Clone Saga
A crisis of identity where truth and duplication collide in a single universe.
The Clone Saga is an extended comic-book storyline published by Marvel Comics, revolving around the superhero Spider-Man and clones of him, as well as of other characters. The second and best-known story arc of this name ran from October 1994 to December 1996, and quickly became one of the most controversial Spider-Man stories ever told. Although it was intended to wrap up in less than a year, the comics sold very well and the writers were encouraged to prolong the saga as long as possible. This led to some changes to the storyline that ultimately proved divisive. Despite the controversy, the 1990s Clone Saga remains one of the most popular Spider-Man story arcs.
- Key Figures
- Peter Parker, Ben Reilly, Kaine
- Era
- Mid-1990s Comic Continuity
- Affiliation
- Spider-Man Legacy
- Primary Location
- New York City
Lore & Background
The second Clone Saga sprang from Marvel Comics's determination to produce a strong Spider-Man 'event' story that would rival DC Comics' 'The Death of Superman,' which sold extremely well. Spider-Man editor Mark Bernardo said 'Marching orders we were given by upper management to come up with something similar in scope to DC's "Death of Superman" storyline, which at the time was breaking sales records left and right. Thus, no outrageous idea was out of bounds. Terry Kavanagh was cajoled into blurting out his clone id.' The saga is most closely associated with Terry Kavanagh, who proposed the idea; Howard Mackie, who worked on the majority of the smaller crossovers; and Gerry Conway, who devised the original story. Executive editors included Tom DeFalco, Bob Budiansky, and Bob Harras. The climax revealed that Peter, Ben, the Jackal, Judas Traveller and many others had all been manipulated for years by Norman Osborn, who had returned from the dead. Osborn claimed Peter was the clone and Ben was the original—a lie later revealed when Osborn admitted he had faked the evidence to break Peter's spirit. Ben was then murdered by Norman Osborn, impaled on a glider, and his body did not immediately degenerate.
In Their Own Story
Rain slicked the rooftop as two red-and-blue silhouettes faced off. One mask was scarred; the other pristine. They moved with identical precision, a mirrored dance of acrobatics and webs. 'Which one is real?' the question hung heavier than the storm clouds. The answer didn't matter anymore; only the mission did.
Reader's Guide
The second Clone Saga ran from October 1994 to December 1996 across four monthly Spider-Man series: Web of Spider-Man #117–129, The Amazing Spider-Man #391–418, Spider-Man #48–75, and The Spectacular Spider-Man #215–241, plus numerous spin-offs, one-shots, and ancillary issues. The saga introduced Ben Reilly, a clone who had survived the original battle and lived for five years under that name (a combination of Peter's Uncle Ben's first name and Aunt May's maiden name), developing his own superhero identity as the Scarlet Spider. Medical tests indicated Peter was actually the clone and Ben the original, leading Peter to temporarily retire as Spider-Man, leaving the mantle to Ben while he prepared for fatherhood after Mary Jane's pregnancy. Peter even lost his powers for a time during his 'retirement,' although they eventually came back after a near-death experience. The climax revealed Norman Osborn had manipulated everyone, faking the evidence that Peter was the clone. Ben died saving Peter's life, his body degenerating like any other clone, confirming Peter as the original.
Did You Know?
- The second Clone Saga ran from October 1994 to December 1996, originally intended to wrap up in less than a year but prolonged due to strong sales.
- The saga was conceived to rival DC Comics' 'The Death of Superman,' which sold extremely well; 'Batman: Knightfall' was not a primary inspiration.
- Ben Reilly's name combines Peter's Uncle Ben's first name and a surname chosen by the writers, not Aunt May's maiden name (which is Watson).
- The climax revealed Norman Osborn had faked evidence that Peter was the clone as part of a plan to break Peter's spirit.
- A third Clone Saga was published in mid-2021, starring Miles Morales instead of Peter Parker, running from Miles Morales: Spider-Man #25 to #28.