Scarlet Spider, along with the Clone Saga in general, became so popular that Ben's time using this identity was extended significantly longer than he was ever intended to use it. As the Scarlet Spider, Ben gave readers a lighter and more familiar Spider-Man while Peter was still in his dark and brooding phase.ĭuring this period, it was the plan that Ben really was the original Peter Parker and would eventually take the Spider-Man identity indefinitely. Scarlet Spider Scarlet Spiderīoth the over-dramatic name and the homemade costume of this identity were meant to be somewhat ridiculous, and it was unexpected how successful Ben as the Scarlet Spider became. Circumstances beyond editorial control saw to it that Ben's overall story would go far beyond that. Originally, this entire three act story for Ben was intended to run its course by the 400th issue of Amazing Spider-Man. It was the plan at this time for Ben to soon be revealed as the true Peter Parker rather than the clone and take over the Spider-Man identity for a time with Peter eventually being restored to it after seeing how Ben fared with readers. He was a purer version of Peter Parker that had not been burdened by the events that had recently dragged Spider-Man into brooding darkness, but his time away from costumed super-heroics had also left him rusty and less experienced. In this way, he was more Peter Parker than Spider-Man was at the time. Ben was quite the opposite, having spent years away from the costume. Character Evolution Return of the Supposed CloneĪt the time of Ben Reilly's debut, Spider-Man had become a darker character who was losing touch with his life as Peter Parker. Ben first appeared as the Scarlet Spider in Web of Spider-Man issue 118 (1994).
Soon, the collective Spider-Man writers and editors fashioned the clone into the character of Ben Reilly. DeMatteis and Howard Mackie got behind the idea as well and finally so did Tom Defalco after some convincing by Danny Fingeroth. The proposal was met with skepticism at first, but soon, J.M. As such, the original proposal was to have this clone revealed to be the original Peter Parker. Marvel Comics desired something dramatic for the Spider-Man franchise similar to the Death of Superman event DC Comics had.
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The full creation of Ben Reilly's character would not happen until years later in 1993 when Terry Kavanagh proposed having the clone return. The clone of Spider-Man who would go on to become Ben Reilly was created by Gerry Conway and Ross Andru and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man issue 149 (1975). In time, he adopted the name of Ben Reilly, a combination of Uncle Ben's name and Aunt May's maiden name. The world as he understood it fell apart, and he left New York. Believing he was the real deal, he went home only to find Peter already there. However, the clone was not dead and literally rose from the ashes. Spider-Man dropped Ben's body into a smokestack, unable to think of any other way to deal with a dead body identical to Peter Parker. After a heated fight, the two Spider-Men teamed up to try to save a clone of Gwen from the Jackal.
The Jackal, in his deranged grief over Gwen Stacy's death, pitted Ben against the real Spider-Man in Shea Stadium, putting both in identical costumes and allowing both to believe they were the true Peter Parker. Hopefully Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 1 and 2 will get the fixes they need within a few weeks ( and not six years), and Steam sales are likely to bring the prices down to an agreeable place someday, but until such time as the world ends, it’s safe to skip these.Ben Reilly was the first successful clone of Spider-Man created by the Jackal. Seeing dated, cheesier interpretations of these characters is endearing from a distance, but their depictions are also a nice reminder of how far we’ve come. Thor channels He-Man with all his might, Wolverine spouts sexist garbage to the group regularly (“What’re you girls looking at?", he says to The Guys), and villains profess their villany with reckless abandon.
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Ultimate Alliance and Ultimate Alliance 2 are most interesting as windows into Marvel properties before the cinematic universe took hold. Not even a crowded couch can fix those problems. Beating up the same robot person again and again doesn’t have the charm that I remember. I keep losing sight of who I’m controlling amid all the indistinct man-shaped characters. I could see myself playing through Ultimate Alliance with friends, but 10 years later, its combat feels crowded, repetitive, and sloppy.