Why You're Wrong About Spider-Man: One More Day
Has there ever been a more controversial Marvel retcon?
If there is one character who has always been a magnet for controversial storylines in the Marvel Universe, it has got to be Spider-Man. Typically being labeled as the most popular hero in Marvel’s history ever since his debut, it is only natural that any shifts to the character would be met with fan-backlash. From his time morphing into a giant spider, the entirety of the Clone Saga and to more recent events with Doctor Octopus taking over the mantle, controversy has been ever-present. However, the storyline that caused the biggest stir was none other than One More Day.
On paper, the controversy is easy to write off as fan outrage from those unable to cope or care about a new direction for their favorite character. It happens all the time with any shift in entertainment and Spider-Man specifically has a new controversy every 5-10 years. The reason One More Day was - and still very much is - controversial, comes from what the change meant.
The simplest yet largest problem was ultimately the fact that Spider-Man’s popularity had led to so much history before that point. Peter had never had a proper time to reboot. While other heroes had the Heroes Reborn initiative, Peter Parker was playing three card monte to figure out who was a clone during the 1990s, but that still advanced his character at the very least. He had become an Avenger, moved into Stark Tower with Aunt May and his wife, Mary Jane. He was moving forward.
Even the storyline The Other, which gave Spider-Man a more mystical side to his mythology, as well as killing him to give him organic webshooters, had bred a new angle which is still being mined for story ideas to this day. So why is One More Day still so reviled?