The Amazing Spider-Man: The Complete Clone Saga Epic, Vol. 1

Spider-Man: The Complete Clone Saga

by Tom DeFalco, J.M. DeMatteis (Text), Terry Kavanagh (Text)

Spider-Man's clone is back - and the real Spidey is beside himself! Peter thought his clone was long dead, but where has Ben Reilly been for the last five years? Why has he returned? Is he Peter Parker's dark side...or his better half? And does Miles Warren, the unbalanced Jackal, have anything to do with it? Everyone wants answers, and the cloaked killer Kaine is ready to rip them out of whoever has them! Plus: Venom and Vermin! Carnage and Chameleon! New allies, new enemies and a new crime-fighting identity! No other Spider-storyline was as innovative or infamous as the 1990s Clone Saga, and you can follow it right from the start! COLLECTING: SPIDER-MAN: THE LOST YEARS 0-3, WEB OF SPIDER-MAN (1985) 117-119, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) 394, SPIDER-MAN (1990) 51-53, SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN (1976) 217, MATERIAL FROM SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED (1993) 7

Genres: Comics, Spider Man, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Comic Book, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics

424 pages, Paperback

First published April 14, 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

[Sean Gibson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The single most glorious and gratuitous example of what was wrong with comics in the 90s--writing a bad review of this is piling on, a bit like telling a sensitive cat with stomach issues that it has a smelly ass every time you see it. Still, it's got some horrifically fascinating elements, and the proverbial car wreck analogy is appropriate.

It's a must-read if you want to get a sense of what the speculator boom, burgeoning days of the annual summer mega event, and move toward flash over substance wrought on comics in the 90s. It's also a must-read if you enjoy making your eyeballs bleed and your brain feel like booger-flavored Jell-O.

[Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, if we are being objective and all, the 90s Spider-Man Clone Saga was not quite what we'd call good. Entertaining? Sure, if you were a kid then collecting every Marvel issue. It's even an interesting premise. And yeah, some of the art is quite good. But the crossover nature just doesn't read well as a graphic novel years later, and it infamously became the most overbloated dragging storyline in the history of the superhero genre.

But damn if I'm not nostalgic when I see the Scarlet Spider swinging around in that sweatshirt. Also, the writing by J.M. DeMatteis and art by John Romita Jr. in the prequel chapters are very good. It is a lot of fun to re-read, but you just had to be there in the first place to get it...

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of '90's Spidey comics has an amazing plot and fabulous artwork. I'm looking forward to the later volumes.

However, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't mention the implied profanities, misuses of God's name, and rather freaky scenes throughout.

So, even though it's old-school, it's much like the more modern comic book omnibuses I've read in recent years: quite the mixed bag.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first John Romita Jr section was a good read. What comes after is choppy and disjointedly put together. Overall a bit confusing - like the preceding collection.

I've finished reading the book now and I still had the same trouble with the editing. It's obvious some parts of the story are left out. Perhaps that will smooth out in the future collections.

Mainly, aside from that quite well done J.R., Jr. bit at the beginning this material is a good example of the crappy side of Marvel's 90's comics: the writing's not all that great*, the art does not look professional by today's standards, forget the coloring - clearly it's pre-computer. The printing of this collection is on paper just a couple of steps up from newsprint.

*Bagley draws Spidey as if he's built like an 8-year old child, so tiny and fragile compare to the other characters, it's just plain silly.

[Matthew Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reading through all the Ben Reilly stuff I can in preparation for an article. And my expectations going in were awfully low - this is probably the most-maligned story of the 1990s, which is a pretty maligned decade in comics in general. This is around when I stopped reading Spider-Man the first time, due in part to the increased cost of following everything coming out. So all that said, why does this get such a high rating from me?

Well, for one, the miniseries "Lost Years," contained in this volume, is a bit of a forgotten gem, by JM DeMatteis and John Romita Jr. And secondly, though it's awfully '90s, there's a lot to like in this volume, as Ben Reilly, Peter's supposed clone, reacts to the darker, angrier Peter much like you'd expect: When did you get so dark? What happened to the fun-loving hero you used to be?

I've been reading this along with the behind-the-scenes commentary in the "Life of Reilly" Web column, and that really adds a lot to it, as well:

http://www.benreillytribute.x10host.c...

I'd recommend this with a couple of caveats: You should already like Spider-Man and 1990s comics, and be aware that it goes off the rails before the end of the saga. I think reading it all together somewhat helps, as there's no wait between issues or scrambling as far as what is supposed to follow what.

In many ways it's interesting as an artifact of the time as well as a story - the clone storyline was one of a very few things that kept selling well for Marvel following the crash of the 1990s. Ultimately, that led Marvel to keep it going for too long - but here at the beginning, it's laying down some interesting groundwork.

[Xavier Guillaume · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember being an avid Marvel Comics card collector, and one of the cards I remember fondly was one with the Scarlet Spider. I'd never read the Clone Saga as a child, so I had no idea who or what the Scarlet Spider was, but I was definitely intrigued by him with his red suit and blue hoodie sweatshirt.

So finally, I've read about Peter Parker's clone, and I must say I am fascinated by the premise. Here is a man, who is a non-man, with no true identity, except that of a fake. The torment and confusion beats down Spidey's clone to the point he can only be a lost traveller, with no home, and a very dismal point of existence, a shell of a man.

This theme of a clone being a mere shell of a man is compromised, however. Spidey's clone eventually gives himself a name, Ben Reilly, to give himself some sense of identity. It's odd that he would choose a name after his uncle and his aunt's maiden name. He has no ties to Peter Parker, at least none that he feels he wants to keep. Any reminder of Parker is a reminder that he is not real, that he is not a true person, so why would he create a name the is a reminder of that? It's strange, but there is something about Peter's clone that can't help but feel like Peter. Ben Reilly has all the memories, emotions, and personality of Peter Parker, so his love for his aunt and uncle are as real for him as they are for Peter. However, it is ironic that Ben Reilly actually is Peter Parker, and the person who thinks he is the real Parker, ends up being the clone.

I love Ben Reilly's character. I think he acts so noble in this book, and even nobler than the actual Spider-Man. After the Chameleon constructs two androids to act as Peter's long lost parents, but then having them turn on him, Peter Parker decides to cut off his life as Peter, since it has only hindered him from fully being Spider-Man. So after that event with the Chameleon, Spider-Man loses a lot of his humanity. Some of the decisions Spider-Man makes are ruthless and lacking in compassion, so it's ironic that Spider-Man's clone (well, the real Spider-Man, but regardless), the man who thinks he is Spider-Man's clone and thus thinks he is not a real person, actually acts more of a man, and truer to Peter's persona than Peter himself (although Peter is the clone, so perhaps it's not as surprising?). Thinking about it does kind of make one's head spin, but the fact of the matter is it is ironic that the man who wants to form his own identity separate from Peter, ends up being more like Peter, than the man who actually has Peter's life and ends up wanting to throw it away.

One would think The Scarlet Spider could just swoop down and pick up Peter's life, especially since Peter doesn't really want to live as Peter anymore, but there is something inherently jealous in Spider-Man that refuses to want anyone or thing from taking it. It's terrible, but Spider-Man selfishly loathes Ben Reilly. It's hard to explain why. Perhaps it is because Spider-Man so desperately loathes himself. Naturally, because of this rivalry, Spider-Man and the Scarlet Spider end up fighting each other when they should be working together. There is a point when Judas Traveller's villainry does cause the two to finally decide to fight together, but don't expect a happy ending because it seems the two are destined to be alone.

All in all, I loved this book despite some of its flaws. For one, the book puts the Lost Years in the story, which I greatly liked, but they did a terrible job explaining who Kaine was. At first I thought Kaine was the Peter Parker Ben leaves behind in New York City when Ben decides to live his life as a nomad. However, after looking up some information on Kaine, apparently he is the first failed attempt of a clone that the Jackal creates. Anyway, so Kaine comes in and ruins Ben's life, which doesn't really make sense because why would Kaine attack the supposed clone out of jealousy when he should be attacking the Peter Parker in New York City. I suppose perhaps Kaine has the inside scoop of who is who, but they don't really do a good job in explaining that either.

My other problem is that it's so hard to understand why Parker hates his clone so much (yes, his clone is not actually his clone, but for sake of convenience since neither one knows this yet let's just say he is). It is strange because Spider-Man is known for being a hero, and having a strong understanding of knowing what the right thing is to do. He is a noble character who would save a villain before killing him or her, in the hopes of saving him or her. So why would Spider-Man try to kill Ben Reilly? The only explanation I can come up with is that Spider-Man hates himself so much that he takes it out on Ben, but it's just so odd because Spidey's hatred is pretty much the antithesis of everything he stands for, so to me, it seems much of a stretch. However, this is just my opinion on the matter, and perhaps you can better sympathize with Spider-Man. I think it doesn't help that the book actually leaves out the comics where the Chameleon destroys Peter Parker's life, and had they shown what happened it would make more sense, but the book doesn't show that, so we're only left piecing the puzzle together on our own.

Do I recommend this book? I would if you don't mind a somewhat convoluted and somewhat confusing story. I for one really like the emotional pain that Ben Reilly has to go through. I find it very interesting, especially towards the beginning when he is struggling coming up with an identity. I also love, love, love the Scarlet Spider. I find him to be so noble and heroic. He really is a role model of what man should be, and the final fight between the Scarlet Spider and Venom is fantastic. What he does to stop Venom is ingenious and thus very memorable in my eyes.

So yeah, if you ever get a chance, check out the Clone Saga. I think there are 5 books total, which is a lot, especially since these books are quite hefty, but if you want the complete history of Spider-Man, it's really hard to pass up.

[Jodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish to all things holy that DeMatteis could have just run this story for a couple of arcs and then retired but...here we are.

The first issue's actually *really* good, so is every issue in here that DeMatteis spearheaded but everything else lacks continuity in art (at the end of one issue Ben's mask is almost ripped off his face by a villian and in the one that immediately follows it the mask is whole again,) and the writing is really one big plot hole that keeps getting deeper and oh no we've struck a pipe and oh sh*t now the hole's full of poo water what will we do now oh God oh no-

But it's entertaining. And I like Ben. I guess that's the nicest thing I can say about the rest.

Update: Bumped my rating up a star because I can't stop thinking about The Lost Years story and how good it is.

[Hal Incandenza · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stelle perché come lettore Marvel e di Spidey in particolare io sono nato in queste storie, sulle pagine de L’Uomo Ragno e UR Deluxe.
Che meraviglia e che nostalgia ❤️

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fascinatingly bad.

I read this legendarily ill-conceived storyline when I was a teenager, but, like so many, never finished it as it dragged on for two-plus years over the course of over a hundred comics. Now Marvel is inexplicably collecting it in book form (it will probably take up to eight or nine fat volumes when done). Well, almost inexplicably. Marvel likely predicted that people like me would see it on a shelf and that morbid curiosity would lead them to see just how it holds up today.

A lot of work on the Spider-Man titles over the years has been a long tug of war to rejuvenate the character and to make him last past his creative lifetime. This has whiplashed between attempts to change the status quo (Have him get married! Get a great job!) and attempts to return him to being the struggling everyman superhero made him such an original creation in 1962. Only recently has one of those attempts, however controversial, stuck. This was one of the failed attempts, and it was an epic disaster of a story.

The long term plan for the clone saga (which later went way, way off the rails) was to have Spider-Man's clone from the 70s come back from the dead and eventually be revealed as the original and to take up the costume as the new Spider-Man. The storyline veers horribly later on, but in this volume, it's largely on course. It still suffers from awful 90s excesses (mystery men! bad dialogue!), especially the decision to have Spider-Man succumb to the darkness and discard his secret identity altogether as his life falls completely apart (again, one of those attempts to do something, anything, new with Peter Parker). Some surprisingly talented creators (J. M. DeMatteis, John Romita, Jr., Marvel stalwart Sal Buscema) show up here alongside the staff writers and journeymen artists that fill the rest of the pages. But even the gifted DeMatteis struggles with this material, raising interesting ideas about the nature of identity, but smothering those ideas in portentous, melodramatic writing and dodgy plotting.

A fun trip through the past for me, but by no means a good story on its own merits.

[Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why in the world would they decide to put this in chronological order rather than published order? I've read enough about the story that nothing was really spoiled but the Lost Years storyline definitely assumes that you've already read the main storyline. Understanding some of the stuff actually required that you knew what was coming. So why would they publish it before you read the other stuff?

That main problem aside, this is a somewhat enjoyable read. It's super 90s but that's to be expected. The art is lots of different styles which is strange, but it doesn't make it too hard to follow.

[William Cardini · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't bring myself to finish this trip down memory lane. The first two miniseries collected in this book, about Ben Reilly's adventures, have fantastic artwork by John Romita Jr. But the rest of it is bad and boring. I especially disliked how they would splice a single page from various Spider-Man issues in to give you characters cameos in unrelated plotlines.

[Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a 2.5 for me.
Some aspects of the story are stupid but aside from that I enjoyed it and the art is amazing

[Bri · Rating 1 out of 5]

(Read to page 195)
I don't usually not finish books but I cannot bring myself to keep reading. This book has cheesy plot lines, dialogue, mediocre art, and is just all around confusing.

[Kris Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blame it on the French, because much like Jerry Lewis, they got a Clone Saga collection first. David Gabriel, a head sales department type guy at Marvel, used to post at a message board that I go to, and used to do Q+As. These were glorified wishlists from us to him/Marvel. I brought up that France got an Omnibus, why not us? This was like 2 or 3 years ago. Fast forward, and Marvel put out a 'Real' Clone Saga mini-series, where they published the story as it was supposedly originally intended. Marvel has a lot of synergy between their trade department and other departments, so that when something like that comes out, they will issue a collection like this. Or for a movie, etc. So, either thanks to my question (doubtful) or the new mini-series, we are getting a series of nice, fat, chunky trades. I will say this, though.

I have to admit that I expected this to suck like most '90s Marvel Comics, but this was a terrific read. Kudos to my message board homeskillet Jeph York for doing the research and sequencing of the book. While my completist OCD dictates that things be collected in order of publication, he put The Lost Years mini-series and several back-up features first because that is where they occurred in continuity. My OCD twitched at this prospect, but I'll be d***ed if it didn't make for a seamless read.

Mark Bagley's love-it-or-hate-it artwork is featured throughout the book, as is J.M. DeMatties' writing. Like I said, this was an extremely enjoyable read, and I as of yet cannot see why this is so loathed among fandom. I have never read any of these issues before, and while I know the general outcome of this saga, I don't know the path that has already been laid out.

I remember hearing about this circa 1996, while I was on sabbatical from the hobby. It made me angry, like 'there's no way the clone won'. I had the floppies to the original clone saga, and I hunted down the Clone Genesis trade which collected it after I returned to comics in 2003. Upon re-reading, I determined that there is a grey area as to who really won the battle. Ross Andru routinely did 'camera angle' flips between panels, and I wondered 'what if he did one during the battle'? There was truly no way of telling them apart, and since the clone had been implanted with Peter Parker's memories and both believed themselves to be the real Spider-Man, it was plausible. Of course, it is also easier for me to enjoy this than readers of the monthly series at the time for a couple of reasons: 1. Hindsight. It is much easier to digest something knowing the overall outcome, and that things return to a status quo later on. 2. The fact that current Amazing Spider-Man doesn't suck.

One thing about Marvel at this time that sticks in my craw is that they expected fans to buy all four or five monthly Spider-titles, as there would be 4 part arcs every month that ran across all of the titles. That is completely unfair and likely discouraged new readers. Imagine some 9 or 10 year old kid who bought a Spider-Man comic book at this time trying to follow it, or someone who lived in a rural area who relied on subscriptions. It is insulting to expect, almost demand, that someone buy every single title that you put out in order to get a full story from one series. At least current Marvel, while still putting out umpteen crossovers, makes each title a stand alone read. You could pick up only one title month after month and not be lost. I also enjoy the way that many of the recent crossovers, i.e. Civil War, Secret Invasion, etc., have had a stand alone mini-series, and the crossovers merely fleshed out concepts that were touched upon in the main series.

[Seth Abernethy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beginning of possibly the most controversial Spider-Man story ever told. The Clone Saga has been called many things: convoluted, messy, too difficult to follow - all of these true. And in reality, most (but certainly not all) of the animosity it receives is due in part to the fact that the story was told all over the place, published sporadically across practically every contemporary Spider-Man comic that was being printed, and continued a story and character that started nearly twenty years prior. Which is why collections like this are so important. Having it all in one place, ready to read in a sitting offers a new, less hostile perspective. While still not without flaws, the beginning of the Clone Saga is arguably one of the most interesting stories in Spider-Man's history. Love it or hate it, it is merely fact that Ben Reilly is still present in modern Spider-Man comics being printed today, and he would not be if he didn't have some kind of major fan-base. What makes Ben such a valuable and lasting character, of all the Spider-Men/Women that are out there, is that he is indeed a CLONE of Peter Parker, but beyond appearance there is no mistaking the two. He is jaded, he is morose, his moral compass is far more gray than his counterpart, but perhaps what makes him the most interesting is his journey just trying to find his place in the world. He wants to have his own life, but he can't escape the memories that are not his. He wants to fight his own personality, not because he doesn't like it but because it simply is not his. It is a great way to explore a different kind of Spider-Man without tampering with the true-blue original, who should always remain the ever-altruistic and friendly neighborhood hero. Ben doesn't know who he is, but he sure as Hell is going to find out. Give the Clone Saga another try, and you may see things in a different light this time.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

The sinister Jackal once created a clone of Peter, used to confuse and distract him in battle, way back around ASM #149 in the '70's. According to the story, the clone died accidentally, but the folks at Marvel thought it would be cool to retcon that death out of existence and bring the clone back in this volume as a conflicted version of Peter who thinks he's less than human. He takes the name Ben Reilly after his uncle and aunt's maiden name, and finding that he can't ignore the "false" memories of their good upbringing, becomes the Scarlet Spider to uphold his Great Responsibility.

Very interesting to see the origin of Ben Reilly, who I knew about when I was a kid though I was never really interested in the concept. I think my instincts were mostly correct, because Ben seems like a bit of a redundant version of Peter who finds a way to beat himself up even more than the original. (I felt that the knowledge that he was a clone made too much of a difference to him and affected his identity and self-worth in unrealistic ways. I tended to think Ben would still think of himself as Peter and look at the whole situation as having potential - assisting Peter with his own identity issues comes to mind. They would make a great spider-themed tag team. Not to mention they are essentially brothers, which I'd think both of them would embrace.) Never really liked his weird crop-top costume, which came out of nowhere. There's decent conflict with Venom and the beginnings of his own clone-based cast of characters forms. An interesting effort to generate a newish Spider-character which seems to have little reason to exist, at least in this volume.

[Silas · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Clone Saga is infamous for being not terribly good. I thought I would try to find out for myself, and checked this out. Likely, this puts things out of publication order, since early issues in this trade spoil a bunch of things that aren't otherwise revealed by the end of this volume. While they are presented in the order that they should have happened chronologically, they take away some of the suspense of the later issues. The quality is pretty spotty for these issues. The prelude issues are kind of slow and plodding, and likely could have been a couple of issues shorter with no problems. The level of angst is just much higher than it really needed to be, honestly, but it was the '90s, so that's not unexpected. I tended to enjoy the stories more when they got to New York, and into more conventional Spider-Man comics, the pace picked up, and the stories got a bit more interesting. It was still a bit of an oddity, and things that were supposed to be surprises were already spoiled by the prelude things, so it cut out some of the suspense. Once we finally start to see the Scarlet Spider, it's rather more interesting. I expect there were some contemporary issues following the Spider (as he was calling himself for a while there), but they mostly aren't here. Still, they were better towards the end of this volume, when they were just plain old comics, and not unnecessarily filling in the details like the ones in the beginning of the volume were. There are still more volumes to go, but so far, it's... it's okay. Some issues are better than others as far as art and pacing go, and the sheer volume is a bit of a slog, but it's not as bad as I had heard.

[Rubber Duck Ry · Rating 4 out of 5]

🦆 Snap Review:
Clones. Identity crises. Existential dread. Spider-Man's got 99 problems, and at least one of them is himself. The Clone Saga kicks off with a surprisingly brooding tone—and I’m not mad about it. This volume isn’t here to make you feel good. It’s here to make you question if you’re even the real you… or just the knockoff swinging around in your place.

🧪 Rating: 4 out of 5 Quacks
(The extra quack is for Ben Reilly’s mid-90s angst and his hoodie game.)

🕸️ Mood:
Brooding, angsty, identity-shattering chaos—with just enough heart to keep you from spiraling into a clone-induced meltdown.

🫧 Current Thoughts:
It’s weirdly good, and weirdly hated. I get why people side-eye it—it’s messy, melodramatic, and filled with more clone confusion than a duck trying to tell its reflection apart—but that’s part of the charm. Peter is falling apart, Ben Reilly doesn’t know if he’s a man or a memory, and the whole saga feels like a deep dive into what it means to be Spider-Man… or human… or a duck wearing spandex.

This is Spidey at his most lost, which honestly makes it kind of refreshing. He’s not quipping—he’s questioning his own existence. If you like your superheroes with a splash of identity crisis and a clone or two lurking in the alley, give this volume a read. Just don’t expect clean answers. Or clean DNA.

🧬 Bonus Quack:
Some people say it’s too much. I say it’s just enough ducking drama.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collects Amazing Spider-Man (1962) issue #394, Peter Parker, Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) issue #217, Spider-Man (1990) issues #51-53, Spider-Man Unlimited (1993) issue #7, Web of Spider-Man (1986) issues #117-119, Spider-Man: The Lost Years issues #1-3, and additional material showing Ben Reilly's return to New York.

I was around 12-years-old when this story was originally released, and I loved it! Since then, Ben Reilly has always been a favorite Marvel character of mine. This is the first time that I've re-read these issues since my childhood, and it still really worked for me. I'm sure this a nostalgia factor, so I wonder if new readers would enjoy it as much as me.

SPOILERS:

I didn't remember that Ken Ellis was the one that gave Ben Reilly the Scarlet Spider codename. I wonder where Ken is in the present day.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a pretty enjoyable collection of stories. I'm familiar with the clone saga, but have never read it, so I'm glad to get started. It is an interesting choice to collect the stories in chronological order instead of in publication order. Doing so causes a huge problem - The Lost Years miniseries spoils massive twists that are revealed much later. Thankfully, I was already familiar with those twists, so nothing was ruined for me. If you are unfamiliar with the main beats of the clone story, then SKIP THE LOST YEARS TO AVOID SPOILERS. I'm definitely looking forward to continuing with volume 2.

[Anthony Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember when I learned about Ben Reilly (Scarlet Spider). I was watching the last two episodes of Spider-Man: The Animated Series where Ben Reilly made his first TV appearance. I learned that he was from another universe where he was the clone of Peter Parker, who later on bonded with the Carnage Symbiote after grieving over the loss of his aunt May. Since then, I wanted to learn more about the Scarlet Spider in the comics.

Finally, I've decided to read about the Clone Saga as I live about Ben Reilly, accepting the fact that he is a clone and how he goes on a self-exiled journey to find his own identity and purpose before coming back into Peter Parker's life. I like how he ended up getting the Scarlet Spider codename and his fight against Venom. The Clone Saga Epic is going to be one long arc for me to read but hopefully, it will be worth it!

[Joe Nava · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is it weird that I enjoyed this? Or at least this part of the story. Reading further into the event shows why the Clone Saga has the reputation it does, but this first installment has an interesting premise and plenty of mystery. The issues written by J.M. DeMatteis are particularly good. Maybe it's because I'm a 90s kid, but I love the Scarlet Spider costume and think he was actually the more heroic of the two Spider-Men at the time. It's a shame that the event spiraled out of control but it got off to an interesting start.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ur-90s comics: fantastic art from some of the industry's best talents of the time, plenty of fights and twists, maybe not the most sensible or serious. So far, the Clone Saga has surprised me: Ben Reilly is an immediately interesting character and I can see why fans of the 90s found themselves captivated by this Spider-Man. It apparently doesn't turn out well, but this is an entertaining kick off.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mixed bag of comics are contained in this collection. The "Lost Years" miniseries by JM DeMatteis and John Romita Jr. is very good, but then there are a few subpar issues to kick off the storyline in the present day (and published before the Lost Years), but then things pick up when Ben Reilly suits up as the scarlet Spider. Some of the storytelling is very "90's", but good fun.

[Michael Kikle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really awesome art alongside the worst chronologically collected stories and issues I've ever seen done in comics. Certain stories (like "The Lost Years") spoil huge things in the future of this event, and it's unforgivable, frankly.

Ben Reilly and Kaine are awesome. I really love both.

But again, the collection is a mess.

[Jonathan Crites · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up on a whim last time I went to our local library branch (they are now open!). I was tangentially aware this story was going on when I was a kid, I picked this up and it was pretty good. The art has the disadvantage of changing as the story switches across titles, so it is somewhat inconsistent. Still, an interesting start to a huge story and I’ll probably try and read the rest.

[Jonas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Det är 90-tal, det är spindelmannen. Det är hockeyfrillor och det är benfickor. Små påsar på benen och fräna hoodies. Störtlöjliga skurkar och symbioter och knockoffs av arkham asylum. Vet man vad man ger sig in på så funkar det nästan.

[Phenex Alarius · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Spider-Man saga from the 90s. I recently bought this for nostalgic purposes and learned more of the story than I actually remembered. Really great storytelling. The artwork is unmatched, especially for the era.

[Matthew Ledrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shockingly good. Regardless of the hype, the infamy, what have you. Going into this with fresh eyes and person who never read it at the time, shockingly good. It may be downhill from here and it may benefit from lowered expectations due to its pop culture status, but this was a solid start.

[Lillian Francis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A real mix. Some I liked others I didn't.
Art all.over the place.
The Lost Years shouldn't be in this volume because it spoils the rest of Clone Saga.
I think my favourite issues were when Ben tangles with Venom.