Clone Madness (Epilogue)

So now it’s time for me to deliver my final verdict on THE CLONE SAGA as a whole. As I stated back in my first CLONE MADNESS review, THE CLONE SAGA is quite easily one of the most controversial and infamous comic in both Spider-Man and comic book history. In fact, before the abomination known as ONE MORE DAY came out, this was undoubtedly the most hated and despised story in Spidey’s mythos, and is still believed to be a complete mess that was an insult and ruination to Spider-Man’s character. Do I agree with those statements? Not entirely… 

While I freely admit that the saga is plagued with problems, as it went on for way too long, suffered heavily from marketing interference, and did produce some truly awful story lines like SMOKE AND MIRRORS, THE TRIAL OF PETER PARKER, and especially MAXIMUM CLONAGE, in all honesty, I do not hate THE CLONE SAGA. Unlike something like ONE MORE DAY, where there was no evidence of effort or respect to Spidey’s fan base, I saw signs of genuine effort and creativity from the writers of the saga. While they were ultimately setback by the marketing department and Marvel’s approaching bankruptcy, they still wanted to tell an epic story line that not only revitalized Spidey’s mythos, but also brought him back to the roots that made him a great character in the first place. Signs of this effort were present throughout THE CLONE SAGA in stories such as THE EXILE RETURNS, WEB OF DEATH, THE GIFT, THE GREATEST RESPONSIBILITY, THE FINAL ADVENTURE, and especially THE LOST YEARS and its sequel REDEMPTION. I also felt that there were enough good characters to keep me invested in the story and want to continue reading. So while the saga did create some awful characters like Judas Traveller, Spidercide, and it’s version of the Jackal, it also gave us some truly great characters like Ben Reilly, Kaine, Janine Godbe, Dr. Seward Trainer, Detective Raven, Louise Kennedy, Jessica Carradine, and even Ken Ellis, each of whom were incredibly fleshed out and compelling characters in their own right. It was these great characters and the aforementioned good stories that made reading the saga a worthwhile experience for me, despite having to endure some crap. And to be fair, the saga was nowhere near as bad as many people claimed it to be in my opinion, as out of the dozens of stories that I had to read, there were only three of which that I actually hated (the other lackluster stories were mediocre at worst…). So overall, while I acknowledge THE CLONE SAGA’s problems, I feel that it possesses several overlooked good elements that are not only worth checking out, but also deserve to be cherished and remembered. Just like Ben Reilly, I was able to maintain a noble and optimistic viewpoint of one of the most infamous comics of all-time, and found some worthwhile content that I’ll cherish forever as a result…

Clone Madness (Finale): Spider-Man: Revelations

Writers: Todd DeZago, Tom DeFalco & Howard Mackie

Artists: Luke Ross, Mike Wieringo, Steve Skorce & John Romita Jr.

Although controversial, I honestly didn't mind Norman Osborn’s revival, and felt this was a suspenseful finale to the saga!

Ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

(DISCLAIMER: This review will not only be providing my analysis on REVELATIONS, but also my final verdict on THE CLONE SAGA as a whole.)

Welcome to the final part of CLONE MADNESS ladies and gentlemen, where our long look at one of the most infamous and controversial stories in comic book history finally comes to a conclusion…

Well folks, we’ve finally reached the last story arc of one of the most hated and controversial Spider-Man comics of all-time, THE CLONE SAGA. Despite the infamy surrounding the saga though, I came across more good elements than I originally expected to, which have helped make reading all of these stories a genuinely worthwhile experience for me. Reaching the saga’s ending was an extremely hectic experience for the writers and creative team however. Because the saga was stretched out and delayed, the writers were desperate to end the saga in a quick, yet satisfying manner. As such, they fought tooth and nail with each other over several proposed endings, some of which were absolutely absurd (you can read about them both in THE LIFE OF REILLY, as well as the humorous parody comic 101 WAYS TO END THE CLONE SAGA). Around the time that BLOOD BROTHERS came around, the writers ultimately decided to reveal that a mysterious mastermind had manipulating the entire CLONE SAGA since the beginning from behind-the-scenes, with the sole intention of destroying the life of Spider-Man. When this route was decided, the writers expressed great difficulty in determining which of Spidey’s enemies would have the resources and motivations necessary to pull of a scheme as massive and convoluted as THE CLONE SAGA. The person they ultimately decided to choose as the mastermind however would prove so controversial a choice among not only the creative team, but also fans and critics alike, making REVELATIONS one of the most controversial stories of the entire CLONE SAGA. While REVELATIONS remains fiercely divided to this day, I thought it was not only a suspenseful and satisfying conclusion to THE CLONE SAGA, but also felt that the controversial elements were effective in tying up all loose ends.

(WARNING: MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD)

The story opens on Halloween inside the underground laboratories of the Multivex Industrial Complex, where Dr. Seward Trainer is preparing the final stages of Gaunt’s rejuvenation process. Seward is quickly interrupted however, by the arrival of Gaunt’s employer, the ultimate mastermind behind all of the recent events in Peter and Ben’s lives. Knowing that Peter and Ben are now in grave danger, Seward attempts to flee and warn Ben, whom he still cares deeply for despite having betrayed him back in BLOOD BROTHERS. Before Seward can reach the two Spider-Men however, he is assassinated by Gaunt, who is no longer forced to rely upon his life support suit, and has now dawned advanced cyborg armor. Meanwhile, Peter and Ben are reflecting on what has recently happened in their lives, while Mary Jane, who is now in the final stages of her pregnancy, is having lunch with her Aunt Anna at the Daily Grind cafe. Unknown to Peter, Ben, and Mary Jane, all three of their lives will change forever as the mysterious mastermind finally makes his move, sending Gaunt out to attack Peter and Ben, while another of his operatives drugs MJ’s coffee, causing her to go into labor prematurely. As Peter and Ben battle Gaunt, Peter receives word about his wife’s increasingly worsening condition. After helping defeat Gaunt, Peter leaves to be by MJ’s side, while Gaunt’s employer attacks Ben. After MJ’s baby either dies from a miscarriage or is kidnapped, Peter is also captured by this mysterious mastermind, who is revealed to be none other than Norman Osborn, the original Green Goblin who was thought to have been dead since the classic NIGHT THAT GWEN STACY DIED storyline back in the 70’s. Having manipulated the entire CLONE SAGA since the beginning, Osborn reveals that he actually rigged the tests back in THE TRIAL OF PETER PARKER that declared Peter the clone as a means of psychologically screwing with Peter’s life and identity, meaning that Ben Reilly was the clone all along. With the truth finally revealed, will Osborn finally achieve his goal of destroying Peter Parker’s life, will Ben Reilly or MJ’s baby make it out the Goblin’s onslaught alive, and will Peter return as the one true Spider-Man? Either way, it is a night of revelations, and a night of goblins!

When REVELATIONS was first released, it immediately became one of the most infamous and controversial story lines to come out of the entire CLONE SAGA, even more so than MAXIMUM CLONAGE in some regards. Despite the hatred surrounding REVELATIONS though, I have to admit that I quite thoroughly enjoyed it. But before I talk about what I felt worked about REVELATIONS as a finale to the saga, I’ll discuss the major controversy surrounding this story. Similar to SINS PAST or IDENTITY CRISIS, the primary criticisms surrounding REVELATIONS are almost entirely centered on one major plot point, in this case, the decision to have Norman Osborn be the person responsible for THE CLONE SAGA. This plot twist was universally criticized not just by fans, but even amongst writers working on the saga as well. Glenn Greenberg was one of the most vocal opponents of this idea, as he stated in THE LIFE OF REILLY that not only did Norman clearly die back in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #122, but that “he died in one of the most powerful Spider-Man stories of all time. It was a key event in Spider-Man's entire history! We would be totally betraying the trust of the fans if we went in and undid that story!” Greenberg also felt that Norman appearing just now would make no logical sense as if he were alive all this time, why would he let his son Harry become the second Green Goblin, or allow the Hobgoblin to steal his equipment? This is one of the few cases where I’d have to disagree with Greenberg and most of the fans, I thought that utilizing Norman as the main antagonist was not just the only effective method of ending the saga (as convoluted as it had gotten to this point), but that it also made logical sense as well.

My defense of Norman’s revival may come across as hypocritical as in my SMOKE AND MIRRORS review, I openly criticized the writer’s attempts to convince the reader that the Gwen Stacy in that story was not only the real deal, but had also been alive all this time despite contradicting past continuity. I hated aspect of SMOKE AND MIRRORS, as Gwen’s death was not only a pivotal moment in Spidey’s mythos, but also heavily affected the character development of Peter Parker, as well as the comic book industry as a whole. So if Norman’s death was just as pivotal as Gwen’s, then why am I not offended here like I was back in that story? For me, the reason I feel that Gwen should never be revived is because her death was not only the second greatest tragedy of Peter’s life, but it also led to him eventually marrying MJ. As such, Gwen always came across to me as a character whose significance to the story was greater following their death than when they were alive (similar to Aerith in FINAL FANTASY VII). While one could make the same argument for Norman, as his death caused Harry to become the second Green Goblin, Harry had previously died back in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #200, and therefore, there was more incentive to bring Norman back (also, I can get behind bringing villains back from the dead, more than I can supporting cast characters). Also, the reason that Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras specifically chose Norman was because he felt that Norman was the only villain capable of pulling off a scheme as convoluted and massive as THE CLONE SAGA solely for the purpose of psychologically tormenting Peter Parker. First of all, Norman was not only a wealthy business tycoon and industrialist, but he was also highly intelligent as well. As such he possessed the means and resources to conduct this plan, and Norman was also mentally insane, which would help explain why the saga had gotten so overly complicated to this point. 

I also felt that the writer’s provided a simple, yet effective motivation as for why Norman waited for so long to strike back at Spider-Man. While a single one-shot issue known as THE OSBORN JOURNAL was published to fill in all of Norman’s activities between his “death” seven years ago, and his return in REVELATIONS. Here, it is revealed that Norman was able to survive getting impaled by his own glider as the goblin serum provided him an accelerated healing factor alongside his superhuman strength. As such, he later woke up in the city morgue and replaced his body with that of a random homeless individual. While Norman initially intended to use his “death” as an opportunity to attack Peter when he least expected it, he suddenly came across Harry taking up the Goblin mantel for himself. Seeing Harry determined to prove himself and avenge his father’s death, Norman decided to let his son continue the war against Spider-Man, but promised to return if Harry failed. Since Harry had recently died back in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #200, Norman blamed Peter for driving Harry towards his death, and left Europe where he had been hiding for the past couple of years to finish what he had started. I found this to be an effective motivation for Norman’s sudden return, as previous comics and Spider-Man media have shown that Norman has a very unique relationship with his son. While he genuinely does care for his son, he also sees Harry as weak and incapable of standing up for himself. As such, when he saw Harry become the second Green Goblin, he felt closer to his son than he had in a long time, and decided to give him a chance to prove himself. This also means that when Norman’s return following Harry’s death it was not only to avenge his son’s death, but also to reclaim honor to the Osborn family name. This worked within the context of Norman’s character in my eyes, and gave his vendetta to screw up Peter’s life more depth and credibility than just simple hatred and revenge. Overall, while most people hated the return of Norman Osborn, I actually felt it was not only well executed and suspenseful, but that it was also warranted and logically fit within the context of the story. 

Another aspect that I felt made REVELATIONS a satisfying conclusion to THE CLONE SAGA was not only how suspenseful the book’s tone was, but also the amount of build-up to Norman’s return. In my opinion, the most important task of any finale is to not only effectively tied up all loose ends, but to also make it feel as grand and epic as possible. REVELATIONS definitely succeeds in that regard, as the feels of dread and suspense for the reader are present right off from the first page. The moment where Seward Trainer first encounters Osborn from the shadows is filled with suspense as the fear and desperation that Seward conveys tells the reader that this is a legitimate threat with power and weight behind it. Not only does this moment effectively establish the danger that Norman represents, but it also increases the reader’s investment and fear for the characters. The story’s suspenseful tone and build up is also present in the scenes where Peter and Ben are fighting Gaunt. Not only is Gaunt finally revealed to be Mendel Stromm, Norman’s old business partner (further building up to Norman’s reveal), but his presence exists solely to distract Peter while MJ is undergoing labor prematurely, therefore increasing the suspenseful atmosphere of the story. Other scenes that displayed effective build up in my opinion were those featuring the Daily Bugle preparing an unscheduled Halloween party. Not only was this party unplanned, but all of the people invited were friends of Peter’s, and the party was being funded by Osborn Industries and Multivex, both of which belong to Norman. Therefore, these scenes gradually build up to the book’s finale where Norman imprisons all of Spider-Man’s friends in the Bugle, and Peter and Ben are forced to stop him before the building is bombed sky-high. The amount of suspense and build up present in REVELATIONS not only made it an effective finale in my opinion, but it also kept me engrossed in the story from beginning to end. 

While REVELATIONS was an effective conclusion to THE CLONE SAGA in my opinion, there were two major flaws that make it feel bittersweet despite being a well-written and entertaining finale. The first of which was Ben Reilly’s death at the end of the story. I have very mixed feelings about the writer’s killing off Ben as while I do understand why they felt they had to do it, I feel that it could have been avoided. Since REVELATIONS was going to be the ending of the entire CLONE SAGA, the writers had to prove once and for all that Peter was the original, and that Ben was the clone, permanently putting all of the clone nonsense behind them. Although Norman stated earlier in the story that he had rigged the tests to label Peter as the clone and Ben as original, the writer’s felt that Norman words were not entirely trustworthy since he was the antagonist. As such, the writers decided that the only way to prove once and for all that Ben was the clone was to have him sacrifice himself for Peter, die, and then have his body undergo the clone degeneration process and disintegrate into dust. While understand the logic behind this decision, I feel that they should have thought of a way to keep Ben alive. While people hated the idea of Ben permanently replacing Peter, Ben Reilly was still a great character in his own right, and still has a devoted fan base to this day (which I myself am now a part of). Since he’s one of the most three-dimensional, lovable, noble, and optimistic comic book characters that I have recently encountered, I felt that the writers should have confirmed Ben’s status as the clone in a different manner than killing him off. For instance, the Green Goblin cut off one of Ben’s arms or legs, and that single body part would then undergo the degeneration process, confirming that Ben was undoubtedly the clone while still keeping him alive. So while I understand why the writer's felt Ben needed to be killed off, I wish they could have found away to keep him alive. The other major problem that I had with REVELATIONS was how ultimate fate of Peter and MJ’s baby was left unresolved in later stories. To be more specific, I actually liked how the writer’s made the baby’s fate unclear in the story. While MJ’s baby supposedly dies from a miscarriage, one of the nurses is later seen delivering a mysterious bundle to Norman Osborn, and is ordered to take it to Europe where it will never be seen again. This not only heavily implies that the baby is actually still alive, but also allows the writers to avoid explicitly having infanticide as a plot point in the comic. On its own, this plot point was actually well done, and easily increases the reader’s investment to want to continue and find out what actually happened to the baby. Unfortunately however, this plot point ultimately leads to nowhere in later stories, as any mention of the baby has been avoided by the majority of future writers, and the issue has never been resolved to this day (and considering ONE MORE DAY’S retconing of Peter and MJ’s marriage, I don’t think it ever will be). While these problems don’t necessarily hurt the story in my opinion, they do rob it of some of the satisfying payoff that I felt it should have amounted to. 

Overall, while REVELATIONS does suffer flaws with it’s handling on the final fates of Ben Reilly and the baby, I had absolutely no problem with the decision to resurrect Norman Osborn as I felt that his return not only made sense logically, but that it also provided the story with a good amount of suspense and build up, making it an effective finale to THE CLONE SAGA. While many people feel that REVELATIONS was a disappointing finale that THE CLONE SAGA, I personally enjoyed it as I thought it succeeded in wrapping up the majority of loose ends, and helped Spidey transition back to his original status-quo before the saga’s beginning. So while not a perfect finale, REVELATIONS was still a satisfying and entertaining one in my humble opinion, and as Glenn Greenberg stated, “it could have been a LOT worse. It could have [easily] been another MAXIMUM CLONAGE.” 

Thank goodness it wasn’t!

“Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress.”

-Nicholas M. Butler

Clone Madness (Pt. 15): Secrets

Writer: Tom DeFalco

Artist: Ron Garney

SECRETS!’ attempts to retcon Judas Traveller and Scrier are ultimately mixed, with more success for Scrier than Traveller...

Ranking: ⭐⭐⭐

Welcome to the 15th part of CLONE MADNESS lovers of sequential art, where we untangle the infamous CLONE SAGA, which while creating some truly great characters like Ben Reilly and Kaine, also produced some incredibly boring ones like Judas Traveller.

In my last CLONE SAGA review, REDEMPTION, I elaborated on how that story effectively provided satisfying resolutions to the development of some of my favorite characters like Ben Reilly, Kaine, and Janine. Today’s story arc, SECRETS!, is somewhat of the reverse of the REDEMPTION in that regard, as while that story concluded the character arcs for some of the saga’s best character’s, today’s comic does the same for some of the saga’s worst characters, particularly Judas Traveller and Scrier. Ah yes… Judas Traveller, I haven’t brought him up since my review of THE TRIAL OF PETER PARKER, and thank goodness for that. Judas Traveller is quite easily the single worst character of the entire CLONE SAGA in my opinion (even more than Spidercide or it’s version of the Jackal). Traveller is not only a god-like being that has no backstory, defined role in Spidey’s mythos, or relevance to the overall plot, but he was also one of the most boring villains that I have ever come across. He would continuously monologue about his supposed mission to uncover the truth about good and evil, continuously rambling about pseudo-philosophical bull-crap that makes no sense when you actually think about it, and they just went on and on. Yeah, in case you haven’t noticed, I kind of hate Judas Traveller’s guts. I’m not the only one who dislikes this character, as not only is he heavily criticized in other reviews I see about THE CLONE SAGA, but several writers working on saga disliked him as well, particularly Glenn Greenberg. The primary reason for this was, as Greenberg perfectly stated in THE LIFE OF REILLY, not even the writers and editors knew what the Traveller’s purpose in THE CLONE SAGA was. Because of Traveller lacked an established character or role in the plot, whenever he appeared in the saga, I would instantly be taken out of the story and lose whatever interest I had. In essence, Traveller was a constant source of annoyance (and boredom) for me, as he would interrupt the ongoing narrative of the saga and distract me from the characters that I was actually invested in. Today’s story line SECRETS! however, attempts to rectify the sins of Judas Traveller (as well as his ally Scrier, who was another god-like being that was completely pointless), by providing him somewhat a purpose to the saga’s narrative. SECRETS! is ultimately a mixed bag, as while the story somewhat falter’s in its attempts to redeem Judas Traveller, it finds greater success in providing Scrier an interesting purpose in THE CLONE SAGA narrative. 

The story opens with Peter Parker having an ominous nightmare about Judas Traveller. In the dream, Traveller is bound up and chained while attempting to warn Peter that both of them have been betrayed and manipulated. As Peter ponders over this disturbing dream, one of Traveller’s allies, Chakra (who I have to admit is actually kind of cool, if only for the fact that her name reminds me of NARUTO), is being chased across the streets by the rest of Traveller’s group of followers known as the Host. It turns out that while Chakra remained loyal to Traveller (why she does baffles me…), the other members were secretly working for someone else behind Traveller’s back. It is revealed that this mysterious mastermind that the Host truly answers to is indeed the same one who has been manipulating the entire CLONE SAGA from behind the scenes, which is evidenced by Traveller’s strongest subordinate, Scrier, secretly meeting with Gaunt, the cyborg henchman of this mastermind who was introduced back in BLOOD BROTHERS. Chakra is soon able to escape from her pursuers, and contacts Peter and Ben to help her rescue Traveller, who has been imprisoned inside an airtight casket hidden underneath a gymnasium swimming pool. As Peter and Ben accompany Chakra to rescue her master, she reveals that despite all evidence portrayed in previous CLONE SAGA stories, neither Traveller nor Scrier are the god-like beings that they claimed to be. With this newfound knowledge, will Peter and Ben be able to rescue Judas Traveller and overcome the true threat behind Scrier, and if they do, will they be left with more answers or questions?

My feelings on SECRETS! are ultimately mixed as the entire purpose of this issue is to retcon two characters that previously lacked a purpose in the saga’s narrative, and attempt to provide them one. For those who are unaware, “retcon” is a fancy term for retroactive continuity, meaning that a particular character or plot point from the past is altered to something different than what it was originally intended to be. Retcons are quite easily the most volatile plot device in the medium of comics, as while retcons can effectively expand upon a character’s history and provide further dimension to them, they also have the capability to damage that character if they contradict what was previously established about that character. This is why I take such issue with THE CLONE SAGA’s version of the Jackal, as the Jackal from the 1970’s was a pathetic and perverted college professor who used cloning technology to bring back the woman he loved from the dead while also getting his revenge on Spider-Man. The Jackal in THE CLONE SAGA however, was a one-dimensional rip-off of the Joker who wanted to take over the world for no apparent reason. Essentially, where I’m going with all of this is that writers need to be extremely careful when retconing previously established characterization and backstory, as it could easily hurt what already existed about said characters if not handled correctly. In the case of SECRETS! however, the retcons for Judas Traveller are largely inconsistent, while those for Scrier I thought actually helped expand what little to his character there was. 

As I’ve mentioned in my reviews of POWER AND RESPONSIBILITY and THE TRIAL OF PETER PARKER, Judas Traveller was portrayed as a god-like being that possessed nigh-omnipotent power, and was practically invincible. Traveller was not only capable of morphing into weird bird-like creatures, but he could also walk through walls, cause streets to explode with a snap of his fingers, summon swords from out of nowhere, and also have complete control over the space-time continuum (this is more of the kind of thing you’d see in a THOR or SILVER SURFER comic!). Not only did this make the character feel completely out of place in Spider-Man’s mythos, as Spidey’s enemies are primarily street-level criminals or simple individuals who are corrupted by the influence of power, but it also contributed to the boredom surrounding Traveller as well. Because Traveller was presented as so powerful, it made any conflict between him and Peter or Ben Reilly feel too unbelievable, as there was no realistic way that two humans with spider powers could defeat an omnipotent being. This also meant that any retconing the character from his god-like status would also be a difficult challenge for the writers, as they would have to provide some logical explanation. 

To a degree, the writers do succeed in providing somewhat of a satisfactory retcon for Traveller’s powers, though at the same time, it does result in some unnecessary inconstancies with the character (as if there weren’t enough already!). Here in SECRETS!, it is revealed that Judas Traveller was never the god-like being that he claimed to be, but that he was rather a mutant with the ability to alter people’s perceptions of reality. Apparently, this power extended to himself as well, as it caused Traveller to suffer a nervous breakdown that made him believe that he was a god-like being. In some ways, this change is good, as it not only makes Traveller less absurdly powerful (and thank goodness for that!), but it also serves as a decent explanation for how his powers worked. With acts such as him summoning swords or exploding streets, the idea that they were all illusions is fairly plausible. Despite the good changes that this retcon provides, it does create several flaws and inconstancies as well. If Traveller was able to cast illusions to alter people’s senses, then how was he able to shape shift into a bird?! Was he casting the illusion on himself as well? Also, if his allies like Scrier and the Host knew that Traveller’s powers were illusionary, than why were they so concerned about them literally ripping-apart the fabric of space and time back in the dreadful CROSSFIRE arc. Inconsistencies such as these only serve to create more plot holes, therefore making Traveller’s character a bigger mess than he already was. Still though… at least he’s no longer a god-like being, and I am definitely happy for that!

While the retcons for Judas Traveller are only semi-effective, I actually found the one’s for Scrier to be quite creative and clever! Ironically, while I’ve complained about both Scrier and Traveller as being unnecessary and underdeveloped villains, I honestly have not talked that much about Scrier in these CLONE SAGA reviews. The reason for that is while Scrier was also supposedly a god-like being, he was never a major annoyance for me or interrupted the narrative flow like Traveller did. The reason for that is because Scrier was largely restricted to being a figure in the background throughout the majority of THE CLONE SAGA, constantly watching events from the shadows. Scrier was also a bit more interesting than Traveller, as while Traveller’s goal was a confusing quest to discover the true nature of good and evil, Scrier seemed to have his own hidden agenda that was separate from Traveller’s, therefore creating some degree of suspense and intrigue around his character. 

SECRETS! finally reveals both Scrier’s hidden agenda and his true nature, as Peter and Ben discover that not only is Scrier not a god-like being that they originally thought he was, but that he’s actually not a single individual. In actuality, Scrier is actually an organization of several people who all wear the exact same cloak and ghost-like mask and utilize advanced technology to provide the illusion of magical abilities. Most other reviewers I’ve come across have criticized this plot-twist about Scrier, as they feel the idea of him being several people makes no sense and overcomplicates the saga even more. Personally though, I have to disagree with them as I feel that this retcon is not only clever, but actually benefits the ongoing CLONE SAGA narrative. As I stated back in my BLOOD BROTHERS review, the writers decided to reveal that a mysterious mastermind working from behind the scenes has manipulated all of the events of THE CLONE SAGA. In order to make this idea plausible however, this mastermind would require field operatives that not only conveyed information to him about Peter and Ben’s activities, but also conducted some of the dirty work as well. Therefore, the idea of Scrier being multiple individuals contributes to this plot thread, as the Cabal of Scriers not only serve as the field operatives of this mysterious mastermind, but by all of them wearing the exact same costume, they can easily avoid suspicion as well. This also serves towards explaining how Scrier previously made people believe that he was a god-like being, as throughout the saga, Scrier seemingly possessed the uncanny ability to appear and disappear at any random location, regardless of time or distance. The information SECRETS! provides fits well within previously established continuity as Scrier being multiple people effectively explains how he was able to appear and disappear so randomly. Other reviews feel that this has only made the character even more confusing and overly complicated. I have to disagree with them in that regard, as I not only found the possibility that every time we saw Scrier in a previous story it was a different person to be intriguing, but that it also made the character feel more intimidating and somewhat scary. Overall, the retcons for Scrier’s character work effectively in my opinion as they not only redeem the character as an antagonist, but also provide him an actual purpose within THE CLONE SAGA narrative.

For me, SECRETS! is a mixed bag, as while it is well written and fairly entertaining, it’s successes and failures are ultimately determined by the retcons introduced for Judas Traveller and Scrier. While the retcons for Traveller are only half-effective and ultimately inconsistent with previous CLONE SAGA stories, the retcons for Scrier were actually well thought out in my opinion and manage to provide the character a clear and defined purpose in the saga’s plot. Overall, SECRETS! is a perfect representation of both the positive and negative effects that retcons can have on comic book stories and characters. In the case of Scrier, they can provide new information that helps benefit the character, while with Traveller, they can easily contradict previously established continuity and hurt the character. Whether or not all of the retcons established by SECRETS! were successful, they were all necessary in my opinion as they not only cleansed Traveller and Scrier of the elements that made them huge distractions in the first place, but also showed that the writers were attempting to rectify mistakes they had previously made, even if they were not 100% successful. Another benefit to SECRETS! was that it also provided further suspense and build-up to THE CLONE SAGA’s last story arc, REVELATIONS, which I’ll be covering in my next and final CLONE MADNESS review!

“All in the eye of the beholder - Some of the most destructive forces in the world (Fire & Water), can also have the power of beauty.” 

― Martin R. Lemieux

Clone Madness (Pt. 14): Redemption

Writer: J.M. DeMatteis

Artist: Mike Zeck

A truly satisfying sequel to THE LOST YEARS that completes the dualistic character arcs of Kaine, Ben Reilly, and Janine!

Ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Welcome to the 14th part of CLONE MADNESS, where we take a look at an era of Spider-Man, that while infamous, contained some truly great stories that deserve to be remembered!

In my last CLONE SAGA review, I discussed the six-part story arc BLOOD BROTHERS, which laid credence to the idea that a mysterious mastermind has been manipulating all of the recent events in Peter and Ben Reilly’s lives from behind-the-scenes. While it was an entertaining and suspenseful story line that helped begin progressing the saga to its inevitable end, the downside was that due to the restructuring of Marvel’s creative staff, the ending of THE CLONE SAGA was delayed for another six-months. While this served to prolong the saga even further, the benefit to this was that the writers were finally freed from the hectic editorial constraints of constant weekly crossovers, and were free to tell their own stories for awhile. One of the books that emerged from this six month period was a 4-issue limited series called REDEMPTION, which serves as a sequel to the acclaimed LOST YEARS story arc.

As I’ve stated previously, THE LOST YEARS is quite easily my favorite story of the entire CLONE SAGA, as it delved deep into the backstories of the two Spider-Man clones, Ben Reilly and Kaine, and explored both of their attempts to regain their lost humanity, discovery of love, and the formation of their famous rivalry that continues to the present day. Naturally, when I heard that a sequel to THE LOST YEARS was produced, you better believe that I was extremely excited and looking forward to reading it! And I wasn’t the only one excited for this book either, as editor Glenn Greenberg explicitly stated in THE LIFE OF REILLY that he not only desperately pushed for the production of a LOST YEARS sequel, but also had dreams of there being a LOST YEARS franchise that would explore the various events that occurred during Ben Reilly’s five year journey across America. Unfortunately, because the ending of THE CLONE SAGA would be coming in six months, and Peter was slated to be permanently returning as the one and only Spider-Man, the hopes of producing a LOST YEARS franchise were quickly abandoned. Because of Greenberg’s enthusiasm though, he was able to have at least one sequel for THE LOST YEARS, which resulted in the creation of REDEMPTION. Greenberg was also able to get J.M. DeMatteis, who had written the original LOST YEARS, to come back and write this sequel despite having previously left THE CLONE SAGA during THE GREATEST RESPONSIBILITY arc due to exhaustion from the weekly crossovers and constant deployment of Ben’s debut as the new Spider-Man. While John Romita Jr. wasn’t brought on board to illustrate the book, the artwork for REDEMPTION was produced by Mike Zeck and Bob McLeod, both of whom had previously worked with DeMatteis on the famous KRAVEN’S LAST HUNT storyline. While I still hold THE LOST YEARS in higher regard, REDEMPTION was a truly satisfying and necessary sequel that further explores and provides resolution to the long-standing rivalry between Ben and Kaine!

(DISCLAMER: Just like with my review of THE LOST YEARS, I should mention that there will be major spoilers throughout this review. If you are genuinely curious, I suggest that you go ahead and read both THE LOST YEARS and REDEMPTION! Trust me, you will not regret it!)

Unlike it’s predecessor, REDEMPTION takes place in the present day rather than during the five year period that Ben Reilly spent traveling across America when he believed that he was the clone. The story opens with a distraught Kaine looking over the body of a dead individual inside a funeral parlor. Having been recently been brought back from the dead in THE RETURN OF KAINE, Kaine looks at the corpse with envy. Suffering from clone degeneration, Kaine has lived in a constant state of pain and agony his whole life, and desires death to end his torment. After fleeing the parlor when he is attacked by security officers, Kaine knows that he is going to die soon, but before he does he is determined to take the man he hates most with him: Ben Reilly. Meanwhile, Ben is visiting the grave of Harry Osborn, and is distraught over the fact that he was not able to stand by the side of his former friend when he died. This, as well as his recent failures in BLOOD BROTHERS, sends Ben into depression, as he feels that he has failed in life as both Peter Parker, and as Ben Reilly. Everything changes for Ben however when Janine Godbe, Ben’s girlfriend from THE LOST YEARS and the first person who made him feel like an actual human being rather than a clone, suddenly reenters his life. While initially shocked, Ben quickly rekindles his relationship with her. As the two begin dating and spending time together again, Ben feels that despite his recent failures and betrayals, he finally has a clear shot at achieving happiness. However, both Ben and Janine’s happiness is interrupted by Kaine, who is revealed to have purposefully lured Janine to New York in order to torment Ben even more. As story progresses, Ben desperation to protect the one person who helped him rediscover his humanity grows, Kaine’s attempts to enact his final vengeance on Ben cause him to slowly realize how similar he and his “brother” are, and Janine must come to terms with the sins of her dark past. Will Ben, Kaine and Janine each find the redemption that they are seeking, or will each of them fall deeper into despair?

While I consider THE LOST YEARS to be the superior book, REDEMPTION was a highly compelling and worthwhile sequel that brings some much needed resolution and closure to the characters and the developments that they experienced in my all-time favorite CLONE SAGA story. Much like it’s predecessor, REDEMPTION is more character than plot-driven, as the plot itself is very basic, focusing solely on Kaine’s efforts to enact vengeance on Ben, while Ben attempts to prevent Kaine from interfering with Janine’s life again. Because the plot of the book is so simple, it allows the reader become more easily invested in the characters and dilemmas that they experience, which is quite easily the most important aspect of any story in my eyes. Ben, Kaine, and Janine were characters that I grew to love and wanted to see come out okay in THE LOST YEARS. Therefore as a sequel, the most important task of REDEMPTION was to make sure that I was not only emotionally invested in the characters that I had already grown to care about, but that their character arcs and development received a satisfactory resolution. J.M. DeMatteis excels in that regard, as he not only understands these characters on an almost intimate level, but he also creates dualistic character arcs for all three of them in a single story. Glenn Greenberg stated in THE LIFE OF REILLY that duality was a favorite subject of DeMatteis’, which is no where more apparent than in this stories, as he utilizes the similarities and differences of Ben, Kaine, and Janine to help convey deep psychologies of these characters as they each attempt to achieve some form of redemption.

The character that DeMatteis provides the most care and development for in this story is undoubtedly Kaine. As I’ve stated before in previous CLONE SAGA reviews, Kaine is quite easily one of my favorite characters to be conceived during the saga, and REDEMPTION is a prime example of why that is! The first aspect that immediately stood out to me about DeMatteis’ portrayal of Kaine in this story was the amount of emphasis on the pain Kaine suffers due to his clone degeneration. I’ve always felt that the clone degeneration provided a unique element of tragedy to Kaine’s character as it was not only slowly killing him, but also caused him to live in a constant state of pain. With his cells constantly on fire, muscles frequently suffering from painful spasms, and hideous scars covering his entire body, Kaine endures far greater pain than any person could imagine. While this aspect of Kaine’s character explored in THE LOST YEARS and other CLONE SAGA stories, DeMatteis takes it a step further in REDEMPTION. One of DeMatteis’ greatest strengths as a writer is his ability to dive deep into the emotions of the characters, allowing the reader understand exactly what they are feeling and how they respond to outside stimuli. Whenever DeMatteis narrates the story from Kaine’s perspective, he places great emphasis on the amount of pain Kaine feels from the character’s perspective. This allows the reader to easily feel sympathy for Kaine’s agony, which is made even easier due to Mike Zeck’s artwork, which portrays Kaine as less of a human being, and more like a dying husk of a man. One scene where this was particularly evident to me was where Kaine is standing naked in front of a mirror, as he is shown to be physically struggling while leaning against it, his skin looks as if it’s burned, and his facial expression convey a sense of despair and fatigue. That one image was enough to convey the amount of pain Kaine endures, and greatly contributes to both DeMatteis’ writing, and the reader’s investment in the character’s agony.

The emphasis Kaine’s agony also contributes to his attempts to enact vengeance on Ben, and in turn, his arc of redemption. Because of his pain, Kaine desperately wants to die, as he believes that death is the only redemption to his suffering. This leads him to continuously assault and torment Ben in this story, whom he considers to be the cause of his suffering. Believing that Ben is actually the real Peter Parker, Kaine hates Ben because as he was not only created from Ben’s DNA, but also because he believes that Ben is a normal human and not a clone. Therefore in his eyes, Ben cannot possibly comprehend what he is experiencing, and is determined to prove to how similar the both he and Ben are before taking Ben with him to the afterlife. To do this, he lures Janine back into Ben’s life, as she was the greatest source of happiness in his life. Through tormenting Janine, Kaine believes that this will not only chip away at Ben’s happiness, but also cause Ben to slowly lose his humanity until he is reduced to Kaine’s status. At the same time however, DeMatteis also shows that Kaine is conflicted about his true feelings towards Ben. Not only does Kaine admire Ben’s nobility, but also because they share the same DNA, Kaine feels that they are brothers on some level, and that there is still a chance that they can put aside their differences and understand each other. These conflicted emotions are further boiled by the presence of Janine, who Kaine easily sympathizes with and relates to due to their similar pasts of being abused and discarded by their fathers. Seeing the similarities of their pasts, Kaine begins to feel guilty, as she has felt pain similar to his own. This allows for a gradual progression of Kaine’s arc of redemption, as he struggles between his desire for vengeance and inherent feelings for both Ben and Janine. This natural progression of guilt provides three dimensional depth to Kaine’s vendetta, as where he finally brings Ben down to his level, he feels no sense of satisfaction, as because he’s realized how similar Ben and he are, he regrets robbing Ben of his innocence, putting him into greater despair than he was previously in. I found this moment to be extremely compelling and unique as it not only conveyed the fact that revenge is never satisfying, but it also showed just how much complexity and depth there was to Kaine as a antagonist. Overall, DeMatteis’ handling of Kaine’s character in REDEMPTION is not only extremely fleshed-out, but also provides satisfactory development for the character that allows him to gradually achieve redemption as the story progresses.

Ben also goes through an interesting character arc in REDEMPTION. As I stated in my review of MEDIA BLIZZARD, one of my major issues with the “Ben Reilly Reboot” was it’s handling of Ben’s character. In my opinion, the most interesting aspects about Ben are that while he believes himself to be a clone, he still holds onto Peter Parker’s memories and experiencing, providing him a level of depth that makes him not only feel like an actual human being that is distinct from Peter, but has also made him into a stronger, and more optimistic and noble person as a result. When THE CLONE SAGA revealed that Ben was actually the original and not the clone, it felt as if the writers were trying to make Ben into a carbon copy of Peter trying to regain the life he had lost. I hated this new direction for Ben’s character as I felt that while he should still retain aspects resembling Peter, he should also be his own separate and individual person. This also contradicted previous character development for Ben, as he stated how he had come to accept that he was a clone, and even if he were given the opportunity to retake his former life, he was not sure if he could accept it. With REDEMPTION however, it’s almost as if J.M. DeMatteis also hated this new direction of Ben’s character as well, as he decides to take Ben back to his original roots that made me love him to begin with. This is conveyed in the story through Ben not only despairing over his recent failures and betrayals, but also through the scene where he is visiting Harry’s grave. The depression that Ben experiences at the beginning shows the reader that Ben feels that he has failed at trying to implement himself in Peter’s shoes (and in a meta-textual sense, has failed at trying to be a carbon-copy of him), and therefore, begins leaning towards his memories of the past that made him Ben Reilly and not Peter Parker. DeMatteis provides Ben the opportunity to regain his sense of individuality through the return of Janine, as she was not only the first woman Ben fell in love with, but was also the first person to give him a true purpose in life. Through conveying Ben’s attempts to reconnect with his past and individuality, this allows DeMatteis to further develop Ben’s arc of redemption by desperately struggling to hold onto his connection with Janine, while Kaine gradually uses her to chip away at Ben’s humanity. As the story progresses, Ben desperation to keep Janine in his life causes him to commit morally questionable decisions in order to protect her. This gradual chipping away of Ben’s humanity also provides further depth to his conflict with Kaine, as while his anger and contempt towards his “brother” increases with each attack on him and Janine, Ben simultaneously struggles to retain his nobility as just like with Kaine, he too can see the similarities between them, and does believe that there is hope for his failed clone. Overall, DeMatteis’ portrayal of Ben in REDEMPTION not only returns the character to the roots that made him an individual person, but also creates an engaging conflict by having the nobility and optimism that makes Ben such an endearing character put to the ultimate test.

The final character who received an intense amount of care and development in this story was Ben’s girlfriend Janine Godbe. While Ben and Kaine are my favorite characters to come out of the saga, Janine would have to be my third favorite CLONE SAGA character. Not only was she the most intriguing and fleshed out supporting character from THE LOST YEARS, but she was provided a layer of three-dimensional depth and complexity that took me by complete surprise. When Janine was first introduced in THE LOST YEARS, she appeared to be a mirror duplicate of Mary Jane as she was also a redhead, and she also possessed a shy personality that reminded me of Peter when he was still in high school. While this initially helped establish a romance between her and Ben, DeMatteis ingeniously utilized these character traits to provide Janine a tragic backstory that made me almost drop the book out of my hands when I first read it. It was revealed that Janine was not only originally named Elizabeth Tyne, but that she was also fugitive wanted for murder. As a child, she was repeatedly sexually abused by her father (though not explicitly stated whether or not the abuse was sexual, it's heavily implied), and when she was seventeen she couldn't take it any more and shot him in an act of self-defense and rage. Horrified what she had done, Janine began loathing herself and spent the rest of her life fleeing across the country under different jobs and aliases until she met Ben in THE LOST YEARS. Ben not only understood what Janine was an act of self-defense, but he also felt a deep connection to her as he also felt like an outcast due to his status a clone. Therefore, the love he developed for her not only made him feel human for the first time in his life, but also provided him something to fight for and protect in life.

This plot point in THE LOST YEARS not only progressed Ben’s character development, but also fleshed out Janine into a tragic and human character in her own right. While Janine had supposedly been killed in between THE LOST YEARS and the present day CLONE SAGA, Greenberg really took a liking to her character, and had DeMatteis bring her back for REDEMPTION. This was a necessary move in my opinion as it allows DeMatteis to bring a sense of closure to the character development that Janine had previously received. Here it is revealed that Janine’s supposed “death” was actually a charade, as Kaine had previously blackmailed her into faking suicide by not only threatening Ben, but also through manipulating the dark memories of her own past. This revelation provides guilt for Janine in the present day, as while Ben was the first person to accept her, she agreed to Kaine’s plan, as she felt unworthy of him due to being a murderer. Torn between her love for Ben and the sins of her past, DeMatteis utilizes Janine’s inner guilt to provide her an arc of redemption as well, which is portrayed through her similarities with Kaine, as he was also an outcast and fugitive from the law that was abused and tormented by his creator the Jackal (who he considered to be a father-like figure). Through intelligent and well-planned writing, DeMatteis uses this dualistic nature between Kaine and Janine to progress both character’s struggle towards achieving redemption by having them accept responsibility for their past sins, and coming to terms with who they are. Overall, DeMatteis not only provides further depth to Janine’s tragic characterization and backstory, but also utilizes it to forge a path that allows both her, and Ben and Kaine to reach their desired goal of redeeming themselves.

If I had one major complaint with this comic, it would be that while all three characters’ arcs are handled with great care and expertise, there were moments where the transitions of their development felt a little rushed instead of moving at a natural pace. Aside from that, REDEMPTION is not only an outstanding sequel to my all-time favorite CLONE SAGA story, but provides some much needed closure and satisfying resolutions for the character arcs that J.M. DeMatteis originally developed for Ben, Kaine, and Janine. While I still hold the original LOST YEARS in higher regard, REDEMPTION is a great story in its own right while also accomplishing the task that any sequel should do by expanding upon what made the original so great to begin with. It’s stories like these that have made reading THE CLONE SAGA a worthwhile experience for me, as while SMOKE AND MIRRORS, THE TRIAL OF PETER PARKER, and MAXIMUM CLONAGE nearly brought ruin to Spider-Man’s mythos, stories like THE LOST YEARS and REDEMPTION serve as some of the best portrayals of the themes that make Spidey’s world so unique and endearing, while also doing so through characters who stand strong in their own right. It really saddens me that these two stories have been widely forgotten about by Spidey fans due to THE CLONE SAGA’s overall infamy, as they are both gems that deserved to be treasured and remembered. Glenn Greenberg himself also regretted this fact in THE LIFE OF REILLY, where he states "that its just such shame that REDEMPTION, which I consider to be an extremely entertaining and satisfying project, with a top-flight creative team, is lumped in with the most unpopular era in Spider-Man's history and will probably be forgotten-if it hasn't already been.” Fortunately for him though, I can safely guarantee that there is at least one person in this world who has not forgotten what a satisfying experience it was…

“Seeking to forget makes exile all the longer; the secret of redemption lies in remembrance.”

-Richard von Weizsaecker