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Dan Slott is an interesting guy — when he’s not trolling random women on Twitter or casting countless Peter Parker fans as racist rubes, he’s making the epilogue to his big Spider-Verse tale more exciting than the main story. In some weird way, the constraints imposed upon the writer by his epilogue — he had to wrap up countless loose ends and couldn’t engage in superfluous Spider-Ham jokes — forced him to put forth a tighter product. The result is, oddly enough, the most satisfying issue of The Amazing Spider-Man in months.
The good thing for Dan Slott with an epilogue like this is a.) there is no real need for characterization — readers are essentially told, “Hey, this is where are heroes ended up,” and b.) it provides the author with an easy opportunity in terms of providing fans with some “feel good” closure. With no defenders in his way, Dan Slott managed to sink a layup at the buzzer. He still lost the game…but at least he made his last shot.
With that said, Spider-Man fans might be disappointed when the thrill of seeing Peter Parker crack Doc Ock with a left hook wears off. As Peter Parker stands above Otto, the villain unmistakably telegraphs the vehicle that will carry him to revenge. Otto tells his hologram girlfriend “Now, Anna, as we discussed.” Was Peter Parker deaf, or did he just shrug his shoulders and say “What was that was all about? Eh, probably nothing.”
Another bizarre instance occurs when Karn reveals that the nuclear wasteland the Inheritors have been imprisoned on “fortunately” has a bunker “teeming” with spiders. What are the chances? It’s almost like Master Weaver giving the heroes a scroll with “everything” they need to succeed, or Silk conveniently teleporting to the planet and finding the bunker to begin with. Dan Slott’s Peter Parker is big on the “no one dies” mantra, but he’s apparently okay with the “shut you in a bunker and force you to live on spiders for all eternity,” verdict as well. Under normal circumstances such a panel could be laughed off, but since the writer has invested so much in “no one dies” during his tenure, it should not be ignored.
If you’ve purchased the rest of Spider-Verse and were thinking about skipping the epilogue, then you may want to reconsider. Dan Slott may have oversold the book when he promised “Big Things” (shocker, I know), but it’s still one of his better efforts in quite some time. If nothing else, Spider-Verse: Epilogue shows that Marvel might get tighter stories out of its scribe if it puts more constraints on him.
Douglas Ernst Blog 
I would say there were definite “big things” occurring if you’re not just in it for Peter Parker. Mayday grew up and became Spider-Woman (and major props to Slott for having MC2 Mary Jane come out looking like a hero who, despite losing her home and her husband, still encourages her daughter to take on her father’s mantle), Anya decided to stay behind and help Spider-UK build his “Warriors of the Web” to help protect the Spiders of the multiverse, the Spider-Sense tied to the great web was minimized (not a new thing for Slott as he’s messed with it before, but might explain certain idiot ball plots before and possibly after) and as you mention, the Anna A.I will awaken just in time to bring Parker Industries crashing down in the next three months. Slott here id the single best thing a writer can do in resolving one issue…set up another and more intriguing one. Spider-Verse was a game of two halves, where Slott slipped up more times than not, with the tie-ins and even some of the filler stuff Slott did being more enjoyable. It’s been such an odd month…a month where Silk’s debut issue proved to be a better read than the murky Spider-Gwen and where Slott actually sticks the landing on a satisfactory ending.
The only thing I really cared about outside Peter Parker was what would happen with Mayday, and to me that seemed more of a “Logical Thing” than a “Big Thing.” I don’t really care about Anya or Spider-UK, and with the other stuff it was more of a “Who cares? Secret Wars” response. Everything is going to change in a couple months, so in some sense much of what happened in Spider-Verse is diminished.
You have ruined basketball for me, you caused me to picture Slott in short 70’s shorts and a headband.
Great review!
Maybe they’ll remake The Cable Guy and Dan Slott can play Jim Carrey’s Chip Douglas. 😉
Who fills Janeane Garofalo’s role in the Medieval Times scene, Lena Dunham?
Please, no! 🙂
Before the the Slott-Slander began on Twitter, I pre-ordered the final issue of Spider-Verse. And honestly… I’m glad Mayday got the closure she deserved. Because I’ve always held Mayday as my #2 favorite Spider-Man related character. Although I’m still questioning how MJ and Wes managed to escape (despite that they said that they got out through the back), but overall I do like the conclusion. It’s quite possibly the best issue to come out of this event (the keyword being “possibly”). Plus the line that Uncle Ben says is kinda heartwarming in a way. So as much as it pains me to say this, you did okay Slott… this time.
I agree with you on so many points. This was the best issue out of the entirety of the “event”. I really like May’s send off as well, now being “Spider-Woman” (although it kinda bothers me that there’s like 7 different Spider-Women running around the Multiverse. Even Anya makes a joke in the issue that “Every time I look around there’s a new Spider Woman).
It’s weird…with this volume of ASM, I find myself now having done a full 180. I’m looking towards moments with Spider-Ock will be on panel to see what he does. This is so confusing as vehemently opposed to the character as I was way back in ASM #700. But now, after 14 issues of ASM, he’s become a bit of a saving grace for me. Parker’s, “I am the Superior Spider-Man!!!” rings so hollow because well… Slott says he isn’t. Otto clearly threw the fight, “Please no more I yield!” because ever since Parker let it slip that he was from later in the timeline, Otto has been plotting on how to stay alive. I’m actually convinced that Otto slicing up the Web of Life and Destiny was a ruse, a ploy. A distraction from whatever he was really doing or planning. His statement to Anna pretty much shows this, and I think he’ll be back in one way or another: some time loop, some further mind switching, maybe even Superior Spider Man Volume 2. Written by Christos Gage? I’d buy that. And that is the key issue— the prospect of a Volume 2 of SSM is way more exciting then reading any more of Volume 3 of ASM with Slott at the helm. I also have to be fair when it comes to Silk. I’ve pretty much disliked the character since ASM #4. Chasing Amazing brought up a really good point that it looks like originally she was created to take over the Master Weaver’s job but because Marvel is doing the whole, “You love Silk so much we are now giving her her own series!!” that instead, Karn who’s had no role to play was given the job. Interestingly enough, Silk #1 was a decent read. Not great, but for the first time Silk seemed relatable instead of just a horn dog who can’t get enough of Peter.
I’ve done some soul searching with this last event. I hung in there to the bitter end. I purchased all the tie ins, the main story, everything. I posted after every comic. I re read to make sure I wasn’t losing my mind. The Epilogue even going beyond the main Spider-Verse story, was the most enjoyable issue out of 15 issues of ASM. As such… I’ve decided to drop ASM. I am planning on picking up Secret Wars: Spider-Verse and Secret Wars: Renew Your Vows, since they are tangentially related to Secret Wars, which seems like it’s going to be almost too large for me to enjoy as a story in and of itself. But I think that’s it for me. I’m starting to notice even the small errors in the writing (Telling SM2099 that they will send him to “Earth 616, circa 2099” is incorrect. SM2099 is from Earth 928). When I’m nitpicking like that, I know it’s time to take a hiatus. When the editors can let something like that get all the way to printing and seemingly not care, I know it’s time for me to take a break. You and I should totally get to work scripting that Spider Man B title, “Spectacular Spider Man”, hahaha. But for now, on the main ASM I’m out. Will definitely still check this blog and a few others to keep abreast of events. But this is kinda crazy right now.
Slott came back to CBR today to take a shot at a “redux” page from the issue mocking Silk.
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Zarius/media/slott2.png.html
The text is pretty small. What exactly did he say?
Dear Doug, Here is a question I just posed at Crawlspace: Is it possible that Slott &/or Marvel are trying to set up a scenario in which they will carry on ASM with some central character other than Peter Parker? That Slott’s recent writing of Peter as a bumbling dolt has been purposeful? I’m wondering if SSM’s success gave them the idea that the magazine could be successful without the Peter Parker character. Slott has been tweeting that “anyone” could function as Spider-Man under that mask. Like he’s trying to transplant the Dr. Who rejuvenations over onto ASM — many different actors, though all the Doctor.
At this point I wouldn’t put anything past the creative team on The Amazing Spider-Man team. Dan Slott’s struggles with Peter Parker are well known, and the Dr. Who angle is interesting… I don’t really follow Dr. Who, but I know enough just from having a few friends who are into it.
My guess is that anything is on the table with these guys. If they didn’t blink at making a megalomaniac Spider-Man for over a year, then they won’t care about shoving Peter out of the way for, say, Miles.
Hey Doug, I’ve got a scoop for you on Dan Slott. I’ve got proof he’s a story thief and a liar. Ping me back on here if you’re interested in finding out the truth.
Well, there’s no need to convince me that his grasp of the truth is incredibly tenuous at best. I know first hand, as Dan Slott’s history of making weird statements about me on other websites has been chronicled here for quite some time. 🙂
In terms of any other charges you’d like to discuss, feel free to state your case and link to supporting evidence.
Thanks Doug. I think the man’s grasp on SANITY is tenuous at best as well, to be perfectly honest. Its like the guy has some kind of guilt/self-contempt problem where he is subconsciously trying to sabotage his own career and success because he knows he’s a fraud and isn’t worthy of it. I’ll post the stuff here in a second.