Paul Jenkins set to Complete his run on "Spectacular Spider-Man"

Official Press Release

Long time Spider-Man and seminal Marvel writer Paul Jenkins, will be ending his run on Spectacular Spider-Man. Jenkin's last issue is slated to ship sometime in March of 2004, after a short fill in by writer Samm Barnes and penciler Scot Eaton who will be completing the "Sins Remembered" storyline.

Editor in Chief Joe Quesada announced, "Paul is a true professional but I also know that over the last year and a half he's been fighting some difficult health issues all the while giving Spectacular and the fans his best work. We at Marvel really want to thank him for his years of hard work he's put into Spider-Man and we're sorry to see him leave the title. Much like Ultimate Team-Up was a vehicle created for Brian Bendis to shine and then canceled with his departure, the same can be said about Spectacular Spider-Man. Spectacular Spidey was created for Paul and Humberto to tell their brand of Spider-Man stories. Without them attached to the series we've decided to close up shop on the title and call it a day with issue #27. But on that note, stay tuned for some new and exciting Paul Jenkins announcements!"

Jenkins, who gained fame for his ability to relate character-driven stories, has worked on Wolverine: Origin, Incredible Hulk, Sentry and many other titles.

"Some things are too good to be true." Said Jenkins. "Writing a monthly Spider-Man comic is one of them. These last four or five years have been a wonderful experience for me. I've had the opportunity to work with some of the best artists in the world on a character I truly love. Fifty-six issues, by my count; that's not a bad run at all.

"When Mark Buckingham and I were given a chance with PPSM #20, I could not in my wildest dreams have foreseen that I would stay with Spidey for almost five years. Bucky was amazing, a true gentleman who understands the essence of storytelling as well as any artist working today. Without him, I might have lasted a few months at best. After a time, Bucky moved on and I was lucky enough to have been paired with Humberto Ramos. The stories went from strength to strength as Humberto and I were given a chance to revive the Spectacular title, of which I am extremely proud.

Of course, we've had a lot of help along the way. Wayne Faucher has been an incredible asset over the years with his brilliant inking. Many colorists, guests artists, letterers and editors have come and gone. I would like to thank John Miesegaes, Axel Alonso, Bill Jemas, Joe Quesada and others for helping us get this title underway. Special thanks to Ralph Macchio for giving me my first shot at Spidey -- he's a good judge of horseflesh, is Ralph. And I would be remiss if I did not single out my good friend Tom Brevoort, who has been a wonderful guide as I made continuity error after continuity error, and who has helped me immensely with his solid sense of storytelling.

"Unfortunately, I have had to undergo six knee and ankle surgeries in the last four years and suffered a staph infection as a result of one of them. Don't worry... my health is okay but I think I need a little time to recharge. While all good things must come to an end, this is far from the end for me. In fact, I am moving onto different projects, and I can't tell you all how energized I am as I undergo this transition. I have a couple of projects at Marvel that I hope will blow your socks off over the next couple of years -- watch the skies for more info. In addition, I am working on numerous video games, I recently directed for the first time and am looking forward to new projects with my production company, Good Cop/Bad Cop. Check out the new video for Scum of The Earth, coming soon to a music channel near you. Most importantly of all, thanks to all the fans who've stuck with me on Spidey over the years. I thank you for your kind words at conventions and in emails, and certainly for buying our humble offering month after month. I hope we have produced a few memorable stories for you. See you in the funny pages."

Paul Jenkins

Atlanta, 2004

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