Chip Zdarsky Leaving 'The Spectacular Spider-Man'

Writer Chip Zdarsky is finished with Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man.

Zdarsky joined the title when it launched last year, joined at the time by artist Andy Kubert. The series has become a critical darling, and has helped Marvel's Spider-ship stay steady even as longtime scribe Dan Slott prepared an exit to go relaunch The Fantastic Four (the first issue of which shipped today). During a Reddit AMA yesterday, though, Zdarsky revealed not only that he was leaving the Spider-verse, but that he regretted it a bit after hearing some of the plans The Amazing Spider-Man writer Nick Spencer has for the character coming up.

"The two-part Sandman story with Chris Bachalo(!) coming up is GORGEOUS!" Zdarsky wrote. "We're doing some new things with the character that I think people will like. After that, I'm writing AND illustrating issue 310, which is nerve-wracking as it turns out I do not know how to draw. It'll also be my last issue on the series. Which was an incredibly hard decision to make, but the timing felt right. My biggest regret is that, talking with Nick Spencer, the stuff coming up in Amazing is so great that I wished I could stick around to play in the world he's making."

Zdarsky, who sounds like he is staying at Marvel for the foreseeable future, said that he could not yet discuss details of his next project, although he finds it exciting.

"I'm a child of the '80s and '90s, so a lot of books from that time really imprinted on me," Zdarsky said when the series was announced last spring. "The mystery of the Hobgoblin hooked me as a kid. I also loved the stories that made you feel like Spidey was up against impossible odds. The classic scene from issue #33 of him struggling under the wreckage; his defeat of Firelord, Galactus's herald; the introduction of Venom, which was terrifying; or when J. Michael Straczynski and John Romita Jr. introduced Morlun, an unstoppable, single-minded villain. Even though he's been on teams, Spidey as the loner trying desperately to survive and save everyone is key. I also love stories that remind you of why you love the character. Superior Spider-Man managed to do that superbly while not even having Spider-Man as a character, which was incredibly bold with a fantastic payoff. I think those are the things I want to push in this book: impossible odds and reminding people why they love Spider-Man."

Zdarsky's Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #310 will be in stores on September 19.