Have your Peter and eat your Miles too
Wow! After the debacle that was Secret Wars we get the New 52….ahem I mean the All-New Marvel universe. Can’t believe I’m getting my companies confused but how can you blame me, it’s like both of the big two are blowing up the existing continuity to create something ‘new’!
After all of the delays and confusion with the Secret Wars limited series not even being complete before we get the All-New Marvel comics it’s finally a new day in the Marvel Universe. To catch you up, Marvel ran a multi-year story line that introduced concept of the destruction of the multiverse. In essence all of the alternative universes were destroyed one by one by something called “Incursions” which eventually led to the conflict between the main continuity 616 universe and the Ultimate universe. This led to the Secret Wars conflict which was a mash-up of various bits and pieces of alternative universes. I personally think it was just an opportunity for Marvel staff to create their Vanity projects without having a lasting effect on continuity.
Anyway, the outcome was a more diverse Marvel Universe. This included Sam Wilson, the former Falcon, as Captain America, an female Wolverine (formerly X-23) , a female Star Lord, and Two, count them, Two Spider-Men residing in the same Universe. So we get a jet-setting millionaire playboy Peter Parker and struggling high schooler Miles Morales. You get both your Spider-Men and everyone is happy. Right?
Maybe.
In an article in Comicbookresources, Joseph Ilidge wrote a very good article regarding Marvel hedging their bets. He highlighted the fact that Marvel is trying to have their cake and eat it too with having two Captain Americas in Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson. He posited something akin to Captain America being an institution and not so much an individual, thereby making dual Caps feasible. I sort of like that idea. The only thing I fear is that eventually Marvel will go back to its default and get rid of Sam Wilson as Cap. Believe me, they do this all the time in comics–kill or teleport or replace a character and then bring them back to make the “real” fans happy.
On one hand I applaud Marvel for striving for diversity by bringing in a black Captain America and Miles Morales’ Spider-Man. But it’s almost like they are trying to please everybody. Sometimes in doing that you don’t break new ground. Sometimes the audience has to be uncomfortable to bring something cool and fresh. That’s just my opinion.
Tell me, what do you think?
