Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
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Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The title is derived from a trademark self-referential comment often made by Spider-Man (as in "just another service provided by your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!"), ironic in that Spider-Man is often falsely considered by the general public to be a dangerous vigilante and/or a criminal, and to many his perceived reputation is anything but "friendly". The series began in October, 2005 and is currently written by Peter David.
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[edit] Storylines
[edit] The Other (issues #1-4)
The first story arc is the twelve-part crossover, "Spider-Man: The Other", one-third of which was told in Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (the other two-thirds told in Marvel Knights Spider-Man and Amazing Spider-Man).
[edit] Web Log (issue #5)
Web Log was a one-issue storyline featuring a young woman (although her first name being Vanna was confirmed, J. Jonah Jameson called her "Ms. Smith", indicating that her full name is Vanna Smith) who is convinced Spider-Man has been stalking her since high school, because over the years, Spider-Man just happened to be around when Vanna was doing something. She later gets a restraining order to Spider-Man. The story then moves to approximately 50 years into the future. Mary Jane meets up with Vanna in an unidentified park. They talk, and Mary Jane shows Vanna Spider-Man's bloodied mask, thus proving her thoughts of him surviving were wrong. Mary Jane then walks away. Vanna later writes in her web log, "Nothing important happened today."
[edit] Masks (issues #6-7)
A storyline notable for its use of luchadores, lucha libre, and discussion of the meaning of being an icon. Spider-Man also struggles with the combination of both science and magic in his origin, and uses scientific means to take down a magic foe.
[edit] Jumping the Tracks (issues #8-10)
The story begins in an alternate, future timeline. The daughter of Spider-Man 2211 (nicknamed Hobby) is the alternate Hobgoblin. She enjoys killing alternate or future versions of Spider-Man, but accidentally dies by her own retcon bomb (a bomb that not only kills the victim, but erases them from ever existing). Early in the storyline, she brings an alt-Uncle Ben to the 616 reality as part of a mind game for Peter. As Spider-Man 2211 prepares to return Uncle Ben to his proper reality, Uncle Ben shoots him, deciding to stay in this one.
[edit] I Hate a Mystery (issues #11-13)
Francis Klum returns as the new Mysterio and traps Spider-Man and the students and staff of Midtown High inside the building. Daniel Berkhart, the second Mysterio, enters the fray as well as Quentin Beck, the original, long thought dead from a gunshot wound. Also of note is the inclusion of Miss Arrow, a nurse who falls in love with Flash and may be more than she seems: she is able to emit stingers from her wrist, much like Spider-Man himself.
[edit] Taking Wing (issues #14-16)
The Vulture is recruited to kill off Spider-Man because he is now "Beside the Law". Meanwhile, Spider-Man receives a cloaking device from Beast in an abandoned church. Using the device to get a job at Midtown (As Ben Reilly). In the second issue familiar characters are brought back (including Deb Whitman, Betty Brant). Deb has written a book about "How Peter Parker Ruined My Life". The Vulture Predicts Peter to be there and a battle is staged in medias res. The Issue Ends with The Vulture and Spider-Man falling off of a building. As they fall, Spider-Man gains his composure long enough to save himself and the Vulture and take Toomes to the Hospital. Meanwhile Deb Whitman confesses to Betty Brant that the Daily Bugle pressured her and gave her money to write the scathing tell-all book, and apologizes. As Vulture lies in paralyzed state in the hospital, Spider-Man sneaks in his room using his cloaking device. Vulture asks him to kill him, as his state is a sign of weakness, but he knows Peter won't. He then says that Peter's Uncle is lucky for dying, so he wouldn't see how weak his nephew is. Spider-Man snaps and puts a pillow over Toomes face as he struggles for life. At the last second Peter relents, stating for that a man who wants to die so bad, he struggled pretty hard. He leaves Toomes with a statement about how compassion is a good thing.
[edit] Sandblasted (issues #17-19)
Peter Parker, in the guise of 'Ben Reilly', discovers that Flash Thompson knows who he is, and claims that his Wife kicked him out of the house. Although Flash seems willing to keep Peter's secret, he also seems to be hiding something. Also, after Betty Brant attracts Flash Thompson's attention, Miss Arrow seems to act threateningly towards her, briefly unsheathing her 'stingers' and alluding to a wish to devour her rival for Flash's Affections. Meanwhile, the Sandman, after briefly breaking into Riker's Island Prison, contacts Spider-Man and asks for his help in proving that his Father - Floyd Baker - was framed for the murder of a homeless person. Spider-Man seems reluctant to help his old foe at first, until the Sandman points out that the Homeless person looked exactly like a person in one of Peter Parker's old photographs - Uncle Ben. Picking up from earlier issues, Spider-Man and Sandman discover that Uncle Ben killed Spider-Man 2211. Spider-Man found a kid with Spider-Man 2211's helmet, who had been murdered a few months before by "Uncle Ben", and uses it to discover that Uncle Ben might still be alive. Using the helmet, Spider-Man and Sandman follow its signals to Midtown High. There they discover that the principal has been murdered and the "Uncle Ben" is really Chameleon 2211 having come back with Spider-Man 2211 and Hobgoblin 2211. Choosing "Poetic Justice" as means of stopping Chameleon 2211, who turned into a demon-like monster, Spider-Man places the helmet on Chameleon's head causing him to switch places with Floyd Baker, who was just about to be executed via the chair, and saved Baker, killing the Chameleon in the process.
[edit] Letters Page
One popular component contributing to Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man's success has been its letters pages, running through issues #9-17. While letters pages are almost as old as comics themselves, the Friendly letters page has been unique in serving as a forum through which fans can communicate not just with the creative team and editors but also with each other, with regular letter writers such as Adrian J. Watts and Paul DiFillippo regularly interacting directly with one another about aspects of the series.
[edit] External links
| Spider-Man | ||
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| Publications | Main continuity: Amazing Fantasy • The Amazing Spider-Man The Sensational Spider-Man (vol. 2) • Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man • Astonishing Spider-Man • Spider-Man Family Other continuities: Ultimate Spider-Man • Marvel Adventures Spider-Man • Spider-Girl • Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane Spider-Man: Reign |
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| Television | Spider-Man (1967) • Spidey Super Stories (1974, live action) • Amazing Spider-Man (1978, live action) • Supaidāman (1978 - Japanese) • Spider-Man (1981) •Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (1981) • Spider-Man (1994) •Spider-Man Unlimited (1999) • Spider-Man: The New Animated Series (2003) • The Amazing Spider-Man (2008) | |
| Films | Spider-Man (2002) • Spider-Man 2 (2004) • Spider-Man 3 (2007) | |
| Other topics | ||
| Fictional history of Spider-Man • Spider-Man supporting characters • Spider-Man villains • Spider-Man's powers and equipment • Video games • Alternate versions of Spider-Man • Spider-Man in other media |
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