The Superior Spider-Man!
MEGA MEGA SPOILERS UP AHEAD! Proceed if you already know what happened when Amazing Spider-Man (comic) ended, or if you just don't mind spoilers.
Peter Parker's time as Spider-Man has ended. Yeahp, you heard right. Peter Parker is Spider-Man no more.
Pete was finally outsmarted by one of his oldest enemies, Otto Octavius (aka Doc Ock). In a last ditch effort to save his own life, Otto mind swapped with Peter Parker. Peter's mind dies while in Otto's body, while Otto is reborn in Pete's.
Marvel's Version of Freaky Friday
I know, I know. It's a pretty controversial move by Marvel. But as much controversy as it's garnered, Otto, arguably, IS a superior Spider-Man!
How so? Well here are 5 reasons why Otto Octavius is a better Spider-Man than Peter Parker:
1) Tech Genius
Still his loveable mad scientist self.
Otto is smart. He could always go toe to toe with Spidey with nothing but his wits (and metallic arms, but those were a product of his smarts as well). And now, as Spider-Man, Otto continues to augment his abilities with technology - from talons for melee combat and his multipurpose electronic lenses, to Spider-Bots serving as his eyes and ears on the street.
Also known as sunglasses.
Where can I download this "Patrol App"?
Pete's tech development has always been reactionary - making new web formulas, or wearing a new armor specifically for an enemy he can't beat. But Otto is always tinkering, always looking to improve how he can best serve the people.
2) Efficiency is Key
Otto doesn't just rush into battle. He analyzes his enemies, plans strategies, then takes down his enemies quickly and smoothly. And being a former villain himself, he's knows what any good villain would likely do next!
Otto also does something Peter doesn't usually do: call the cops! Otto-Spidey frequently enlists the help of authorities to address more of his city's problems at a time. (4x more than Peter, according to Otto.) And with JJJ's help, he's got most of the government's resources at his disposal.(More on JJJ later.)
His past life's very useful
Otto also does something Peter doesn't usually do: call the cops! Otto-Spidey frequently enlists the help of authorities to address more of his city's problems at a time. (4x more than Peter, according to Otto.) And with JJJ's help, he's got most of the government's resources at his disposal.(More on JJJ later.)
Patrolling your streets for a safer New York.
3) Media Savvy Spidey
Spidey's always been under public scrutiny, largely due to J. Jonah Jameson. (And it doesn't help that JJJ's moved on from media tycoon to city mayor) But Otto's not standing for it. From the get go, he became a Spider-Man the public loved, and he seems to have a knack for press management. Something Peter never bothered to learn.
And more than that, he's kept Jonah in line, either by sarcastically brushing his ego, publicly aligning himself with JJ, or resorting to blackmail. The tables have turned. It's now Spidey that's using media and public perception to control JJ. (It's about time that d*ck got what was comin' to him!) If Otto's proved anything, it's that he's not a pushover - not even to the city mayor!
Superior Sneaky-Man!
And more than that, he's kept Jonah in line, either by sarcastically brushing his ego, publicly aligning himself with JJ, or resorting to blackmail. The tables have turned. It's now Spidey that's using media and public perception to control JJ. (It's about time that d*ck got what was comin' to him!) If Otto's proved anything, it's that he's not a pushover - not even to the city mayor!
Owned!
4) No More Mr. Nice Spidey
When it comes to the baddies, Otto, at times, is excessively violent. But because he is, criminals have come to respect fear him (and are less likely to try anything that'll upset the Spider!) He's like Batman now! And there's a certain finality to it when Otto takes care of problems. He stops any future threats by breaking an arm or a leg or killing the criminal...
Yeah, he kills...
I know, how is THIS being "better"?
He DOES have a point.
There's always going to be 2 schools of thought here: one, that killing is not our right. That all life is sacred. And two, that some people are a menace to the world, so much so that there is a potential for more loss in life in the future. It's been debated since forever, and to this day, what's "right" is still unclear. But Otto-Spidey does that math, and to him, one life lost is better than a thousand.
"...We're gonna hold Spider-Man at a different standard?" Wolverine puts it best.
And he's not all bad. Otto's shown (with much ferocity) that he cares for children. And he's even got a soft spot for fellow mad scientists.
Awww....
5) Better Peter Parker
Yeah, he's even a better PETER!
Because of his Spider-Bots (and later his Spider Patrol Army) helping patrol the city, Otto's free to do other things as Peter. Otto-Peter gets a doctorate, accompanies Aunt May to her doctor visits, goes on regular dates, and invents things for the betterment of mankind. He can maintain his life as Peter easily. And I'm even inclined to think Otto appreciates Peter's family more than Peter himself!
I haven't read til the end, and it's but inevitable that Peter's coming back to his body (since comic book deaths are rarely permanent), but here's hoping they keep the character in one form or another. Otto and Peter working side by side would be a blast! Otto-Spidey may be arrogant, impatient, hot-headed, and aggressive, but he can definitely produce results. He's a different kind of hero with a different brand of justice. Sorry Pete, but I got to admit, Otto's is the SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN!
Spoiler Alert! (Budubum-tssss!)
Because of his Spider-Bots (and later his Spider Patrol Army) helping patrol the city, Otto's free to do other things as Peter. Otto-Peter gets a doctorate, accompanies Aunt May to her doctor visits, goes on regular dates, and invents things for the betterment of mankind. He can maintain his life as Peter easily. And I'm even inclined to think Otto appreciates Peter's family more than Peter himself!
I haven't read til the end, and it's but inevitable that Peter's coming back to his body (since comic book deaths are rarely permanent), but here's hoping they keep the character in one form or another. Otto and Peter working side by side would be a blast! Otto-Spidey may be arrogant, impatient, hot-headed, and aggressive, but he can definitely produce results. He's a different kind of hero with a different brand of justice. Sorry Pete, but I got to admit, Otto's is the SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN!
For more on Otto as Spider-Man, grab a copy of The Superior Spider-Man TPBs and Superior Spider-Man Team Up.
No comments:
Post a Comment