Paul Jenkins leaving Spectacular Spider-Man - Series ends at #27

[Kevin Boyd]

Press Release

 

PAUL JENKINS SET TO COMPLETE HIS GREAT RUN ON SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN

 

Long time Spider-Man and seminal Marvel writer Paul Jenkins, will be ending his run on Spectacular Spider-Man. Jenkin's last issue is slated to ship sometime in March of 2005, after a short fill in by writer Samm Barnes and penciler Scot Eaton who will be completing the "Sins Remembered" storyline.

 

Editor in Chief Joe Quesada announced, "Paul is a true professional but I also know that over the last year and a half he's been fighting some difficult health issues all the while giving Spectacular and the fans his best work. We at Marvel really want to thank him for his years of hard work he's put into Spider-Man and we're sorry to see him leave the title. Much like Ultimate Team-Up was a vehicle created for Brian Bendis to shine and then canceled with his departure, the same can be said about Spectacular Spider-Man. Spectacular Spidey was created for Paul and Humberto to tell their brand of Spider-Man stories. Without them attached to the series we've decided to close up shop on the title and call it a day with issue #27. But on that note, stay tuned for some new and exciting Paul Jenkins announcements!"

 

Jenkins, who gained fame for his ability to relate character-driven stories, has worked on Wolverine: Origin, Incredible Hulk, Sentry and many other titles.

 

"Some things are too good to be true." Said Jenkins. "Writing a monthly Spider-Man comic is one of them. These last four or five years have been a wonderful experience for me. I've had the opportunity to work with some of the best artists in the world on a character I truly love. Fifty-six issues, by my count; that's not a bad run at all.

 

When Mark Buckingham and I were given a chance with PPSM #20, I could not in my wildest dreams have foreseen that I would stay with Spidey for almost five years. Bucky was amazing, a true gentleman who understands the essence of storytelling as well as any artist working today. Without him, I might have lasted a few months at best. After a time, Bucky moved on and I was lucky enough to have been paired with Humberto Ramos. The stories went from strength to strength as Humberto and I were given a chance to revive the Spectacular title, of which I am extremely proud.

 

Of course, we've had a lot of help along the way. Wayne Faucher has been an incredible asset over the years with his brilliant inking. Many colorists, guests artists, letterers and editors have come and gone. I would like to thank John Miesegaes, Axel Alonso, Bill Jemas, Joe Quesada and others for helping us get this title underway. Special thanks to Ralph Macchio for giving me my first shot at Spidey -- he's a good judge of horseflesh, is Ralph. And I would be remiss if I did not single out my good friend Tom Brevoort, who has been a wonderful guide as I made continuity error after continuity error, and who has helped me immensely with his solid sense of storytelling.

 

Unfortunately, I have had to undergo six knee and ankle surgeries in the last four years and suffered a staph infection as a result of one of them. Don't worry... my health is okay but I think I need a little time to recharge. While all good things must come to an end, this is far from the end for me. In fact, I am moving onto different projects, and I can't tell you all how energized I am as I undergo this transition. I have a couple of projects at Marvel that I hope will blow your socks off over the next couple of years -- watch the skies for more info. In addition, I am working on numerous video games, I recently directed for the first time and am looking forward to new projects with my production company, Good Cop/Bad Cop. Check out the new video for Scum of The Earth, coming soon to a music channel near you.

 

Most importantly of all, thanks to all the fans who've stuck with me on Spidey over the years. I thank you for your kind words at conventions and in emails, and certainly for buying our humble offering month after month. I hope we have produced a few memorable stories for you. See you in the funny pages.

 

Paul Jenkins

Atlanta, 2004

[Kevin Boyd]

Just to clarify - the press release refers to the run as great, not me.

[Alberto1975]

I have a tough time believing Marvel is really cancelling a Spidey title.

 

More than likely, this only means that now Marvel has a new excuse to create a new Spider-Man series, with a new #1, with a couple of variant covers, that they will tout as the best thing since sliced bread.

 

I have to say, I enjoyed Paul's run, but then again, I love Spidey...

[drice6900]

Just to clarify - the press release refers to the run as great, not me.

 

[Reno McCoy]

I've also heard that MK Spidey is on the chopping block after #13.

[Kevin Boyd]

I've also heard that MK Spidey is on the chopping block after #13.

 

Interesting. I had heard that it was conceived as a 12-issue series, as Millar would have no time to work on it past the original year, so I don't think it would be a surprise if it did end.

 

On the other hand, it is the best Spider-Man book being published, and it sells very well (better than Spectacular), and I love the Dodsons' art (especially on the Black Cat MEOW!), so I will be disappointed to see it end.

[Ares]

I've also heard that MK Spidey is on the chopping block after #13.

 

Interesting. I had heard that it was conceived as a 12-issue series, as Millar would have no time to work on it past the original year, so I don't think it would be a surprise if it did end.

 

On the other hand, it is the best Spider-Man book being published, and it sells very well (better than Spectacular), and I love the Dodsons' art (especially on the Black Cat MEOW!), so I will be disappointed to see it end.

 

No Wonder Spider man Is in Avengers now if they are cancelling off Two of his books!

[Alberto1975]

Hrmm....

This makes you wonder, do you think they'll cancel Amazing too, and as such, leave Ultimate Spider-Man as the only Spider-Man book?

That way Bendis can do whatever he wants with Spider-Man, forget continuity, and Ultimate Spider-Man becomes the definite title/story/history of Spider-Man?

 

I did hear talks a few years back of "Ultimizing" the whole Marvel Universe...

 

It's sad, I really enjoyed MK Spider-Man, as well as Spectacular...

[hobbes]

Hrmm....

This makes you wonder, do you think they'll cancel Amazing too, and as such, leave Ultimate Spider-Man as the only Spider-Man book?

That way Bendis can do whatever he wants with Spider-Man, forget continuity, and Ultimate Spider-Man becomes the definite title/story/history of Spider-Man?

 

I did hear talks a few years back of "Ultimizing" the whole Marvel Universe...

 

It's sad, I really enjoyed MK Spider-Man, as well as Spectacular...

 

That would be interesting. I wonder what it would be like if Marvel switched up and just ran with two ongoing "Universes": Ultimates and Marvel Knights. They could cancel the rest of the series that don't fit into either category. Just a thought.....

[SpideySense-migration]

Hrmm....

This makes you wonder, do you think they'll cancel Amazing too, and as such, leave Ultimate Spider-Man as the only Spider-Man book?

That way Bendis can do whatever he wants with Spider-Man, forget continuity, and Ultimate Spider-Man becomes the definite title/story/history of Spider-Man?

 

I did hear talks a few years back of "Ultimizing" the whole Marvel Universe...

 

It's sad, I really enjoyed MK Spider-Man, as well as Spectacular...

 

I wouldn't mind seeing Marvel downsize their Universe and cut a bunch of titles. They could start with all the X-men titles. Get the work load down to a level where they have enough creative artists and writers to handle it and can produce quality comics on a regular monthly basis. I thought Ultimizing would be a good idea to get some consistancy in the continuity after 40+ years. They have already relaunched every regular Marvel Universe title (except Uncanny X-men) and then gone back to the original numbering on a few and now intend to relaunch again. Why not let the regular Marvel Universe die on the vine and concentrate all their good writers and artist on the new fresh Ultimate Universe which doesn't have 40 years of continuity to deal with and the creators can experiment with fresh ideas? After the recent relaunches I only buy a few titles from the regular Marvel Universe anyhow.

[DKB]

Another series will spring out of this, again.

 

I liked Jenkins' take on Spidey, but hated Ramos' art.

[Kevin Boyd]

I wouldn't mind seeing Marvel downsize their Universe and cut a bunch of titles. They could start with all the X-men titles. Get the work load down to a level where they have enough creative artists and writers to handle it and can produce quality comics on a regular monthly basis. I thought Ultimizing would be a good idea to get some consistancy in the continuity after 40+ years. They have already relaunched every regular Marvel Universe title (except Uncanny X-men) and then gone back to the original numbering on a few and now intend to relaunch again. Why not let the regular Marvel Universe die on the vine and concentrate all their good writers and artist on the new fresh Ultimate Universe which doesn't have 40 years of continuity to deal with and the creators can experiment with fresh ideas?

 

First off, I don't know this for sure, but I'm fairly certain that they will have a replacement for Spectacular on the schedule pretty quickly. They sort of do with the relaunch of Marvel Team-Up - although Spidey won't be in every issue.

 

I disagree on Ultimizing the MU as much now as I did when I first heard it bandied about, some two or more years ago.

 

Letting the Marvel Universe "die on the vine" would be probably the worst thing that Marvel could do... they plan to rely even more heavily on reprints of the MU titles in the coming year. Abandoning the modern MU almost completely invalidates the need for new readers to go back to the older books to read.

 

After the recent relaunches I only be a few titles from the regular Marvel Universe anyhow.

 

Smoking the crack pipe this morning?

 

Let's look at January's Marvel titles.

 

MU Alpha Flight

MU Captain America and the Falcon

MU Fantastic Four: Foes

MU Incredible Hulk

MA Jubilee

MA Fantastic Four

MA Spider-Man

MU Marvel Team-Up

MU Spider-Man/Human Torch

MU Spider-Man Unlimited

MU Tomb of Dracula

MU Uncanny X-Men

MU X-Men/Fantastic Four

NN Combat Zone: True Tales of GI's In Iraq

MU Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes

MK District X

MX Doctor Spectrum

MU Gambit

MK Marvel Knights 4

MU X-Men Phoenix End Song

MX Punisher

MK Marvel Knights Spider-Man

MU New Thunderbolts

MU She-Hulk

MU Stormbreaker (Beta Ray Bill)

MU The Pulse

MA Thor: Son of Odin

UU Ultimates Vol. 2

MU X-23

MU Arana

MU Bullseye: Greatest Hits

MU Cable/Deadpool

MK Daredevil

MU Exiles

MK Madrox

MU New Invaders

MU New X-Men

MU Nightcrawler

MU Rogue

NN Spider-Man: India

NN Stoker's Dracula

UU Ultimate Spider-Man

UU Ultimate X-Men

MK Wolverine

MU X-Force

MU X-Men

MU Amazing Spider-Man

MU Astonishing X-Men

MU Black Widow

MU Captain America

MU Excalibur

MU Fantastic Four

MU Iron Man

MU Mystique

MU New Avengers

MU Official Handbook of the MU The Women of Marvel 2004

MU Spectacular Spider-Man

UU Ultimate Fantastic Four

MA Spider-Girl

IC Powers

 

MK - Marvel Knights

MU - Marvel Universe

UU - Ultimate Universe

MA - Marvel Age (young readers)

MX - MAX

NN - Not associated with other titles

IC - Icon

 

Look at that list and tell me that they are phasing out the MU? There are over 40 titles being released in January that are set in the ongoing, 40+ year old, continuity-bound Marvel Universe. I'm including most of the MK books, which are set in the MU, as is the Punisher and the Marvel Age titles Thor Son of Asgard and Jubilee. Spider-Girl and Exiles rely heavily on the existing Marvel Universe. Heck, even the majority of the Marvel Age line is merely a re-rendering of the old MU stories.

 

That leaves a few Ultimate titles, Spider-Man India, Powers and Combat Tales.

 

But even if you phase out the X-Men and Spider-Man lines, you still have approx. 15 regular Marvel Universe titles.

[SpideySense-migration]

After the recent relaunches I only be a few titles from the regular Marvel Universe anyhow.

 

Smoking the crack pipe this morning?

 

Nope. Just typed the word 'be' with my fingers when I was thinking of the word 'buy' with my brain. Revised my original post above.

[Kevin Boyd]

Well, that changes everything.

 

I thought you were suggesting there weren't many MU titles left. There are quite a few.

[hobbes]

Here's an idea:

1)Run the Ultimate Universe as a doorway for any one and everyone interested in Marvel Comics.

2)Run Marvel Knights for the adults and the old heads.

3) Continue running Marvel Age for the kids in the Targets and Wal Marts of the world to try and drag in future comic addicts.

 

Does there have to be a Marvel Universe based on 40 years of continuity? If there does have to be some sort of commitment to the history of the Marvel Universe then why not put it in the Marvel Knights group?

[SpideySense-migration]

Here's an idea:

1)Run the Ultimate Universe as a doorway for any one and everyone interested in Marvel Comics.

2)Run Marvel Knights for the adults and the old heads.

3) Continue running Marvel Age for the kids in the Targets and Wal Marts of the world to try and drag in future comic addicts.

 

Does there have to be a Marvel Universe based on 40 years of continuity? If there does have to be some sort of commitment to the history of the Marvel Universe then why not put it in the Marvel Knights group?

 

Sounds reasonable to me.

[Kevin Boyd]

Here's an idea:

1)Run the Ultimate Universe as a doorway for any one and everyone interested in Marvel Comics.

2)Run Marvel Knights for the adults and the old heads.

3) Continue running Marvel Age for the kids in the Targets and Wal Marts of the world to try and drag in future comic addicts.

 

Does there have to be a Marvel Universe based on 40 years of continuity? If there does have to be some sort of commitment to the history of the Marvel Universe then why not put it in the Marvel Knights group?

 

What I don't understand is why one would have to shift what's left of the Marvel Universe over to Marvel Knights, when really, the Marvel Knights titles should just be part of the regular Marvel Universe. In most cases they are.

 

The Ultimate line is small and should remain so. Four titles, isolated. And they should end when Bendis and Millar want to end them.

 

Scrap the Marvel Age pamphlets and just sell the digests at Wal-Marts and Targets and other mainstream outlets. Since they are retellings of Marvel Universe stories they are door into the regular books.

 

I don't agree that it is a good idea to scrap 40+ years of Marvel history. I think, like DC does to much better effect, they should tell good stories that don't contradict or dwell on the past to much, and they should avoid milking a concept to death by over-exposing a certain character or line for the sake of making a quick buck. However, if a writer wants to revisit the past and do Year One or stories set earlier in the timeline of a given character they should be free to do so.