InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "A2 forever and always!"

zechs27 (zechs27) wrote in scans_daily,
@ 2009-06-14 23:47:00

Entry tags:

char: black cat/felicia hardy, char: dr. octopus/otto octavius, char: mary jane watson, char: mephisto, char: scarlet spider/ben reilly, char: spider-man/peter parker, creator: ben herrera, creator: mark bernardo, event: clone saga, publisher: marvel comics

101 Ways to End the Clone Saga
Near the tail end of the Clone Saga, Marvel released two one-shots. One was to pretty much fill in the blanks on how Norman Osborn did it (aka the Goblin Journal which I might post if people request enough of it). The other was this. A comic about all the writers, editors, and people who worked on the Spidey books wondering HOW IN THE HELL can they wrap this Saga which JUST WON'T DIE?! They devoted thirty-three pages to it. I will post just ten. I will warn you the things that you will read in this entry may drive a person mad.

Now before I go into the actual comic just to let you know the actual players in this little tale (that I know of at least):

Tom DeFalco and Howard Mackie = Spidey Writers, though DeFalco was originally the Editor who approved all this before getting back into the game.
Glen Greenburg = Spidey Writer/Editor
Bon Harras = Dark Lord of the Sith.. I mean Chief Editor at Marvel
Ralph Macchio = Not the Karate Kid/Editor

The one shot starts with Harras holding a meeting of top Spidey personel trying to figure out, of course how to end the Clone Saga. For those wondering WTF happened in it before it switched to it's final stages well here it is:

.....

O_o

Did I just read and picture what I think I just did?! Damn Peter was a machine with Felcia. Make's ya wonder how many times he did it with MJ a night?

*ahem*

This end is rejected since they all agree by Peter outing himself he leaves himself open to all Supervillains and reporters wondering, "Why the hell would a supervillain go out and clone a nobody like Peter Parker? UNLESS.. Parker's got something to hide."

So one end rejected. Harras is then called away when some lackey tells him that Scott Lobdell got in himself in trouble with a Wizard Interview he took and Marvel Legal wants to talk to him about it. So exit Harras.

Mackie then faxes his idea how to end the Clone Saga. It's pretty much Pete wakes up to find Flash, Betty, and Robbie by his side in a hospital bed. He has no memory if he's Pete or Ben but recalls Pete and MJ watching Ben fight Kaine and it results in a explosion. Given that this Pete landed in water the hair dye possibly worn out.

Of course this one is rejected, as the three remaining (DeFalco, Greenburg, and dude who I don't know) say the fans would kill them if they killed MJ which they then flash the many character awards MJ has won for best supporting character.

The next one is Ben and Pete are with Seward Trainer when a THIRD Spider-Man appears. This one isn't a clone but the real Peter Parker. HOW!? Well this one has to due with time travel via Dr. Doom's timeplateform and that he's supposed to take Pete back to the past and live their life as Ben Reilly.

DeFalco says HELL NO since that one is over the top. Ralph Macchio finally make's the scene suggesting his take on to end it. During a battle with a supervillain (namely Electro) Ben flashes back to Kraven's Last Hunt. HOW!?

Well.. before we even get to that answer he's then attacked by Judas Traveler and his flock plus Carnage. Massive fight erupts which leads us here:

Too which that is knocked down for being too cosmic. If only Joe Quesada listened to them when he approved OMD...

Anyway, the Continuty Expert enters the picture and another way to end it is revealed.

And that's is knocked down due to all the stuff, "WTF!? We kill Ben just like that!? And no explinations at ALL!?" Then another one is given on Judas Traveler again and let's just be glad I won't go into anymore details then that.

So now they're all agreeing it has to be a big villain whose behind the Clone Saga but who? Well one of them suggests the Master Programmer. I know what you're saying WHO THE HELL IS THE MASTER PROGRAMMER!? Takes place during when the books turned to Scarlet Spider. Lady Ock was in cohoots with the Programmer. Clue #1 to who he was. Clue #2 well.. gee whiz doesn't that name sound familair too? Almost as if he's a Master Planner. Nah those two can't be related could they?

They pretty much spell it out for ya of who the Master Programmer is during the second take to end it with him. The first is revealing MJ and Scanner are holograms. Again that is knocked down to MJ love. Here's the second story involving the Programmer:

I don't really think this story was even actually followed up on after it was in the Scarlet Spider mini's. As for who the Programmer was? Yep it's Doc Ock though his mind digitized. The plot point I think was used again when DeFalco brought Ock back to life in Amazing Spidey post Clone Saga. But there was no real resolution to it except that.

Then we get three pages of utter Ben Reilly abuse. Him getting stepped on by a Sentinel due to the Onslaught Saga and him being used a fly swatter. It's quite getting insane isn't it? Are you growing mad from reading this?

I'm guessing at this moment you're minds are now either insane or melty paste. I still wonder why the hell I bought this. I have no idea who either of these two creators are. I never saw them on a major comic book after all this was done. And honestly, just how much do you think this was actually written and actual fact? In anycase, I do hope you stayed as sane as I have.

For the real backstage drama. There's this, the Life of Reilly by Glenn Greenberg.

http://lifeofreillyarchives.blogspot.com/

If you have a ton of time. I suggest ya read it. Well worth the read.

(Post a new comment)

freezer818
2009-06-15 12:13 am UTC (link)

Said it before, I'll say it again: All they had to do to salvage (not save, way past that point, at this point) the Clone Saga is make Peter the real thing and have him say "I'm hanging up the mask to be with my wife and kid-to-be. Ben, the mask is yours, if you want it. You may be a clone, but you're Spider-Man in every way that counts.".

There: New beginning, new cast. No intelligence-insulting "twist", no ass-pull retcon to fix it.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	liarashadowsong 2009-06-16 04:38 pm UTC (link)
	That works fine to me. Ben is Spider-Man full time, Peter has a happy civilian life and maybe makes guest appearances as a semi-retired part-time hero once in a while; no insulting our intelligence or crappy endings or retcons. Not perfect, but at least doable to salvage this. (Reply to this) (Parent)

moneyless_jew
2009-06-15 12:39 am UTC (link)

I realize there's people out there very fond of this story and Ben Reilly, but as a kid I absolutely despised this crap and still do today. I found it to be a miserable embarrassment to Spider-Man and to Marvel Comics, the bottom of the barrel in terms of '90s gimmick storytelling, trying to run Peter and MJ out of the books by calling him a clone and tossing him away so California Dreams Peter with the blond hair could take over. I thought it was wrongheaded from the start and dreadfully executed from start to finish. Bob Harras, Tom DeFalco - hacks. J.M. DeMatteis - well, I don't care about Judas Traveller, and the rest may have been well-intentioned but when the premise is shit (OMFG WHICH SPIDEY IS A CLONE???), there's only so much you can do. Frankly, I found the resurrection of Norman and making him be the one behind it all to be the most "real Spidey" thing in the entire bloated storyline.

(Reply to this)

	foxhack 2009-06-15 01:15 am UTC (link)
	http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/193/101ways1.jpg MUPPET MJ AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE (Reply to this) (Thread)

	starz_n_stripes 2009-06-15 08:29 am UTC (link)
	cues the Muppet Show opening (Reply to this) (Parent)

	kingrockwell 2009-06-15 01:25 am UTC (link)
	If nothing else, I appreciate the sense of humor they had toward that whole clusterfuck here. (Reply to this)

	hybrid2 2009-06-15 03:39 am UTC (link)
	I started reading comics at the end of the clone sage,first comic was actualy a one-shot explaning it all. I realy liked Ben and the new costume.Hated Marvel killing him. But from what i've seen the clone saga itself actualy realy sucked... (Reply to this)

	janegray 2009-06-15 06:28 am UTC (link)
	This end is rejected since they all agree by Peter outing himself he leaves himself open to all Supervillains and reporters wondering, "Why the hell would a supervillain go out and clone a nobody like Peter Parker? UNLESS.. Parker's got something to hide." And yet nobody wondered anything when it turned out that a genetically-enhanced actress had replaced aunt May. (Reply to this)

	lonewolf23k 2009-06-15 06:45 am UTC (link)
	And ironically, they just ended up using that "Let's just kill Ben off" idea anyway... (Reply to this)

	nezchan 2009-06-15 08:14 am UTC (link)
	MJ on that first page is going to EAT MEEEEE! (Reply to this)

	halloweenjack 2009-06-15 09:14 am UTC (link)
	It's nice that they have a sense of humor about it and all, but still, the only good thing to come out of that is glue-sniffin' Uatu. (Reply to this)

	hyperactivator 2009-06-16 06:44 am UTC (link)
	I'm sure that alot of fans also came up with thier own ideas to end it too. Oh would someone like me to post the Excellent What if? Spider-Man's Clone Had Lived? (Reply to this)

	sir_mikael 2009-06-17 02:54 pm UTC (link)
	Wait, the ~~MCP~~ Master Programmer was Dock Ock all along? But Lady Ock was making out with him n stuff... I thought Otto was like her father figure... Squicky. (Reply to this)

Clone saga
(Anonymous)
2009-07-02 08:52 pm UTC (link)

Just had to drop a line when I ran across this... I'm Mark Bernardo, who was both the writer of this thing and a character in it (in my then-capacity as Spidey assistant editor). Rest assured, every scenario in that comic was SOMEONE's real-life idea. Can't really tell from the tone whether the writer enjoyed it or not, but it's great to see my little satirical one-shot still being discussed in '09!
Best, M.

(Reply to this)