Summary
- In Howard the Duck's 50th Anniversary Special,Spider-Man's heart is broken when he realizes that there may not be any universe within the Multiverse where he's "doing okay."
- Peter Parker has faced a great deal of loss and trauma in his life, making him one of the most beaten-down heroes in comics.
- The new Ultimate Marvel Universe may offer a version of Spider-Man who is well-adjusted, and continues to mature as a person and a hero.
he's made of Legos. All of these characters have had their share of hardships, but a multiversal truth has just completely broken Spider-Man's heart.
In Howard the Duck's 50th Anniversary Special – which features work from writers including Daniel Kibblesmith and Chip Zdarsky, as well as artists Joe Quinones, Travis Lanham, and a host of others – an all-seeing being called "the Peeper," Uatu the Watcher's creepier cousin, shows Howard and friends some alternate realities that could have been the Duck's future.
This story used the framing device Marvel's "What If..." tales to deliver stories about Guardians of the Galaxy. As Howard and Tara leave the Peeper behind, Spider-Man steps in and asks if there are any universes, "where I'm...doing okay?"
Spider-Man Is One of Comics' Most Beaten-Down Heroes
Unfortunately for Spider-Man, Howard the Duck's 50th Anniversary Special ends with his question receiving a non-answer, as the Peeper tactfully excuses himself rather than definitively say no. It's nothing new that Peter Parker has faced loss in his life, but he really seems to have a particularly rough go of it, compared to many of his hero peers. Peter being orphaned is practically a footnote to his story. The deaths of his parents as the basis for his backstory barely even as the most tragic deaths in his lore, as the character has been through a great deal of loss and trauma over the years.
When Peter did eventually find happiness with Mary Jane Watson, he sacrificed his happiness to Mephisto to save his Aunt May's life. All the character's woes over the years have come on top of the regular pain of the deaths of fellow superheroes, most recently when Ms. Marvel died in Spider-Man's arms. Simply put, a universe where Peter Parker could be described as "okay," would be a dramatic divergence from the Spider-Man everyone knows, unlike any version of Webslinger Marvel fans have ever encountered, even among the increasing number of variants of the character who have populated the Marvel Universe in recent years.
Ultimate Spider-Man Could Be A New Breed Of Spider-Man
Fans won't know how things play out until January 2024, but the rebooted Ultimate Spider-Man #1 promises something that might be close to that imagined "okay" Peter Parker. In the new Ultimate Marvel Universe, Peter and Mary Jane are married with two children, as depicted on Ryan Stegman's variant cover of the first issue. While he is still a superhero, and he is still wearing the iconic costume most familiar across all variants of the character, this version of Peter is set to be unlike any readers have seen before – well-adjusted, and continuing to mature as a person alongside his growth as a hero.
Howard the Duck (2023) #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.
Howard the Duck (2023) #1 |
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