Alien Costume Saga
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"Alien Costume Saga" | |||
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Publisher | Marvel Comics | ||
Publication date | May 1984 – April 1985 | ||
Genre | |||
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The Alien Costume Saga is a superhero comic book story arc published by Marvel Comics and centred on the character Spider-Man. It was originally published in the comic book series The Amazing Spider-Man #252–263, The Spectacular Spider-Man #90–100, Marvel Team-Up #141–150 and Web of Spider-Man #1 from May 1984 to April 1985. It features Spider-Man wearing the alien costume he brought home from Battleworld during the Secret Wars limited series and his subsequent discovery that the new costume is alive.
Creation
The idea for a new costume for Spider-Man (which would later become the separate character Venom) was conceived of by a Marvel Comics reader from Norridge, Illinois named Randy Schueller.[1] Marvel purchased the idea for $220.00 after then-editor-in-chief Jim Shooter sent Schueller a letter acknowledging Marvel's desire to acquire the idea from him in 1982. Schueller's design was then modified by Mike Zeck, becoming the "Symbiote" costume.[2]
Shooter came up with the idea of switching Spider-Man to a black-and-white costume with artists Mike Zeck and
By mid-1984, Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz took over scripting and penciling Amazing Spider-Man. Issue #252 (May 1984) saw the first appearance in the title of Spider-Man's black costume, which the hero would wear almost exclusively for the next four years' worth of comics; issue #258 (Nov. 1984) revealed that the black costume is a living being, an alien of the Symbiote species. Al Milgrom took over scripting and art on sister title The Spectacular Spider-Man with issue #90 (May 1984) and worked on it through #100 (March 1985).[5] Upon taking a serious look at sales figures for Marvel Team-Up, which featured Spider-Man partnering with a rotating guest character, Marvel's editorial staff found that sales dramatically rose or fell with each issue depending solely on the popularity of that issue's co-star. Taking this into consideration, Shooter concluded that it would make more sense to have another Spider-Man solo series with guest stars appearing when the storyline and or promotional needs called for it, rather than a team-up series which unnaturally forced guest-stars upon the story.[citation needed]
Marvel Team-Up ended with issue #150 (February 1985), to be replaced by new series Web of Spider-Man. This was launched with an April 1985 cover dated issue by writer Louise Simonson and penciller Greg LaRocque[5] The first issue featured a cover painting by artist Charles Vess, and contained the return of the alien black costume, which attempted to rebond with Peter Parker. He managed to rid himself of the costume again using church bells and the alien was presumed to have died after that.[6]
Plot
Following the
Spider-Man asks
Aftermath
Following the symbiote's apparent destruction, Spider-Man starts wearing a cloth version of the black costume that was given to him by the Black Cat.[7] Later, it is revealed the symbiote survived and stays in the church until it bonds with disgraced Daily Globe reporter Eddie Brock, who blames Spider-Man for the demise of his career, and becomes Venom to seek revenge on Spider-Man. After defeating Venom, Spider-Man officially returns to his original red-and-blue costume.[8]
Collected editions
The Amazing Spider-Man #252–259 was printed into a graphic novel in 1988 called The Amazing Spider-Man: The Saga of the Alien Costume. Later, two trade paperbacks, titled The Amazing Spider-Man: The Complete Alien Costume Saga were released; they contained The Amazing Spider-Man #252–263, Marvel Team-Up #141–150, The Spectacular Spider-Man #90–100 and Web of Spider-Man #1. The Amazing Spider-Man #252-259 & Web of Spider-Man #1 were also reprinted in Spider-Man: The Birth of Venom which tell the origin of Venom.
Title | Material collected | Published date | ISBN |
---|---|---|---|
The Amazing Spider-Man: The Saga of the Alien Costume | Amazing Spider-Man #252–259 | March 1991 | 978-0871353962 |
Spider-Man: The Birth of Venom | Amazing Spider-Man #252-259 and #298-300, 315-317, Secret Wars #8, Fantastic Four #274, Web of Spider-Man #1 | April 2007 | 978-0785124986 |
The Amazing Spider-Man: The Complete Alien Costume Saga Book One | Amazing Spider-Man #252-258, Marvel Team-Up #141-145, Annual #7, Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #90-95 | August 2014 | 978-0785188674 |
The Amazing Spider-Man: The Complete Alien Costume Saga Book Two | Amazing Spider-Man #259-263, Marvel Team-Up #146-150, Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #96-100, Annual #4, Web of Spider-Man #1 | April 2015 | 978-0785190035 |
Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 24 | Amazing Spider-Man #252-262, Annual #18 | December 2022 | 978-1302933265 |
In other media
Television
- The "Alien Costume Saga" was loosely adapted into the Spider-Man: The Venom Saga.[9]Differences in the plot include the symbiote coming from the Promethium X asteroid instead of Battleworld like in the Secret Wars comic book. The symbiote also gave Spider-Man a more aggressive attitude instead of making him tired and drained, the first official media to do this approach to the symbiote. Instead of Mr. Fantastic as in the comic book, Spider-Man went to Curt Connors for help.
- The "Alien Costume Saga" was loosely adapted into The Spectacular Spider-Man in three episodes; "Persona", "Group Therapy" and "Intervention". The symbiote makes Peter Parker tired and drained and slips onto Parker while he is sleeping before a battle with the Sinister Six. As in "Web of Spider-Man #1", Parker uses the church bell to force the symbiote off of him.
Film
- The "Alien Costume Saga" was loosely adapted into Sandman and Venom, Peter uses a pumpkin bomb to destroy the symbiote while Brock dives after it, killing them both.[10]
References
- ^ Cronin, Brian (May 16, 2007). "Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed Extra: Randy Schueller's Brush With Comic History |". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
- ^ August 3, 1982 letter from Jim Shooter to Randy Schueller Archived November 4, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. Comic Book Resources. Retrieved November 21, 2011
- David, Peter (June 4, 1993). "The Wacko Theory", Comics Buyer's Guide, Reprinted in the collection But I Digress (1994). pp. 104-106
- ^ Byrne, John. "How is it that JB "created" Venom?" Archived September 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. "Frequently Asked Questions". Byrne Robotics, accessed July 2, 2011.
- ^ ISBN 9781409384083.
- ISBN 978-0762437726.
Having fantasy artist Charles Vess illustrate the first cover to Web of Spider-Man also announced that this [series] was something unique.
- Spectacular Spider-Man, vol. 1, no. 99 (February 1985). Marvel Comics.
- Amazing Spider-Man, vol. 1, no. 298-300 (March-May 1988). Marvel Comics.
- ^ "Spider-Man: The Venom Saga". Amazon. 7 June 2005.
- ^ "Spider-Man 3". Spider-Man (2002-2007 film series). Spider-Man 3. May 4, 2007.