Amazing Spider-Man #660...or Where Carlie Got Her Tattoo (spoilers)

[stillanerd]

For those who remember, in the last issue of Amazing Spider-Man, Peter's new CSI girlfriend, after finding out Peter lied to her about his business trip to Horizon Labs (he was really off with the Fantastic Four Future Foundation) reacted by getting drunk with her Roller Derby pals and was about to get a drunken revenge tattoo of none other than the Green Goblin, which you can see for yourself here.

So did Carlie go through with it? And what would this mean for her and Peter's relationship? Well, we got our answer. And...





Now admittedly, when the whole Carlie getting the tattoo of the Green Goblin cliffhanger happened last issue, I was pretty ticked. However, while it certainly made Carlie look terrible in that she was shown to make stupid and rash decisions while drunk and upset, at least I understood why she was getting the tattoo and how this could result in potential drama down the road, ridiculous though it might be.

But this? "Oh, how cute. Carlie got a Spidey tattoo, instead. What a great girlfriend. Peter is so lucky to have someone like her in his life who can make such a commitment. Never mind the whole reason that Carlie even asked for a tattoo was because she wanted to get back at Peter after catching him in a bold face lie about him saying he was on a business trip for Horizon. No, we're gonna forget all about that so these two can finally make some sweet, sweet love to show everybody how right and perfect they are for each other."

Give. Me. A. Break. This, my friends, is the definition of a cop-out. What say you, Annie Wilkes?


Oh, and remember that Marvel Watcher video from awhile back that said Carlie would be making a "commitment" that no other Spider-Man love interest in any continuity will have ever made before? Well, this would fit the bill, wouldn't it? Because getting a tattoo takes commitment because, unless you pay for some expensive laser surgery, they're permanent. More permanent than, say...wedding rings? Which means Carlie getting a Spidey tattoo as a sign of her "commitment" to Peter means she's "more committed" to Peter than Mary Jane ever was, and therefore this makes her "the greatest girlfriend Peter Parker has ever had!" right, Marvel? 

Okay, maybe that part I'm being just a little too hyperbolic and tongue-in-cheek.  Oh well, at least now we know Peter has a fetish for...himself?

Comments

[screamsheet.wordpress.com]

Called it. And it's still stupid.

And Carlie's appearance has changed again.

[speedingtortoise]

I didn't recognize that long haired woman as Carlie until I read the text a little more

She really DOES look different almost every time she's shown

[stolisomancer]

Well, she is an Anal Skrull.

[cyberghostface]

I still find it hilarious how Carlie is so bland and insignificant that she is unrecognizable without her glasses. Seriously, this is how she looked two issues ago:



The sad thing is, Dan Slott probably thinks that the controversy over Carlie getting a Goblin tattoo actually got people interested in her as a character.

[stillanerd]

I still find it hilarious how Carlie is so bland and insignificant that she is unrecognizable without her glasses.

Yep. Granted, her hair color doesn't make her look like a Mary Jane knock-off this time around, but again, without those glasses, Carlie just becomes some bland brunette woman.

[turtlefu]

I have to say, I still love Caselli's art. It is gorgeous.

Story is stupid though.

[baxter2814]

[midnightvoyager]

Obligatory

[lissa_quon]

Doesn't even really look like a tattoo. Looks like she just stuck a sticker on her torso.

Also I can't decide if I hate this more than the Osborne tattoo or not. I also refuse to count this tattoo as a proof of her commitment to this relationship. She got it drunkenly, on a whim and doesn't even know that Peter IS Spiderman. So no, sorry Marvel, try again.

[stillanerd]

Ah, but notice Carlie tells Peter she wasn't that drunk, which is why she was able to change her mind and got a Spidey tattoo instead. Which means she was at least aware enough of what she was doing to initially get the Green Goblin tattoo in the first place and still got a tattoo in an attempt to spite Peter regardless.

Also, you folks realize this is the SECOND Spider-Man story in as little as two years to involve a character getting drunk and doing something stupid only for it to turn out they weren't really "that drunk" after all?

[thanekos]

This only makes Norman's penis harder, you realize.

[cyberghostface]

[stolisomancer]

On the plus side, the Van Lente scripting made the main story this issue pretty fun to read.

I was surprised by how much I liked the Ghost Rider team-up in the back for the last few issues, but the older I get, the more I seem to appreciate stories where the writer acknowledges just how long these characters have known one another.

[darkblade]

Wait there was a Ghost Rider team-up? [/hasn't read Spider-Man except s_d excerpts since OMD]

[halloweenjack]

The sad thing is, Slott probably thinks that he's clever by going this route. "I know how you feel about the Red Skull, Steve, but for just a second..." No. Not even.

[ar_feiniel]

I'm confused as to why she got a tattoo of Spider-Man. She was mad at Peter so she got a tattoo of...his "friend" the superhero? I don't get it.

[darkknightjrk]

Maybe she already paid to have SOMETHING put on her skin and her roller-derby friends would have given her shit if she didn't go through with it?

[nezchan]

So that settles it. She's not Mephisto, she's just an idiot.

Which is arguably worse.

[darkblade]

Mephisto did bargin for people's marriage instead of souls. I'm not sure he's too smart these days (a few too many hellfire chain based head injuries perhaps).

[cyberghostface]

It turns out that the ending was hastily rewritten because of the backlash from fans. Originally, she did get the Goblin tattoo after all. Here is the original page:

[darkblade]

The sad thing is the only reason I wouldn't beleive that as the real page was her saying she was rebound from MJ and not perfect for him.

[skalja]

Man, if someone had murdered one of my childhood friends, ruined the life of the woman who was my sister in all but name, not to mention tormented another friend and my current boyfriend and, oh yeah, almost destroyed the country ... I really don't think "total jerk" would be the phrase I'd use.

[cyberghostface]

Y'know, I forgot about Lily being friends with Carlie. That just makes Carlie even worse.

Although to be fair Lily had pretty much ruined herself already before Norman became her sugar daddy.

[sigmund_droid]

Aww you almost got a tattoo of my version of Hitler but you didn't!

All is forgiven! C'mere you!

[thehefner]

HA! FUCKIN' EXACTLY.

[fifthie]

Oh look, it's the incredibly predictable outcome that in no way changes any of the criticism of the writing in the previous issue.

[fifthie]

OH GOSH DAN SLOTT

YOU SURE FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLED US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sindra]

You know, I could have accepted the whole "Carlie gets a tattoo of the Goblin while drunk to piss off Peter" thing, because that would have meant she made a mistake and was stupid and had a FLAW. It actually would have made her a more believable character because believable characters have FLAWS and do stupid things that need redeeming.

But this? Now we're just back to "Carlie's a perfect girlfriend for Peter and can do no wrong" bullshit that they've fed us from the start.

Just keep heaping it on, guys!

What I wrote in Dan Slott's Formspring:

[misterbug]

So, now Carlie is 'marked', to convince us she's REALLY his one true love? Good to know Peter treats his girlfriends like cattle now...

Re: What I wrote in Dan Slott's Formspring:

[greenmask]

*slow clap*

[feyandstrange]

I know I shouldn't be expecting logic from comics or anything but - drunken revenge tattoo done by drunk artist? Seriously? I know I live in a ridiculously over-enlightened town where even derby queens go to reputable sober tattoo parlors, but I was hoping that it would be mis-spelled or something.

Maybe she passed out when the needle came out and they all laughed at her and stuck a fake Cracker Jack tattoo on her instead. Wouldn't that be great?

Ooooh, maybe it'll get infected next issue! Because a tat on the freaking waistline getting rubbed by pants all the time would NEVER flare up and get scarred and messy.

Peter, srsly, if you still want to do her, just flip her over or something.

Also: villains? Aim for it. Please.

[misterbug]

Very much that last line. Looking at it a second time I couldn't help but think that it says "Supervillains! Please take one of my kidneys!".

[blackruzsa]

You know, I don't even mind that she went and got a Spidey tattoo
but did it have to be so bad? It's like the tattoo artist was the drunk one. It looks like a sticker. Not even a good one. And what's with the placement?

[valtyr]

"I ruined it! I wrecked everything!"

Okay, I see they're trying to make us believe she got the Goblin tattoo and it's a fakeout, but it doesn't make sense, because how is getting a mildly inadvisable tattoo while drunk going to ruin everything? "Oh god not a celebrity I kind of know on my girlfriend's hip! It's all over now!"

Also, it's silly and cruel of her to bring up Osborn, and rather odd he didn't bat an eyelid. "You almost got a tattoo of my nemesis to bug me? Eh."

And she goes from "I CAN'T BE WITH YOU LIKE THIS" to "I CAN TOTALLY BE WITH YOU LIKE THIS."

But I keep coming back to Carlie thinking she's ruined her relationship with Peter by... getting a tattoo. The fuck? She's a grown woman. Admittedly she made some gross comment about women with lower back tattoos being easy, so maybe she thinks tattoos are a badge of shame? IDK.

And it wasn't a passing second's thought, it was overriding the tattoo artist's warning and getting as far as stripping off.

It's just so inconsistent and ridiculous. For God's sake Carlie! Say "I got a tattoo. DEAL WITH IT. And now explain why you lied to me."

This is just flat-out sloppy writing.

[skalja]

"Oh god not a celebrity I kind of know on my girlfriend's hip! It's all over now!"

"You almost got a tattoo of my nemesis to bug me? Eh."

Screaming with laughter.

[mullon]

That is less stupid than a goblin tattoo. She's still a stupid character.

[rallamajoop]

Putting aside the whole drunken tattoo issue, is there any way to read this scene that doesn't involve Peter Parker having admitted to his girlfriend that Spider-man turns him on?

[venatosapiens]

I think that's a whole new raft of psychosexual baggage that can now be dropped on Peter's doorstep. I'm in favor, honestly. Load that fool up with issues, we've still got Ult! Spidey for...

...right. Never mind.

[blunderbuss]

... Seriously? Seriously. This is an actual scene in an actual published comic book. I, I can't even. This is the final, definate proof that the universe wants me to hate Spiderman because jesus chriiiiiiiist.

[crabby_lioness]

FAIL.

[brandiweed.livejournal.com]

You know, I've been theorizing that Dan Slott is actually monkeywrenching this whole title because he also dislikes the post-MJ Parker but is locked into writing this title (contractual obligation or something).

Is there anything that pokes holes in this theory? His writing was just fine on She-Hulk, which gives me the feeling that he's a perfectly good writer when he's doing something he actually gives a shit about.

[baxter2814]

That's...that's actually a REALLY cool idea. Maybe Spider-Man writers have all said to each other "Psst! Make it as bad as you can. That way Marvel'll be more likely to undo OMD."

I mean, I have to admit a certain measure of smugness at how godawful Spider-Man is nowadays, because it just makes the "Spider-marriage is bad!" argument look even stupider.