Spider Man Heroism

Death is a common plot twist in superhero comics, and even A-Listers like Batman and Superman aren't immune to it. Spidey himself dealt with being dead for a couple weeks during "The Other" crossover several years ago. So why did the announcement of Superior Spider-Man garner such controversy? Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Peter Parker wasn't just being killed off, but that his body was being stolen by one of his greatest villains. The ignominy of it all was too much to bear. Or maybe it was the fact that Dan Slott routinely emphasized that the status quo change was a permanent one. He took no small delight in his temporary "heel turn," even informing younger readers that yes, Peter Parker was dead and would never be coming …show more content…
Luckily, there were enough elements working in its favor from the beginning that it was able to justify its premise and quickly build momentum without getting too caught up in the memory of Peter Parker (more on that later). As mentioned, Slott established right off the bat that the series was really devoted to Otto's quest for redemption and the character arc that involved. He was able to turn this former villain into a complex, flawed, but ultimately well-meaning character. The book toed a narrow line in offering readers a darker Spider-Man book without besmirching Peter's name or fundamentally damaging the character. Otto committed some foul deeds that Peter is going to be stuck answering for in the months ahead, but he did the mantle proud in the end Slott was also able to make up for the loss of Peter's signature Spidey snark by exploring humor in other areas. Maybe Otto hasn't mastered the art of the wisecrack, but that in itself was often cause for