Spider-Man: The Real Clone Saga

Spider-Man: The Clone Saga #1-6

by Tom DeFalco, Howard Mackie, Pasqual Ferry (Cover Art)

Collects Spider-Man: The Clone Saga #1-6.

Marvel's most controversial event of all time returns with a vengeance, presenting the Clone Saga as it was originally intended to be told! From the minds behind the crossover that changed comics forever, The Clone Saga, and Peter Parker's worst nightmare, begins again... now with an ending you have to see to believe!

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Spider Man, Superheroes, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics

148 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 9, 2010

About the author

Tom DeFalco is an American comics writer and editor, well-known for his association with Marvel Comics and Spider-Man.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alrighty.
First let me say, I've never read any of the issues of Spider-Man's Clone Saga. I went online (yay, wikipedia), and looked it up after I read this, though. Yikes! What a mess! I can see why Mackie and others felt the need to write this one.

So, this is the way the story should have gone down...but didn't. It's not a bad story, either. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Too bad about the original, though.

[Rylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never read the original clone saga but I watched a video on it and essentially it’s a mess. This however was not a mess and actually really good. I feel like if the original story was this six issue mini it probably wouldn’t have the bad rep that it does.

[Matěj Komiksumec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Každý zná nechvalně proslulou Clone Sagu, ale ta je tak dlouhá a špatná, že ji nikdo nechce číst!
Proto jsem vzal na milost alternativu v podobě přepisu a mírné úpravy s původními autory Clone Sagy. A bylo to awesome! Chemie Petera a Bena je boží, měl jsem příjemný vibe na TAS94 finále. Celkově i příběh je sympaticky postavený s dobrou interakcí postav, jasně, má to své mezery ale to nic nemění na tom, že mě čtení bavilo. Kresba je taková větší kaňka na celém booku ale jde o jasnou stylizaci do 90s takže nechci tak úplně odsuzovat.
Ve výsledku jsem nečekal tak příjemné překvapení, možná nakonec přečtu i původní CS, za pokus to možná bude stát.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the introduction to this six-issue collection, one of the writers admits that one of the valid criticisms leveled at the entire debacle that was The Clone Saga was that it went on too long. So, here we have a six-issue mini-series that condenses events and streamlines a lot of the revelations that were a part of the infamous storyline.

And, for the most part, it actually works. It doesn't redeem the clone saga, but not having to endure the "no, you're the clone," "no, you're REALLY the clone" twist every few months is a nice thing. And seeing the story compressed a bit, you can see there were some interesting ideas in there, they were just really diluted.

The art work in this run is superb and it shows how the Clone Saga might have worked.

[Sooraya Evans · Rating 1 out of 5]

"I can see how someone can grow to hate this clone thing. It never seems to end."
Ben Reilly says it well in this book. He basically summarized my feelings.
I personally enjoyed the mid 90s clone saga even though most people thought it was a mistake.
And I don't seriously think that this supposedly "originally intended" storyline had ever existed in the first place. Probably just a convenient excuse to retell in again and again.
In this 'retelling', Kaine has a sense of humor, Spidercide doesn't exist (as well as many other cool characters) and we get a glimpse of the mastermind planning things in the background. And Peter Parker didn't go through the denial stage as he did in the 90s version. For me, that was an emotional moment. I'm not sure why they threw that part away.

[Xavfro · Rating 2 out of 5]

wow, okay so apparently this are parts from the normal story arc, cutting the not so important stuff? and also continuing a bit on a story arc from the 70's? i was not well prepared but even with ignoring all that stuff the story is a bit of a mess. Would not recommend or definitely not this version of it maybe the integral volumes are better.

[c · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe the real treasure was the clone brothers we made along the way.

(read in single issues)

[Red Equis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Versión "desestirada" y mucho más lograda de la infamemente eterna Saga del Clon.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A non-canon retelling of the Clone Saga from the 90s, condensed to only a few issues with a good chunk of the story and a few characters purged. It's basically more of an extended "What If?" book.

[Trevor Dailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good concise story. Makes me miss Ben Reilly.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having not read anything previous to tarnish it I must say I really enjoyed it although it's quite clear that this has been controversial. Read and enjoy.

[Robert 'Rev. Bob' · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much clearer and more straightforward than the original.

[Rocky Sunico · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still not a great story, but it certainly would have been more interesting than the one we had ended up with in the 90's.

[Kapitol Tank · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recopila 1 al 6 USA de Spider-Man: The Clone Saga (la remake).

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly good. Keep in mind I had low expectations but this really captured the feel of the old 90s era of Spidey (cartoons not comics obviously).
Now just a fair warning I don’t have anything of interest to say, these are just miscellaneous things that I think the average reader might want to know as Goodreads puts this at 03 stars but I happily give this one 04 stars.
A couple of things really helped me better enjoy this comic, mainly casting various Spider-Men in my head while reading. The cast was as follows:
- Yuri Lowenthal (PS4): Peter Parker
- Josh Keaton (Spectacular): Ben Reilly
- Christopher Daniel Barnes (The Animated Series): Kaine
That helped keep them separate which is important given that they’re all Peter Parker. So yeah that and listening to the Spider-Man (2002) soundtrack by Danny Elfman, and not taking this book too seriously made for a good time that started off kinda mid, but progressed into a great ending. It’s no Watchmen but it is a very entertaining read that I really only had a few gripes with. Mainly that the evil doctor woman kinda disappeared into thin air without an explanation, and that I feel the story would’ve been better with an extra issue in between 3 and 4, one with Ben Reilly as the only Spidey to better show that Peter really is retired. He kinda renounces it one minute, and by the next, he puts the mask back on.
But the best thing about this book is also the best thing about Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows. They let Peter actually evolve and rest with a legitimate ending that everyone has been begging for, for 20 years. Do it Marvel. You cowards. Anyways, this doesn’t reinvent the wheel. But what it does, it does well. I had some second thoughts after buying this but I’m glad to say once I read it, I quite enjoyed it. Would recommend and will read again :)

[Kris Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the title of the book says, this mini-series tells the events as Tom DeFalco and Howard Mackie originally intended. In the mid-90s, Marvel realized that they had a hit on their hands when sales spiked, and made them drag out what was intended to be a several months long story arc into a several years long story arc that alienated many readers and killed sales. Since they wrote the original issues I feel that is okay for them get to retell the story their way. Todd Nauck, whose artwork I really enjoyed on the American Dream mini-series a few years ago, does the artwork. I am not overly crazy about his pencils in this series, but they are not bad by any stretch. The layouts are clear and he does have an excellent sense of storytelling. If the events were allowed to play out at the time as they are in this series, no one would even talk about this arc any more. It would be just another notch in the Spider-Man mythos. Good but not essential reading.

[Lee Bright · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read all of the original clone saga back in the day and yes it was a bit messy but I way preferred it over this.

I found this 6 issue summary to be rushed and without the emotional impact that the original portrayed. Life changing events occur in this new version that are just brushed aside and forgotten about. You don't really get a sense that these events are really affecting anyone.

I guess it was ok and it was a nice refresher to something I read a long time ago.

[Shaun Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun romp that does a good job rectifying the mistakes of the original story. The exposition gets a bit forced in a few places, but it can be forgiven considering it's condensing a massive story that spanned three years into 6 issues. If you care about the story of the clone saga more than the history of it, read this.

[Jodie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tom, if this was the "original" plan for the series I'd love to know how you figured people would come to appreciate THIS story and THESE characters without the foundations build in the 90s. This is lackluster and, frankly, insulting to those who grew to care about the characters and plots that lent real weight and importance to the Clone Saga despite it being widely regarded as a mess.

[Anthony Rizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is significantly better than what we actually got! Having talked at length with many creators involved with the original, there were SEVERAL changes and rewrites done to drag it out for sales, so seeing what they envisioned here is fulfilling and much, much better. Too bad we won't get to what could have happened afterward...

[Miguel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Durante años he oído hablar de esta saga y por unas cosas u otras nunca la había leído. Me he divertido muchísimo leyendo este cómic. Ver en acción a dos Spiderman bocazas nunca es un desperdicio y encima por sus páginas pasan algunos de los villanos más clásicos del trepamuros. Una delicia

[Prateek · Rating 3 out of 5]

there's too much going on, way to many plot twist which ruins it and ending is just hopeless, the writers took easy way out

[Katie Brock · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was confusing considering it’s a condensed version of the original run but I enjoyed it!

[Dony Grayman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cuarto tomo del Coleccionable Spider-Man - Universo Araña.

[Anthony Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was curious about Ben Reilly and the whole Clone Saga controversy. I heard that many fans weren't thrilled about the Clone Saga because it was difficulty complex, even the writers struggled on how to end it. The story arc went on for 2 years until the writers decided to bring back Peter Parker as the one and true Spider-Man for good! I read this book before I have read any of the Clone Saga and Ben Reilly epic books to see how the writers would have resolved the original Clone Saga storyline in the first place.

After reading all of the Clone Saga and Ben Reilly epic books, I have decided to read the Real Clone Saga mini-series the second time to get a better understanding. I liked how this one resolved many issues that were in the original Clone Saga storyline in the first place. I wished this version was chosen to be true story arc of the Clone Saga instead the first one.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Clone Saga is an infamous part of Spider-Man's history and for good reason. In a nice move some of the original creative team have gone back and tried to tell it the way it was meant to be, before it got shanghaied into something else altogether.

As such it's a bit of an oddity, neither fitting into current Spidey stories, nor fitting into original continuity given some of their retcons. The art (bit too colourful and cartoony for my liking), clothing and hair make it look like it's set in the 80s-90s, yet various pop-culture references clearly root it as set in the present day.

The story could be quite tricky to get into as a result and some of the older characters are relatively unknown by newer fans. Ultimately though it's not bad. The interactions between Pete and Ben are fun, especially when they're both cracking gags during fights (likewise their truce with Kaine is pretty funny). The action scenes are handled well. May and MJ get relegated back to relatively shallow characters sadly. And then the ending with the revelation of who the Mastermind is just seems to take things a little too far, a little too convoluted.

Good for fans, those who are curious and those who don't want to plough through the huge Clone Saga collections Marvel are currently producing.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

This Marvel's attempt at a do-over of the "Clone Saga," condensing two years of bewildering crossovers and special issues into a single, coherent graphic novel. The retelling is fine, but the premise is still ridiculous, even for a comic book not particularly known for scientific accuracy. Somehow Peter Parker's biology professor from 1975 figured out how to do human cloning in his secret mad scientist lair under his office at Empire State University (even though everyone thought he had lied about that, I guess he really could clone people after all). Peter's clone turns out not to be dead, even though everyone thought he was. And Jackal came back as a clone, and there's an army of Peter Parker zombie clones, and an evil clone that's a murderer. There's a lot of fighting and a bunch of evil schemes, but I ultimately didn't find the story very compelling or interesting.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only reason this got a 3-star review instead of the 2-stars it earned was its admission that this six-issue story was the original intended size/arc for the Clone Saga of the early 90's that dragged on for over a year across too many books and became incomprehensible even to the creatives working on it (or so it seemed).

Quite a few interesting and fun ideas herein but still muddled in its attempts to synopsize and shorten instead of trying to tell the story as if none of the other material had happened. If they'd approached this as a What If? mini-series, it might have worked better. Still, points for trying out some new (then) ideas....

[Sean · Rating 1 out of 5]

As someone who lived through the original clone saga era, and actually enjoyed a lot of it, this clearly wasn't what was originally intended to happen. That's the gimmick here. Supposedly, some of the original writer return to tell it like it was supposed to go down. Here, all I read was a watered down, lifeless, "what if?" story that is pretty close to terrible. The original, while obviously drawn out too far, at least had heart and original ideas. None of that exists here. I will say that Todd Naucks's artwork was decent but looked rushed at times. Overall, this is nothing to read other than something to kill time with.

[Matt Shaqfan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just wrote a big review but it got deleted... Bottom line: Everyone hates this story for some reason, but I'm enjoying the hell out of it. I read the CLONE SAGA as a kid, but I don't remember shit-- so this (re)read is still kinda like getting it for hte first time. This is only Volume ONE tho, so maybe when rest comes out I'll hate it too, but so far I dig. And I still think Scarlet Spider is as cool as I did back then.

(softcover)