Revisiting the 9/11 Tribute of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #36

J. Michael Straczynski’s run on Amazing Spider-Man is one of the greatest and most frustrating turns in the character’s history. The true highlight is the great character work, especially the development of Peter Parker, Mary Jane, and Aunt May. In that regard, it’s probably the most forward development these characters had received since the early 1980s. Amazing Spider-Man #500 is my head canon ending for Peter Parker’s story, as it’s just brilliant. There are also a number of maddening moments, either self inflicted (the whole Totem stuff) or editorially imposed (Sins Past, One More Day). But early in his run, he and Marvel as a whole were forced to address the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Considering a significant number of Marvel titles took place in New York City, it was such a major event that could not be ignored.

And so, after his introductory “Coming Home” arc, Straczynski and artist John Romita Jr would put together a special 9/11 tribute issue for Amazing Spider-Man #36. This remains one of the few pieces of pop culture to capture the emotions felt on and in the immediate wake of that day. For those that weren’t around or to young to remember, September 11th, 2001 was a day like any other up until the first plane hit the World Trade Center. This was a time before smartphones and social media, and news was comparatively slow to make its way around. As a high schooler, my classmates and I first got wind that something was up when my teacher was pulled into the hallway for a few minutes only to return visibly shaken. A few minutes later, a school-wide assembly was called in the auditorium to let everyone know what was going on – now with both towers being hit, and that school would be dimissed for the rest of the day.

Between then and making it home, additional information had been revealed that added to the terror and confusion at the time. A plan had struck the Pentagon, and another had been downed in Pennsylvania. My dad was traveling that day for work, and so with all these downed planes I was naturally worried for his safety (he was fine). But then soon the images that continued to stream in caused feelings of shock, horror, and disbelief. Up until that day, those types of images were only possible in movies. It could never happen in real life, except it did. Amazing Spider-Man #36 captures those exact feelings in its opening pages, with a double page splash of Spider-Man overlooking the immediate aftermath of the terror attacks, only capable of saying “…God…”

I have seen this issue criticized in recent years for being too melodramatic, and for certain “out of character” moments – most notably Doctor Doom’s tears. I would understand that criticism if this were a regular monthly issue or an event like Secret Wars, but this issue isn’t either of those. It’s a genuine response to a real world event, where mustache twirling villains are few and far between. When 9/11 happened, there were signs of solidarity from all over the world, included countries with adversarial relationships with the United States like Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Doom’s behavior in this comic is a stand-in for the support and condolences expressed by those traditionally “enemy” states.

But to focus so much energy in defense of one panel does a disservice to the rest of the issue, with depicts not only the fear and anger expressed by the citizens, but the overwhelming strength and unity of people coming together. This is technically an issue of Amazing Spider-Man, and he is our point-of-view character, but this is really a New York City book featuring Marvel characters. The Thing, Daredevil, and Captain America work alongside New York’s Bravest and other first responders to rescue people from the wreckage. In a heartbreaking moment, Spider-Man consoles a child who loses their parent. But the superheroes never outshine the true heroes of that day. The first responders who gave their lives or have been suffering long-term ailments due to chemical exposure are highlighted, along with the brave civilians of Flight United 93. For those of us that were there at the time, Amazing Spider-Man #36 is a challenging but rewarding read. It’s a reminder of how in the wake of the that tragedy, the country was united like never seen before and most definitely since in my lifetime.

That’s what makes the current state of the United States so frustrating these days. It is difficult to imagine a world where Americans could come together to stand united against a common enemy. Even though our nation’s name is “The United States,” that couldn’t be further from the truth. Powerful people have made it a mission to sow division on everything in their pursuit for more wealth and power. Culture wars and “red vs. blue” keep everyone in a perpetual state of anger, and seemingly nothing can bring people together. Wildfires in California? Serves those liberals right. Massive flooding in Tennessee? That’s what those conservatives get for climate change denial. There was outrage by the American right wing over Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey because it wasn’t “accurate” (i.e. white and straight enough for them) to the original text – which itself has been reinterpreted many times and itself was the transcription of oral tradition dating back hundreds of years prior.

Making everything a referendum on where you stand politically, and if that stance is right or wrong, is exhausting. It doesn’t help when the most thin-skinned, insecure people in the world are also the most powerful. Voters turning politics into a team sport has made things exponentially worse. Is this candidate for office qualified? Do they represent the best of us? No, but he’s the candidate for the political party I root for, so he gets my vote no matter what. We will defend a hostile foreign power as long as it helped the person from the right “team.” Having just reread Amazing Spider-Man #36, to see us devolve like this is sickening.

Should another national tragedy unfold on the scale of 9/11, is it possible for us to rally together? While the optimist in me wants to say “yes,” the truth is probably no. Each side of the aisle will try to blame the other for allowing it to happen. Citizens will argue back-and-forth over which political alignment is at fault, and the perpetrators will escape without a day in the court of public opinion. I’m not going to pretend I have solutions, because the problems facing America can be solved if everyone stopped being stubborn and listened to reason. Then again, we as a people have never been good at listening, instead choosing to forge our own path forward, which history has shown to be a double-edged sword. And right now, we are seeing the downside to “going with your gut” rather than listening to facts and reason.

At the end of the day, Amazing Spider-Man #36 is a comic, and it’s worth discussing its composition. Straczynski’s writing is moving and captures the mood of the moment – somber, reflective, resilient, and ultimately hopeful. Joining him is John Romita Jr, who at the time was at the top of his game. This is not the JRJR that today’s readers make fun of, as he and Straczynski combine for a preview of the magic they will create in their time together on the book. Given the unfortunate subject matter of this issue, it plays well to Romita’s street-level comics roots that he forged in his time on Daredevil. From start to finish, Romita delivers the goods.

I’m not completely naive or trying to sugarcoat the past. Of course there were disagreements, infighting, and corruption, but people were willing to come together and in the face of tragedy than try to find a political opponent to blame. In revisiting Amazing Spider-Man #36 for the 25th anniversary of September 11th, it is a reminder that for a time, the world wasn’t as divided as it is today. It remains as poignant and affecting today as it did back when it hit stands in November 2001. But, as evidenced by the preceding paragraphs, it can be a frustrating experience. In some respects, the issue reads as an artifact of a bygone era, when people could see commonalities in our collective mourning. Amazing Spider-Man #36 is far from a perfect comic, but it was a comic that was needed at that time.

For those that have not read this issue, do yourself a favor and seek it out. It’s only a couple dollars on Comixology, or those with Marvel Unlimited can read it right now.