Rating:  -
I read "House of M" after I read "House of M: Spider-Man," simply because I read the latter when the five comic books came out and I waited for the trade paperback collection of the former. However, regardless of which you read first, if you read them both, then you will notice that they are not compatible. But then I have accepted that the "Amazing Spider-Man," "Ultimate Spider-Man," and "Mary Jane Love Spider-Man" comics are all in different universes, so I can handle another Spider-Man reality or two as well. Ultimately the more important distinction between the two is that "House of M: Spider-Man" is self-continued, while "House of M" is really just the set up for the sundry "House of M" titles. However, as long as you understand the basic premise of "House of M" you do not need to read that eight part story or "The Pulse: House of M Special Edition" newspaper to understand what is happening in this trade paperback.
The premise of "House of M" is that the New Avengers and X-Men meet to discuss the fate of Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch, and Magneto's daughter. Previously Wanda had lost control of her reality-altering powers and suffered a total nervous breakdown, during which she was reponsible for the deaths of the Vision, Hawkeye and Ant-Man. Magneto was able to stop her and take his daughter away to the devastated island-nation of Genosha, where Professor Xavier tried to aid her with her recover. However, he had failed and now the superheroes had gathered to debate whether Wanda should live or die. But then she, her brother Pietro, and Magneto disappear, the world burns to white and a new reality emerges where humans are the oppressed minority and mutants rule under the united kingdom of the House of Magnus. However, Wolverine remembers what is happening, then helps Emma Frost remember, and the two start gathering the Avengers and X-Men. That includes Peter Parker, who is known as the world famous Spider-Man, married to Gwen Stacy, has a son named Richie, and still takes care of Aunt May and Uncle Ben, and has a good relationship with his father-in-law, Captain Stacy.
"House of M: Spider-Man" obviously takes place in the House of M world, but the best way to explain it would be that the story is about what happens to the Spider-Man who does not remember his "real" life. Written by Mark Waid and Tom Peyer, with Salvador Larroca as the penciler and Danny Miki the inker, the five-part story begins with Peter in the master bedroom of his Connecticut estate with his wife and child, unaware that this is not the way it is suppose to be. This is a world where J. Jonah Jameson is Parker's publicist and Peter is one of Forbes Magazine's "Ten Richest Mutants of 2005." The first part has Peter's birthday party after which the Green Goblin pays a visit to Jameson and announces Jonah will be the pawn who is going to help him destroy Spider-Man. Jonah's response is, "When do we start?" This cannot be good for our hero.
Now, if you remember that this reality is one in which mutants rule, and if you recall the Spider-Man was created when a radioactive spider bit Peter Parker, then you should be able to figure out where this one is going. The Green Goblin gives Jameson the journal of Peter Parker, which reveals that Spider-Man is...a homo sapien. At that point the entire world of the famous wrestler/actor/scientist/philanthropist falls apart. I was anticipating a slightly different twist on the story than what we get at the end of issue #3, but the way it plays out is certainly consistent with the idea that Wanda created a world where mutants can be happy. The irony that humans are hated has its moments, and there is certainly some resonance to having Gwen and her father being around again. This story has a strong psychological dimension, which might be a more common complaint about the story. Still, fans of Spider-Man can find this alternative story of more than passing interest.
Rating: -
First off, I want to start off by saying I really like Mark Waid's writting. His stories are always well thought out and interesting. So that isn't my problem with this story.
This story goes along with Marvel's big House of M event and is supposed to highlight what marvel's various heavy-hitters were doing during this alternate universe. In Spider-man's story you see that Uncle Ben is alive, Captian Stacy is alive, and Gwen is alive and married to Peter. Furthermore Peter has a kid and is very famous. So at the start everything is good so clearly something terrible needs to happen. And it does, the green goblin (who as a villian, doesn't exist in this universe) unleashes a simple plot to ruin peter's life.
There are a few twists and turns through out the story and it keeps you guessing.
My problem with this story is that it doesn't fit in with the House of M storyline. I don't know if this is supposed to happen before the heroes find Peter in the main House of M story or after or be happening during but none of those really seem to make sense and I'm not aware of anything that tie the two stories together. It seems as though Marvel told Mark Waid what Peter's life is like as a result of House of M and then had him write a story without filling him in on how the main House of M story would go. I think this hurt the story because at least at my local comic shop sales seemed to drop as the mini series went on.
Over all this is a good read if you take as a What If title and don't expect it to follow or compliment the main House of M miniseries too closely
Rating:  -
There is absolutly nothing here that adds or works with the whole house of M world. Should of been titled: WHAT IF... House of End never Ended??
Rating: -
In these five issues of Spider-Man, we see what Peter Parker was up to during the events of House of M. In the reality created by the Scarlet Witch, Gwen Stacey never died, is married to Peter Parker, Parker is a world-renowned celebrity, there was never a Green Goblin (at least not a villainous Goblin), and Uncle Ben never died. Peter is a professional hero/photographer/actor/wrestler (who's in-ring nemesis is called the Green Goblin), and Mary Jane Watson is a famous actress. J. Jonah Jameson is Parker's publicist, and Rhino is his bodyguard. People look up to Parker, but he hides a secret; everyone thinks that he received his powers due to a mutation, but he really got them from a spider bite. Due to anti-sapien sentiments, he would be ruined if the secret ever got out. Unfortunately, the abused JJJ is all too eager to help stir up trouble for his abusive boss when an evil Green Goblin surfaces.
Overall, the story is interesting, but it seems to contradict the events of the main House of M storyline. Peter's status position at the end of the Spider-Man subplot seem to go against what it was when he received his old memories in the main story line.
The story is pretty good overall. It isn't necessary to understand the main House of M story, but it augments it.
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