In the minds of many people, Peter Parker is synonymous with youth. Even before the MCU, he was the first teenage superhero who wasn’t a sidekick to someone else. And yet most of the modern Spider-Man comics since One More Day paint Peter as an emotionally-arrested eternal adolescent. There is some irony then that Amazing Spider-Man: Torn presents the most mature take on Spidey in some time, set against the background of his early college days.
Torn is set shortly after Peter Parker first started attending Empire State University. It is long before the death of Gwen Stacy. Indeed, he and Gwen haven’t started dating yet and he’s still trying to choose between her and Mary Jane Watson. He’s also not yet best friends with Harry Osborn.
Beyond his life as Spider-Man, Peter is struggling to adjust to college. While he sleeps through his science and math classes (literally and figuratively) he’s earned the ire of his German language professor. He’s also struggling to bond with the few friends he has. This is partly because of his lack of free time but also due to his being too focused on getting through today to think of tomorrow. This drives another wedge between himself and Gwen, MJ, and Harry, who can’t think of anything but their futures.
Amazing Spider-Man: Torn more than an untold tale
When J. Michael Straczynski pitched his original concept for One More Day, he proposed a hard retcon of Peter Parker’s life to the early 1970s. He reasoned that if the Powers That Be wanted a young, unmarried Spider-Man, why not literally take him back to his college days? This idea was rejected in favor of a soft reset, which erased Peter and MJ’s marriage but did little to explain details like why Harry Osborn was still alive or how the introduction of Venom played out with Peter and Mary Jane not being newlyweds.
Amazing Spider-Man: Torn teases what the main Spider-Man title might have become had Straczynski been allowed to turn back time. The story is chiefly built around the theme of youth. However, it is far more complex than the usual ‘who is dating who’ drama that informs most young adult entertainment.
There is some of that, of course, along with the action sequences. It wouldn’t be Stan Lee era Spider-Man without some awkward romantic tension. This proves far more interesting than the introduction of a new villain, who is forever changed by their encounter with Spider-Man.
The artwork of Pere Perez further cements the idea that we’re seeing a lost chapter of vintage Spider-Man. His style compares favorably to that of John Romita Sr. particularly in the action sequences. The colors of Guru-eFX add the perfect finishes.
Amazing Spider-Man: Torn is a welcome piece of nostalgia. Both as a retro Marvel Comics story and a work by one of the best writers to ever handle Peter Parker. Highly recommended to all Spider-Fans everywhere.
Grade: 8/10
Amazing Spider-Man: Torn #1 is now available in comic shops everywhere.
