Stillanerd Reviews: Spider-Man: Life Story No. 1 review

In this first part of Chip Zdarsky and Mark Bagley’s miniseries, Spider-Man must deal with money problems, protecting his identity…and Vietnam.

Spider-Man: Life Story No. 1

“Chapter One: The War at Home”

Writer: Chip Zdarsky

Penciler: Mark Bagley

Inker: John Dell

Color Artist: Frank D’Armata

Covers: Chip Zdarsky; Marcos Martin; Greg Smallwood; and Skottie Young

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It’s a little known fact that when Timely Comics became Marvel Comics in 1961, events depicted in those comics occurred in real-time. A month between issues in the real world meant a month of time passed in the comics. Characters, rather than staying forever young, aged as they also grew in experience. Granted, a big reason comics progressed in real-time was because no one knew how long they would last. It’s only when they became commercial successes that Marvel Comics would adopt the “sliding timescale” (i.e. events are compressed and set in “the present”) that is still in use today.

But what if there wasn’t a sliding timescale? What if, sometime in the mid-1960s, Stan Lee decided his comics would continue progressing in real-time? What if, instead of being perpetually twenty-five years old, Peter Parker actually grew up? What if Peter Parker always became Spider-Man when he was fifteen years old in 1962? That’s the central conceit behind Chip Zdarsky and Mark Bagley’s new six-part miniseries, Spider-Man: Life Story.

Credit: Mark Bagley, John Dell, and Frank D’Armata (Marvel Comics); from Spider-Man: Life Story No. 1

Other than the year and period in which it’s set, [Spider-Man: Life Story No. 1] seems like another take on the classic Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, John Romita Jr. era of Spider-Man on the surface….As the story progresses, however, Zdarsky introduces small, seemingly insignificant changes that have major effects on only on Spider-Man’s world but for potentially all the Marvel Universe.

Similar experiments have occurred in comics before, of course. Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross’ Marvels also progressed in real-time, but it still maintained the current continuity of the Marvel Universe without contradicting anything else. DC Comics had John Byrnes’ Superman and Batman: Generations also progressed in real-time, but shifted focus from Superman and Batman to their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Seems as though Spider-Man: Life Story will fall somewhere in the middle of these extremes.

You might not think so at first. Based off this first issue, it appears everything from Amazing Fantasy No. 15 to Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 No. 38 more or less happened the same way. On its surface, the story itself seems like a re-imagined version of the classic Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 No. 39 and 40, with the Flash Thompson’s enlistment into the Vietnam War subplot from Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 No. 45 added in. Other than the year and period in which it’s set, this seems like another take on the classic Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, John Romita Jr. era of Spider-Man on the surface.

As the story progresses, however, Zdarsky introduces small, seemingly insignificant changes that have major effects on only on Spider-Man’s world but for potentially all the Marvel Universe. J. Jonah Jameson is already facing scandal over rumors of his complicity in the creation of the Scorpion and Spencer Smythe’s Spider-Slayers. Iron Man’s involvement in Vietnam raises the question of mandatory conscription of supers. Captain America feels political and public pressure to get involved in the war. By the time the comic ends, even Peter’s relationships with Gwen Stacy, the Green Goblin, and possibly Harry Osborn are radically different from what they were in the original comics.

Credit: Mark Bagley, John Dell, and Frank D,Armata (Marvel Comics); from Spider-Man: Life Story No. 1

Likewise, the Vietnam era has an effect on Peter in ways the original comics barely touched upon. Aside from his usual balancing acts of maintaining a secret identity and being strapped for cash, there’s the looming possibility he could be drafted himself. An academic deferment can only get one so far if they don’t keep up a healthy GPA or miss too many classes, after all. At the same time, Peter thinks maybe the right thing to do should be to enlist. It’s one thing to live by “with great comes great responsibility” in peace time, but quite another to live by that same creed during a time of war.

Thus by returning him to the 1960s, Zdarsky effectively transforms a Spider-Man who’s centered around youth into someone forced to face the trials of adulthood–precisely what Stan Lee and Steve Ditko originally intended. There’s the added benefit of hindsight, too. Look and read carefully, and you might notice a few bells and whistles from Spider-Man lore, including Professor Miles Warren’s jealousy over Peter and Gwen’s relationship, to Norman Osborn seeing Peter as the son he always wanted. And of course, there’s the excellent exchange between Peter and Flash Thompson about why the later joined the army.

All the more ironic then while Zdarsky recaptures Spider-Man from the 1960s, he struggles to recapture the 1960’s themselves. It’s a challenge to be sure, since most of us, when writing a fictional story set in a historical time period, obviously didn’t live during those times. But there are still ways to recapture moments from history without making seem like you just read a textbook about it. Zdarsky, however, doesn’t quite pull this off. As a result, his characters don’t really feel like they belong in the era they supposedly do. When Peter uses the word “trigger” in a conservation, one can tell this was definitely a comic written in the early 21st Century instead of the mid-20th Century.

Credit: Mark Bagley, John Dell, and Frank D’Armata (Marvel Comics); from Spider-Man: Life Story No. 1

Spider-Man: Life Story does sound like a glorified What If? resting on a “real-time” gimmick. On the basis of this first issue, though, it’s also a near masterpiece. Not only does it have all the trappings of great comic book storytelling, it takes unexpected turns that promote endless speculation about what will happen next.

This also extends to Mark Bagley’s illustrations. Despite images of hippie protesters, black and white TVs, and Harry wearing love beads, it looks too modern. Nevertheless, Bagley’s work here is astonishing. While there’s surprisingly little action, the illustrations remain fluid; and when the action does happen, imaging these static figures are moving becomes effortless. There’s masterful usage of nonverbal communication throughout. When you see Peter and Gwen “accidentally” touch hands while holding a beaker, or the sideways glances Mary Jane and Norman give Peter during Flash’s going away party, you instantly know what emotions are expressed.

Of course, Bagley’s depiction of Spider-Man is also top-notch. He, aside from both John Romita Sr. and Jr., and Todd McFarlane, captures the superhuman grace and flexibility one associates with Spider-Man while still keeping him grounded. He also knows how to properly use Spidey’s eye lenses to emote and do so with subtlety. If Marvel wanted to create a comic book miniseries depicting the life and times of Peter Parker, Marvel couldn’t have picked a better choice than the one artist who’s helped define him across the decades.

Yes, Spider-Man: Life Story does sound like a glorified What If? resting on a “real-time” gimmick. On the basis of this first issue, though, it’s also a near masterpiece. Not only does it have all the trappings of great comic book storytelling, it takes unexpected turns that promote endless speculation about what will happen next. Moreover, it’s a retelling of classic Marvel which has the potential for becoming a fascinating alternative history story seen from the perspective of Marvel’s everyman superhero. A great start to what is bound to be a “real trip.”

Stillanerd’s Score: 4.5 out of 5

Stillanerd’s Nerdy Nitpicks (with groovy spoilers)

Credit: Mark Bagley, John Dell, and Frank D,Armata (Marvel Comics); from Spider-Man: Life Story No. 1

Buzz Beer?! I thought that only existed on The Drew Carrey Show …in the 1990s! Also Fan Am? I think you can use the Pan Am name, Marvel, since that airline collapsed in the 1990s, too.
” A morning spent putting Mysterio away…” Hold on, the last time Spider-Man fought Mysterio was Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 No. 24 in 1965. That “morning” must’ve lasted an entire year.
Peter, you’ve already met Harry’s dad in Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 No. 37, remember? Although come to think of it, this does feel like a time-warped version of this scene from Sam Raimi’s first Spider-Man movie.
Hey, Gwen! You’re not supposed to be wearing your signature headband in 1966. That’s not at least for another year yet.
Look, comic. I know this story’s set in the sixties, but Peter was never cool enough to refer to money as “scratch.”
Oh, come now! You would think a comic set in the sixties would show Jonah chomping down on a cigar since the health warnings about smoking didn’t start surfacing until a decade later.
Actually, since $20 in 1966 was the equivalent of $157 today, and record albums cost $2 to $3, Peter could buy more than a few Monkees LPs.
Interesting to not that Iron Man taking part in Vietnam reflects the characters original origins since Tony Stark was captured by the Viet Cong in his original origin.
Okay, wait a sec. Peter’s only met Norman Osborn earlier that day, but he already knows who Mary Jane is? So “Birth of a Super Hero” and “Rhino on the Rampage” somehow still happened without Norman Osborn?
Yeah, doubtful Peter would still be conscious after being blasted by the Green Goblin’s finger beam and having a pumpkin bomb explode in his face.
Looks like the cause of Norman’s sudden bout of amnesia is just as vague in this timeline as it was in the original.
As good as the rooftop conversation between Spider-Man and Captain America is, Steve Rogers is still a soldier, isn’t he? Technically, he wouldn’t really have much of choice about where he was being deployed in 1966.
Wow! If the cops, with the help of Peter’s “anonymous tip,” were able to correctly uncover that Norman was the Green Goblin–when he has amnesia no less!–where did Norman get this reputation of being a criminal mastermind?
Considering all the times Peter hastily put his street clothes back on, it’s incredible Gwen Stacy never figured out he was Spider-Man in the original timeline like she does here.
Hmm…Captain America protecting Vietnamese villagers against American soldiers. Gee, the Soviet Union, the People’s Republic of China, and the Viet Cong are going to have a propaganda field day with that one. And Cap calling out Iron Man as well? This just become Civil War in the midst of the Cold War, didn’t it?

Next time, Spider-Man experiences the psychedelic, disco-dancing 1970’s. As for this chapter, what did you think of Spider-Man: Life Story No.1? What happens now that Gwen Stacy knows Peter double identity and may not die at the hands of Norman Osborn? How will Harry react to his father’s arrest? Do you think Captain America and Iron Man’s actions will further alter history in this series? What other changes do you expect to happen as the series continues?