Marvel Said 'No' To Spider-Man As A Doctor Who Companion

[thechase]

Another 'reasonably sane' idea from Dan Slott

At MCM London Comic Con, Dan Slott phoned in an interview with Titan Comics VP Andrew Sumner about the Doctor Who 2022 Special. He talked at length about the origins of the Spider-Verse, and his history as a Doctor Who fan and how, as a comic book writer, he has wanted to do Doctor Who comic books forever. That, whenever he was at shows (often going to meet Doctor Who actors) Titan Comics would always try to get him to write Doctor Who comic books but he was Marvel-exclusive for any work-for-hire comic books.

He even tried to get Titan, Marvel and the BBC to publish a Doctor Who/Spider-Man crossover, and he has the stories ready, but in the end he said "Marvel was happy being Marvel". He states that they said "maybe you can create a Doctor Who-like character?" but that's not the same. Although, to be fair, Dan Slott has introduced a lot of Docytor Who elements in his Marvel Comics along the way, especially the comparison between Time Lords and Watchers in his recent Reckoning War.

"I would love characters to meet from the different universes. It's impossible not to see Morlun and think that he is The Master." In his planned series, Curt Connor's serum wouldn't be turning him into a Lizard but a proto-Silurian. There would have been five one-shot stories, each with The Doctor and Peter Parker as his companion. Maybe you'll be able to tease out more at subsequent conventions or interviews?

bleedingcool.com/comics/dan-slott-doctor-who-spider-man-crossover-marvel-no/

[The Dark Order Inferno]

If it were going to happen, the 80s were the time. Marvel UK had the license and had the Doctor go against the likes of Death's head, a marvel owned character who was created for Transformers books.

[WoodStoner1]

I will use this opportunity to mention the urban legend that Fonz and the Happy Days Gang was supposed to be Hanna-Barbera's Doctor Who.

[Hit Girl]

Disney should do a deal with the BBC and bring Doctor Who into the MCU.

[schma]

I really enjoy Doctor Who and Spider-man. However, I don't think I have any interest in a crossover.

[Citizen Snips]

Slott’s Silver Surfer book was pretty much a Doctor Who comic

[Cyno]

Give me Deadpool for a Doctor Who crossover companion. It'd be wonderful chaos.

[The Dark Order Inferno]

He should try and rehabilitate Zebediah Kilgrave as an asstant. I'm sure he'd see something of himself in the purple man.

[peaches1]

I know the Spiderverse is a big deal now and very popular but Spider-man works best from me when he's doing street level stuff and not traveling through time, between dimensions, or into outer space.

[Kevin Hamilton]

May 28, 2022 9:16:30 GMT -5 WoodStoner1 said:

I will use this opportunity to mention the urban legend that Fonz and the Happy Days Gang was supposed to be Hanna-Barbera's Doctor Who.

Fonzie was also almost cast as Spidey in a movie in the 70s

[thechase]

Slott posted over on the Spider-Man CBR forums that he was misquoted. He doesn't think Morlun is like The Master, but that Immortus (aka Kang) is.

[schma]

May 28, 2022 18:27:53 GMT -5 peaches1 said:

I know the Spiderverse is a big deal now and very popular but Spider-man works best from me when he's doing street level stuff and not traveling through time, between dimensions, or into outer space.

They're probably going to the well a bit too much with the Spiderverse stuff, it's like their new toy. That said I think a middle ground works best for Peter. When he was young and trying to juggle college and friends and what not and barely holding his life together it made some sense. However, he's damn smart (no Reed Richards but definitely big brain) and it makes sense that at some point he would get his shit together. He doesn't need to be Iron Man light but with some of the tech he's come up with over the years combined with it being 2022, it makes sense that he'd move in that direction. That said, as much as I like him say in the Avengers, I agree that he's probably best as your friendly neighbourhood Spider-man.

[thechase]

May 28, 2022 23:55:11 GMT -5 schma said:

May 28, 2022 18:27:53 GMT -5 peaches1 said:

I know the Spiderverse is a big deal now and very popular but Spider-man works best from me when he's doing street level stuff and not traveling through time, between dimensions, or into outer space.

They're probably going to the well a bit too much with the Spiderverse stuff, it's like their new toy.

 They're apparently bringing the story of the Spider-Verse to an end this year.

insidethemagic.net/2022/05/marvel-end-of-spider-verse-th1/

[schma]

May 29, 2022 4:47:21 GMT -5 thechase said:

May 28, 2022 23:55:11 GMT -5 schma said:

They're probably going to the well a bit too much with the Spiderverse stuff, it's like their new toy.

 They're apparently bringing the story of the Spider-Verse to an end this year.

insidethemagic.net/2022/05/marvel-end-of-spider-verse-th1/

I give it five years max before they bring it back. How many times have they gone back to the infinity stones or phoenix?  It'll be back at some point. It's kind of like when one of my favourite characters dies "well see you in 2 years...probably see an alternate universe version of you sooner".

I love comics but sometimes they need to let stuff like that breathe and they can't help themselves.

[thechase]

May 29, 2022 5:10:22 GMT -5 schma said:

May 29, 2022 4:47:21 GMT -5 thechase said:

 They're apparently bringing the story of the Spider-Verse to an end this year.

insidethemagic.net/2022/05/marvel-end-of-spider-verse-th1/

I give it five years max before they bring it back.

Yeah, and probably in a sequel that doesn't get half as much promotion, like what happened to Spider-Geddon, which 'fixed' a lot of what Spider-Verse did to characters. Mind you, Slott didn't write that one, Gage doesn't quite have the same box office to his name.

I think it might be a way of addressing a common critique that with so many Peter Parkers out there in the multiverse that have happy endings or more maturity to them, the 616 version just looks increasingly underdeveloped and irrelevant.

[thechase]

Slott talks further about it

From the Doctor Who side, the Doctor has had adventures with Agatha Christie, Vincent van Gogh, and Robin Hood.
The Doctor loves having adventures with historical figures.

Think of Spidey as one of the most colorful characters in all of history, and that's your "in" from the Doctor side of things.

As for the hook of each story (it would've been a 5 issue mini), those are things you'd have to hear in each story title/pitch/synopsis.
I walked people from BBC Worldwide and DW through the beats of each story-- and each one has a very good Doctor Who/Spider-Man "hook", meshing the worlds/character/properties of each character very well-- as well as how we would have had Spider-Man/Peter Parker and the Doctor would work together in each adventure. And the BBC loved it.

End of the day, if you're going to have the Doctor interact with a world of super heroes, why not have him interact with the greatest super hero of all-time?

I get the appeal of marrying the Sci-Fi property with another Sci-Fi property. Like having the Doctor interact with the Fantastic Four. Or have him save a planet that's about to be devoured by Galactus. But that doesn't gibe with what makes the Doctor fun. That's like having a peanut butter and peanut butter sandwich. You want the jelly.

It'd be way more fun to have the Doctor travel back in time and interact with Indiana Jones as opposed to having him go to a wacky space bar/Cantina and interact with Han Solo. The Doctor can *already* do something like that.

community.cbr.com/showthread.php?159749-Dan-Slott-Pushed-For-A-Spider-Man-Doctor-Who-Crossover-And-Was-Told-No/page2

[YAKMAN is ICHIBAN]

I’d read/watch that as a What If, for sure

[FinalGwen]

Fun fact, Spider-Man did make an appearance as part of the omniversal spectrum in the Doctor Who comic 'The Glorious Dead'.

[thechase]

May 30, 2022 7:54:13 GMT -5 FinalGwen said:

Fun fact, Spider-Man did make an appearance as part of the omniversal spectrum in the Doctor Who comic 'The Glorious Dead'.

Into The Omniverse

[Blade]

May 28, 2022 18:27:53 GMT -5 peaches1 said:

I know the Spiderverse is a big deal now and very popular but Spider-man works best from me when he's doing street level stuff and not traveling through time, between dimensions, or into outer space.

You mean they missed the point that Into the Spiderverse was great because it was fundamentally about Miles Morales and a very human story, with the Spiderverse stuff being a vehicle primarily to highlight his insecurities and give him aspirational figures?

Well, I'm shocked.