What Are You Reading?

[Avaitor]

Is that Amazing Fantasy #15 that you're referring to?

Yep.

Yup. The funny thing is that I've always wanted to read that story since I learned about it in the special features of the DVD of the first Spider-Man movie.

It's a very eye-opening read in terms of Norman's character and his relationship with Harry. I mentioned before on my list that the story of the Osborns was very tragic, and you get a basic idea of just how so when you read the Goblin's origin. And of course you know how Norman's life ends.

Oh, that reminds me of that part in TSSM where Harry was addicted to that Green Goblin syrum/formula/juice thing. Was that a reference to this particular story?

I think it was! How have I not made that connection before?

[Avaitor]

Whoa, that makes me want to read that. So did the new movie do Doc Connors any justice. I of course saw it day one on my birthday but never read a good story with him in it.

Hate to double post, but I actually haven't seen TASM yet, so I can't really say.

Did you like the Lizard in it?

[gunswordfist]

Whoa, that makes me want to read that. So did the new movie do Doc Connors any justice. I of course saw it day one on my birthday but never read a good story with him in it.

Hate to double post, but I actually haven't seen TASM yet, so I can't really say.

Did you like the Lizard in it?

Yes, he was a pretty good villain. I believe I read a piece on comicvine about him wanting the world to be perfect (meaning turning everyone into lizards) is what they wanted to see be his plan in the movie, which it was, which was a pleasant surprise for me. I also like how Connors was surprisingly intelligent as The Lizard and the moments where he had his signature white labcoat on.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I feel a bit differently. I found Connors himself to be a very interesting character, and the movie built him up quite nicely. Once he became The Lizard, though, his simultaneous transformation into a villain felt too abrupt by the movie's pacing, and he came off as a kind of generic villain, IMO. GSF is right about him still being intelligent as The Lizard, but there wasn't enough going on to explore his character as The Lizard, and for the most part he was just doing generic bad guy stuff in the 2nd half of the movie.

[Avaitor]

Hmm, well with the Lizard in the comics, when Connors turns into him, he's still about as smart as ever, but eventually loses his perception of life as a human as time goes on.

As a villain, the Lizard isn't much of a villain, so it sounds pretty accurate.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Hmmmm....I just read the story Spider-Man Vs. The Chameleon because it featured the Fantastic Four in it, and then it hit me. I never realized that the Fantastic Four were created before Spider-Man. I really need to brush up on my comic book superhero history.

[Avaitor]

Hmmmm....I just read the story Spider-Man Vs. The Chameleon because it featured the Fantastic Four in it, and then it hit me. I never realized that the Fantastic Four were created for Spider-Man. I really need to brush up on my comic book superhero history.

Wait, what?

The first Fantastic Four story was made in 1961, a full year before the first Spider-Man.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Sorry, that was a typo in my post. I meant to say that "I never realized that the Fantastic Four were created "BEFORE" Spider-Man.

[Avaitor]

Haha, fair enough.

Yeah, the Fantastic Four was the first major creation Stan Lee made during the silver age of Marvel.

[gunswordfist]

I feel a bit differently. I found Connors himself to be a very interesting character, and the movie built him up quite nicely. Once he became The Lizard, though, his simultaneous transformation into a villain felt too abrupt by the movie's pacing, and he came off as a kind of generic villain, IMO. GSF is right about him still being intelligent as The Lizard, but there wasn't enough going on to explore his character as The Lizard, and for the most part he was just doing generic bad guy stuff in the 2nd half of the movie.

Well that is a fair assessment. The Lizard didn't really have much to develop to....since it's a giant lizard that wants to create other giant lizards but for that kind of character, he's pretty smart for that type of character.

[gunswordfist]

I think I was surprised when I heard Spider-Man came after Fantastic Four.  Didn't know it was just by a year either.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I read issues #5 and 6 (I read 5 just because it had Dr. Doom in it). Its interesting to read the Lizard's debut story after having seen the movie. The movie is actually pretty accurate to the original story in terms of most of the circumstances, with the exception that Connors actually doesn't have a family in the movie like he does in the comics, and in the comics Peter Parker has to go down to Florida with Jameson tagging along in order to fight the Lizard, whereas in the movie Connors works for Oscorp in a research building that's conveniently located right smack-dab in the middle of NYC, where Peter Parker of course lives. I find both of those to be acceptable changes, and I do actually appreciate now how the movie made it a point to show Connors gradually lose his humanity as the Lizard (as he did in that single issue story) rather than becoming a complete monster right away.

It'll also be interesting to see how the character evolves over these first 100 issues, even if I'm not going to spend time reading all of them. Its roughly about a decade's worth of work, so there's bound to be some big changes that I notice, especially once I get done with the Lee/Ditko era and move onto the Lee/Romita era of the Spider-Man comics.

Also, one particular story that my friend recommended I read that Avaitor didn't was issues #89-90, which he said features a major character death, so I'll go check that out as well when I get the chance.

[Avaitor]

Well I think you knew that Connors does have a family, since you see them in SSM. He'll show up again later, because he eventually moves to NYC.

Oh yeah, those are important ones, if I remember right. Totally worth reading.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Spider-Man called the Fantastic Four overrated. I find that absolutely hilarious for some reason.

[gunswordfist]

Spider-Man called the Fantastic Four overrated. I find that absolutely hilarious for some reason.

Now that's funny.