Weird as it may sound, Sony was bouncing around the idea that Peter Parker would use a formula to bring his loved ones back to life. In an interview with IGN, Denis Leary revealed that he was going to reprise his role of Captain George Stacy in a third movie. “There was this idea at one point that Spider-Man would be able to take this formula and regenerate the people in his life that had died,” explained Leary.
Thankfully, they didn’t choose to go that route as it would have opened a whole other can of worms. While Gwen Stacy was brought back with the Carnage symbiote in the Ultimate Comics, a resurrection in the third movie would have just been bizarre. Not to mention it would invalidate one of Parker’s major character developments as if he could bring back Captain George Stacey, why not bring back his uncle and everyone else he’s ever lost. It’s a good thing they left that box unopened as much as Leary wanted to be back on set with Marc Webb.
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*Note: I wanted to write this piece because of the latest release of The Amazing Spider-Man 2. There will be spoilers for Gwen Stacy’s story. However, this piece focuses on the comic book character rather than the movie character.
Who:
Gwendolyne Stacy
Nicknames/Aliases:
Gwen Stacy
Skills:
Advanced knowledge in science, being cute and sassy.
Origin Story:
There are two things to know about Gwen Stacy: she is the quintessential college girlfriend and (SPOILER!) she dies. Yup, I broke that news to you quick. As soon as you fell in love with her, she was gone. The quick history of Gwen is that she is Peter Parkers girlfriend. But of course, when you are involved with a man who is also superhero, in this case Spider-Man, things aren’t always that simple. Gwen and Peter met at Empire State University when she was a student of Biology, and their encounter wasn’t on the best of terms. Over time, they developed a friendship that became a relationship. They were then on-again and off-again for years. Contrary to most of the story telling, Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson knew each other, and even ran in the same circles. Also, she was a model. Peter Parker is a lucky guy. But their love wasn’t so lucky for so many reasons. Because Peter never revealed his alter-ego to Gwen, she often felt abandoned by him when he “disappeared.” During a battle with Doctor Octopus, Gwen’s dad, Captain George Stacy, is accidentally killed by falling rubble. Gwen leaves the country only after trying to get Peter to propose marriage. Peter, of course, is guilt ridden, not only because he felt responsible for George’s death, but because George knew the truth about Peter, so he does not ask Gwen to marry him. After being gone for some time, Gwen returns to New York. Only 22 issues later, Gwen’s life ends. Even worse, it is by Spider-Man’s hands. After being kidnapped by Norman Osborn as Green Goblin, Gwen is thrown off of a bridge. When Spidey tries to save her by casting a web, he accidentally snaps her neck.
Why is she important?:
The thing about Gwen Stacy is that her life and her death don’t exist without the other. There are many compelling arguments that Gwen was just a plot point. Gwen is referenced in Gail Simone’s Women in Refrigerators. However, a large part of me has to disagree with this. Gwen and Mary Jane have been compared for decades. It has been debated in and out who is Peter’s true love. And in references even up to modern day (Gwen died in 1973), Peter still loves Gwen. Girl has been dead for 41 years. He still puts flowers on the bridge she died on every year. Yes, Gwen’s death was an easy way to give Peter an emotional break-down and to make Mary Jane grow up a bit. And killing her off prevented a teenaged Peter from getting married. But Peter’s background as Spider-Man has always been a dark tale. And I don’t believe Gwen was a one-time boo-hoo for him. She represents a lot of things for not only Peter, but fans of books. Gwen is what could have been and what we all believe our lives will be when we are young. Gwen was more than a looker, too. She had a strong mental connection with Peter. Sure, she didn’t know his secret identity, but she had a high level of intelligence, matching Peter’s. Peter considered her an equal and possibly the only person to understand him.
Gwen Stacy sparks a lot of debate. Did her neck snap or was she dead before the fall? Is she hotter than Mary Jane? Is she a better match for Peter than Mary Jane? Is Gwen’s death the end of the Silver Age? Is Gwen’s death the epitome of the female trope in a genre that is male-centered? I think the fact that you can find countless, and I mean countless, articles on all these questions proves why Gwen Stacy is important. She may not have super powers. In the comics, she may not have known about Peter’s identity. She may be just a very smart and pretty girl who had to die. But that doesn’t make her any less. Gwen Stacy is what makes comic books dynamic and important not only to the comic culture, but to our society because we can take a girl who seemingly is very normal and create a very large dialogue about what it all means.
What she means to me:
Really and truly what Gwen means to me is the first love we all lost. Gwen was meant for Peter. She just was. She was smart and witty. And then she was gone. We have all experienced the loss of our first love. And many of our favorite characters from other stories have, too. We all feel a strong connection to them. FIrst loves stay with us forever. Gwen was beautiful and it was readily accepted that she was a Science Major. Of course in the movies, she is a high school student, on her way to Oxford, and very knowledgable in science, even working for OsCorp. Gwen doesn’t try to be anything she’s not. Therefore, she accepts Peter for what he is. Because of that, they connected so well. But first loves rarely work out. In this case, their love ended tragically. However, I believe the Peter Parker and Spider-Man wouldn’t be the well-known creations they are now with out Gwen Stacy’s life or her death.
Gwen Stacy first appearance in 1965 in the Amazing Spider-Man Comics
Gwen and Spidey in the Amazing Spider-Man comics
The Night Gwen Stacy Died in 1973.
Bryce Dallas Howard as Gwen Stacy in 2007’s Spider-Man 3
Gwen Stacy in 2008-2009’s Spectacular Spiderman. She appeared in almost every episode.
Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy in 2012’s Amazing Spider-Man
Since being rebooted just one decade after the historic trilogy (okay, we can forget about Spider-Man 3) changed the way comic book adaptations were viewed by the world, The Amazing Spider-Man destroyed all doubt in fans that this was just a cash grab, but instead a legitimately sustainable universe. It was a risky move rebooting so soon, especially when many fans considered the third installment of the Raimi films to be a complete deal-breaker, but the two films have easily become a juggernaut, earning a place among the likes of the Nolan Batmans, Iron Mans, and Kick Asses. This has been well-deserved, as Peter Parker is one of the most beloved character of all-time, and second in popularity to nobody but maybe Superman or Batman. From KRS-One to Barack Obama, everybody loves their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
The Amazing Spider-Man does whatever a Spider-Man can… but better. From the get-go, we’re introduced to a Spider-Man who has been not been taking his two-year hiatus lightly. His skills are honed and the obligatory montage where Parker learns how to do like a spider does is long in the past. Instead, we are treated to spectacular scenes of Spidey chasing bad guys, infuriating them with his hilarious jabs at their incompetence – seriously, I’m convinced Peter Parker’s middle name is sarcasm. Although the end of AS1 left us in emotionally distraught from the death of Captain Stacey and the forced promise to leave Gwen Stacy alone (yeah, right. We’re talking about Emma Freaking Stone here), the tone of this movie is fervently fun and exciting.
We join our hero as he is graduating high school, which jumps years ahead in chronology, missing out on some potentially valuable years of high school chronology for Peter. It could be looked at as a rushed attempted to fit everything in, but I really see it as a clear statement that Webb will be focusing on the growth of Peter Parker, the man. The term “this isn’t high school anymore” is literally applied to Peter’s relationships across the board. It doesn’t take away from the light-hearted nature of the character himself, but the nature of the story and the villains which he faces lets us no right away that he has a monumental task ahead of him.
You know watt they say: with great power, comes villains with even greater power. Electro makes his first film appearance here, and it’s mostly a win. Max Dillon, played by Jamie Foxx, is a sad, lonely, brilliant man who never seems to catch a break. The ability to control electricity was the ultimate gag joke when Electro first broke onto the scene (actually, February 2014 marked his 50th Anniversary) However, in this completely wired society we live in now, the ability to control electricity made Max Dillon nothing short of a god.
Unfortunately, in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Electro is reduced to somewhat of a goon to the real villain of the story. His character is so creepy and weird that you almost can’t feel sorry for him, even though his character is really the victim of unfortunate circumstance. There are also a few mishaps with his ultra-corny lines – you’ll know which ones when the time comes. Aesthetically, though, Electro is one of the coolest bad guys you can find in a movie. His entire body is comprised of electricity, making him look like a conduit. He’s part Dr. Manhattan from The Watchmen – except, thank goodness, he wears pants – and part conduit from the inFamous video game. I think it looks phenomenal; you can argue one way or the other, but you have to admit, it looks much better than, ya know, this:
Image from Ultimate Spider-Man Season 2 “Electro”
Electro isn’t just used as physical muscle; he was worked over to introduce the real bad guy, Harry Osbourne. Dane DeHaan (Chronicle) plays a perfect Harry; he’s smart, emotional perturbed from being neglected by his rich dad (#richpeopleproblems), but finds solace in his one friend in this world, Peter Parker. DeHaan might not be the stud-muffin that James Franco was, but he does have this very DiCaprio vibe going on, even down to the patented hair flip thing. Due to Norman Osborn’s sickness, Harry finds himself thrust into power. Curt Connors failed to replicate the lizard serum in the film film – that thing that made everybody turn into giant lizards, remember? This has direct consequences in the sequel, and viewers might not even notice the connection if they aren’t looking for it.
The topic of Peter’s parents is also revisited, something that I felt was sorely lacking in the first film. Have patience though, friends; it was all done on purpose, showing just enough in the first film to give enough context for the “aha!” moments in this one. It’s nice to see a little foresight, and that is something the franchise definitely has. There are numerous foreshadowings to a Sinister Six/Venom movie to be found (most of it was unfortunately spoiled by the internet weeks before the movie even came out), but they were more-so Easter Egg rewards for comic book fans than distractions from the main events.
Clocking in at two and a half hours of run-time, AS2 flew by. The film is cut into enough transitions that I didn’t feel like the movie needed to end, nor did it feel too sporadic to keep up with the fast pace. There were a few scenes that felt bipolar, ie – Parker’s inevitable guilt trip about hooking up with Gwen in lieu of the promise to her dad, even though he had just laid on some hardcore PDA earlier that day. There are also several montages with music that doesn’t really fit the ambiance of the situation. They’re all forgivable and minor missteps, as Spider-Man almost gets a bit of a pass because Peter Parker is such an awkward character already.
I wouldn’t say that the heroism takes a back seat, but to call AS2 anything but a love story first and foremost would be a disservice to the dynamic performance that Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield give. This feels like you wish your first love story was. Arguably, Gwen means more for Peter’s character development than being Spider-Man does. What makes Gwen so important to Spider-Man’s journey is her ride-or-die attitude. She has no great power, but still feels the responsibility to do the right things – a value surely instilled in her by her late father.
What I really love about The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is the ability to keep the spirit of the Web Slinger intact while still trying to evolve the story to make it fit in a 21st century setting. The evolution of OsCorp into genetic manipulation – as well as “The Vault” and its contents – is a lunge in the right direction. It makes OsCorp directly responsible for the origins of The Lizard, Spider-Man, Electro, Rhino with his mechanized suit and more to come (Sinister Six and Venom, presumably). Furthermore, making the “Goblin” trait into a degenerative disease is a brilliant way to tie everybody back together, especially Peter’s parents. At the heart of it, though, is still your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. From the incredible slow-mo Spider-Sense sequences and the ludicrously awesome lack of effort when facing impending doom to the heart-to-heart that he has with Aunt May and even as subtle as the replacement of dark eyes on the costume with white ones, I fell in love with Spider-Man all over again. Ultimately, with director Marc Webb and Andrew Garfield as lead Peter Parker on board for a third movie as well, there’s just as much to be excited for going forward as this is to enjoy in Amazing Spider-Man 2.
Thanks to Aurora Rise, a non-profit organization that funnels donations to the rehabilitation of victims in the Aurora theater shooting, we were able to see Amazing Spider-Man 2 a few days early AND support a good cause. Thanks to Aurora Rise and Aurora Movie Tavern for hooking it up!
Hush Family outing!
All media credited to Marvel Comics and Sony/Columbia Pictures
Holy crap! Get ready to have your socks knocked off; this week brings in a lot of great news tidbits.
This Sunday is May the Fourth! Hush Comics is lucky enough to be running a panel at StarFest to commemorate the holiday. Come see us at 10 AM!
This Saturday, May 3rd, is FREE COMIC BOOK DAY! Head to your local comic book store for free issues of some of the biggest (and smallest, in the case of Mouse Guard) stories in the industry. Many local shops are holding insane sales for books, so it’s an amazing opportunity for new fans to dive in head-first to the comic book world. Don’t believe me? Just take Levar Burton’s word for it.
For more information on which books are available, this is your one-stop shop (figuratively, I mean, you still have to go to the shop to get the books. duh.). Also, Denverites, visit the Mile High Comics’ Jason Street Mega-Store for some awesome festivities on Saturday.
If you’re like us, you like to occasionally use the ComiXology to supplement the physical copies of comics you buy at your local stores… RIGHT?? Well, since the acquisition by Amazon, there have already been some swift changes to the storefront. If you’re as confused as we are, check out this informational article.
Today marks the return of the Amazing Spider-Man to the comic book world. After over a year of Otto Octavius as Spider-Man (it’s complicated), Peter is back in command and with a new lease on life! And just in time for the movie, Amazing Spider-Man 2, to hit theaters.
Gwen Stacy herself challenged Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon to a lip-sync battle, which is quickly becoming my favorite recurring bit on the show. Emma Stone destroys Fallon – all she does is win, win, win.
Before last week’s episode of Game of Thrones, “Oathkeeper,” a trailer for the upcoming series called Leftovers. I’m still not too sure what it’s about, but I’m interested enough to check it out when it airs June 29th.
Speaking of Game of Thrones, the upcoming video game by Telltale Games is getting some narrative assistance from the story creator’s right hand man, Ty Corey Franck as a story consultant. With games like The Walking Dead and Wolf Among Us, I’m sold with anything Telltale puts out.
Marvel is not just trending, but making it a priority for gender equality in their books. Our article on what Ms. Marvel means to us (and the world) is just the start. Now that Elektra, Black Widow, Captain Marvel, She-Hulk, X-Men (all female cast) and the aforementioned Ms. Marvel have solo titles, it’s time for another leading lady to get her own series; Storm debuts this summer, written by Greg Pak – an interview from C2E2 can be found here.
Not even a year after the series’ Felina, and we’re still mourning the legendary Breaking Bad. Fans should check out this 8 minute-long tribute (seriously, whoever made this should win a freakin’ award) to the Heisenberg; while you’re at it, read our Breaking Bad Week articles. You’re God Damn Right.
Image Comics (The Walking Dead, Saga, Deadly Class, Black Science…..) is trying to get some much-deserved cred with Humble Bundle, a site that lets users choose how much they pay for these works (sorry, there is a minimum payment lol). Here are some more details on the deal.
2014 is the year of the Bat…man 75th Anniversary, and July 23rd has been officially dubbed Batman Day! To celebrate, go to your local shop and pick up a FREE issue of a reimagined Detective Comics #27; Batman Day also coincides with the release of Grayson #1 and Robin Rises: Omega #1. Ah, it’s a good time to be a Bat.
The DC New 52 run of Batman has been arguably the best comic out since it went to print in 2011. A line of Greg Capullo-inspired action figures will be released soon (Batman and Talon coming this month). I want to buy an army of Talons, but I will likely settle for two.
Saturday morning cartoons meets Sunday night slow jams! Check out this awesome rendition of the classic Ducktales theme song.
Spider-Man is definitely the topic of choice this week, but DC and Warner Bros. can’t let Marvel steal all the shine. Zack Synder has been announced as the director to a Justice League movie to be released after Batman vs Superman.
The Disney-Marvel connection will be in full effect this fall when Disney Infinity brings the big guns to its platform for its second iteration, Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes. I haven’t gotten a chance to play the game, but it seems like a great game for kids.
DC’s adult alter-ego game, Injustice: Gods Among Us, is rumored to be getting a sequel out next year. I’m not too sure how a new installment will be justified, but I’m excited, nonetheless. We’ll have more news on that as it develops.
Village idiot Joe Dirt may be getting a sequel. Yeah, that’s where we’re at with comedies…
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