<<Assuming you remember that far back...  in Name of the Rose, you had Richard Fisk become a "young Kingpin."  When Terry Kavanaugh did the follow-up story, he revealed that the Richard Fisk who had become the Kingpin was actually Richard's friend Alfredo.  Was that your original plan or did Terry come up with that on his own?>>

I can barely remember what I had for lunch--and I just finished! Having said that...if Terry wrote it--it was probably HIS idea! I talkto to him just about every day, so I'll ask.

Howard

<<You have to keep something in mind: the whole impetus behind the Clone
Saga was to get Spider-Man back to his roots. >>

Thank you, Glenn. This point is frequently overlooked.

H

<<But, of course, I can't forget the problems. Infinite lenght: 2 years. I mean, 2 years! In the early months I was reading a 2 parter entitled "Players and pawns". I thought "So, how many months should this storyline go on?". I couldn't imagine, on a Spider-Man comic book, a storyline which hadn't a planned finale ready to be released soon.>>

As I may have said here in the past--a forgive me if I repeat myself-- I recently found my notes from the original meeting at which what went on to be called the CLONE SAGA was developed. The original story--as presented by the WRITERS-- was to last three months spread over the 4 existing titles. It was to have begun and end in 12 ISSUES!

Howard

Another thing that should be noted: JMS added insult to injury to the whole thing by establishing that in all the time they were together, Gwen and Peter never slept with each other. That's right--she never slept with her longtime boyfriend, but she had no problem going to bed with Norman Osborn in the heat of the moment.

And JMS REALLY didn't understand what kind of message that would be sending out about Gwen?

++++++++++

As I've noted before, Sins Past really touched a nerve with me, so much so that I went a little nuts and wrote the massive essay linked to in my JBF signature. And, if I may be so bold, it may very well be the most extensive and all-encompassing essay on Sins Past and/or Gwen Stacy ever written.

In doing extensive research on Spider-Man's entire history for the essay, I found more than a few hints that Peter and Gwen had a physical relationship, both in the days of Lee and Conway, as well as later on, when other writers examined their relationship. I think I also proved without a shadow of a doubt just how ill-conceived Sins Past was, from timeline problems to blatant mischaracterization, to JMS' deliberate rewriting of Spider-Man's history (as opposed to "just" inserting "new" details in-between existing stories).

As you said, Glenn, it makes absolutely no sense it all. Gwen never had sex with Peter, but went to bed  (hopefully while she and Peter were on the outs; JMS never said either way) with a man twice her age (who may even have deflowered her) because "it just happened"?

The author of Squandered Legacy also wrote a few articles on the subject, and even though I don't agree with everything they have to say, they're still interesting reading:

http://www.spideykicksbutt.com/GreenwithEvil/DeFloweringGwen .html

http://www.spideykicksbutt.com/GreenwithEvil/CultofGwen.html