Spidey pre-Clone Saga adjustments

Discuss chronologies for characters in the main "Marvel Universe"

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cweed4
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Spidey pre-Clone Saga adjustments

Post by cweed4 »

Ahh, the Clone Saga.The previous king of Spider-man continuity conundrums. Apparently though, the mess of Spidey continuity began before WOSM 117. This stretch really is a tangled web to decipher with 4 regular titles (5 counting ASMU), numerous guest appearances and a few mini-series thrown in while the editors/writers attempted to set up a reboot for the character. I'm not sure its even possible to make a realistic chronology without some discrepancies. I do think, though, that some of the current listing needs to be tweaked.

The short guest appearances in PWJ work much better placed before the WOSM "Live and Let Die" (aka Who is FACADE?) storyline. These issues (113-116) are written as one big continuous story with each ending leading directly into the next opening. To avoid complicating an already difficult situation these cameos should be moved up slightly in front of the whole clone saga "prologue".

S-M 47 is problematic because its opening sequence establishes that at least a week has passed. Also, the opening scene from issue 48 continues from the ending of 47. Unfortunately, because of other continuity references these issues can't take place back-to-back. (The wiggle room here is that the scene in question involves Kraven and Macendale off in Russia.) But, clearly, the placement of 47 & 48 need to be fairly close together while 46 & 47 need some separation.

Now comes the point at which things start to get screwy with 3 of the 4 monthly titles putting out continuous 4-part stories while referencing each other back and forth. A lot of this comes in the form of cut-away scenes involving the mystery man that would be "Peter Parker". Using this Ben Reilly chronology is the best way to untangle the mess. There is a missing entry for Ben from PPTSS 215 (where he is "miles west") which needs to go after WOSM 115 (when he learns about Aunt May's stroke) and between S-M 49 (where he leaves his job) and WOSM 116 (when he arrives in NYC). The problem here is that the beginning of WOSM 116 has to directly follow the ending of WOSM 115 because its a continuation of the same fight scene. The best way around this is to eliminate the double entry for WOSM 115 and instead make a split of WOSM 116 after page 4 when the fight concludes. The events of ASMU 6 and the Annex mini specifically reference PPTSS 215 and thus need to be maintained in order after that issue. Additionally, the story in ASMU 6 takes place the morning after PPTSS 215 based on the headlines for the current day newspaper on sale. This would place it immediately before the Annex mini and not after (since Annex references the same events but takes place longer than 1 day). All of this pushes WOSM 116 after those issues (and also, for the sake of convenience, the 1 panel cameo in SSWP 30).

Now comes the biggest dilemma of this period. At the end of ASM 393, in a moment of great frustration, Spidey declares himself "The Spider" and Peter Parker is no more. Well, this little device is mentioned at least 6 other times across his many appearances. Seemingly, all of these references should occur after he makes such a declaration. Sadly this is not the case. Its used in S-M 49, ASMU 6, and WOSM 116 which all have to take place prior to ASM 393 for various reasons. Only in S-M 50 is it used where events have to be after ASM 393. He also uses it during SM:AP on 2 different occasions. In issue 3 he does so to re-affirm himself as the "Spider". However, at the conclusion of the series he starts to reject this very same idea and see the need to embrace his human side. For this reason I see the need to put ASM 393 prior to this mini. Another argument for this same move involves a note from MJ at the end of 393 which says she is leaving to take a break from their difficult situation. Now, its bad enough that Peter abandons his responsibility to May after her stroke but the current chronology suggests he does the same to MJ by going off on adventures in Arachnis Project and Solo 1-4. However, by moving ASM 393 (and the note in question) before those 2 series it allows for the notion that he thinks MJ took off and the only one he is not helping out is May. (And, since she's comatose anyway, whats the big deal. :hmmm: ) This also makes his appearances in CLAN 6+7 more appropriate by placing them after his "reclamation" in SM:AP 6 rather than immediately following the declaration of ASM 393. The cameo in FFU 7 would then also need to be shifted since he is taking photos for the Bugle (something a "Spider" would not do).


SCARLET SPIDER/BEN REILLY:
WOSM 114 (Aunt May is healthy)
S-M 48 (talks to MJ, post-stroke)
WOSM 115 (learns of stroke)
S-M 49 (leaves job)
*PPTSS 215* (miles west)
WOSM 116 (arrives in NY)
ASM 393 (visits Gwen's grave & Midtown High, says he "just got into town")
S-M 50 (in May's house)
PPTSS 216 (runs into Peter at hospital)
WOSM 117 (clone saga begins *doh* )

SPIDER-MAN/PETER BENJAMIN PARKER:
WOSM@ 10
ASM@ 28 (inserted based on Col_Fury analysis thread)
S-M 46
PROWL 1 (inserted based on future analysis thread :wink: )
PPTSS 213
PPTSS 214
MORBIUS 21
MORBIUS 22
MORBIUS 23
SS3 93
BCAT 1
Q 60
PPTSS@ 14
BCAT 4
ASMU 11/2
PWJ 67
PWJ 68
S-M 47

WOSM 113
WOSM 114
ASM 390
ASM 391
ASM 392 (1-15:2) added page breakdowns
S-M 48
WOSM 115
WOSM 116 (1-4)
S-M 49
PPTSS 215
ASMU 6

ANNEX 1
ANNEX 3
ANNEX 4
SSWP 30
WOSM 116 (5-22)
ASM 392 (15:3-23)
added page breakdowns
ASM 393
SOLO 1
SOLO 2
SOLO 3
SOLO 4
SM:AP 1
SM:AP 2
SM:AP 3
SM:AP 4
SM:AP 5
SM:AP 6
CLAN 6
CLAN 7
FFU 7
S-M 50
PPTSS 216
WOSM 117
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