Every Sunday morning we showcase a classic comic cover, complete with compelling pop culture commentary, for your cordial contemplation. It’s the Classic Comic Cover Corner!
Amazing Spider-Man #101 – October, 1971
Cover art by John Romita
Early last week the Internet was speculating that Drew Goddard would be writing and directing the recently announced Spider-Man film re-boot, wherein Spidey actually gets to be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If it happens, this is awesome news Spider-People, and here are the reasons why.
1st) Goddard’s directorial debut, Cabin in the Woods, rocked and proved he is capable spinning a complex tale, no matter how tangled; 2nd) I met Mr. Goddard during his press junket for CITW and can personally vouch for both his geekitude and his reverence of the Marvel Universe source material (read the 2012 NERDVANA interview HERE); and 3rd) He is a close personal friend of Joss Whedon’s and I can envision their potential collaboration as being nothing but ‘amazing’ – or ‘spectacular’ – or whichever way they decide to go.
Goddard cut his show business teeth on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series, and Cabin in the Woods shows he has a penchant for horror material, so wouldn’t it be cool if [fingers-crossed] he took his (possible) Spidey story to the dark side?
Amazing Spider-Man #101 would be the perfect storyline for Goddard to bring to life on the big screen, where poor Peter Parker has to deal with having grown two extra sets of arms, and also has to contend with Morbius, the Living Vampire, one of Marvel’s creepiest and most sympathetic protagonists.
A Morbius plot would also allow the Spider-Man cinematic mythos to explore a different side of the wall-crawler beyond the goofy Green Goblin stuff that has permeated almost every other Spidey film. Web-Head’s history is so much richer than the Norman/Harry Osborn connections.
Morbius is an incredible anti-hero/villain that I’ve been hoping to see at the cinema for some time, but the even better prospect here is the six-armed Peter scenario that celebrated the landmark hundredth issue of Amazing Spider-Man (with the storyline running from #100 – 102.) This is one of Spidey’s best stories ever, and it deserves the kind of live-action telling that I know Goddard could deliver.
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