“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” This line, said by Ferris Bueller is repeated often. You’re likely to hear it at graduation speeches, funerals, and even weddings. The reason for that is simple; people say it because it’s true. We have a tendency to get bogged down in worrying about things we can’t control that we forget to enjoy what we have. The problem with Ferris’ approach, though, is that it requires someone like Cameron to offer the proper balance. Cameron brings reason into Ferris’ world, and while it’s true that Ferris loosens Cameron up from being uptight, Cameron also manages to bring Ferris back down to earth. The two sides need one another to achieve any semblance of balance. Without Ferris, Cameron remains miserable and can never enjoy what he has. Without Cameron, Ferris never takes anything seriously and never accomplishes anything. This relationship is important because it saves them from themselves. We see that they care for one another, but we also see that they need one another, and that’s really why it matters. The pieces of the Bueller crew each represent a different part of
our psyche. Ferris is id, Sloane is ego, and Cameron is superego. Each piece is necessary, and each piece is flawed. John Hughes makes these characters real and endearing so that, decades later, they’re still relevant. That’s part of his magic and one of his big strengths as a filmmaker. Hughes gave these characters enough gravitas and honesty that they didn’t seem fake or stupid or even unlikeable for the most part. He gave us teenagers that weren’t punks when, in real life, many of them most certainly are. That’s why I’ve always thought he would’ve made a great Spider-Man movie.
Obviously, Spider-Man has guilt issues. Like Batman level guilt issues. Letting that thief get away will haunt him forever, and because of that one mistake, he’s bound by his responsibilities to doing everything he can and more to help people. Peter Parker has never thought he did enough to help people. That, really, is the curse that Ben Parker left on his life. No matter what he does, it’s never going to be enough because his uncle’s never coming back. This defines Peter. He will never be light and free to smell the roses because of it. Peter has his responsibilities and that’s what 
matters. But that’s where Spider-Man comes in. See, Spider-Man is more than Peter’s costumed identity, it’s his outlet. The mask allows him to break lose, to crack jokes, to have fun. The moments he has in costume are easier for Peter because everything is simpler. While he still thinks about things, being in costume means worrying about the rent, how upset his girlfriend is, or even his Aunt’s health takes a back seat. There’s a bad guy and he has to be punched. Even though it makes his life outside the suit more complicated, his life inside the suit is necessary not only because it’s his responsibility but also because it frees him. He doesn’t have any super villains to punch as Peter Parker because they aren’t wearing brightly colored outfits to announce themselves as villains. As Parker, he has to worry about keeping everything a secret unless someone finds out and puts his loved ones at risk. Peter is left with the cleanup that comes from being Spider-Man and the damage that brings to his life. In a way, Peter is Cameron, and Spider-Man is Ferris. Both sides need one another to exist. One without the other misses an integral part of Spider-Man’s endearing characteristics. Spider-Man, above all other things has to be young and he has to be responsible. Because Spider-Man has to be young, I have grown to accept One More Day as time has passed. The youth, the faults, the attitude, all made Spider-Man into what he is today, and if that’s taken away, the character loses the allure. If the responsibility is taken away, though, then the very purpose of the character is demolished. Hughes would’ve been perfect to capture this balance, I think, because he did it so often on camera so often. With his mastery of the drama of high school and his portrayal of kids, Spider-Man might have turned out okay, even back in the 80s. This, oddly enough, brings me to Dan Slott.
matters. But that’s where Spider-Man comes in. See, Spider-Man is more than Peter’s costumed identity, it’s his outlet. The mask allows him to break lose, to crack jokes, to have fun. The moments he has in costume are easier for Peter because everything is simpler. While he still thinks about things, being in costume means worrying about the rent, how upset his girlfriend is, or even his Aunt’s health takes a back seat. There’s a bad guy and he has to be punched. Even though it makes his life outside the suit more complicated, his life inside the suit is necessary not only because it’s his responsibility but also because it frees him. He doesn’t have any super villains to punch as Peter Parker because they aren’t wearing brightly colored outfits to announce themselves as villains. As Parker, he has to worry about keeping everything a secret unless someone finds out and puts his loved ones at risk. Peter is left with the cleanup that comes from being Spider-Man and the damage that brings to his life. In a way, Peter is Cameron, and Spider-Man is Ferris. Both sides need one another to exist. One without the other misses an integral part of Spider-Man’s endearing characteristics. Spider-Man, above all other things has to be young and he has to be responsible. Because Spider-Man has to be young, I have grown to accept One More Day as time has passed. The youth, the faults, the attitude, all made Spider-Man into what he is today, and if that’s taken away, the character loses the allure. If the responsibility is taken away, though, then the very purpose of the character is demolished. Hughes would’ve been perfect to capture this balance, I think, because he did it so often on camera so often. With his mastery of the drama of high school and his portrayal of kids, Spider-Man might have turned out okay, even back in the 80s. This, oddly enough, brings me to Dan Slott.In the grand scheme of things, Dan hasn’t written much Spider-Man. Sure he’s done a few storylines in Amazing and other places, and he’s now the head writer on the series going forward. But it’s not like he’s Roger Stern or Stan Lee, in terms of longevity. That being said, he may very well wind up having a better run on the book than either writer. Now, breaking out the Stan comparison is a little unfair, since he set the bar, along with Ditko, back in 1963, and they set it pretty freaking high. But Slott has earned that comparison because he gets the character like only those two other writers have really gotten it. See, when he writes Spider-Man, it’s fun. For whatever reason, writers over the past few runs that have spanned decades have made Spidey seem like a punching bag. Everything gets heaped up on him more and more. When Slott writes it, though, you can tell Peter’s having fun in the costume. What’s more, you can tell that Peter is finally handling his responsibilities outside of the costume better than he ever has, realizing that he has gifts that have to be used that didn’t come with the spider bite. Peter, after being beaten and kicked for thirty years, has finally become his own person with some degree of freedom and a way to make himself better. Slott also manages to improve Spidey’s enemies without discarding their previous incarnations. Doctor Octopus is more dependent on technology, but has more abilities because of it. The Hobgoblin is more 
unpredictable and better armed than ever before. Venom and the Scorpion have become major villains again. And the Sinister Six are finally back together again for the first time. We’re two issues into what I hope is Slott’s major run on Amazing Spider-Man, but already it’s one of my favorites to date. Regardless of what happens in the future, I have an appreciation for what Slott’s done so far with a character that’s been around for over four decades by making him not only relevant again, but making him as relevant as he was when we first met him so many years ago. Peter Parker is doing great things and might just reach his full potential, in and out of the comic. The sheer joy that comes from reading that book is back now, because you can feel the energy and passion that’s been put into it. And that’s going to carry on for decades as well. Because, just like John Hughes, Slott understands what he’s doing and what the audience needs rather than wants. He’s brought pieces from every run that’s come before him together and made it all important to Peter. He’s not playing Peter as somebody who’s been a spectator in his own life. Slott has made Peter seem more like a real person by making the stories that have come before a real piece of Peter’s life. He’s taken something that many would throw away and made it a key part of who the character is. As a result, not only is Peter more believable since his psyche isn’t fighting itself all the time, but the other characters gain more power as well. Now, everything has a real depth to it, more so than it did before. Carroll O'Connor once said the characters on All in the Family were important because they were real to him. Hughes and Slott both seem to share this feeling. Nothing is unimportant. What's more amzaing, though (sorry for the pun) is that they both make the audience feel the same way. And being able to do that requires a master’s touch.
unpredictable and better armed than ever before. Venom and the Scorpion have become major villains again. And the Sinister Six are finally back together again for the first time. We’re two issues into what I hope is Slott’s major run on Amazing Spider-Man, but already it’s one of my favorites to date. Regardless of what happens in the future, I have an appreciation for what Slott’s done so far with a character that’s been around for over four decades by making him not only relevant again, but making him as relevant as he was when we first met him so many years ago. Peter Parker is doing great things and might just reach his full potential, in and out of the comic. The sheer joy that comes from reading that book is back now, because you can feel the energy and passion that’s been put into it. And that’s going to carry on for decades as well. Because, just like John Hughes, Slott understands what he’s doing and what the audience needs rather than wants. He’s brought pieces from every run that’s come before him together and made it all important to Peter. He’s not playing Peter as somebody who’s been a spectator in his own life. Slott has made Peter seem more like a real person by making the stories that have come before a real piece of Peter’s life. He’s taken something that many would throw away and made it a key part of who the character is. As a result, not only is Peter more believable since his psyche isn’t fighting itself all the time, but the other characters gain more power as well. Now, everything has a real depth to it, more so than it did before. Carroll O'Connor once said the characters on All in the Family were important because they were real to him. Hughes and Slott both seem to share this feeling. Nothing is unimportant. What's more amzaing, though (sorry for the pun) is that they both make the audience feel the same way. And being able to do that requires a master’s touch.
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