I was fortunate enough as a kid to get a read-along book/audio tape that told the origins of Spider-Man and the Hulk, as well as clip art books like MARVEL SAGA and THE SPIDER-MAN SAGA, reprints of the origin story and other early stories, as well as back issues from the Lee, Conway, Stern, Mantlo, and DeFalco runs.

Combined with the then-current stories, this allowed me to appreciate from an early age what made Spider-Man work, and what didn't, and to have a good understanding of-- and love for--Spider-Man's entire history.

Even as a kid, I revered the then-somewhat-unattainable Silver Age stories by Lee, Ditko, Kirby, etc.

Now that I can afford many of those pricy back issues which I'd always seen as a Holy Grail of sorts, it's been a real pleasure tracking them down.

As you said, Matt, it all depends on when you came in, and what you were exposed to.

Some of the most vocal (and youngest?) Spider-fans on the 'Net are those who either haven't even read the old stories, think said stories are "cheesy", or think that JMS' stories are the "best" Spider-Man stories that have ever been done.

Many of the most vocal (and youngest?) Spider-fans on the 'Net are those who either haven't even read the old stories, think said stories are "cheesy", or think that JMS' run and other such dreck are the "best" Spider-Man stories that have ever been done.

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I think a big part of it also comes from the fact that our tastes (at least my tastes) were not being influenced, either consciously or unconsciously by a barrage of internet opinions.  When I was a kid, I didn't know anyone else reading comics. I liked what I liked. When McFarlane, for example, came along, I had no idea that he was supposed to be the current hot artist. I just knew his work wasn't my cup of tea, and I really missed Ron Frenz. If there are any new readers who have come aboard in the last few years, have they even given the "old stuff" a chance?   

Greg Kirkman wrote: How long has it been since things went completely off the rails?

Well, I'd say things started going off the rails with the Clone Saga.  Maybe a little before.  There were peaks and valleys before that (pre and post marriage) but that's what started the ball rolling on trying to "fix the marriage problem."  (Oh, Glenn why couldn't you have been more convincing?)

I don't think it went completely off the rails until Sins Past though.  And between Norman Osborn poking Gwen Stacy, Spider-Man eating one of his enemies, and promising to kill the Kingpin after Aunt May died, all of the sudden Ben Reilly didn't seem so bad...

Sure, there are Essentials and such available for people interested in checking out the old stuff, but they're not being hyped as the newest, biggest, coolest thing around, like current stories are.

And the way kid/teen-culture is today, it seems like youths are automatically put down by their peers for expressing interest in anything more than two years old.

I've observed groups of people younger than myself talking about comics (at work, in comic shops/bookstores, etc.), and it often seems like they put down older stuff as "goofy" so as to look cool in front of their peers.

One young gent I work with has little experience with reading actual comics (aside from Watchmen), can't wait for The Dark Knight, and told me that he didn't have a problem with Galactus-the-cloud in FF2 because "a giant guy in a purple suit would be stupid". Ditto with the "yellow spandex" bit in the first X-Men film.

This is how a lot of kids think today. They're raised on (often poor) movie adaptations of comics, and are socialized into thinking that stories dealing with traditional superhero elements (colorful costumes, noble motives, fantastic situations) are stupid, and should be mocked, while the latest grim and "deconstructionist" stories should be praised.

All they know is what they're told. And in today's environment, what they're being told isn't all that positive.

1) Sacrificing one's own happiness (relationship) to bring back a loved one seems pretty noble to me.

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SER: Except they both must be brain damaged to believe that this would be the end result -- or that the end result is not potentially fraught with problems. This is the Devil, after all, whose stated reason for wanting their marriage is to enjoy their suffering. Who knows what the real reason might be!

IIt's like the line from Buffy when Spike steals Xander's clock radio, "And you're shocked, disappointed... I'm EVIL!"

This is an idiot plot.

And while I agree with Matt that it's great to have the marriage ended and the webshooters back, One More Day is like two idiots getting together and having a baby. Babies are nice but I'm going to be concerned about its well being given its parentage.

It's not like Quesada has conceded that Spider-Totems, Eye-Ball Snacks, and a Skanky Gwen Stacy are bad things.

Vampires...steal clock radios?

The good news is, Spider-Man is still alive and kicking, being published regularly by Marvel Comics.  Whether you love the new direction or hate it, eventually it'll swing back around to a story you'll like.

The bad news is it apparently wasn't well done (I haven't read any Spidey since the Clone Saga).  In my opinion, Spider-Man has been mishandled for years.  Yet the books sold.  How big a mistake could it be to have Spider-totems and the other plot threads mentioned above if the books sold so well?  The books sold.

The Spider-Man being published now isn't my Spider-Man.  He lives in long boxes out back.