Spider-Man: Life Story No. 4: The Clone Saga remixed

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Credit

: Chip Zdarsky (Marvel Comics); cover for

Spider-Man: Life Story No. 4

The most notorious story in all of Spider-Man history undergoes a face lift, while Peter continues growing up in “real-time.”

Spider-Man: Life Story No.4
“Chapter Four: Brothers in Arms”

Comics during the 1990s were infamous for five things: the speculator boom, big muscular heroes in big shoulder pads sporting even bigger guns, characters with “X” and/or “Dark” in their name, mullets, and the “Clone Saga.” The last one, in particular, is especially egregious if you also happen to be a Spider-Man fan. Just telling someone who’s never read a comic about that one time Spider-Man was replaced by his own clone after twenty years is bound to earn you some funny looks.

Since Chip Zdarsky and Mark Bagley’s Spider-Man: Life Story reimagined each decade in the life of Peter Parker, it’s only fitting (or daft) that, for the 1990s, they would give their own take on the story that nearly ruined Spider-Man. It’s even more of a trip down memory lane for Bagley especially, considering he illustrated Amazing Spider-Man during the “Clone Saga.” The difference here, of course, is they’re dealing with an older Peter, along with just one comic instead of four series spread out over two years. And the result isn’t just a more shortened version, but one that’s appropriately bittersweet.

Credit

: Mark Bagley, Andrew Hennessy, and Frank D’Armata (Marvel Comics); from

Spider-Man: Life Story No. 4

What’s interesting about [Spider-Man: Life Story No. 4] is that, for the most part, it still follows the basic outline of the Clone Saga….This version just removes all the fat and gristle. There’s no Kaine, Judas Traveller, Jackal in a trenchcoat, or (thank goodness!) Maximum Clonage mucking up everything.

Those who read Spider-Man: Life Story No. 3 know things took a dark, depressing turn for Peter during the 1980s. When we see Peter again in Life Story No.4, he’s still having a rough time in 1995. Almost fifty, thirty years of superheroics have put serious stress on his body. Aunt May has passed away. He’s fending off a hostile takeover of his company from Tony Stark. He’s in a new relationship, but clearly still wants to be with Mary Jane and their two kids. In fact, Peter’s so tired of being Spider-Man he doesn’t even quip anymore.

Meanwhile, a nonagenarian Doctor Octopus has kidnapped Peter’s clone, Ben Reilly. Having snapped when May left him, and reverting even further into villainy when she died, Doc Ock’s become obsessed with extending his own life. Naturally, he sees cloning as his means of immortality and, with Miles Warren’s research destroyed (as seen in issue No. 2), both Peter and Ben hold the key. However, he makes a shocking discovery about them both and, if you read the :Clone Saga,” you already know what that is… or think you do.

Credit

: Mark Bagley, Andrew Hennessy, and Frank D’Armata (Marvel Comics); from

Spider-Man: Life Story No. 4

What’s interesting about this comic is that, for the most part, it still follows the basic outline of the “Clone Saga.” Although he calls himself “The Red Mask,” Ben’s still essentially the Scarlet Spider. Doc Ock learns Peter is Spider-Man, and Aunt May dies from natural causes. The true mastermind behind this Clone Saga is the same as the original. There’s even a nod to the Parkers living in Portland, Oregon. This version just removes all the fat and gristle. There’s no Kaine, Judas Traveller, Jackal in a trenchcoat, or (thank goodness!) Maximum Clonage mucking up everything.

Moreover, Peter’s decision at the end makes more sense within the context of this series. Most superhero comics never even touch the reality that everyone, including heroes, age. This is a universe where, just like in our world, no one is stuck in amber. Even Peter Parker can grow to realize that what seemed important during his youth is less so now that he’s passed middle age. He can, in fact, realize that what he thought was “great responsibility” was, in fact, “great guilt.” That Zdarsky has tackled this with such grace and poignancy is more than worthy of praise.

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One curious aspect about this issue, however, is that it reads more like an ending of the series than the completion of a chapter. If you look at the last page of the comic, and if you didn’t know there were two more issues left, you would think this is a surprisingly happy completion of this Spider-Man’s story, especially in comparison to the last page of Life Story No. 3.

It’s also the one chapter that really did deserve its own separate series. Granted, the previous also had this problem, and the challenge for Zdarsky has been to condense a single year of Spider-Man’s life into a single issue. This also, unfortunately, means Zdarsky’s forced to cut some narrative corners. How much more effective, for example, would it have been to have seen Aunt May’s funeral instead of characters telling each other about it?

Credit

: Mark Bagley, Andrew Hennessy, and Frank D’Armata (Marvel Comics); from

Spider-Man: Life Story No. 4

More pages would’ve also meant seeing more of Bagley’s illustrations, which once again continues being one the strongest assets of this miniseries. As this comic’s also the most action-oriented of the series, too, it really shows off just how fluid the characters are, particularly Doc Ock and his signature tentacles. He also does some excellent faces here, as these characters really do look like older versions of those we’ve seen since the first issue. Also, after the awful-looking redesigns of the ’70s and ’80s suits, Bagley’s ’90s version of the costume is a fantastic, practical-looking update of Spidey’s iconic outfit.

Although the weakest chapter thus far, Spider-Man: Life Story No. 4 continues showing why this is one of the best Spider-Man stories in years. That Zdarsky and Bagley took something as reviled as the “Clone Saga” and turned it into a poignant treatise on mortality, past regrets, unfulfilled dreams, and second chances is not only creative, it’s profound. It’s also proof that Spider-Man and clones can, indeed, make for a good story. Though we might be pushing our luck if next issue has Spidey in shoulder pads carrying an oversized gun.

Stillanerd’s Score: 4 out of 5

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