Peter Parker Spider-Man 75

[Mr. NickerNacker]

I read in the Revelations TPB (clone saga, not the JMS one) that it’s stated Marvel lacked the time to properly color this issue so they enlisted Gregory Wright to recolor it for the TPB edition. I think it is a vast improvement. This issue has fantastic art by John Romita Jr. and he makes the battle between Spidey and the Green Goblin look epic! The recolor job makes JRJR’s art pop off the page even more. Here are some samples (the first image is the original; the second is from the recolor):






The 14 extra pages by JRJR is also a fantastic bonus the TPB has. The downside to the Revelations TPB (besides it being OPP) is that they shrunk down the double page splashes and printed them onto one page each. When Marvel finally reprinted this version in the Epic Ben Reilly Collection they restored those pages back as double page splashes. It would be nice if Marvel could reprint this version in a single issue such as their True Believers reprint program. This way one could buy it without having to buy a huge collection of issues when one only wants this particular version of the comic.

[Mr. NickerNacker]

Here is one more sample:

[Mister Mets]

Interesting. I was certainly unaware of this at the time.

The TPB colors are an improvement, although Romita Jr's storytelling is strong enough that the art was great before taking that into account.

So the new coloring is from the late 1990s Revelations TPB? It looks quite recent.

[boots]

man, ben's death is one of those times when i feel like "slap in the face of fans" was actually warranted. but then, i was a sensitive lad

[oldschool]

I think this story holds up really, really well and is also one of Jr Jr's finest hours on Spidey.

[boots]

I think this story holds up really, really well and is also one of Jr Jr's finest hours on Spidey.

i don't think it was bad as such, but i don't remember it being good either. it was really just a big fight scene from memory. i can see how it would have been uplifting for those who wanted peter reinstated as spider-man. jr jr's stuff was great though- i've always liked his take on spidey.

[Mr. NickerNacker]

Interesting. I was certainly unaware of this at the time.

The TPB colors are an improvement, although Romita Jr's storytelling is strong enough that the art was great before taking that into account.

So the new coloring is from the late 1990s Revelations TPB? It looks quite recent.

Yes it's from the Revelations TPB. Ralph Macchio talks about it in the Forward. Agreed on Romita Jr's storytelling. I just really like the newer coloring.

[xpyred]

i don't think it was bad as such, but i don't remember it being good either. it was really just a big fight scene from memory. i can see how it would have been uplifting for those who wanted peter reinstated as spider-man. jr jr's stuff was great though- i've always liked his take on spidey.

After two years of build up and and false endings and weird turns, you think issue 75 was one big fight scene only? It's exactly how it needed to end. Like a Rocky film (only not as good) where they talk for 2 hours and we get the big fight at the end for only 15 minutes.

[DVGamer7]

The period of the last 20 or so issues from Vol 1 and the corresponding satellite issues were fantastic.

Awesome artists make awesome comic books.

[oldschool]

Yes it's from the Revelations TPB. Ralph Macchio talks about it in the Forward. Agreed on Romita Jr's storytelling. I just really like the newer coloring.

I bought the TPB too and I highly recommend it for all the reasons you mentioned. And, yes, this was definitely the way to end the Ben Reilly story though I think Norman wasn't used to his full and proper potential after his return but that's another story.

[boots]

After two years of build up and and false endings and weird turns, you think issue 75 was one big fight scene only? It's exactly how it needed to end. Like a Rocky film (only not as good) where they talk for 2 hours and we get the big fight at the end for only 15 minutes.

ha, well i don't like rocky either so that probably explains it.

[Atomic Man]

i don't think it was bad as such, but i don't remember it being good either. it was really just a big fight scene from memory. i can see how it would have been uplifting for those who wanted peter reinstated as spider-man. jr jr's stuff was great though- i've always liked his take on spidey.

Glad you like it. I personally prefer the original coloring; it's more vibrant and reflects the era it's from. The recolored pages remind me of what was done to The Killing Joke, which I also didn't care for.

We do, however, agree that this is some of Romita Jr.'s best work.

[Mr. NickerNacker]

Glad you like it. I personally prefer the original coloring; it's more vibrant and reflects the era it's from. The recolored pages remind me of what was done to The Killing Joke, which I also didn't care for.

We do, however, agree that this is some of Romita Jr.'s best work.

It does come down to one's personal taste.

Both color jobs were done in the late 90's, so I think both reflect the same era.

[BlitheringToot]

I also prefer the original coloring. I mean, it looks great regardless, and the revised version has more nuance, but there's just something so vivid and delightfully comic bookish about the original colors.