is a self-contained oneshot, in
that each swapped charecter represents a completely different What-If.
1962: (Point of Divergence) While Trying to Decide between the Jack Kirby
drawing of Spider-Man and the Steve Ditko version, each with a different
origin, powers, and Civillian I.D., Stanley Martin Lieber (AKA Stan Lee)
notices a "doodle" Steve had been doing for a charecter called "Blue
Beetle," and decides to run with that charecter instead. The Marvel Blue
Beetle makes money for the company, even if it isn't quite the homerun
Spider-Man was OTL. As a result, there is no Ralph Bakshi Spider-Man cartoon
in 1968. Blue Beetle eventually joins the Avengers and becomes buddies with
Hawkeye and Iron Man, but overall, with the exception of the Peter David and
John Byrne runs of his third series in the '90s, he is basically as obscure
as Plastic Man. Steve Ditko leaves Marvel less than a year later, first for
Charelton and then for DC, and his art chores at Marvel are taken over by
John Romita Sr. Stan Lee's Anti-Drug storyline of 1969 is a Daredevil one.
1970: Showcase #84 Features the debut of Spiderman, Written by Denny O'Neill
and drawn by Steve Ditko, it's the same origin story as OTL, only with less
overt narration.
1971: SPIDERMAN #1 (March #1) Written by Denny O'Neill and drawn by Steve
Ditko (The Kirby Version Became Fang, A villain Kirby would use in his runs
on TEEN TITANS and SUPERMAN'S PAL; JIMMY OLSEN) Becomes DC's first Home Run
hit of the Bronze Age.
1974: Steve Ditko gets out of mainstream comics. Mike Grell takes over art
duties as of SPIDERMAN #43 (September) Peter starts getting backups in
ADVENTURE COMICS
1976: By this time, the Spideman backup in ADVENTURE COMICS has, due to
popular demand, taken over the book, although Superboy and Supergirl
continue to have occaisional backups. Spiderman becomes the first DC hero
other than Superman and Batman to have more than one monthly solo book at a
time. The Earth 2 (Golden Age DCU) storylines are shifted to THE BRAVE AND THE
BOLD.
1977: Denny O'Neill Leaves with SPIDERMAN #99. Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway
each do a story line.
1978: Marv Wolfman and George Perez take over with SPIDERMAN#110. SPIDERMAN
#112 Features the debut (but not the origin) of Firestorm.
1979: SPIDERMAN #120 Features Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson leaving for
College in California. ADVENTURE COMICS #464 feaures the debut of Black Cat.
1980: DC PRESENTS #27: Debut of the third incarnation of the TEEN TITANS, as
Peter Parker joins his first team. SPIDERMAN #141 features the Debut of the
Jackal
1981: Beginning of the Spiderman-Raven-Black Cat and Raven-Spiderman-Kid
Flash love triangles. Alan Moore and Steve Engelhart take Over SPIDERMAN
with #161. ADVENTURE COMICS # 487 features the debut of Vigilante II.
AMAZING SPIDERMAN(Vol. 1) #1 (August) Features the Debut and Apperant death
of the Clone.
1982: CBS Commisions a Teen Titans cartoon based on the Wolfman-Perez work,
but with Robin already in the Superfriends, leadership duties are split
between Starfire, Wonder Girl I, and Spiderman. Hannah-Barberra completes an
hourlong pilot and four regular episodes, but CBS rejects it after the board
watches the pilot, though the anti-drug episode is run on PBS. Bootlegs of
the pilot become popular at comics conventions until Warner Home Video
releases all of it on DVD in 2003.
1983: Spiderman joins the Superfriends on CBS along with his buddies
Firestorm and Cyborg, and thus is written in to the tie-in comic book, too.
He also joins the Outsiders. BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #1 features the first
Todd McFarlane Spiderman artwork.
1984: Dave Gibbons takes over writing and art duties. In SPIDERMAN #183
Spidey unmasks as Peter Parker to Black Cat/Felecia Hardy, and his marriage
proposal is rejected. Hardy is presumed drowned in ADVENTURE COMICS #517.
With the Debut of CAPTAIN CARROT AND HIS AMAZING ZOO CREW and SPIDER-HAM,
Spidey's comic exposure (in all his various forms) reaches its height.
(SPIDERMAN, ADVENTURE COMICS, AMAZING SPIDERMAN, TEEN TITANS vols 3 and 4,
TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS, BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS, SUPERFRIENDS, CAPTAIN
CARROT (As Peter Porkchops) and SPIDERHAM(as Peter Porkchops). TEEN TITANS
vol4. #4 features Spidey nearly dying trying to save Raven from Trigon's
Posession, and both agreeing to be "Just Friends." AMAZING SPIDERMAN Vol.1
#33 Features the return of Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane. BATMAN AND THE
OUTSIDERS # 15 introduces the Symbiont Spidey suit. SUPERFRIENDS the comic
book is canceled after 116 issues.
1985: CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS. Gwen Stacy dies at the hands of the Green
Goblin, but the Anti-Monitor is at least partially to blame. Spidey quits
the Teen Titans and the Outsiders. ADVENTURE COMICS and AMAZING SPIDERMAN
vol.1 are canceled.
1986 SPIDERMAN is the only DC superhero book not a Batman or Superman title
not to be reset to issue #1 after CRISIS. CBS cancels SUPERFRIENDS.
SPIDERMAN: KISS OF THE BLACK WIDOW miniseries part of DC's CLASS of '86,
written by Grant Morrison and drawn by John Byrne. SPIDERMAN # 209 Features
Peter graduating from CUNY Manhattan, quitting stringing for the DAILY BUGLE
and going to work for the New York branch of STAR Labs. In TALES OF THE TEEN
TITANS #22, The Jackal dies at the hands of Deathstroke the Terminator, or
at leats appears to.
1987: Todd McFarlane and Mike Grell alternate writing and art chores each
storyline starting with SPIDERMAN #217. Spidey gets rid of the symbiont.
SPIDERMAN #220 features the Debut of Venom. Dana Carvey does a Spiderman
spoof on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.
1988: FLASH Vol3 No. 28 features the marriage of Wally West and Linda Park.
Peter Parker is the best man since Dick Grayson, Gar Logan, and Vic Stone
are indesposed at the moment. SPIDERMAN #228 features the return of Black
Cat, and the debut of the Post-CRISIS Huntress, Helena Bertinelli.
1989: Mike Grell quits Spiderman to focus on GREEN ARROW. Todd McFarlane
takes over AMAZING SPIDERMAN vol.2 #1 while SPIDERMAN from #238-305 doesn't
feature the same creative team twice for each story line, although Frank
Miller's time on both art and writing occur in this period.
1990: CBS commissions a live action _Spiderman_ TV pilot, written and
directed by Sam Raimi and featuring Ted Raimi as Peter Parker/Spiderman,
Kristy Swanson as Gwen Stacy, Dann Florek as J. Jonah Jameson, and Bruce
Campbell as Norman Osborne/Green Goblin.) It never aires on TV.
1992: After failing to get control of one (or more) of the Batman books,
Todd McFarlane leads the so called "Titanic Flight," along with Rob Liefield
(TALES OF THE TIITANS, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA), Erik Larson (HAWKMAN,
ROBIN), Jim Lee (THE TITANS, TEAM TITANS, ZATANNA), and Alan Moore
(SPIDERMAN, ACTION COMICS, WATCHMEN, SWAMP THNG vol.2) Leave DC to form
Image Comics. Todd McFarlane's SPAWN, and Eric Larson's SAVAGE DRAGON are
seen by some people as cathartic expressions of their respective experiences
at DC, and others as examples of the decay of subastance wrought by of the
Iron Age of Comics. Peter Parker/Spiderman has several guest appearences on
the run of _Batman_The_Animated_Series_.
1993-4: Green Lantern storylines "Emerald Twilight," "Zero Hour," and "The
Final Night," catylize the CLONE SAGA, although the real inspiration may
have been "The Death and Life of Superman," and "Knightfall"meta-arcs. It
ends with Ben Reilly (who really IS the original) sacrificing himself to
save the world (and Venom) from the Green Goblin and the Jackal. Peter ends
up with Reilly's memories as well as his own, secure in his identety as
Spiderman, since all the other clones are made certain to be dead by the end
of the storyline.
1995: AMAZING SPIDERMAN vol.2 is canceled at issue 77. SPIDERMAN leaves the
newstand market, naver to return. (It can form that point on only be found
in comic shops.) SUPERMAN/SPIDERMAN: WEDDING BELL BLUES miniseries, as Peter
Parker and Mary Jane Watson tie the knot in the same ceremony as Clark Kent
and Lois Lane. Pete also has a few Guest Apperances on
_Superman_The_Animated_Seires.
1997: The Garth Ennis/Jack McKenna run on SPIDERMAN from #326-334, generally
regarded as the nadir of the book. Grant Morrison teams Spidey up with
ex-teammates Huntress, Firestorm, and Flash Wally West for JUSTICE LEAGUE OF
AMERICA Vol. 3. JUSTICE LEAGE OF AMERICA, Vol.3#7 features the debut of
Brown Recluse, the Crime Syndicate version of Spider-Man. _Spiderman_ (1997)
Starring Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/Spiderman, Reese Witherspoon as Gwen
Stacy, and Allyson Hannigan as Mary Jane, Matt Damon as Jason Osborne, John
Goodman as Dr. Octopus, and Joe Pantoliano as Hitman. Directed by the
Wachowski Brothers based on their script, and pioneering several FX
technologies they would perfect with the _Matrix_ movies. It beats out
_Batman_and_Robin_, _Steel_, _Spawn_, and _Blankman_ as best superhero movie
of 1997 by a large margin.
1998: Debut of _Spiderman:_The_Animated_Series_ and SPIDERMAN ADVENTURES..
SPIDERGIRL, written by Peter David and drawn by Frank Quitely, Debuts. She
is Anita Alverex y Morales, an inner city teen living in East LA who
accidently interrupts a nasty magical ritual, and gains her powers from it.
Her father is an TV investigative reporter. Peter David takes over writing
SPIDERMAN, too KINGDOM COME features Mayday Parker as Spiderwoman and best
friends with Iris West/ Kid Flash and Lian Harper/Arrowette. Peter and
Mayday side with Batman and Green Arrow against Superman and Wonder Woman..
SPIDERMAN: TANGLED WEBS miniseries by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale.
1999: Beginning of the Kevin Smith run on SPIDERMAN with #355.
2000: _Spiderman_2_ written and directed by Sam Raimi. Features Willem DeFoe
as Norman Osborne/Green Goblin, and a version of the "Death of Gwen Stacy"
storyline. Makes even more money than the original. Arrowette quits Young
Justice after nearly going over the edge to comepete in the Olympics. Also
competing is Spidergirl in gymnastics. After foiling a terrorist plot, she
is invited to join Young Justice. Spidergirl accepts.
2001: _Spiderman_The_Animated_Series_ goes off the air into rerun
syndication. Debut of Cartoon Network's _Justice_League_ which Spiderman
joins. JUST IMAGINE STAN LEE WITH ALAN MOORE CREATING SPIDERMAN features a
Navajo medicine man named Gary Gray Eagle.
2002: _Spiderman_3_ written by David Hayter and Directed by Sam Raimi,
features Michael Clarke Duncan as the Kingpin, and the return of Joe
Pantoliano as Hitman. It and Marvel's _X_Men_2 bury _Attack_of_The_Clones_.
Glenn Murakami acknoleges to WB management that a Teen Titans cartoon based
on the Wolfman/Perez group would threaten to overexpose Spidey, so they go
with Young Justice instead. Red Tornado quits mentoring Young Justice to
rejoin the Justice Society. Spiderman beats out Snapper Carr for his
replacement.
2003: Beginning of the Geoff Johns/Jim Lee run on SPIDERMAN with #400
SPIDERMAN average sales top 150,000 in the direct market.(IE comics shops.)
SPIDERMAN ADVENTURES is cancelled after 60 issues. SPIDERGIRL is cancelled
after 65 issues, though Anita continues in Young Justice.
2004: AMAZING SPIDERMAN vol. 3 #1 written by Brad Melzer and drawn by
Michael Turner (SUPERMAN/BATMAN). _Spiderman_4_ Featuring Christina Ricci as
Raven, and Ron Pearlman as Deathstroke, written by David Hayter and directed
by the Wachowski Brothers, squares off against _Daredevil_ starring Ben
Affleck as Matt Murdoch/Daredevil and Carmen Electra as Elektra Natchios.
Tobey Maguire officially hangs up his tights. Debut of
_Justice_League_Unlimited_. SPIDERMAN #411 has a major tie-in with IDENTITY
CRISIS. (IE Basically Spidey quits the League after learning about what
happened to Batman)
2005: In _Villains_United_, Doctor Octopus joins the Secret Society of
Supervillains, while the Green Goblin joins the Secret Six.
_Infinite_Crisis_ features Peter Parker landing in the hospital (literally)
courtesy of Superboy Prime.
2006: SPIDERMAN and AMAZING SPIDERMAN become two of the very few DC Ongoing
Superhero books (The others are ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, ACTION COMICS,
BATMAN, DETECTIVE COMICS, BATMAN: GOTHAM NIGHTS, HAWKGIRL, FIRESTORM, and
the Johnny DC books) not to be reset to #1 after INFINITE CRISIS. JUSTICE
by Alex Ross and Paul Dini features Green Goblin and Rhino in the Injustice
Gang,and Spiderman is rubbing shoulders with both Barry Allen (who he didn't
ever rub shoulders with while he was alive outside of "Superfriends") and
the Billy Batson Captain Marvel. THE SPIDERMAN debuts on Cartoon Network
and Kids WB, subcontracted out to a Thai animation studio (and it shows).
Soc.History.What-if Members, Stan Lee, the guy responsible for about 75% of
Marvel Comics' Silver Age Charecters, Especially Spider-Man, The X-Men, and
the Silver Age and later version of Daredevil, Asks what if he had worked
for DC instead of Marvel and had come up with the DC Superheroes like
Batman, Superman, Aquaman and Green Lantern) books made me wonder, how would
Marvel's Heroes have faired if "Old Faithful" had come up with them rather
than "The House of Ideas?" Each of these WIs is a self-contained oneshot, in
that each swapped charecter represents a completely different What-If.
1962: (Point of Divergence) While Trying to Decide between the Jack Kirby
drawing of Spider-Man and the Steve Ditko version, each with a different
origin, powers, and Civillian I.D., Stanley Martin Lieber (AKA Stan Lee)
notices a "doodle" Steve had been doing for a charecter called "Blue
Beetle," and decides to run with that charecter instead. The Marvel Blue
Beetle makes money for the company, even if it isn't quite the homerun
Spider-Man was OTL. As a result, there is no Ralph Bakshi Spider-Man cartoon
in 1968. Blue Beetle eventually joins the Avengers and becomes buddies with
Hawkeye and Iron Man, but overall, with the exception of the Peter David and
John Byrne runs of his third series in the '90s, he is basically as obscure
as Plastic Man. Steve Ditko leaves Marvel less than a year later, first for
Charelton and then for DC, and his art chores at Marvel are taken over by
John Romita Sr. Stan Lee's Anti-Drug storyline of 1969 is a Daredevil one.
1970: Showcase #84 Features the debut of Spiderman, Written by Denny O'Neill
and drawn by Steve Ditko, it's the same origin story as OTL, only with less
overt narration.
1971: SPIDERMAN #1 (March #1) Written by Denny O'Neill and drawn by Steve
Ditko (The Kirby Version Became Fang, A villain Kirby would use in his runs
on TEEN TITANS and SUPERMAN'S PAL; JIMMY OLSEN) Becomes DC's first Home Run
hit of the Bronze Age.
1974: Steve Ditko gets out of mainstream comics. Mike Grell takes over art
duties as of SPIDERMAN #43 (September) Peter starts getting backups in
ADVENTURE COMICS
1976: By this time, the Spideman backup in ADVENTURE COMICS has, due to
popular demand, taken over the book, although Superboy and Supergirl
continue to have occaisional backups. Spiderman becomes the first DC hero
other than Superman and Batman to have more than one monthly solo book at a
time. The Earth 2 (Golden Age DCU) storylines are shifted to THE BRAVE AND THE
BOLD.
1977: Denny O'Neill Leaves with SPIDERMAN #99. Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway
each do a story line.
1978: Marv Wolfman and George Perez take over with SPIDERMAN#110. SPIDERMAN
#112 Features the debut (but not the origin) of Firestorm.
1979: SPIDERMAN #120 Features Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson leaving for
College in California. ADVENTURE COMICS #464 feaures the debut of Black Cat.
1980: DC PRESENTS #27: Debut of the third incarnation of the TEEN TITANS, as
Peter Parker joins his first team. SPIDERMAN #141 features the Debut of the
Jackal
1981: Beginning of the Spiderman-Raven-Black Cat and Raven-Spiderman-Kid
Flash love triangles. Alan Moore and Steve Engelhart take Over SPIDERMAN
with #161. ADVENTURE COMICS # 487 features the debut of Vigilante II.
AMAZING SPIDERMAN(Vol. 1) #1 (August) Features the Debut and Apperant death
of the Clone.
1982: CBS Commisions a Teen Titans cartoon based on the Wolfman-Perez work,
but with Robin already in the Superfriends, leadership duties are split
between Starfire, Wonder Girl I, and Spiderman. Hannah-Barberra completes an
hourlong pilot and four regular episodes, but CBS rejects it after the board
watches the pilot, though the anti-drug episode is run on PBS. Bootlegs of
the pilot become popular at comics conventions until Warner Home Video
releases all of it on DVD in 2003.
1983: Spiderman joins the Superfriends on CBS along with his buddies
Firestorm and Cyborg, and thus is written in to the tie-in comic book, too.
He also joins the Outsiders. BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #1 features the first
Todd McFarlane Spiderman artwork.
1984: Dave Gibbons takes over writing and art duties. In SPIDERMAN #183
Spidey unmasks as Peter Parker to Black Cat/Felecia Hardy, and his marriage
proposal is rejected. Hardy is presumed drowned in ADVENTURE COMICS #517.
With the Debut of CAPTAIN CARROT AND HIS AMAZING ZOO CREW and SPIDER-HAM,
Spidey's comic exposure (in all his various forms) reaches its height.
(SPIDERMAN, ADVENTURE COMICS, AMAZING SPIDERMAN, TEEN TITANS vols 3 and 4,
TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS, BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS, SUPERFRIENDS, CAPTAIN
CARROT (As Peter Porkchops) and SPIDERHAM(as Peter Porkchops). TEEN TITANS
vol4. #4 features Spidey nearly dying trying to save Raven from Trigon's
Posession, and both agreeing to be "Just Friends." AMAZING SPIDERMAN Vol.1
#33 Features the return of Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane. BATMAN AND THE
OUTSIDERS # 15 introduces the Symbiont Spidey suit. SUPERFRIENDS the comic
book is canceled after 116 issues.
1985: CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS. Gwen Stacy dies at the hands of the Green
Goblin, but the Anti-Monitor is at least partially to blame. Spidey quits
the Teen Titans and the Outsiders. ADVENTURE COMICS and AMAZING SPIDERMAN
vol.1 are canceled.
1986 SPIDERMAN is the only DC superhero book not a Batman or Superman title
not to be reset to issue #1 after CRISIS. CBS cancels SUPERFRIENDS.
SPIDERMAN: KISS OF THE BLACK WIDOW miniseries part of DC's CLASS of '86,
written by Grant Morrison and drawn by John Byrne. SPIDERMAN # 209 Features
Peter graduating from CUNY Manhattan, quitting stringing for the DAILY BUGLE
and going to work for the New York branch of STAR Labs. In TALES OF THE TEEN
TITANS #22, The Jackal dies at the hands of Deathstroke the Terminator, or
at leats appears to.
1987: Todd McFarlane and Mike Grell alternate writing and art chores each
storyline starting with SPIDERMAN #217. Spidey gets rid of the symbiont.
SPIDERMAN #220 features the Debut of Venom. Dana Carvey does a Spiderman
spoof on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.
1988: FLASH Vol3 No. 28 features the marriage of Wally West and Linda Park.
Peter Parker is the best man since Dick Grayson, Gar Logan, and Vic Stone
are indesposed at the moment. SPIDERMAN #228 features the return of Black
Cat, and the debut of the Post-CRISIS Huntress, Helena Bertinelli.
1989: Mike Grell quits Spiderman to focus on GREEN ARROW. Todd McFarlane
takes over AMAZING SPIDERMAN vol.2 #1 while SPIDERMAN from #238-305 doesn't
feature the same creative team twice for each story line, although Frank
Miller's time on both art and writing occur in this period.
1990: CBS commissions a live action _Spiderman_ TV pilot, written and
directed by Sam Raimi and featuring Ted Raimi as Peter Parker/Spiderman,
Kristy Swanson as Gwen Stacy, Dann Florek as J. Jonah Jameson, and Bruce
Campbell as Norman Osborne/Green Goblin.) It never aires on TV.
1992: After failing to get control of one (or more) of the Batman books,
Todd McFarlane leads the so called "Titanic Flight," along with Rob Liefield
(TALES OF THE TIITANS, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA), Erik Larson (HAWKMAN,
ROBIN), Jim Lee (THE TITANS, TEAM TITANS, ZATANNA), and Alan Moore
(SPIDERMAN, ACTION COMICS, WATCHMEN, SWAMP THNG vol.2) Leave DC to form
Image Comics. Todd McFarlane's SPAWN, and Eric Larson's SAVAGE DRAGON are
seen by some people as cathartic expressions of their respective experiences
at DC, and others as examples of the decay of subastance wrought by of the
Iron Age of Comics. Peter Parker/Spiderman has several guest appearences on
the run of _Batman_The_Animated_Series_.
1993-4: Green Lantern storylines "Emerald Twilight," "Zero Hour," and "The
Final Night," catylize the CLONE SAGA, although the real inspiration may
have been "The Death and Life of Superman," and "Knightfall"meta-arcs. It
ends with Ben Reilly (who really IS the original) sacrificing himself to
save the world (and Venom) from the Green Goblin and the Jackal. Peter ends
up with Reilly's memories as well as his own, secure in his identety as
Spiderman, since all the other clones are made certain to be dead by the end
of the storyline.
1995: AMAZING SPIDERMAN vol.2 is canceled at issue 77. SPIDERMAN leaves the
newstand market, naver to return. (It can form that point on only be found
in comic shops.) SUPERMAN/SPIDERMAN: WEDDING BELL BLUES miniseries, as Peter
Parker and Mary Jane Watson tie the knot in the same ceremony as Clark Kent
and Lois Lane. Pete also has a few Guest Apperances on
_Superman_The_Animated_Seires.
1997: The Garth Ennis/Jack McKenna run on SPIDERMAN from #326-334, generally
regarded as the nadir of the book. Grant Morrison teams Spidey up with
ex-teammates Huntress, Firestorm, and Flash Wally West for JUSTICE LEAGUE OF
AMERICA Vol. 3. JUSTICE LEAGE OF AMERICA, Vol.3#7 features the debut of
Brown Recluse, the Crime Syndicate version of Spider-Man. _Spiderman_ (1997)
Starring Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/Spiderman, Reese Witherspoon as Gwen
Stacy, and Allyson Hannigan as Mary Jane, Matt Damon as Jason Osborne, John
Goodman as Dr. Octopus, and Joe Pantoliano as Hitman. Directed by the
Wachowski Brothers based on their script, and pioneering several FX
technologies they would perfect with the _Matrix_ movies. It beats out
_Batman_and_Robin_, _Steel_, _Spawn_, and _Blankman_ as best superhero movie
of 1997 by a large margin.
1998: Debut of _Spiderman:_The_Animated_Series_ and SPIDERMAN ADVENTURES..
SPIDERGIRL, written by Peter David and drawn by Frank Quitely, Debuts. She
is Anita Alverex y Morales, an inner city teen living in East LA who
accidently interrupts a nasty magical ritual, and gains her powers from it.
Her father is an TV investigative reporter. Peter David takes over writing
SPIDERMAN, too KINGDOM COME features Mayday Parker as Spiderwoman and best
friends with Iris West/ Kid Flash and Lian Harper/Arrowette. Peter and
Mayday side with Batman and Green Arrow against Superman and Wonder Woman..
SPIDERMAN: TANGLED WEBS miniseries by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale.
1999: Beginning of the Kevin Smith run on SPIDERMAN with #355.
2000: _Spiderman_2_ written and directed by Sam Raimi. Features Willem DeFoe
as Norman Osborne/Green Goblin, and a version of the "Death of Gwen Stacy"
storyline. Makes even more money than the original. Arrowette quits Young
Justice after nearly going over the edge to comepete in the Olympics. Also
competing is Spidergirl in gymnastics. After foiling a terrorist plot, she
is invited to join Young Justice. Spidergirl accepts.
2001: _Spiderman_The_Animated_Series_ goes off the air into rerun
syndication. Debut of Cartoon Network's _Justice_League_ which Spiderman
joins. JUST IMAGINE STAN LEE WITH ALAN MOORE CREATING SPIDERMAN features a
Navajo medicine man named Gary Gray Eagle.
2002: _Spiderman_3_ written by David Hayter and Directed by Sam Raimi,
features Michael Clarke Duncan as the Kingpin, and the return of Joe
Pantoliano as Hitman. It and Marvel's _X_Men_2 bury _Attack_of_The_Clones_.
Glenn Murakami acknoleges to WB management that a Teen Titans cartoon based
on the Wolfman/Perez group would threaten to overexpose Spidey, so they go
with Young Justice instead. Red Tornado quits mentoring Young Justice to
rejoin the Justice Society. Spiderman beats out Snapper Carr for his
replacement.
2003: Beginning of the Geoff Johns/Jim Lee run on SPIDERMAN with #400
SPIDERMAN average sales top 150,000 in the direct market.(IE comics shops.)
SPIDERMAN ADVENTURES is cancelled after 60 issues. SPIDERGIRL is cancelled
after 65 issues, though Anita continues in Young Justice.
2004: AMAZING SPIDERMAN vol. 3 #1 written by Brad Melzer and drawn by
Michael Turner (SUPERMAN/BATMAN). _Spiderman_4_ Featuring Christina Ricci as
Raven, and Ron Pearlman as Deathstroke, written by David Hayter and directed
by the Wachowski Brothers, squares off against _Daredevil_ starring Ben
Affleck as Matt Murdoch/Daredevil and Carmen Electra as Elektra Natchios.
Tobey Maguire officially hangs up his tights. Debut of
_Justice_League_Unlimited_. SPIDERMAN #411 has a major tie-in with IDENTITY
CRISIS. (IE Basically Spidey quits the League after learning about what
happened to Batman)
2005: In _Villains_United_, Doctor Octopus joins the Secret Society of
Supervillains, while the Green Goblin joins the Secret Six.
_Infinite_Crisis_ features Peter Parker landing in the hospital (literally)
courtesy of Superboy Prime.
2006: SPIDERMAN and AMAZING SPIDERMAN become two of the very few DC Ongoing
Superhero books (The others are ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, ACTION COMICS,
BATMAN, DETECTIVE COMICS, BATMAN: GOTHAM NIGHTS, HAWKGIRL, FIRESTORM, and
the Johnny DC books) not to be reset to #1 after INFINITE CRISIS. JUSTICE
by Alex Ross and Paul Dini features Green Goblin and Rhino in the Injustice
Gang,and Spiderman is rubbing shoulders with both Barry Allen (who he didn't
ever rub shoulders with while he was alive outside of "Superfriends") and
the Billy Batson Captain Marvel. THE SPIDERMAN debuts on Cartoon Network
and Kids WB, subcontracted out to a Thai animation studio (and it shows).
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