Welcome to Comic Book Legends Revealed! This is the six hundred and thirty-fourth week where we examine comic book legends and whether they are true or false.
Click here for Part 1 of this week's legends.
COMIC LEGEND:
Peter David had a Spider-Man joke edited out of an issue of Spectacular Spider-Man.
STATUS:
True
Comic books routinely see edits to them over the content of the comic, but rarely do writers recall specifics because rarely are the specifics all that interesting. Typically it's, like, change that word to that word or whatever. Shorten that sentence, etc.
Sometimes, though, it is more substantive and sometimes it is a matter where the writer almost sneaks things through but then the editor catches it. Other times, the editor just decides that a line has gone too far. That was the case in Spectactular Spider-Man #112, written by Peter David.
The issue opens with Peter Parker discovering an abandoned baby and then changing into his Spider-Man identity and taking it to the hospital.
Originally, when the nurse asks if the baby is Spider-Man's, Spidey replied, “Gee, I dunno. Let’s throw him against a wall and see if he sticks." Awesome joke, right? However, Marvel cut the line and just had Spider-Man stammer out his reply.
The joke is a BIT harsh for Spider-Man, but not overly so, I don't think. And it's a really funny bit. Oh well, now you all can just tape that joke into your copies of Spectacular Spider-Man #112!
Thanks to Peter David for the information!
Check out my latest Movie Legends Revealed at CBR: Did Disney try to pretend that The Avengers was still being made by Paramount even after Disney bought Marvel?
Check back later tonight for Part 3 of this week's legends! And remember, e-mail me at cronb01@aol.com or brianc@cbr.com if you have any suggestions for future comic book legends!