Posted in: Comics | Tagged: chip zdarsky, mark bagley, marvel, spider-man, spider-man: life story

Mark Bagley and Chip Zdarsky Launch a Mini-Series Where Spider-Man Ages in Real Time

Published Wed, 12 Dec 2018 12:59:46 -0600

Last updated Wed, 12 Dec 2018 13:04:55 -0600

Giving us a glimpse of a world where Marvel's storytelling didn't play second-fiddle to Disney's desire to keep its valuable intellectual property in pristine condition, Marvel announced plans to launch a new mini-series featuring Spider-Man from the creative team of Chip Zdarsky and Mark Bagley. Spider-Man: Life Story is a six-issue mini that launches in March, and a press release from Marvel provides more details:

In 1962, the world watched as teenager Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider…allowing him to become the Amazing Spider-Man! It's been fifty-seven years since the AMAZING FANTASY #15, the story that brought everyone's favorite wall-crawler into the Marvel Universe and jumpstarted some of the most adventurous super hero stories ever — but what if Spider-Man had aged at the same rate as our world?

Join acclaimed writer Chip Zdarsky (Peter Parker Spectacular Spider-Man, Marvel 2-In-One) and superstar Spider-Man artist Mark Bagley (Amazing Spider-Man, Ultimate Spider-Man) for SPIDER-MAN: LIFE STORY – a tale encompassing the entire history of Spider-Man from beginning to end, set against the key events of each decade! As the series kicks off in March, the year is 1966, and Peter Parker must determine where his power and responsibility truly lies as the nation becomes embroiled in the Vietnam War.

Said Zdarsky in the press release:

I guess I'm just not done with Spidey! This is an idea I've had since I first started working for Marvel, something that explores the characters and the Marvel universe on a deeper level, where time changes both the characters and the world. Being able to span decades with one of the most iconic Spider-Man artists ever, Mark Bagley, is surreal. He's creating fresh takes on classic characters and moments in really dynamic ways.

Marvel refers to the series in its press release as a "special, high-end limited series, debuting as part of the celebration of Marvel's 80th anniversary," so though there is no price listed, we can probably assume it will cost more than 4 bucks an issue, but with the story spanning decades, it will be the least decompressed thing Marvel has put out in twenty years, which might make up for it.