Spider-Oracle Petitions (27-Feb-2007)

 Posted: 2007
 Staff: The Spider-Oracle (E-Mail)
From Kevin

I found a link to a page from a "venom vs superman" comic

WHAT IS THE COMIC CALLED !?!?!?!
(amazon &/or ebay WOULD NOT give me an answer for this type of question)

Venom fought Super-Man in All Access (Marvel/DC) #1.

From Darion

i dont realy understand one thing about the clone saga. i might be missing something but i have read every single comic about it. can u please help me answer this to the best of your ability please.

the skeleton: how come it did not turn into dust like ben did in spiderman 75? does this mean that peter could still be a clone and none of the people reading the comics know about this?

A cynic might suggest that such questions are better left unasked. The "truth" behind the clone saga was changed so many times in the process that certainly this is far from being the only unanswered question in this tale.

However, a far more satisfying answer is that clone-breakdown is a biological process, where pending cellular-level degeneration reaches a critical level, triggering a near-instantaneous collapse of the entire bio-feedback entity. It seems clear now that the trigger for this process is initiated from the "wet" tissue system. If the clone material is killed prematurely, the natural rotting process takes place, leaving only the bone matter - which clearly by itself does not provide sufficient suitable material for the "melting" process.

From Randal

I wanted to see if you could help me find a way to know who the artist of the covers of certain Spider Man comic books were. I have some of the original cover plates that printed the covers of the comic books from World Color Press in Sparta, Illinois and wanted to find who the artists were.

Is there a list of cover artists for comic books somewhere?

Tracking cover artists can be a tricky job. They are normally not credited with the main credits. Often the artists for the main story are also the cover artist - but not always. Most artists sign their covers with their initials - but not always.

For this reason, SpiderFan decided not to try and provide cover artist data in the comics database. The recent book The Amazing Spider-Man 500 Covers 1962-2003 provides cover credits for Amazing Spider-Man, and you can also find some information at comics.org. But in general it involves a close examination of the cover, and a little detective work.

From Strikerx

What happened to Kaine? He hasn't been seen at all since his fight with the Scriers. Is Marvel planning to ever do anything with him or is he lost forever?

The simple answer is - nothing. Most recently seen in Amazing Spider-Man #435, the once-popular Kaine is probably sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring. As for what his future holds? Well, only the future will reveal that.

From Richie

I have an interesting question for you, in an early issue of spidey, there is a group of kids and the only one that acknowldges Peter is an african american, do you remeber the issue number ? thanks!

I strongly suspect you are referring to Amazing Spider-Man #68, "Crisis on Campus!" Peter's friend Randy Robertson becomes involved in college politics, though Peter himself has other concerns at the time.

From Alex

I vaguely remember reading about a comic wherein Spider-Man takes on the X-men for whatever reason ends up winning. I was just wondering what issue this was in.

Well, Alex, you're probably thinking of Secret Wars #2. Not the proudest day for X-Men fans. You could also be thinking of X-Men (Vol. 1) Uncanny #35.

From Buckshot

im looking for the comic where the symbiote suit is removed from spider man using the church bell and the comic where the suit is seperated from venom. please help going insane cant find awnser.

For the first, Web of Spider-Man #1. For the second, you'll have to be more specific - Eddie Brock loses the suit on a regular basis. Maybe you should simply work through the appearance lists in the Venom profile until you find the exact one you are thinking of?

From Elizabeth

I saw a prior posting where you provided the name of the issue where Mary Jane explains why she calls Peter Tiger (Amazing Spiderman #147 - The Tarantula is a Very Deadly Beast"). Do you possibly know the issue where she FIRST calls him that? Thanks!

Certainly. It is when she meets him for the very first time, in Amazing Spider-Man #42.

From Jordan

I had a quesstion about the Marvel: Venom - According to the new movies script it appears that the venoms role is created when spiderman has his "down side or when he is angry?" and so, I was wandering if you could tell me exactly how and why he became a role in this amazing continuing story of Spider-Man.

The new movie may take this "Don't make me angry" Hulk-style approach, but the Venom of the comics is quite different. Check out our Venom profile for the comic-book version of this character.

From TJ

Do you have any kind of checklist of Spidey's appearances in the black costume (either symbiote or cloth)? If there's not one on the site, are you aware of any on the net?

There's no list on the SpiderFan site. However, I did read a rumour somewhere that Marvel themselves was interested in this. Maybe keep an eye out on their website?

From LPFansAreStupid

I've read on the SuperHeroHype forum that there's an issue called Marvel Age #12 that has sketches of the black costume with a red spider-man symbol on it. Some people are saying this sketch is the first time the black suit appeared on paper for the public. Do you have anymore information on this? I've looked on Ebay and there are only two issues of it. Is this rare or are sellers just not interested in selling it?

You're correct. Marvel Age was an "editorial" title which talked about characters and events both old and recent. Issue #12 did indeed feature a prototype of the black costume which was soon to appear in Secret Wars #8.

The issue is not considered to be particularly rare or valuable - and is likely to drift through eBay now and again at a reasonable price. The movie and "Back in Black" hype may push the price up a little.

From ArachnidGirl

I am inquiring about the Spider-Man Collectable Series that have been sent in specific newspapers. So far I have volumes 1-18, sans volume 3. Is there any way that I may obtain this volume? Are these reprints available for download etc.? It's driving me crazy!!

This series has become a problem for many Spider-Man collectors, especially those outside the U.S. or living in regions where no local paper carries these giveaway reprint comics.

We've received this question from a number of people. Unfortunately, we're not aware of any reliable online source for back issues, you will need to consider eBay or other auction sites.

From Rick

I have 3 "Spidey"pin-ups from the inside of Spiderman comics I long ago sold or traded for Classics Illustrated (I know I was insane) Can you tell what issues had pin-ups at the end? One is Spiderman hanging upside down and one is a split screen with Peter Parker and one is a picture of his home.

Nearly all of the Spider-Man annuals featured Pin-Ups, and still continue to do so - also double-sized specials and reprint collections regularly feature them. It was also not uncommon for early issues of Amazing Spider-Man to feature Pin-Ups as filler material if the story was not quite long enough.

Unfortunately, we can't place the specific images you mention. Perhaps if you send in a scan, that could jog a memory.

From Jamison

Do you happen to own any issues from The Electric Company Magazine? I have the original art to the "cover" for issue 33 (Thundra on the Tracks!) but could not find any ECM issue to see if the "cover" was generally used as an inside cover or more like a chapter splash page. Just trying to find more info about my piece. Please let me know either way.

Also, are the ECM pages slick (like most magazines) or made of newsprint stock?

Those magazines are quite hard to track down, we're adding them to the system as we come across them. However, I can confirm that the Spider-Man story was always a stand-alone chapter. The "splash page" was always the first page of the actual Spidey story. The art from the Spider-Man splash page was never used as a front cover or an inner cover.

Not all of the issues featured a Spidey story. Many of them also reprinted earlier stories.

The cover of ECM was high-gloss paper. The inner pages were a high-grade newsprint stock. Not slick like modern mags, but certainly far superior to the comic paper and newspaper stock being used at that time.

From Joshua

what are the issue numbers and tiitle for all of the planet of the symbiote series please reply cause i want to buy them soon thank you

From Anonymous

I'm collecting the symbiote costume comics from the various titles. I need about 3 more roughly; Spiderman leaves the symbiote costume in Web of Spiderman #1, but then we see him in a black costume. Someone told me he creates a black costume. If this is fact, can you please e-mail me what comic(s) this takes place in.

In Spectacular Spider-Man #99, Felicia gives Peter a set of five cloth Black Costumes, and he wears the first one in Amazing Spider-Man #263.

From Daniel

When I was a younger more virile version of myself I was right into some spider-man collector cards and I came across a hero/villian who was in possession of a cybernetic super-suit that he gained from his future self to do whatever he was supposed to do. I remember that it was like the Prowler because of the suits functions, but I think it was more powerful. I just want to know his name, or super "alias".

So in closing I know this is very little information to go on, but i also know that this is, probably (so not 100% sure), the only character that got his abilities in this way. So if you can help, please help this has been eating at me for some time, and it's starting to irritate me.

The closest which comes to mind is perhaps Nightwatch, that marvelous Kavanaugh creation, though he wasn't cybernetic.

There was also a mid/late-90's character who was involved with time-travel - SHOC. Though his origin was never fully explained, and is perhaps more recent than you suggest.

From Frank

I have a question, naturally: according to your f.a.q. about the times when Spidey died, I read about this Kulan Gath and went on Wikipedia to learn more about this character. What I don't understand is if he controlled the minds of the Avengers, the X-Men, the New Mutants and the Morlocks, then why didn't he do the same to Spidey and was he really crucified?

Oh, and was there any other reason for hunting down Spider-Man, other then revenge?

The events you ask about are from Uncanny X-Men #190/191. Checking the story, there appears to be no clear explanation of how Spidey and some of the other heroes managed to resist - it says "In all the city, only these few possess the freedom and abilities to challenge Kulan Gath." But it is not clear how this came to be.

As for having singled out Spidey. Certainly, it is pure revenge for Spider-Man having foiled Gath's last attempt to enslave New York. And certainly, Spider-Man was indeed hoisted on a cross and made to suffer.

 Posted: 2007
 Staff: The Spider-Oracle (E-Mail)