lol am I that big a loose cannon that you worry about me going off on anything?
I hope my rants/reactions make a conversation, that's what I want to see! (I'm worried if I'm going to really like Slott's FF and have to discuss that later.
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I did state this was a rant, which should automatically make this thread one part over-reaction, one-part irrational, one-part sadness on the part of me seeing something he can't enjoy anymore.
It's true I HATED the original Morlum/Totem stuff as it was unfolding. It was a huge break of the origin and lore, and I still question 'for what reason?' What did you give that really made Spider-man that much better?
I continue to argue nothing, but what did like in JMS' conclusion is that Peter says himself 'I don't care if you say I'm a totem spirit, or if it was an accident bite from a weird radioactive spider-I was made into the man I am by my uncle, who I failed once. Because of him-I'm Spider-man. The rest doesn't matter.' <I'm paraphrasing here, and going off old memory impressions.> So, that part pleased me.
And for the most part, or greater part, if the totem Morlun family isn't mentioned ever...then one never have to worry, rant, or be concerned about them ever. It's a story, it happened, it's done, use it, take it, cherish it, or memory dump it and go to the next reading!!
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Switching gears, I too agree that Peter not killing is just as sacred and tantamount as Superman not killing. But in my upbringing, or at least my thoughts towards the subject, killing happens. Wisconsin farmer, and Wisconsin hunting family here. All the meat we eat is by butchering animals. Semantic argue all you want about 'humane' killing or what have you, but there is pain, blood, and death. Why don't we as humans suffer the moral cracking about so much killing?
Because animals don't add to society. There was never a chicken, who like Thomas Paine, wrote about the free system of government to protect people. No Che Guevera pig who rose up to try to free his people from an oppressive government. No cow has ever painted the Mona Lisa, and sheep has ever moved us with music like Mozart. They don't add to society's growth.
And neither does a Morlun family member. They are simply apex predators. They hunt for self satisfaction of power and hunger. They don't give us art, or philosophy, or greater learning or understanding. Killing them would be the same as killing a rabid coyote or wolf. As dumb as it was, back in the day, the Maximum Carnage storyline irritated the shit out of me for how often they had a chance to kill a symbiote, when not attached to Kasady or Brock, and wouldn't do it because Spidey doesn't kill. Ducking fumb is what I say.
But Spider-geddon showed that with all the cloning of the Morlun's, 'only' Daddy Morlun was that kind of energy vampire, and he made all his children really bad guys, so it wasn't there fault at all! I couldn't help but hurt my head with how much I eye-rolled through that. I can't determine if that was the worst type of deus ex machina, stupid pill prescription, or plain dumb....or even the best example of Spidey finding 'another way.'
In any case, I'm not impressed.
I suppose you could say 'But look, Peter DID find a way to not kill; a better way!' You could say that. The problem I have is that a) it wasn't written well enough to be that satisfactorily a good finish. The arc had the strength of a Paw Patrol coloring book for written merit. and b) nothing, anywhere, ever, would have led Spidey to believe that this was what he was pursuing. That the original bodies of the Morlun family were innocent souls.
Without going on any further in meandering free form thingking and brain vomit, I'll just reiterate-killing a parasite, or a predator, doesn't to me ever invalidate Superman or Spider-man's, or anyones!-no killing rule.
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