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Thursday, June 15, 2006 

Is this the worst publicity stunt of all?

In all their efforts to antagonize the audience, I think Marvel may have really done it this time, no matter what comes later. For, as the awful AFP (via Outside the Beltway) reports, Peter Parker takes off his Spidey mask in Civil War for everyone to see:

NEW YORK (AFP) - For a comic book hero, it's the ultimate taboo.

"I'm proud of who I am, and I'm here right now to prove it," the legendary webslinger tells a press conference called in New York's Times Square, before pulling off his mask and standing before the massed ranks of reporters as newspaper photographer Peter Parker.

"Any questions?" Parker asks in the final panel of the issue, amid a barrage of camera flashes.

In a statement, Marvel trumpeted the revelation as "arguably the most shocking event in comic book history."
Not really. By now, this is what anybody can come to expect from such awful, exploitive hooligans who've hijacked the House of Ideas. But despite what the AFP says, I wouldn't say it's that taboo. There have been some Marvel and DC superheroes alike who've dropped their secret IDs in past years, but the difference is that they all did it much more quietly, and it wasn't done for the purpose of getting media attention.
The seven-issue "Civil War" series, launched in May, sees Marvel's writers taking on the topical issue of civil liberties.

Following a showdown between a group of superheroes and supervillains in which hundreds of innocent civilians are killed, the government passes the Super-Hero Registration Act, requiring all superheroes to reveal their identities and register as "living weapons of mass destruction."

Marvel's roster of invincible crime fighters is split into two bitterly opposed factions, with one camp -- championed by the likes of Spiderman -- in favour of the new law and the other, including Captain America and his ilk, refusing to relinquish anonymity.

"It's about which side you are on and why you think you are right," said Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Joe Quesada.
No, it's why you think you're right, Quesada! But as it so happens, you're wrong. I am bored by seeing this, and depressed as well. It's thanks to things like this that I'm finding it almost impossible to read anything Spidey-related these days, if at all.

And if Peter's in favor of unmasking, that's pretty much out of character, because, simply put, a character like him, with a wife and an aunt and various good friends, has always felt it best to keep his ID secret.

On Comic Boards, one of the writers argues that since this is just the 2nd issue, we shouldn't rush to judgement. Fair enough. But that's not really why I'm irked here. What does irk me is that it's all being done solely for media publicity, and not because it serves the story from an artistic angle.

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Something's got to be done to get Joe Quesada to resign as the EIC at Marvel already. It's about time!

I hadn't been aware of the Civil War storyline until now, it's been a while since I followed Marvel or DC- thanks for pointing this out (great blog btw). Just checked out the Wiki page on the series.

Spidey is unmasked? I can't believe this storyline. Are they going to write future stories with him in a new costume sans mask (not as if he needs it now)? Is he going to be some sort of celebrity struggling to cope with the "burden" of fame and fortune that his revealed identity has brought him? What an awful idea.

And according to Wiki, the Punisher is on the side of the pro-registration group. Makes no sense to me.

You're correct, and it's one more reason why the calls need to be sounded for Joe Quesada's resignation, which is way overdue by now. As long as people like him are in control, this could go on and on!

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  • I'm Avi Green
  • From Jerusalem, Israel
  • I was born in Pennsylvania in 1974, and moved to Israel in 1983. I also enjoyed reading a lot of comics when I was young, the first being Fantastic Four. I maintain a strong belief in the public's right to knowledge and accuracy in facts. I like to think of myself as a conservative-style version of Clark Kent. I don't expect to be perfect at the job, but I do my best.
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