So... this whole Spider-Man Alpha thing. Now we know what (or who) it is...

[icon_uk]

Not what I'd expected, that's for sure, and not in line with Marvel's usual policy, but...


From Newsarama, by way of (of all places to link to from s_d) Fox News



In short, he's Spider-Man's new (and first) sidekick!

Meet Andy Maguire (I'm sure the fact he has one live-action Spider-Man's first name, and another's last name (If we find out his middle name is Nicholas, it'll be a trifecta!)

Like Peter was, he's an outsider, but he's not a science geek like Peter was, he's a... well, he's not really anything, he's a walking clique-non-intersection set



Thanks to forging his name on the permission slip, Andy joins the group going on a trip to a certain science lab...



Yeah, I think you can see where this is going, no?

The six page preview is here and more details here.

So what do you think? Intriguing? Inspiring? Desperate?

Visually his appearance and costume makes me think of Risk of the Teen Titans, but, y'know, with more arms than he ended up with. Origin wise, a little bit Speedball-ish, but science accidents are responsible for so many heroes that might be being nit-picky.

Comments

[darkknightjrk]

I actually really like the idea and I wouldn't really call it desperate either (now, if this kid became Spider-Boy, THEN that would have been a little much). Curious to see what this kid's power-set is gong to be.

[biod]

"Spider-Man's too old now! We need a deal with the devil to fix that!"
"Spider-Man needs a teenage sidekick!"
. . .
How in the hell can these two editorial guidelines coexist?

[nyadnar17]

My first thought. My second thought was "man I hope they give me a reason to like this kid because right now he just seems like a loser".

[cyberghostface]

Well Marvel's idea of making Pete 'younger' in the past was to have his wife get blown up and him become a widower so they've never been one for logic in this area.

[icon_uk]

I don't really see a problem there, being a sidekick doesn't mean that Peter is that much older, again, look at Dick Grayson, two definite sidekicks and has mentored quite a few younger heroes. Peter will, I suspect, be Andy's mentor, not his parent.

[medster_comics]

He look cool and when we say that Spider-man have a sidekick it's strange.
But I think I'll like this character don't know why but I already like him o.0

[shadowpsykie]

... i don't know... i think they jumped the shark here.... it seems... i mean.... i don't know... something about it just doesn't feel right...

hmmm it might be interesting... peter parker was an "average guy" who also happened to be a supergenius... this guy is literally an average guy

[nyadnar17]

The problem is he is average in a bizarre way. Most people are average because they are above average in some parts of their life and bellow average in others. This guy is borderline in every single aspect possible and that is crazy weird.

[darkblade]

Jumped the shark? They leaped over Seaworld in a single bound.

[stolisomancer]

I would purchase and wear Chrissy Chen's T-shirt. I'll say that much.

[cyberghostface]

How long before Green Goblin beats him to death with a crowbar?

[biod]

I'm hoping he uses the old broomstick glider myself.

[stillanerd]

Okay, having seen this last night and having gotten over my initial sarcastic reactions, I'll admit this does have the makings of an entertaining story and the idea of Peter believing it's his responsibility to set this kid on the straight and narrow--particularly if he believes he was the cause of this kid getting powers in the first place--makes sense. That being said, doesn't this very idea not only run contrary to what Spider-Man was originally created to be but also go against what Marvel themselves have been trying to convince fans about Spider-Man for the past five years?

The reason why kid sidekicks were created in comics was to give young people someone they can identify with and feel as if they were working alongside the superhero they looked up to. That's why we had Robin for Batman, Bucky for Captain America, Speedy for Green Arrow, Kid Flash for Flash and the like. But the idea when Stan Lee created Spidey was "Why does a young person have to be a sidekick? Why can't they be the hero for once?" In theory, Spider-Man already does what the sidekick is supposed to do, just without him working for a "big brother" or "father-figure" to another superhero. To give Spidey a kid sidekick is not only counter-productive but also superfluous.

Also, Tom Brevoort, as part of his counter against folks who were against their decision to retcon away his marriage, has stated over and over that "Spider-Man is about youth." Others have stated that couldn't be married because that made him seem "too old," or that he couldn't have a teaching job because that, too, made him "too old." But now, with Axel Alonso saying that "Spider-Man is grown up," Marvel is basically admitting that the whole "Spider-Man is about youth" defense was complete BS. Because now they are saying that he's "too old" to the point they have to create a kid sidekick for the young people to identify with instead.

Oh, and notice how Alpha's name is Andy Macguire? As in a mash-up of ANDREW Garfield and Tobey MAGUIRE? Desperation doesn't even begin to describe that. And I really hope Marvel is actually setting this new kid up to be the new Spider-Man after issue #700, but I can totally see a sort of Batman Beyond/Knightfall set-up coming out of this.

[icon_uk]

Oh, and notice how Alpha's name is Andy Macguire? As in a mash-up of ANDREW Garfield and Tobey MAGUIRE?

Why yes, I did notice... that would be why I mentioned it in the OP. ;)

[auggie18]

Um, why not have Spider-Girl?


Also, "We're keeping Peter young!" "We want a more mature Peter!"

Pick a thing and stick with it, dudes.

(Though I did love Amalgam's Spider-Boy, so if this is like that...)

[icon_uk]

Um, why not have Spider-Girl?

Too obvious, they want some contrast in powers.(especially the note about Alpha being more powerful than he is)

SPOILER WARNING:

[captainbellman]

Andy died on the way back to his home planet.

Re: SPOILER WARNING:

[captainbellman]

(Oh no! I made light of death via a sarcastic reference to The Simpsons applying to a fictional character! I'm obviously trivialising murder and abuse! BAN MEEEEEE)

[protogarrett]

Anyone else feel just far too saturated with Marvel youth? Another set of young avengers, a whole new (i think this is the third set) of x-kids, runaways, there's already a few spider girls, I'm just... I dunno. Exhausted.

They're just catapulting dozens of these kids at us every year and hoping one or two stick it seems. And, for the most part, they don't. Few graduate to big league teams and a recurring spot that isn't dominated by a character who hasn't been around for 50 years.

I would say X-23 is one of the few who made it out of the deluge.

[protogarrett]

Wait no...

New Mutants
Generation X
New Mutants 2 + That Whole Student Body
Generation Hope
Wolverine's School for Brand New X-Kids

Sorry, we're on group number 5. My bad.

[yvonmukluk]

Is it me or does evil scientist guy look like Amazing Fantasy 15-era Peter Parker with his round glasses?

[icon_uk]

A bit, though I was thinking more Bruce Banner myself...

[cypherfdp]

He's like a personality black hole. Which fits with his character, I guess. He's boring, his costume is boring, I'm guessing from the cover with him that his powers are DragonBall Z energy blasts and that's generally pretty boring but to be fair I don't really know that yet, and his name is a huge groaner.

Andy Maguire? Really? It's kind of hypocritical of me since I like little Christopher Reeve nods, but ughhhhh

[icon_uk]

I think the fact he has little apparent personality beforehand is sort of the point, he's never been motivated to be anyone or anything in particular, he's coasting through life, and may well wish to keep doing so, but with his powers and Peter's mentoring will become more.

And looking at the promot images on the Newsarama link, his powers at least include flight, since he's shown in mid air.

[auggie18]

Visually his appearance and costume makes me think of Risk of the Teen Titans, but, y'know, with more arms than he ended up with.


Didn't that end up being zero?

[icon_uk]

Pretty much I think.

[cypherfdp]

I also like how Peter has apparently not gotten over his HIGH SCHOOL ANGST despite being a successful adult and superhero, and decides that he was "showing off to all the young Flash Thompsons and Liz Allens of the world!"

[icon_uk]

What else are the High School Reunions that America seems so obsessed with are for?

[big_daddy_d]

Let me start with the fact that I have no problem with Peter having a sidekick. I just hope Andy's powers are arachnid based and nothing too godlike or powerful or else..it just won't make sense and he'd be as useful as Sentry. Now on the other hand..

1. Technically speaking, isn't Spider-Girl his sidekick?
2. Doesn't have a sidekick age a character? The very thing Marvel seems so against is aging Peter Parker, even though he was one of the most naturally grown characters in comics. It's the reason they just had to have Sins Past and One More Day. They're a bunch of damn hypocrites.

[long_silence]

For whatever Arana hasn't had that many team ups with Peter.

She's probably spent more time with Ms. Marvel and Susan Storm.

[starwolf_oakley]

Darkhawk's alter ego Chris Powell also went to Midtown High, curiously located in Queens.

[md84]

Man, I cannot stand passive-aggressive losers who resent others because they took the chances they were afraid to take and it paid off for them. Mostly because I used to be that kind of loser for a long time. It just hits a little too close to home.

Also, Tiberius Stone? The same guy who abducted Tony Stark and trapped him in a virtual reality like a creepy stalker? Yeah, this can't end well.

[eyz]

So now that DC has cleaned its states (separating once again the JSA from the JLA's past, cutting down the family members à la Wally West, Steph/Cass Batgirls, Jade & Obsidian, etc.) it is the Marvel universe that has several Legacy characters around and sidekicks everywhere...
What's going on?!?

[darrylayo]

He's a dead man.