Welcome to the 21st Century (Ultimate Spider-Man #200 cover and varient cover by Mark Bagley and David Marquez)

Welcome to the 2020s. It is a new and exciting time to be alive and to be fan of comics. New movies out every year, awesome video games, exciting television shows, and of course amazing adventures in the pages of Marvel, DC, and the rest of your favorite publishers. Except this is not a piece on the future.

GOT YA!

No, like previous posts, this is about a run from the past and the celebration of a certain web-headed arachnid. Actually wait, its about 2 web-heads…wait, its actually more than that (no this is not about Spider-Verse). Exit Earth 616, and enter Earth 1610, or better known as the Ultimate Universe.

The Beginning of a Whole New World…Literally (Ultimate Spider-Man #1 cover by Joe Quesada)

Believe it or not, it has been 20 years since the year 2000, makes you feel old doesn’t it? That means it is the 20th anniversary of the beginning of Ultimate Spider-Man (2000) and the lofty goals of Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley to reinvent Spider-Man for the 21st century.

As we entered 2020, I knew I was going to get around to reading this run because I have heard so much great things about it, I liked Bendis from his short time at DC so far, and of course I am a sucker for teenage superhero stories (Young Justice (1998), Teen Titans (2003), etc.). I had to read Ultimate Spider-Man (2000).

(Well, first there was a short detour into J. Michael Straczynski’s Amazing Spider-Man (2001) and Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers saga, but those are blogs for another time).

First off before I dive into my thoughts, it is insane to think of how the Ultimate books even came about. Marvel Comics was dying. While DC Comics had the backings of Warner Brothers, Marvel was by itself and was suffering from the comic bust. They sold off their popular characters’ movie rights to companies like 20th Century Fox, Sony, and Universal simply to stay afloat.

Bendis has even gone on the record of saying when he walked into the fabled Marvel bullpen for the first time, furniture and filing cabinets were being sold off and the lights were dimmed to save energy and money. Brian Michael Bendis believed he would be writing the final Spider-Man story (thank goodness he was wrong).

The Ultimate Universe, along with Marvel Knights, was an initiative to begin to save Marvel Comics by doing something different. That something different was to reinvent all of their popular characters for the 21st century. Along with USM was Ultimate X-Men (2001) by Mark Millar, Ultimate Fantasic Four (2004) by Millar and Bendis and of course The Ultimates (2002) by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch, a total reimagining of the the Avengers.

The Ultimate Marvel line of comic books aimed to be different, and it did breathe new life into a dying company, helping to kickstart their subsuquent revitalization. Eventually the Ultimate Universe tried too hard to be different and edgy, resulting in its eventual end in 2015 after Secret Wars (2015).

But one book stood the test of time of Ultimate Marvel, even drawing so much fanfare that the line was brought into Earth 616. I wonder which one it was? Hmm…..

Nobody beats Mark Bagley’s Spidey (Ultimate Spider-Man #22 art by Mark Bagley)

So what is Ultimate Spider-Man (2000)? Well at its base it is a retelling of Peter Parker’s origin and days at Midtown High School. Then it is the story of Brooklyn kid Miles Morales, who is bitten by an even more radioactive spider than Peter was, who becomes Spider-Man after Peter dies (yes spoiler, but come on you’ve had a decade to catch up on this one).

But even more than those two facts, it is a long comic run that is heartfelt, pulls on your heartstrings, and makes you connect with every character involved. In addition, it makes some interesting changes to everyone’s favorite Spider-Man villains.

The Green Goblin? Well Norman is a hulk-like figure instead of a dude on a glider. The Venom symbiote is connected to Peter Parker and Eddie Brock’s (Venom) family history instead of an alien symbiote. Everything, like all of the Ultimate Universe, is darker and government driven, and it reflects on all of the villains.

While the villains are cool and all, you know because comics do not work without villains (duh), what drives the ball over the fence for Ultimate Spider-Man is the world that Brian Michael Bendis builds, and how it interacts with each other, and the art to drive it home. By the art I mean primarily Mark Bagley.

Pep Rallies! (Ultimate Spider-Man #14 by Mark Bagley)

Like Young Justice (1998), Ultimate Spider-Man (2000) rules in its youthfulness in both the writing and the art. Yet at the same time, it resonates for all ages. USM at its core is a book that makes you laugh, and it will do that a lot, while kicking you in the heart from issue #1 in 2000 to Bendis’ last issue with Miles Morales in 2018.

For me and my reading experience, I got sad with how much I fell in love with the character of Peter Parker and everyone in his Earth 1610 life (MJ, Aunt May, Gwen Stacy, JJJ, etc). Why was I getting sad? Because I knew Peter was going to die, and that is why Bendis and crew kill it.

From #1 in 2000 all the way the death of Spider-Man in 2011 in issue #160, Bendis, Bagley, Stuart Immonen, David LaFuente, Sara Pichelli and crew guide you threw the high school life of Spider-Man and make you fall in love with Earth 1610 Peter Parker.

You get to laugh at all of the high school adolescent akwardness of a 21st century Peter Parker, which Bendis nails to a T. You feel distraught as Peter makes crucial mistakes and trusts the wrong people as a growing hero, leading to harm to those near him. The reader gets to connect Peter Parker on a personal level, because we all had to grow up and go through that phase of our lives.

In addition, Bendis nails the side characters. Mary Jane is reinvented in an awesome way as a smart young woman and important part of Spider-Man’s high school life. Gwen Stacy is introduced as more of an adopted sister to Peter instead of his girlfriend (even though that does happen along the line).

J. Jonah Jameson scorns Spider-Man for reasons down to Earth compared to the 616 universe, and even grows to appreciate Spider-Man as the story and his character progresses. Heck even Kitty Pryde, which is now my personal favorite X-Man (thanks Bendis), is brought into the Midtown fold as a love interest for Peter and as an important character to view how the Ultimate Universe views and treats mutants.

Johnny Storm (Human Torch for those who live under a rock), Liz Allan, Robert Drake (Iceman, no relation to Tim Drake), Harry Osborn, and the list goes on forever. The side characters frickin rule and it is a testament to Brian Michael Bendis and utilizing the fact that this is his new playground that had little restrictions. Yet he kept what everyone loved about their 616 versions and never went overboard (like some other Ultimate writers).

Just as important, Mark Bagley nails the art in every issue he worked on, creating an amazing duo for the book. In fact, Bendis and Bagley broke Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s record in Fantastic Four (1961) of most issues in a row written by a writer/artist duo…WITH 111 ISSUES! 111….IN THE 21ST CENTURY!!!!!

For those who are not familiar with the making of comics, an artist will typically now remain on a book for a stroy arc, which may be 6 issues or less, or more. That means for 7 straight years, Bendis and Bagley teamed up to bring us enjoyment without burning out or losing quality. That is legendary.

But back to Bagley, everything he touches in his 111 issues is gold, with young characters, old characters, heroes, villains, backgrounds, etc. His Spider-Man? Rules. His Peter Parker? Rules. His Venom? Rules. His X-Men???

RULES!!!!! (Ultimate Spider-Man #44 art by Mark Bagley)

Ultimate Spider-Man (2000) would not be as revered as it is without the art of Mark Bagley. Yes, Bendis’ scripts make you laugh, cry, and feel joy, but just like any comic book, you need the right artist to nail the image. Mark Bagley nailed the image…even though Bendis may have kidnapped him to do it.

Oooh…shiny (Ultimate Spider-Man #66 art by Mark Bagley)

So for 111 issues, Bendis and Bagley rule the world. Then for 49 more issues, Stuart Immonen, David LaFuente, and Sara Pichelli join the frey and craft Peter’s story. Then he dies. In a bold decision by Bendis and the team, Ultimate Peter’s time was up and our favorite 16 year old wall crawler bites the dust in a heartwrenching story.

What happens next is just as bold as what was asked in 2000, but even more when it needs to be done with a new Spider-Man. The costume trades in Forest Hills for Flatbush in 2011. Enter Miles Morales.

The New Kid in Town (Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-Man trade cover by Sara Pichelli)

In 2020, thanks a large part to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), Miles Morales is extremely popular as Spider-Man. In addition to that, he has been featured in the Spider-Man PS4 video game and is known to exist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In 2011, this was a huge gamble to make Miles Morales Spider-Man.

Was it as good as the magic Bendis and Bagley created in the 2000s? Well nothing in my mind will be. But as I read through everything on Marvel Unlimited from 2011 to when Bendis left for DC in 2018, I saw that the ball was still rolling and that Bendis was still killing it.

Just like with Peter, Miles recieved some great world building in both the Ultimate Universe and Earth-616 after Secret Wars (2015) (thanks to Jonathan Hickman shenanigans). The art, helmed by Miles co-creator Sara Pichelli and David Marquez, remained top-notch. To simply put it, the series, after 18 years and TWO DIFFERENT SPIDER-MEN never lost steam.

A complete 180 in characters, as new characters such as Ganke, Aaron Davis (Prowler), Lana Baumgartner (Bombshell), Fabio Medina (GOLDBALLS!!!!!), and plenty more became lovable and kept me addicted to everything Bendis was doing.

How many writers have been able to do that in a single series, sorry hold on, a single series at a Big 2 publisher, and wait hold on again, a flagship character at a Big 2 publisher? Yet it never felt forced and always remained enjoyable.

Ultimate Spider-Man (2000) was the start of a new generation of Spider-Man, both in the books and for fans. For people that grew up in the 2000s, a little older than myself, Ultimate Peter Parker was their Spider-Man. For the 2010s, around my age in younger, Miles Morales became the Spider-Man that fit in with those in school, especially for POC (people of color).

It has also made its way on to the big screen. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man portrayal has taken a large influence from Bendis and Bagley’s run. Ned Leeds in the film, portrayed by Jacob Batalon, takes a lot of inspiration from Ganke’s relationship with Miles Morales in the back-half of the run.

If you watch both films, which are both amazing, you will feel like you are watching an issue of Ultimate Spider-Man (2000) play out on the big screen. For the foreseeable future, Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley, Sara Pichelli and everyone else involved with this 18 year mega-run have crafted the direction of Spider-Man across all media.

On a personal note, this is one of the greatest comic runs I have ever read, and it will be very hard for anything else to top it. I liked him before I read Ultimate Spider-Man (2000), but Brian Michael Bendis has a fan for life. Why? Well for many reasons.

Ultimate Spider-Man (2000) made me laugh like I had never laughed before for a comic book. When things got bad for Peter Parker and everyone around him, I felt every moment of it because of how well written it was. When Peter Parker died, I cried because I became so attached to this version, something I do not feel for his Earth-616 counterpart (yet).

When it was Miles’ time to shine, I was enthralled with his struggle to replace a legend. His battle against the pressure of his crooked uncle (Aaron Davis, The Prowler) was amazing storytelling, and was a coming out party for Miles. Just like with Peter’s world, I became attached to Miles’ world and everyone in it.

For a week straight, I was addicted and I had to read more and more (shoutout to Marvel Unlimited). That is a testament to how much Ultimate Spider-Man made my comic-reading life enjoyable at a time where I am at a transition in my life when I am uncertain about my future.

So for this I have to say thank you. Thank you Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley, Art Thibert, Scott Hanna, Stuart Immonen, David LaFuente, Mark Brooks, Sara Pichelli, David Marquez, Oscar Bazaluda, and countless more for creating a masterpiece. Ultimate Peter Parker is my Peter Parker. 20 years ago, reinventing Spider-Man for a new generation was a tough challenge. 20 years later it is mine, and many others’ favorite Spider-Man story.

Damn, 2000 was 20 years ago? I feel old.

For now, Miles Morales is running around with his own solo series, and we can one day hope that somebody steps to the plate and brings back the Ultimate Universe and that Peter Parker and his crazy gang of delinquents. Although if it is not Bendis it will feel very weird, but I hope it will be an Indie unknown like Brian was in 2000 who gets to craft a whole new Spidey-World.

So thank you again for reading and before I link you to all of the Ultimate Spidey reading material, which damnit you need to read, I am happy to announce We’re Young, But Just Us is a podcast! So far I have had great guests, such as comic legends Fabian Nicieza and Ron Marz, along with NJ 101.5 radio personality Steve Trevelise and my buddy Kris Lowery.

It has been a whole lot of fun so far, and there are some amazing guests lined up. Heck, I would kill (no I wouldn’t Mr. FBI Man watching) to have Brian Michael Bendis on one time to kiss his ass on how good Ultimate Spider-Man (2000) was and how good Legion of Superheroes (2019), Young Justice (2019), and Naomi (2019) are right now. Oh and I hear he is writing some guy name Superman too.

Reccommended Reading

Bibliography

Bendis, B. M., Bagley, M., Jemas, B., Immonen, S., Hanna, S., Thibert, A., … Brooks, M. (2000). Ultimate Spider-Man (Vol. 1). New York, NY: Marvel Comics.

Bendis, B. M., Gleason, P., Timms, J., Eltaeb, G., & Sanchez, A. (2019). Young Justice (Vol. 3). Burbank, CA: DC Comics.

Bendis, B. M., Lafuente, D., Pichelli, S., Bagley, M., Ponser, J., & Lanning, A. (2009). Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man (Vol. 1). New York, NY: Marvel Comics.

Bendis, B. M., Marquez, D., & Ponsor, J. (2014). Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-Man (Vol. 1). New York, NY: Marvel Comics.

Bendis, B. M., & Pichelli, S. (2012). Spider-Men . New York, NY: Marvel Comics.

Bendis, B. M., & Pichelli, S. (2017). Spider-Men II . New York, NY: Marvel Comics.

Bendis, B. M., Pichelli, S., Bazaluda, O., Ponsor, J., Martin, L., & Reber, B. (2016). Spider-Man (Vol. 2). New York, NY: Marvel Comics.

Bendis, B. M., Pichelli, S., Marquez, D., Ponsor, J., Samnee, C., & Mounts, P. (2011). Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man (Vol. 2). New York, NY: Marvel Comics.

Bendis, B. M., Sook, R., Grawbadger, W. V., & Bellaire, J. (2019). Legion of Super-Heroes (Vol. 8). Burbank, CA: DC Comics.

Bendis, B. M., Walker, D. F., & Campbell, J. (2019). Naomi. Burbank, CA: DC Comics.

David, P., Nauck, T., & Stucker, L. (1998). Young Justice (Vol. 1). New York, NY: DC Comics.

Hickman, J., Ribic, E., & Svorcina, I. (2015). Secret Wars. New York, NY: Marvel Comics.

Johns, G., McKone, M., & Daniel, T. (2003). Teen Titans (Vol. 3). New York, NY: DC Comics.

Lee, S., & Kirby, J. (1961). Fantastic Four (Vol. 1). New York, NY: Marvel Comics.

Millar, M., Bendis, B. M., Ellis, W., Carey, M., Pokaski, J., Kubert, A., … Panosian, D. (2004). Ultimate Fantastic Four. New York, NY: Marvel Comics.

Millar, M., Bendis, B. M., Vaughan, B. K., Kirkman, R., Coleite, A., Kubert, A., … Story, K. (2001). Ultimate X-Men. New York, NY: Marvel Comics.

Millar, M., Hitch, B., & Curris, A. (2002). The Ultimates. New York, NY: Marvel Comics.

Sony Pictures Animation. (2018). Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Straczynski, J. M., Romita, J., Deodato, M., & Quesada, J. (2001). The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 2). New York, NY: Marvel Comics.