We're smack in the middle of a long-running storyline and a big crossover, both of which had potential but I'm not sure are remembered fondly: the Spider-Clone Saga and Onslaught. Ben Reilley was the current Spider-Man, and allegedly the real Peter Parker. Peter had just lost his Aunt May, had nearly died himself, his spider-powers were intermittent and erratic, and Mary Jane was pregnant. I think we're up to six things that would be later reversed, and we're not done yet! Somebody in the government had the bright idea to deploy the Sentinels against Onslaught, and they were almost immediately taken over by him. The giant robots begin enforcing martial law, and demanding mutants and enhanced humans to surrender; and they see Peter as a threat immediately. Peter leaps out of there with MJ, but the Sentinel had called in back-up to give chase.
As another Sentinel attacks the Daily Bugle, Ben makes sure his new supporting cast is safe at the Daily Grind before suiting up. Peter tries to lead a Sentinel away from Mary Jane, noting the robot noting his unborn child could be powered, then his own powers crap out mid-fight. Still, as a lowly normo, he no longer registers as a threat to the Sentinel, who returns to its previous duties. At the Bugle, Jameson attempts to rally his staff, when word of a fight outside reaches him. That damn Spider--no, it's the heroic Green Goblin, taking on a Sentinel himself! (It would be Phil Urich's greatest, and final, victory...he wouldn't get any in his last issue.)
Peter and MJ get to the Bugle, with Peter trying to get a camera and get back out there. Meanwhile, Spidey scares down some looters, then fights a Sentinel, tearing apart its head! I think multiple robot corpses would be scattered across the city for the next few months; I know we saw one in Punisher #17, even if I didn't scan it.
So much rolled back from this issue! Also, we know Onslaught was Xavier and Magneto's, what, dark sides put together? Would he have wanted the Sentinels to keep cataloguing mutants? Or immediately start taking potshots at Peter, without giving him a chance to surrender? I'm probably nitpicking there; I've read the main issues and a lot of the crossovers, but never in order.
Both are DEFINITELY not looked back on fondly for various reasons, but I think the Onslaught stuff probably gets the better reaction of the two. I know I myself prefer the Onslaught stuff over the 90's Clone Saga because it didn't overstay its welcome and it shook up the status quo of the X-Men for quite awhile. In fact I'd say that's the one single event more than anything that was the true death kneel for the popular & fondly-remembered 90's era of the X-Men.
ReplyDeleteThe main negative against it is of course that it led to the now infamous Heroes Reborn project that was universally panned, even if not initially. Oh and here's another important knock against it; since Onslaught spawned HR, THAT in turn led to Marvel going bankrupt. Was it the sole reason it went bankrupt? No, but it was the final straw that drove it kicking & screaming into Chapter 11.
While Ben was a nice guy, he was doomed from the very beginning. No matter WHAT Marvel did to try and prop him up (New costume, new supporting cast, hiring Dan Jurgens away from DC) it was always going to fail. Poor bastard.