Видео

Its crazy, but it has almost been a year since issue 1 came out, hasn't it? For me it's crazy but it feels like it was just yesterday. I guess time flies when you're having a good time!

Yeah, I don't think the majority of comic book readers (although that number seems to be getting smaller and smaller as the years go by) will ever really abandon 616 Spider-man. That said, I dropped that series like a rock after Ultimate Spider-man started coming out, and haven't looked back since.

@hardreseto Yeah the only reason why I'd pick it up or just watch something about it will be to see the "downfall" of it. A bit like with suicide squad kills the justice league

@Darkzilla1125 I think for me, I'll just rely on other people's summaries and the occasional review/article to see what's up with 616 Spider-man. And Dude! I avoided Suicide Kills the Justice League like the plague... Can't believe they made Rocksteady make that game...

@hardreseto can't believe it either, especially when they have so many other characters they could have done or at least come up with a different story

Yeah I think we both had similar journeys with Ultimate Spider-man. I totally get being cautious after how Spider-man has been in recent years.... Like you said though, its been such a great surprise and its so great to be excited about Spider-man again!

Thank you for the kind words! And I agree, totally, that there's a lot of negative content around surrounding Spider-Man. I actually had a video in the works for a year or so, but just couldn't bring myself to make it. Ultimate Spider-man brought all those great qualities that you mentioned, and made me really get excited for and love Spider-man again. I really love the comparison to Peter Pan that you make, because darn is it true. Appreciate the sub! Hopefully there's more content that's relevant to you that'll pop up here real soon!

On the subject of Hyung Tae Kim and his awesome designs, I realized AFTER I had beaten Stellar Blade and made this video, that he also worked on the character designs for Magna Carta (an RPG series that I need to revisit one day). He's always been great at Character design! Yeah, I think the great character designs, and generally superb visuals do help, and as you said, draw people in, but There's a really solid game with deep combat, amazing music, great open world gameplay and surprisingly... Third person shooter segments as well, that makes for why this game was and is so successful. Wish it had gotten some nods beyond PlayStation Blog, for Awards this year, but oh well.. At least it sold really well!

Thank you! And yeah, totally fine to disagree on the story. I'm actually glad the story did it for you! :)

True. I showed it off in the video. What's crazy to me is that ShiftUP made a new animation for the Nier Collaboration, where there's a new type of can you can pickup.

Nice! I've generally selectively liked both DC and Marvel, but its awesome to hear that Ultimate is pulling in more general comic fans like yourself! :)

100% agreed. It was a real breath of fresh air, especially when it came out, which felt like the real rough times as far as Spider-man is concerned.

Nice! I'm working through NG+ after all the new updates. Its been quite a fun experience. And yes, I also can't wait for the next game!

Yeah, I think for many fans, he's been an integral part of our lives.

Great choice! Let me know your thoughts when you read through it!

Agreed! Its been great so far!

Thank you for the kind words! I actually would love to tell you the actual track for the background, but its a combination of a few tracks I paid for from Epidemic Sound + Artlist.IO (Both subscription services for Royalty Free music). I can't say I remember what tracks I used in this video, but I'll try and track it down, and then in the future add the background music to the credits of the video.

Thank you for the kind words! Let me know what you think when you give it a read! :)

Yeah, both of those were awesome. I've always wondered why neither caught on, but it is what it is. Maybe the Spider-man fans weren't ready, maybe the marketing push wasn't there? No idea, but it seems like Ultimate Spider-man finally took the idea of a grown, evolved Peter, and was also sucessful with it! :)

Totally fine to disagree! I honestly didn't find the story all that deep or original. Nier I think, did the whole idea better and was first, so when Stellar Blade did come out, it was retreading familiar ground. For me, I think the gameplay and fun of the game, combined with those excellent boss fights and that insanely addicting combat, is what makes the game so awesome. I may be wrong, and I'm glad you enjoyed the story to the degree that you did. And honestly, I think there's a lot of potential in the storytelling, one that I expect Shift Up will improve in a potential sequel.

Excellent point about the Photo Mode, which came out after I made this video. I think I'll do a smaller video on Stellar Blade and all the post launch support that SHIFT UP has been giving the game, its been fantastic! And yeah, thinking back on this year, Its so insane that Stellar Blade didn't get more awards and accolades. Its the sort of game that, as you said, sticks with you long after you're doing playing it!

I do too, but I'm not sure if I'd call Superior the best Spiderman. Its a really interesting premise, Doc Ock taking over Peter's body and trying to become Spider-Man, but its not really the true essence of Spider-man, since Peter's kinda not there.

Totally! Let me know what you think when you end up getting it and reading through it all!

I applaud you for keeping the hope. I've given up on 616 and am just going to continue to follow and enjoy Ultimate haha.

The more I think back to this game and GOTY this year, the more I feel like despite how much success and a fan following this game got, it still got snubbed overall. If Shadow of the Erdtree can get nominated for GOTY in 2024, then honestly, Lies of P Deserved a shout out in 2023.

@@hardreseto I think if the next game is as good as this one they'll finally get their recognition

@@jermainerucker2027 Agreed! Also I think their DLC is going to make some waves whenever it comes out!

Agreed! I think one of the most impressive parts of being an adult, is the balancing act that you have to play. This version of Peter is an inspiration for a lot of us who are trying to juggle all these different things! I liked your comment about Harry and Peter too, and how they form a very "adult" friendship. Its something that's also SUPER hard to do these days!

Yeah race swapping is always weird to me. Why not just make a new character instead of modifying the old one? Especially if its a beloved character. That said, the Ultimate Black Cat and Felicia hasn't really done much yet, despite her being on the cover, so I'm going to hold my judgement. The rest of the comics have gotten enough good will for me, that I'm giving this whole thing a chance...

Ehh who cares it’s not like he’s getting with her tho I do miss her silver hair but she seemed ok for the one panel she was in

First of all, Thank you for the kind words! It always makes my day when people enjoy watching my work! Also, I totally get you, I almost wouldn't mind a Superior Alternate line or something. I feel like Dan Slott really hit his stride with Superior and that whole idea, and I agree that the stuff afterwards like Big Time and what not, felt a bit less interesting and hollow. Then like I mentioned in the video, the Nick Spencer and Zeb Wells stuff really cratered things. That said, the Ultimate line is awesome, and I agree that its a nice jumping on point for new readers as well. Hopefully it continues to bring in new readers and older jaded readers (like me) back to comics. I wouldn't mind the "Ultimate" line being the main line for Marvel Comics!

I think I had just been burned for so long with ASM, or different takes like Renew Your Vows just not working out, that it almost felt too good to be true. That said, totally agree with you on USM and the first 11 issues! I'm really digging the slow pace, as its not only helping keep the story interesting, but it makes me feel like there's a lot of stuff to come!

@@hardreseto Definitely! What got me so invested in the ASM title from the beginning to a portion of the modern era, was the progression of Peter being a teenager growing into adulthood, as well as his world growing concurrently with him advertently or inadvertently. You grew along with him, I saw myself in the character through each of those stages in his life. I'm 29 now, and the current USM title is doing what made me love the character and the world around him in the first place. I think what I really enjoy about this run is the fact that we get see Peter face the uncertainty that comes with him choosing to be Spider-Man. He’s gone from testing the waters, pushing past his comfort zone, to being confident with his capabilities. Knowing first hand that he can oppose the people that want to harm others. But when it comes down to it, it’s not a guarantee that he’ll be prepared for the consequences of his actions. No matter how much Peter will try to make sure nothing happens to the ones he loves, he can’t confirm that he’ll know when he’s way over his head. Not until it’s too late, but for Peter, it’s not just himself he has to think about. He’s doing what’s right yes, but at the cost of his families safety and MJ may support his decision and is proud of Peter for it. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t acknowledge how precarious there situation is being affiliated with a vigilante whose targeted the Mayor and his network throughout Manhattan. That’s why I like what Ben said to him, he admires Peter’s decision in doing what’s right, but can he say that when push comes to shove, when death comes knocking at his door he’ll be okay with the causality of being Spider-Man? Ben has lived a full life so he’s ready to face that if it comes down to doing what is right. It’s something Peter has to conflict with, and acknowledges that even though he knows what he is doing is the right thing to do, he can’t confidently say it’s right for his families peace and tranquility. But if he doesn’t try, his family’s safety will be in danger anyway. It’s a catch 22, but he’s continues forward because that's who he is. That's what's great about the character; he understands the responsibility that comes with being Spider-Man, but I think it won't really set in until something more then just the threat looming over him comes forward, maybe it ill be Harry's transition to an anti-hero to villain, or the AI inside his picotech suit becoming Venom, or the Sinister Six targeting his family. Whatever the outcome will be, that's the moment that will change how he perceives what Harry said, and I think it's coming soon.

@@dayneschwarz8437 Yeah I think there's a lot of fun stuff that's being built on, as we're most referring to issue 11 here. I LOVE how the story is using Ben Parker here, and how quickly we dispense with the whole Uncle Ben doesn't know who Spider-Man is. If they figured out the Green Goblin, then Peter was going to get figured out as well. I wonder if Jonah also knows? That said, I think you're very right in that Peter and his whole family are going to be tested with his decision at SOME point. That'll be one of the big payoffs of the story, that's been setup all the way back in issue 1, when Peter was wondering whether he wanted to be Spider-man or not.

@@hardreseto Ben mentioned that Jonah hasn't figured it out yet, but in time he has confidence he will connect the dots. I'm really looking froward to the setup coming full circle when the time comes. Especially when it comes to Harry. Seeing Peter’s and Harry’s views come into play was interesting, because from Peter’s perspective he believed that he and Harry were inherently on the same page. Now Peter has seen Harry’s position on what he’s willing to do to prevent people like Hardy, (as he was the first member of the SS to target them) to not only stop him from harming the people of New York but also for the people he cares about. They’ve reached a point that now has built a contentious relationship in their views in morality, and for Peter he’s going to try and prevent Harry from going down the path most people will take when you’re given power that can corrupt absolutley. Harry is on the cusp of crossing that line, and Peter will do whatever it takes to help him not go down that road, or stop him if he has to. Either way, Peter now knows he needs to keep his guard up. Now that Walter is no longer hospitalized, seeing Felicia taking up the mantle of the Black Cat for the sake of keeping the territory her father has consolidated is interesting. She’ll definitely have a personal vendetta for Peter and Harry, because from her perspective they’re responsible for her father’s circumstances. But at the same time, it doesn't seem like she wanted to be placed in that position in the first place, based on her body language from the last issue. But will see as the run continues. Either way, the familial relationships with the supportive cast, and the internal struggles of where Peter stands as a vigilante and as a father has been fantastic!

I mean, That certainly helped haha. Especially with the latest update and what not.

I'm glad you found that useful. I myself actually went through and missed out on the context from the other comics, so I'm very much of the opinion that people should know about what less ties in and is almost required reading. I'd argue even Superior Spider-man got dark at times, but it was I think when Dan Slott was doing his best work, and was having fun with Otto Spidey. Totally hear you on Spider-Man comics being depressing. I actually had this video that I had been working on for a good chunk of last year that was all about how Spider-Man was broken and how tragic it was, but Ultimate Spider-Man I feel, kinda removes the need for something that negative. Let me know what you think when you pick up the comics and read through em!

@hardreseto i think I'll be starting it this weekend. Don't get me wrong, Superior Spiderman was dope but it will be nice to not need a Xanex to make it through an issue of a Spiderman comic for once. 😅

Oh man, you really big up a larger issue with comics, and that's onboarding not only new readers, but lapsed readers. Its why even the most jaded Spider-Man fans will sometimes keep up with the comics in some form, in case they wanna jump back in. After One More Day, I too kept up with Spider-Man via recaps, and then jumped in for a bit with Superior Spider-Man, and then went off and on. Yeah I don't get this whole "miserable, pathetic" Peter is relatable thing. It just seems so nihilistic and weird, and its strange that the Editorial team behind the Spider-Man comics keep pushing this idea. You know, I never quite viewed Spiderverse and as Miles going against some of the "messier" aspects of what makes Spider-Man Spider-Man. Its a really solid thought, and something that goes beyond just all "Spider-man" have cannon events idea, that's kinda floated on the surface. Honestly, I think one of the reasons why Peter feels like Peter, and Spider-Man feels like Spider-man despite all the changes, is because there's some hope and happiness in this comic alongside the challenges. That used to be a huge part of Spider-Man, not sure why it got removed haha. Glad you found the video useful, let me know if you end up reading the comic series itself, and what you end up thinking of it, if you do!

Not there's one good one, but which one in particular are you referring to?

I haven't followed Hickman in a long time, I remember people saying they loved his run on X-Men. Was a bit too out there for me, but I'm loving what he's doing with Ultimate Spider-Man and this new Ultimate Universe.

I mean, I'd love that. I definitely want to see the old Ultimate Universe come back. That said, I think the little scenes with the Maker at the end of the King in Black storyline in Venom, shows the old Ultimate Universe, so that may not be the case.

Yeah Shoutout to the MC2 and Spider Girl. Sad that that Universe didn't catch on.

You know what's crazy? I didn't make that connection! You just blew my mind with this comment! That artwork and variant cover is 100% cooler now that I see it in that lens!

I think you're misunderstanding. I'm not talking about the old 2000s era Ultimate SPider-man. This comic series is in a different universe, and is more closer to the 616 Prime Universe, but with some added twists. Give the video a watch, you might find yourself interested in what's being covered here :)

@@hardresetooh the new ultimate universe? Haven’t checked it out but I’m glad to hear you like it! Yeah sorry haven’t had the time to watch much yet

@@hardresetoI highly doubt it’s the best run of spiderman but I’m interested

Just finished the video… you said absolutely nothing to convince me that this is the best Spider-Man so everything I said seems to still apply It certainly sounds cool though and great video!

@@aroccoification Hey that's totally fine. Glad you liked the video! We can agree to disagree. Compared to the 616 Spiderman and the more recent Spiderman incarnations, I like this new Ultimate Spider-man a lot.

I also feel like Ultimates is a better name than "Avengers" but that's a whole different topic haha.

I definitely felt this myself. I'd been falling off of comics, only picking up the occasional weird thing like Radiant Black or what not. But Marvel and DC both are bringing it back. I haven't tried Transformers Skybound, so I definitely need to check that out! And Thank you for the kind words! Definitely makes my day whenever I see someone like the work I put into this!

@@hardreseto My pleasure! 👍🏻

Totally! I've been mentioning this all over Twitter but man it feels wrong to have not given a nod to Stellar Blade if Wukong got nominated...

Yeah One Year just release and I have to jump into it. Still catching up on some of the other comics in the Ultimate Universe (I have yet to read Black Panther) but I also enjoyed everything else I read, and am REALLY excited for Ultimate Wolverine.

It was a solid run, and I have fond memories of it. That said, I think its fairly different from the 616 universe, so the original fan in me does feel like we lost some things with the Ultimate Spider-Man that Bendis crafted. Excellent story, but a very different timeline and characters.

I mean, It definitely brought us some "memorable" moments. Personally I thought Spider-Man 2 was the peak of the Raimi Trilogy.

It definitely has elements of the whole family approach you mention, but it's also actually pretty focused on Peter, at least for the first 10 issues. Peter's family really is a supporting cast for the most part. That said, I fully expect the family stuff to have a huge focus as the series goes on!

Totally agreed! Its been a long time coming!

Can't say I agree with you, but hey, if you like 616 Spider-man comics, more power to you. It seems like the Spider-man Editorial Team over at Marvel Comics are doing something right for some fans!

I mean, you love what you love. Totally cool to love something that perhaps others and most people don't! :)

Clone Saga was a dark time for a bit, even if it did get decent in between before spiraling out of control again. Agreed on this Ultimate Spider-man. Hopefully it continues to do well, and continues to outsell the main 616 Version.

Passive agressiveness aside, I really do want to know why you think that Ultimate Spider-man is the worst?

@@hardreseto because it is indeed the worst. it is the run that is the most obsessed with destroying peter parker and replacing him with miles.

@hardreseto not to mention how awful and nonsensical the story is.

@@dannyd4339 I think you're referring to the Ultimate Spider-Man comics from the early 2000s (Though I disagree with you on that being the worst version too). There's no Miles Morales in this latest version (as of now). Take a look at the video or try out the new Ultimate Spider-man comics, they're very different from what you are thinking of.

@hardreseto it is just a retelling. it will all culminate the same way

Oh man, you had it good with the comics. I started with the 1990s Animated show, and then basically had a off and on relationship with Spider-man. The comics were really rough in the 90s and I agree that Ultimate Spiderman at the time, really brought things back. As someone ALSO in his 30s, I'm really digging Ultimate Spider-man as well!

Yeah I think for a lot of us long time Spider-man fans, this has been the case. I was off and on with Spider-man as well. I'd either get trades on sale or just read/watch videos about whatever was happening to Spider-man. I did give the Nick Spencer run a shot, and MAN did that burn me. Also agreed on the Absolute Universe over at DC. I'm waiting for a few issues to pile up before I do a video on Absolute Batman (for sure).

@@hardreseto I totally agree, even comics like One More Day like you mentioned have set the character back instead of forward. At the same time, it doesn’t make any sense for Peter to be in the same position throughout the years when they keep adding all these spider-men’s into the 616 universe, that should make his life easier not worse. Comic historians were also a huge help in keeping tabs on these awful storylines, rip to Ben. I will subscribe and wait for your absolute video .

No disagreements there. I think the market and the success of Stellar Blade kinda only argue for your point. Reality is reality, and money talks, so I think Game Devs and Publishers are getting the message.