> > So the only thing to quibble over is coming of age, and that just depends on where you want to put the graduation into manhood. Perhaps Marvel just needs to integrate classic and ultimate Spidey into one character... "youthanize" him. (Pun's intentional.)
>
> You know, the pun works both ways, though, because to de-age, de-marry, de-grow the character is to essentially kill the character that we've all been reading for the last twenty-five years. Was the marriage a mistake? Yes. Does it ruin Spider-Man? No.
>

Here's what I realized recently, and it ties in with what you said. Sometime after my last trip to the comic book store, which ended empty-handed (no new Spider-Man books out last week), it occurred to me that, if I like married Spider-Man, which I do, and if I want to follow his adventures, which I do, I now have no options. None.

Single Peter Parker? Yeah, sure, there's Ultimate Spider-Man, Marvel Adventures Spider-Man, Spider-Man Family, and now New Avengers alongside Amazing Spider-Man. Lots of choices.

But the Spider-Man I grew up with, the one I've read about since I was a little kid and followed consistently since I was in sixth grade, is gone. And he may be gone forever.

A number of readers may feel as though they've gotten their childhood back now, but doesn't mine count for something, too?

-Comp