Theoretically Speaking

It's spring break at my college and where am I going to be for the week? In snowy, somewhat cold Ohio.  But it's okay, because that means I can just sit back relax, play some video games, read some comics new and old, and post a good number of entries. Today's post will be about my theories about Death of Spider-Man, Fear Itself, and Spider Island.

Fear Itself

Written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Stuart Immonen, Fear Itself is Marvel's big summer event this year.  With this creative team, the book seems that it would be a blast to read.  However, many people are on the fence about this event.  Now, I'm not one that normally follows the major events in the Marvel universe, but I'm intrigued by this event.  I don't know if it's Stuart Immonen's art or what, but I'm going to be getting this. 

My theory on what is going to happen is, obviously, that there will be a new God of Fear (already announced) and that he will choose a few (maybe 8?) villains to be his/her agents of fear.  The number 8 is important because Fraction has stated that there will be a chosen 8 heroes.  With 8 heroes being chosen, it makes sense that 8 villains get chosen as well.  Some of the villains already seen in promos are Grey Gargoyle, Absorbing Man, Loki, and the new Red Skull whereas the heroes more commonly shown are Cap, Thor, Iron Man, Thing, Storm, and Dracula. The big question, besides the overall story, is who are the chosen 8? My guess for the 8 is:

1. Iron Man
2. Thor
3. Captian America/Steve Rodgers
4. Any of the remaining members of the Fantastic Four
5. Spider-Man
6. Dracula
7. Black Panther
8. Ms. Marvel

So, what do I think is going to happen during Fear Itself?  I think that it is going to go as basically any major event goes: the first issue will be a filler-type introduction episode followed by the discovery of the bad guy.  Then, there will be a major fight where one or two heroes/villains will "die". End of story.  Hopefully, Fraction strays away somewhat from this pattern.

Spider Island



Not much is known about this storyline execpt that it starts with Amazing Spider-Man #666.  Leading into Spider Island, there is the storyline called Infested. Written by Dan Slott and illustrated by artists like Barry Kitson, Lee Garbett, Emma Rios, and Stefano Caselli, "Infested" starts in ASM #659.  Honestly, I have basically no idea what is going to happen during this arc.  The promo pictures make me believe that a whole bunch of random people are going to get spider powers and that Horizon Labs is going to be involved somehow.  Either the Horizon workers will be helping get rid of the powers or the mysterious Lab 6 worker causes the infestation, that is left to be seen.  However, if the Free Comic Book Day Spidey comic is any indication, Iron Fist will be a big factor in this arc as well as the new Madame Web, who has not been seen since Grim Hunt.  I have faith in Dan Slott and I believe that this story line will rock, just as the past story lines have.

Death of Spider-Man



Ah, Death of Spider-Man.  This is an arc that I've been waiting for since it was announced, not knowing if it was a 616 or Ultimate story.  Now that I know that it is an Ultimate story, this is now a huge thing for me.  Ultimate Spider-Man was the book that got me into comics.  I read all the back issues and then started collecting at issue #100.  I've enjoyed all four regular artists on the book, with Lafuente being the strongest and Bagley the weakest in my opinion.  But that is no knock on Bagley.  He was the main artist on the book when I got it and I was amazed by it.  Mainly because it was my first comic and I didn't know many others. 

Anywho, what do I think is going to happen in DoS? Good question.  Honestly, I do not think that Peter is going to die.  However, I do think that Spider-Man is going to die and Pete will be donning a new costume and a new name.  My idea of the storyline goes like this: Norman Osborn is still alive and he breaks out from where ever he's been for all this time.  He rounds up the Ultimate Sinister Six and go after Peter.  They attack him at his house or when he is out with Captain America.  However, after defeating the first wave of attacks, Norman sends half of the six out to go after MJ, Aunt May, Gwen, Bobby, and Johnny.  Johnny and Bobby fight off the SS members as best they can until Peter shows up, having defeated all the members except for Norman.  However, Norman eventually kills Aunt May and Peter, in a blind fury, nearly kills Osborn.  MJ and Gwen stop him and, at the funeral, Peter decides to become a vigilante/anti-hero, thus killing the Spider-Man identity for now.

Jessica takes up the mantle of Spider-Man while Peter is MIA.  Eventually, Jessica, Bobby, Johnny, and Kitty must team up to find Pete and bring him back to his senses, maybe because Mysterio or someone has gotten hold of something like the Zodiac Key.  Pete and the gang defeat the villain and Peter decides to return to the mantle of Spider-Man and to continue training to prevent another death like Aunt May's.

Again, that is just my theory on what is going to happen.  And in a kinda related note, I am very sad to hear that David Lafuente will not be returning to Ultimate Spider-Man after this storyline is over.  He was and will be one of my favorite illustrators and I hope that eventually he will return to the book for the long run.

Okay.  Theories are over and done for now.  Thursday morning will bring a fresh review of Venom #1 and the new V that is on tonite.  Whenever my copy of Ultimate Spidey #155 comes, I'll review that too.  Thankfully, my subscription ends with this issue so I'll be able to pick up Death of Spider-Man the day that the issue comes out.

Adios