Transcript: Spiderman

Bif Bam Pow Wow
Episode “Spiderman”

Tom: Hey my friend, if you’re not already suffering form arachnophobia from al the Spidey hype this year. Well the crawl on up to the screen for my take on all things Spiderman. Thwit baby!
Well hello my little darlings and welcome to another exciting installment of Bif Bam Pow Wow. I am creepy, I am crawly, and I am Tom, your amazing, spectacular and sensational host for your foray into geek culture.
Now Spiderman has always been ranked among the best dressed as far as super heroes go. And the other day the question came up: Tom, um, what’s your favorite Spiderman costume? Well I had to give this some thought, a little more than I usually do to stupid questions and I eventually came up with an answer. And today I am going to go little Joan Rivers on us.
Now most of you all are familiar with the classic red and blue spider man costume, which first appeared in amazing fantasy #15, summer of 1962. But there have been some interesting variations recently. Such as the scarlet spider, spawned by the clone saga. The black costume from secret wars #8. And what’s known as the iron Spidey, a new outfit debuted in the amazing Spiderman issue #529, Mr. Parker, Mr. Washington.
So if I could pick my favorite, well we all think the black costume is cool right? Iron Spidey is all right, he has got all those arms. Scarlet spider, clone saga, a little painful. I guess I got to go classic red and blue. That to me just says swinging through the streets of Manhattan, right?
So you asked for it, you got it. If you would like to rate my wardrobe, just bring it on. In the meantime I have got some spiderific recommendations for you.
First off for you Spiderman aficionados, I want to recommend a little book called ultimate Spiderman. No I know what your thinking, your thinking, ultimate Spiderman? That’s like, not even part of the regular marvel universe. Why would I ever want to read this? But I am going to tell you. Brian Michael Bendis has done some of his best work right here. Alright, highly recommended, Spiderman is a kid again. Everything that is interesting about Spiderman is in this book. Everything you have ever enjoyed about the character is this right here. Highly recommended if you have ever been hesitant, pick it up. Start with volume one, there is a whole bunch of these out there. Bendis is a writing machine and this baby rocks.
Now something also a little more recent, I highly recommend the Spiderman story from the civil war. This is Spiderman up to date. This, you need to read this if you are going to keep reading Spiderman, currently. This is where the marvel universe is going this year. And if you don’t now what’s going on in spidey's life, you need to know. Read this. Alright my friends?
Now, as a special pick, on DVD I know it’s out there and you can find it. The little box set with all the Spiderman cartoons from the sixties. That’s the stuff that gave s little theme song that we all know and live. You know, Spiderman, Spiderman, friendly neighborhood Spiderman. Go find it, they are cheesy, they are terrible, they are fantastic, and I love them. I could watch them again, and again, and again, alright?
Now, it may not be Spiderman specific, but I am going to recommend it anyway. This is ultimate alliances, a little video game. I got mine for the Xbox because that’s what I have, alright haven’t upgraded to 360, but I am working on it. I don’t make a lot of money here ok people. Don’t look at me like I should be Rockefeller. Ultimate alliances, you can be any marvel character. There is like 5 marvel characters that you can be. One of them Spidey, very good highly recommended. Good team put him on your tea, ultimate alliances, good stuff.
Now ladies and gentleman, the back issue of the week. The most common misconception I get here at the store, I that amazing Spiderman #1 is the first appearance of Spiderman. This I so false, amazing Spiderman #1 is not the first appearance of Spiderman. Amazing fantasy 15 from the summer of 1962 alright? That was an ice short little Spiderman story. Spidey’s on the cover, he is swinging, he is carrying that dude who’s going no!
Alright, what can you expect, the first issue, the first appearance of Spiderman, amazing fantasy 15, might be worth. Alright, in rally good condition I have seen this book upwards of forty to fifty thousand. I know it has gone for more than that But I have also seen, touched and read a copy that was basically falling apart in my hands. And it went for $1900. This is a true collector’s item. One of those rare books that will always maintain value. Always go up in value, if you are looking to invest in comics, this might be a good place to start.
And now the bottom of the barrel, Spidey stories to avoid. I am sorry Kevin Smith, I am so sorry. You are a really good write. You have had some great runs on some great comics. But your black cat story, it was terrible, it was awful. Even with Terry Dodson’s amazing artwork. And Terry Dodson draws some of the best looking girls in comics, stated, true. But Kevin, dude you made us wait so long for this, how long did it take for issue six to come out? Like a year and a half, dude. Painful, just painful. Brutal, not worth it. Keep your money in your pocket for this one.
And finally I will say, everybody was so excited about this one, Spiderman reign. This was written by a really god writer, Andy Digel, who I really like. And his Atom strange work, totally worth checking out. But this, the art was kind of cool, but it is basically a Dark Knight Returns rip-off. Everyone’s so excited about it but it’s just not that good. Just not that god, painful. Oh and as a side bar, this little beauty was dedicated to Sid Fischer, a fantastic artist who died way too soon. He fell off the top of a bar in Japan, what happened with that?
Now don’t go anywhere Gwen Stacy or you might get your neck snapped. What we got coming up for you is a little sit down we had with one of the new hot artist in the biz. That’s right, the creator of Spiderman legend of the spider clan, Scottie Young.
Scottie Young: My name is Scottie Young and I primarily draw comic books for marvel comics. I have been doing that for about six years.
Q: If you could give Spiderman an extreme makeover, What would you change?
Scottie Young: Personally I would get rid of all the webbing in his costume, because it’s terrible to draw. It’s so annoying to draw, but I don’t now, it is a hard question ,it really is a really good design.
Q: What is your favorite Spiderman outfit?
Scottie Young: I love the black costume. I just think it’s, I like the idea of ha because it played around not only with the visuals of him looking darker and slicer but it also added an element of darkness to the character himself. Kind of this clean cut school boy, this costume takes him away from that a little bit and starts to take him to a darker place. So I liked that aspect of the darker costume.
Q: If you could give Spiderman one new power, what would it be?
Scottie Young: One power that would be tough, maybe like regeneration. I don’t know, like cut an arm off and grow it back.
Q: Does it bother you if people refer to your style as “American manga”.
Scottie Young: I wouldn’t say it bother me, I definitely learned over the years, my style of drawing no matter how I change it or do this or that. Is always a little hot or old with people. So I don’t let it bother me. I always understand why they make the distinction. As long as they are talking abut my stuff I am cool, It’s all good. I don’t care what they categorize me in.
Tom: Well that’s all the time we have, my parting words of wisdom today come courtesy of Eddie Brock. Never wound, what you cannot kill, indeed.