Summary

• Batman and Daredevil writer Chip's Zdarsky revealed he was offered the chance to write Marvel's current Ultimate Spider-Man; he said no, paving the way for Jonathan Hickman's success in reimagining Spider-Man's lore.
• Hickman's unique take on Spider-Man, with adult Peter gaining powers, has captivated fans in the Ultimate Marvel Universe; Chip Zdarsky quickly recognized Hickman was the perfect writer for the series, even before he did himself.
• Zdarsky's perfect reason for turning down what would be a dream job for most people shows that he had the story's best interest at heart, even if it meant not being involved.

Jonathan Hickman's current reinvention of Spider-Man lore in the relaunched Ultimate Marvel Universe has been one of the year's most exciting comic book stories – but it was almost very different, as the company originally reached out to the equally influential scribe Chip Zdarsky about the project. As he explained in a recent interview, Zdarsky turned Ultimate Spider-Man down, saying, "I don't want to write it, I want to read this."

Speaking with Popverse, Zdarsky spoke about being offered the honor of writing Spider-Man in Marvel's new incarnation of the Ultimate Universe, spearheaded by Jonathan Hickman. Instead, he suggested that Hickman was best suited to reinvent the Webslinger – and he has absolutely been proven right.

So far, Ultimate Spider-Man (Vol. 2) has been a stellar example of Jonathan Hickman's ability to reimagine the longstanding lore of Marvel's most famous characters, crafting a narrative that both subverts familiar expectations for the character, and affirms the core virtures that make Spider-Man one of comics' greatest stories.

Batman & Daredevil Writer Chip Zdarsky Turned Down Ultimate Spider-Man

For The Perfect Reason

No one would have begrudged Zdarsky for taking the Ultimate Spider-Man gig when it was offered to him; it is a chance that does not come often in a lifetime.

Chip Zdarsky has produced some of the most titles including Daredevil and Batman, as well as previous experience writing Spider-Man. That has made him one of the most sought-after writers in the industry. Similar to Jonathan Hickman, Zdarsky is known for the ambitious quality of his work, and his willingness – if not the near-compulsion exhibited by Hickman – to take creative risks. Both excel at reinterpreting longstanding aspects of comic book lore, making them a natural fit for Ultimate Marvel.

As good as all of this sounds in theory, writing comics is also a business – meaning it involves navigating a delicate weave practical and artistic considerations. According to Chip Zdarsky, once Marvel approached him with Jonathan Hickman's idea for the Ultimate relaunch, he knew quickly that he wasn't the right fit for the new Ultimate Spider-Man. In large part because there was already a more perfect writer for the project. As Zdarsky told Popverse:

"The editor on the Ultimate line, Wil Moss, ed me because he's like, it just made sense, right? I'm known for Spider-Man, Marco loves Spider-Man and wants to draw it desperately, so [Wil] approached me with it. He gave me the outline for Hickman's alternate universe idea, and where he had a picture of Spider-Man fitting into all of it. And I read it, I'm like, 'This is awesome, I love it, I'm the number one Hickman fan.' And so when I read it, I'm just like, this is a great Hickman story."

In other words, readers have Chip Zdarsky to thank for Hickman's Ultimate Spider-Man.

No one would have begrudged Zdarsky for taking the Ultimate Spider-Man gig when it was offered to him; it is a chance that does not come often in a lifetime. Without a doubt his version of the series would have been fantastic –but irably, the author made a decision in the best interest of the story, even if it meant removing himself from the conversation. Hickman's Ultimate Spider-Man has proven Chip Zdarsky's instinct right, as it has indeed already become a "great Hickman story" over just the first several issues.

Zdarsky Recognized An Opportunity For Jonathan Hickman

Reinventing Peter Parker

Telling a Spider-Man story might not have been appealing to Jonathan Hickman, but retelling Spider-Man's story in a novel way, one that has never been done before, is exactly what falls into Hickman's wheelhouse as a creator.

Chip Zdarksy's previous experience writing for the Webslinger was part of what made him Marvel's top choice for Ultimate Spider-Man, but he argued the opposite in his explanation of what made Jonathan Hickman the preferred choice to reimagine the character. Zdarsky put it this way:

It's a no-brainer to me. He's never written Spider-Man. I don't think he much cares for the character as he exists in the Marvel Universe. Like, fine for a cameo, but I don't think he's ever had a desire to write Amazing Spider-Man. But to make his own version? It's the perfect opportunity for him to take on the biggest character and also be able to do his own thing.​​​​

When an artist has creative vision that is both as precise and expansive as Jonathan Hickman's, it is vital to let them "do [their] own thing" as Zdarsky notes, and to put as few limitations on sprawl of their work as possible.

Telling a Spider-Man story might not have been appealing to Jonathan Hickman, but retelling Spider-Man's story in a novel way, one that has never been done before, is exactly what falls into his previous work relaunching X-Men, the author's Ultimate Spider-Man story so far has lovingly recontextualized classic Spidey lore at every turn, striking the perfect balance between unique and recognizable elements. As Chip Zdarsky rightly surmised, even despite lacking the desire to write a Spider-Man tale in Marvel's main continuity, Hickman still understands the character at an exceptionally high level.

Just as the Krakoan Era of the X-franchise was the culmination of decades worth of accumulated lore, Ultimate Spider-Man feels like an essential, classic Spider-Man story. Rather than simply rearranging the details of Peter Parker's story, it extrapolates the most dramatic possible moments from the ripple effect of the story's radically new take, which presents an adult Peter gaining his powers for the first time, after he and Mary Jane have gotten married and had two children. Though it is still early in the series' run, it has already consistently delivered the most engaging Spider-Man story in years.

Zdarsky's Decision Has Already Been Validated By Ultimate Spider-Man's Success

Hickman's Just Finding His Rhythm

Fans should be grateful that [Chip Zdarsky] was instrumental in the current Ultimate Spider-Man run, even if it was by saying "no" to the job.

Not only has Chip Zdarsky's decision to turn down Ultimate Spider-Man been vindicated by the critical reception of Hickman's title, and the almost-universally positive fan response, but according to the author, his friend and colleague was among the first to express his gratitude. Zdarsky revealed to Popverse:

At some point, [Hickman] said, 'Oh hey man, like, thanks for turning down Ultimate Spider-Man. I'm having so much fun on it...He was surprised, I think, at how much fun he was having. He's like, 'Yeah, I'm five issues in on script.' He's ahead on script. Just because he was enjoying the process so much.

As perceptive of a creator as Jonathan Hickman has repeatedly demonstrated himself to be, sometimes it takes an outside voice to help them recognize the right next step to take with a project, especially one they're very close to.

Hickman has poured his characteristic effort and energy into Hickman's Ultimate Spider-Man, would have been missing. As it turned out, the pairing of Marvel's most impactful creator of the last generation, and the company's all-time most beloved hero, fell into place exactly as it needed to.

There are still many things about the future of the Ultimate Universe that remain to be determined. How long Hickman will write Ultimate Spider-Man, and what the exact plans for the overarching story might be – those are questions for another day. It also remains possible that Chip Zdarsky will return to the Marvel fold to write an Ultimate book before all is said and done, if he believes he is the right writer for the job. For now, fans should be grateful that he was instrumental in the current Ultimate Spider-Man run, even if it was by saying "no" to the job.

Source: Popverse