#ASM Sam

[ziraconarose]

Player and really enjoyed Always Sometimes Monsters. Sam and Korsel rotating in my head.

[ziracona]

Ex-best friend whose life you ruined and showed up to kill you taking you to karaoke first seemed like a promising turn of events but you were wrong.

[oliveroctavius]

Doesn't the decision to get involved with Sam Bullit prove Gwen was a bad person?

Hey, I've been looking for an excuse to post about this. The Sam Bullit arc isn't really about Gwen (though it certainly reveals some things about her character). The Sam Bullit arc is about racist dogwhistles and why they work.

ASM #92 pg 19: "I will bring law and order to the people of this great city! I will show no mercy to the anarchists and all others who would destroy our way of life!"

Bullit's platform is not openly white supremacist in the sense that it doesn't overtly mention race. He talks about laws and safety in a way meant to appeal to rich white voters. The true meaning should be clear to anyone with any political awareness (who are those others and what is our way of life?), so why does this rhetoric attract "otherwise rational" people?

ASM #91 pg 6: "I want to volunteer to help you--in your campaign for DA. Because--I want you to bring Spider-Man to justice!" "We need strength--strength to punish those who mock the law! I will use such strength to bring Spider-Man and others like him to justice! I will not betray your trust."

Gwen makes her decision to back Bullit on the way home from her father's funeral. There's a very real phenomenon of tough-on-crime bills named after (white) murder victims. The grief of families who feel like justice hasn't been served is a powerful tool to push harsh laws while smothering any criticism as "disrespectful" to the victims. What’s in a Name? An Empirical Analysis of Apostrophe Laws, 2020.

Bullit showed up at George Stacy's funeral with this exact goal in mind, and when Spider-Man "kidnaps" Gwen later, he leverages the media obsession with white girls in danger for his cause. Gwen is a pawn, but she did offer her help first. Her desire for closure is very human and her short-sighted reactionary faith in "the law" is very white.

Oddly absent from your "proven bad person" takeaway is J. Jonah Jameson. The Bugle lends Bullit a platform to make Gwen's personal tragedy a political talking point. JJJ has the ~Black best friend~ excuse and everything, and he still blows past red flags like crazy.

ASM #91 pg 7: "Maybe they were better days than now! At least we had law and order then." "Yeah--and lynch mobs, and bread lines, and Uncle Toms..." "Come off it, Robbie! What's wrong with a man standing for law and order, anyway?" "Maybe it just depends on whose law--and what kind of order you're talkin' about, man!"

(Another point of this arc: marginalized groups learn to recognize dogwhistles pretty quickly for survival reasons. If they tell you something is a dogwhistle and you don't see it yet, look closer.)

ASM #92 pg 9: "Parker's story just served to open Jameson's eyes--but I've kept a dossier on you. I haven't been city editor all these years for nothing! I know where your support comes from. I know about the lunatic hate groups who are backing you. I know what you really mean by law and order!"

Late in the campaign, the Bugle switches sides. This scene tends to be described as JJJ giving the racists what-for, but the moment is truly Robbie's. (Note that it took Peter getting roughed up for Jameson to take this seriously!) JJJ can yell at Bullit all he likes without consequences, but Robbie is kidnapped and threatened by white supremacists in retaliation. It's Robbie's determination to speak up that eventually puts Bullit out of the running for good.

The Bullit arc isn't there to sort characters by Bad Person and Good Person. Neither Gwen nor JJJ have to personally hate black people for their self-centered sense of safety to be weaponized by a racist agenda. This is a Stan Lee PSA about masked bigotry and how it might appeal to you even if you consider yourself a Good Person.

But for some ~mysterious~ reason, Gwen's brief agreement and Jameson's brief rejection are the only parts of these two issues I ever see brought up, with Robbie's major role not mentioned at all. Some ideas fit more neatly than others into smug ship-war quote tweets and anon asks, it seems.

[doamarierose-honoka]

While it's still up to debate among fans whether disrupting Canon Events in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse destroys universes, several such events were featured prominently in Sony Pictures' animated sequel.

When Miguel O'Hara gave Miles Morales his lecture on Canon Events, he defined them as "chapters that are a part of every Spider's story, every time. Some good. Some bad. Some very bad."

However, despite what Miguel said, that doesn't mean that every Spider-Person has the same Canon Events or experiences them the same way.

Every Canon Event in Spider-Verse 2

1.) Spider Bite

In both the comics and Spider-Verse films, the origin for most Peter Variants involved being bitten by a radioactive spider as a teenager, bestowing them spider-like powers.

Not all of them would get the same abilities from this bite, with Peni Parker being a prime example, but it's no surprise for it to be a Canon Event for nearly all of them with a handful of exceptions.

One exception is Miguel O'Hara, who audiences saw injecting himself with a mysterious green liquid, foreshadowing to non-comic fans that the source of his powers wasn't a spider bite. Miguel even acknowledged his unique status among Spider-People in his inner monologue: "...I'm not like the others."

2.) First Loss

The most defining moment of Peter Parker's life as Spider-Man was, without question, the death of Uncle Ben. Peter B. Parker best expressed this event's significance to Miles when his orientation turned into an intervention:

"If not for Uncle Ben, most of us wouldn't be here, Miles, and all the good we did—it wouldn't have been done."

But as Peter said, "most of [them]" wouldn't be there. So for other Spiders, instead of Uncle Ben, it was another uncle, a father, or even a best friend.

Across the Spider-Verse puts this Canon Event under one umbrella, making it more a Spider's first loss that leads them to learn their first crucial life lesson, good or bad, on their road to being a hero.

It's the defining Canon Event that instills in them the mantra of Spider-Man: "With great power comes great responsibility."

3.) Upside-Down Kiss

One of the few "good" Canon Events on this list (that didn't originate from the comics) is the upside-down kiss from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man.

This would be its own Canon Event for multiple Spiders because, at least in the case of Raimi's Peter Parker, it was when they finally got to kiss the person they were only brave enough to love from afar before getting their powers.

One shot from Across the Spider-Verse paralleled this iconic moment when Gwen was preparing to leave Miles' universe. These two may eventually share their own upside-down kiss in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, fulfilling this Canon Event.

4.) The Death of a Captain

The only Canon Event on the list to have a designation (ASM-90 (The Amazing Spider-Man #90), Miguel described it as "a police captain close to Spider-Man dies saving a kid from falling rumble during a battle with an arch-nemesis."

Like a Spider's first loss, this Canon Event isn't restricted to Captain Gregory Stacy from the comics but encompasses multiple Captains "close to Spider-Man." It was also revealed that this event already happened to Peter B. Parker, Jessica Drew, and Hobie Brown and that the same will soon happen to Gwen and Miles.

However, Gwen realizes that with her father quitting the police force, he's seemingly avoided his untimely death. This proves to her that Canon Events aren't unavoidable nor preventing them will ending the universe.

It further strengthens her resolve to save Miles and his father from The Spot, with the help of Peter B. Parker and the rest of her newly formed Spider-Band.

5.) The Death of Gwen Stacy

The second most defining moment of Peter Parker's life as Spider-Man was the death of Gwen Stacy and his failure to save her. But what was another tragedy for Peter Parker was no doubt an existential nightmare for this film's Gwen Stacy, who likely learned the fate of her endless Variants after joining the Spider-Society.

It's also, unfortunately, the reason why she's so hesitant to pursue a relationship with Miles since "in every other universe, Gwen Stacy falls for Spider-Man, and in every other universe, it doesn't end well."

This is something that already nearly happened to Pavitr Prabhakar's girlfriend Gayatri Singh, another Variant of Gwen Stacy.

6.) The Birth of Venom

The only event on the list to focus on one of Spider-Man's supervillains is the birth of Venom, who would hound the web-slinger for years before becoming an anti-hero (or dying).

Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker from Spider-Man 3 and a Variant of Jessica Drew are shown struggling with the alien (or Earth-made) Symbiote, while others depict Eddie Brock or Anne Weying transforming into Venom and She-Venom.

The last Spider shown is interesting, as it's seemingly this film's Gwen Stacy turning into her Venomized counterpart, Gwenom; she debuted in Spider-Gwen #24 and used the Symbiote to go on a path of vengeance when her father was put in a coma.

7.) "If This Be My Destiny...!"

One of the most character-defining moments of Peter Parker's superhero career was when he saved himself from a literal ton of debris in The Amazing Spider-Man #33, the concluding issue of the "If This Be My Destiny...!" story arc.

The reason this was monumental for the character is that it was the first time he displayed what would become his most defining trait: his boundless perseverance.

Trapped, injured, and about to drown, Peter had all but given up until he remembered why and who he was fighting for and used that to gain the strength to lift the machinery off himself.

It was such an iconic moment for the character that The Spectacular Spider-Man and even the MCU's Spider-Man: Homecoming adapted this act of triumph in the face of doubt.

Considering that this happens fairly early in Spider-Man's career in the comics, it's interesting that this film's Jessica Drew seemed to experience it as an adult, pointing to Canon Events not having to happen at the same time in a Spider's superhero career.

8.) "Spider-Man No More!"

The story arc "Spider-Man No More!" is the first instance of Peter Parker quitting as the wall-crawler. Not only did it result in one of the most iconic pages in all of comics, but it also reinforced why Peter had to keep wearing the mask.

In the original story, Parker quit because he got no respect from the public for his heroic actions, which The Daily Bugle would often twist. However, after quitting, he realized that without him being Spider-Man, people that he could save would get hurt or even die.

The motivation for any Spider quitting varies, whether it's the same lack of respect, the loss of their powers, or the injury/death of a loved one. It's tempting to wonder what would make Hobie Brown, a Spider who openly declared his disdain for glory, temporarily quit.

9.) Spider-Man's Wedding

Peter Parker's editorially mandated deal with the literal devil to annul his marriage in the comics is infamous at this point. Regardless, his union with Mary Jane Watson was the status quo for over 20 years, making it no surprise that a Spider's marriage is a Canon Event.

Before the events of Into the Spider-Verse, Peter B. Parker was happily married to his MJ before they had a mutual and legal divorce over Peter's reluctance to have children. However, in Across the Spider-Verse, not only did he and MJ remarry, but they had a kid, May "Mayday" Parker.

10.) "Kraven's Last Hunt"

Another surprise Canon Event that Gwen has already experienced is a near-death confrontation with Kraven the Hunter from the iconic Spider-Man storyline, "Kraven's Last Hunt."

Gwen is shown digging herself out of her own grave, the same way Peter Parker did in Web of Spider-Man #32. She's also wearing her old costume from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (note the forearms), indicating that it already happened.

It's also something that Gwen's comic book counterpart never experienced, further showing the franchise's willingness to diverge from her depiction and reality in the comics.

11.) The Collider

It's highly suggested through Miguel's verbal (and literal) beatdown of Miles that Spider-Man destroying a world-ending collider was a Canon Event, saying that "[Miles' Peter Parker] would have stopped the collider before it ever went off" but that "instead, he died, saving [Miles]:"

"You're a mistake! If you hadn't been bit, your Peter Parker would have lived. Instead, he died, saving you! He would have stopped the collider before it ever went off! Spot wouldn't exist, and none of this would have happened!"

On top of that, one plot point is Spot scouring the Multiverse for a universe "with a full-sized collider," which he found in Pavitr's dimension. Miguel's artificial intelligence assistant, Lyla, even mentioned how "every dimension [Spot] stops at has an Alchemax."

It's possible that Pavitr would have eventually had to stop his own Alchemax from using the machine for some other nefarious purpose, but The Spot's preemptive use of it likely averted this potential Canon Event from happening.

How Spider-Verse 3 May Deny Destiny

There's no doubt that Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse will address Miguel's claims about Canon Events and whether breaking them has catastrophic consequences. It's already been shown through Gwen's father that averting a Canon Event is both possible and even harmless.

Of course, it doesn't mean that Miguel intentionally lied about Canon Events, as there is evidence of correlating life-changing moments between (nearly) every Spider-Person. But whether he understands them fully himself is another question.

It'll be interesting to see how Canon Events will be further explored in the reported final entry of this trilogy and how Miguel will react to his ideology being proven wrong.

[eamoart]

Spider-Man: The Alien Costume

So I decided to redraw this ASM cover by Ron Frenz. I just found the composition so striking and awesome, I just had to draw my take on it. I really like how the black suit replaces Peter's shadow and ominously looms over him.

I also made two variants, one with white/ grey wevs, inspired by Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, and a black and white variant.

[kitausuret]

hang, Flash is actually a Star Trek fan?

He sure is! In Amazing Spider-Man #203, boys' night out included going to see possibly the gayest of the Star Trek films (the first one!) and it's heavily implied it was Flash's idea. It was a big premiere, but it's very funny that Flash seemingly schmoozed up to an ex of his to make sure they would be able to get in.

(ASM #203, Wolfman & Pollard)

Unfortunately, this happy affair was interrupted by a fight between Dazzler and Lightmaster destroying the theatre, so it's unlikely Flash even got to see the handholding scene between Kirk and Spock. Which is a shame, because it's very moving. I think we deserved Flash pretending not to be emotionally moved by it and Harry awkwardly trying to comfort him. (Peter fell asleep during the long scene where they pan around the Extra Gorgeous Model of the Enterprise NCC-1701 for ten minutes.)

Even funnier though, is that yeeeeeeeears later during Venom: Space Knight, when Flash and his motley crew "acquire" a ship, guess what he names it?

(Venom: Space Knight #7, R. Thompson & Olivetti)

NEEEEEEEERRRD ALERRRRRRT!!! (affectionately)

Like, okay, yes, the Enterprise is one of the most famous ships in sci-fi media, but the fact that he took the effort to make sure it was spray-painted on, not to mention the symbol below it does largely resemble the pattern of the windows on the saucer section of the iconic starship.

Throughout Space Knight, though, he makes a lot of funny references to a lot of different sci-fi/fantasy properties. It's kind of incredible. Here are some of my favorites:

(Venom: Space Knight #1, 2, 3, 7, all by Thompson & Olivetti)

The first 6 issues of Space Knight really are "Flash Thompson living his space opera dreams with Venom" and then #7-13 are "okay fun's over let's get serious now". It's an absolutely phenomenal series for Flash content though and I love how peak nerd he is.

My personal HC is that he liked Voyager a lot. His favorite films are probably the II-III-IV trilogy, though, because who doesn't love those?

It is probably some kind of Hot Take™ to say that Flash might be a bigger sci-fi media/fandom nerd than Peter is but. Here we are.

Aaaaand as a special bonus, let's not forget Flash playing some kind of TTRPG with the Guardians in Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men: The Black Vortex Alpha (W: Sam Humphries, A: Ed McGuinness). I wonder how much he argued with the symbiote over their character's class? Anyways, it seems like this might have been a regular thing on the C.I.T.T. At least in my heart it was!

[kanohimineka]

LOOK AT THESE X MEN

So, I just want to talk some comic books, because some stuff is looking cool. But it requires some context.

So, near the start of the 2000's, a little book called Ultimate Spider Man came out. It was meant to be a reader friendly alternative to the main Spider Man comics that had been running since the 60's. You know, something a bit less overwhelming. It was mostly written by Brian Michael Bendis, and it ran up to 2015. It was a massive success, and it led Marvel to make many other "Ultimate" comics adapting many of their other characters, such as the Fantastic Four, the X Men, and the Avengers, rechristened the Ultimates. Many of these influenced their modern film counterparts, with USM inspiring much of the Sam Raimi Spidey films and the ASM films, and the Ultimates heavily influencing the MCU Avengers. However, in the 2010's, it started to peter out, the only real notable exception being the creation of Miles Morales, the second Spider Man. As such, in 2015, the universe was destroyed by the event Secret Wars (2015), written by one Jonathan Hickman.

Hickman got his start at Marvel working on some Nick Fury stuff, but really got his start when he began writing Fantastic Four, pushing it forward to new heights. In which, he introduced the character of The Maker, a corrupted evil version of the Ultimate Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic). From there, he began to write The Avengers, creating a grand multi year epic that all led up to the new Secret Wars, Marvel's closest equivalent to DC's many crises, where the multiverse was destroyed and reformed by Dr. Doom into Battleworld. After this event, the Ultimate universe (World 1610) was destroyed, and the main universe (World 616) was reformed, with a few changes (Such as bringing in Miles). From there, after a brief period of independence, he reformed the X Men into the Krakoan era with HoX and PoX, though he left that period to other creatives to focus on other things. Then eventually, he came back.

After a decent amount of teasing, Hickman began work to bring back the Ultimate Universe... kind of. Hickman brings back the Maker in this four issue mini to mess around with universe 6160, futzing with it to make his own epic universe. However, things don't go exactly to plan, but it doesn't really matter, because a new Ultimate universe comes back, with new characters like a young Iron Man and so on and so forth, introduced this month in the book "Ultimate Universe #1"

This book kicks off this grand new universe, but it will be flanked by others in the near future. Hickman himself is taking over Ultimate Spider Man, a story of an older, married Peter who gets his powers after living a longer life. Cool. There is also a Black Panther book. I don't have too much to say, but it does look neat. However, why we are here is for Peach Momoko's Ultimate X Men, which got a backup preview in Ultimate Universe.

This is a big book for Peach Momoko, a Japanese artist who was hired by Marvel as mainly a cover artist, but with some of her own works as well. It seems to focus on the character of Armor, one of the many mutants by Marvel, seeing her grow into a mutant in this universe. And it looks FUCKING SICK!

Again, it got some teaser images in Ultimate Universe, though it won't come out until next March. However, this brief look gives some interesting images that I'm just obsessed with.

I am obsessed with this seeming adolescent body horror approach. It feels right in line with this idea of younger mutants dealing with all these ideas in a new, cool looking way. The artstyle really helps it, since a lot of the given teasers are very dialogue light. It lets the art and the emotions therein shine.

It does, at least at the start, seem to focus on just a few dorks hanging out. They're both mutants by the way, the white haired kid is a character created for a cover by Peach Momoko, and she's getting integrated here.

Overall, it looks really promising. How will they integrate the actual X Men, who knows. But, I'm excited for this interesting take on this gaggle of mutants

[dilfdoctordoom]

Kamala should go to Space, join the GotG, where Spiders and the like can't hurt her.

Thinking of a good team for her for that. I think Sam/Nova would be an obvious choice.

I vote Angela and Sera to be "Supervising Adult" pair. Any options for members from you?

God it's bad when the GOTG editorial is a better option.

Her and Sam, a given. Let my besties interact, for fuck's sake. I think Riri should also get a space era it's unfair that out of everyone in an iron suit, we got Tony.

Would genuinely love for Kamala and Rich to interact I think there's a lot that they have in common re: teen superheroing and just... Rich is one of the worst case scenarios on how that ends like I love him to bits but he's riddled with PTSD and guilt and has crippling depression and will never ever be able to go back to how he was, his whole family is permanently altered as a direct result of his superhero actions... could be a great moment between them where Kamala sees like. the worst possible outcome. (aside from being in asm).

[rael-rider]

Rumor from 4chan is that the new Guardians writer is Zeb Wells.

I guess we'll know tomorrow but if that's true. But judging by that piece of information I dunno what to think. Wells did a good Nova run with Sam, his New Warriors run was um... It was a choice but nowhere near being the worst New Warriors run but his Rich was kind of vapid( and yeah it was pre-Annihilaton but he still had lots of character even then) and he had him in the most awkward as fuck situations, lol.

His ASM has been getting mixed receptions and I can see why. I'm not keeping up with it that much but from what I've seen it has some good moments but overall isn't a good Spider-Man run and that stuff with Mary Jane is so shit. But I think Marvel Editors are also messing with the title.

I heard his Hellions was good and from what I saw it did look interesting so I might check it out.

So yeah it could be good? I dunno. I'll still check it out because OFC it's Guardians I will check it out even if I'm crying about not liking the writer. That said I'm not as invested in it without Rich, especially since Ewing left things off with him, Peter, and Gamora in a very interesting spot and the three of them being closer than ever and it looks like that won't matter in this new run so why should I be that invested in it? (and I honestly hope we don't get a "they had a fight off screen and went their separate ways BS explanation" because writers seem to love doing that stuff because they just don't want to deal with what the previous writer did and if that's the cause I rather the writer ignores it and just leaves it open for Ewing to explain what happened).

But at this point I'm content with Al Ewing being the one who gets to handle Rich and I'll take whatever Rich crumbs I can get. Marvel also better give Ewing a Nova solo and just leave him alone with the character like they did with Immortal Hulk (as in no Event interruptions or anything like they're doing with the X-franchises because I could tell the whole Sins of Sinister event halted X-Men Red's story and possibly influenced it).

[ziraconarose]

Always Sometimes Monsters and Sometimes Always Monsters sure are some games

[ziracona]

I’m so obsessed with these two for real

[oliveroctavius]

Sorry About The Spider-Man Acronyms: A Guide for the anon @hawkogurl got, or anyone else who needs it. This is only a small selection of Spidey media, but it's the ones that are commonly referred to in shorthand like this.

Movies:

SM1, SM2, SM3: Spider-Man movies directed by Sam Raimi, starring Tobey Maguire.

TASM, TASM2: The Amazing Spider Man movies directed by Marc Webb, starring Andrew Garfield.

MCU: The Marvel Cinematic Universe.

ITSV, ATSV, BTSV: Into, Across, and Beyond The Spider-Verse animated movies.

TV shows:

TNAS: Spider-Man The New Animated Series (2003). People mostly forget this one exists.

TSSM: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008). Sometimes written as SSM.

USM: Ultimate Spider-Man (2012).

MSM or MSM 2017: Marvel's Spider Man (2017).

Comic series titles:

ASM: The Amazing Spider-Man. Sometimes written as TASM.

SSM: The Spectacular Spider-Man. Sometimes written as TSSM.

WSM or WOSM: Web of Spider-Man.

SM/DP: Spider-Man/Deadpool.

USM: Ultimate Spider-Man.

SM2099: Spider-Man 2099. (Miguel's origin series.)

Frequently used comics universe numbers:

616: The main Marvel comics universe, including ASM, SSM, WSM, and virtually every mainline comic since the sixties.

1610: The "Ultimate" universe, including USM, launched in 2000 and closed in 2015. Miles Morales' home universe.

65 or Earth-65: Spider-Gwen's home universe.

MC2: An alt future universe where Peter's daughter is Spider-Girl.

6160: The... new alt future "Ultimate" universe just opened in 2024. I still don't know what's going on there.

Other random acronyms you'll see:

SM PS4/MSM, MSM2: the Marvel's Spider-Man games from Insomniac.

OMD: One More Day, the name for the 2007 story arc which broke up Peter & MJ's marriage, among other changes.

BND: Brand New Day, the comic arc immediately after OMD. OMD/BND are really two halves of the same whole, so you'll see people use them interchangeably.

KLH: The Kraven's Last Hunt storyline.

TCW: The Child Within storyline.

JMD: J. M. DeMatteis, a comic writer who did both Kraven's Last Hunt and The Child Within.

I hope this helps and, uh, good luck.

[hell-girl69]

8/28/24

omfg ok so i had ap psych today. i was able to move seats to sit across from isabel. we had a fire drill. so i got to extra talk to micah and isabel which was fun and i saw lola. i rlly like micah and isabel. they’re sweet. we had the sr&r which is so dumb and then it was boring up until the freshman picnic. i met this super nice girl named ellie was wearing the same red as me! i met rafikis younger sister sarah and emerson’s friend carys. i also met someone named juliet and someone named julien and sam just like a bunch of people lol. but so ANYWAY

we did a bunch of weird ass acting games idek know what they’re called but like we ran around in a circle?? OMFG JAC JAC SHOWED UP LMAO

ok so we had to do this thing where we stood in a circle on the stage and introduced ourselves and our pronouns and what we did in theater. wally was standing right next to me. so it’s get to sofia. this is the girl who had emailed reid wanting to asm. and she says. “I’m sofia and i asmed at longfellow and i want to do it for the rest of my life!” and my and wally look at each other and we’re like what? so anyway she keeps going and then it gets to wally and he says like “hi im wally i wanna asm” and she gives such a weird look. idk it was so odd so it gets to me i say im larkin i do tech. anyway afterwards we’re all in the blackbox just mingling and like in in a group with her and like two other people and she says “oh your larkin right? you want to asm?” BRO. wtf.

anyway i talked to some other random people after that but yeah that was super weird

[alovecraft]

I don’t think the ASM appreciates it when I point out I go by the Sam Vimes method (who watches the watchmen…I can’t remember the Latin off the top of my head beyond quis cod-something).

[dispatchdcu]

Superior Spider-Man #4 Preview

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[buyaprofdrhasmaarifma]

Mestika Zed: ASM & ”TEORI BELAH BAMBU”

©MTZ-II-13-08

ASM & ”TEORI BELAH BAMBU”

Oleh Mestika Zed

Kenapa meneer X, sesoedah promosi di negeri Belanda tak pernah membikin publikasi (penjelidikan wetenschappelijk) seoemoer hidoepnja lagi? Lantaran soedah berpangkat, tidak ada tempoh, banjak kerdja, banjak anak, besar tanggoengan, digoda oleh chef, selaloe dipindahkan oleh papa gouvernement, dipergantoengi oleh kaoem famili segerobak...? Amboi, kenapa orang Barat sesoedah ia berpromosi dan berdiploma baroe moelai hidoep, madjoe, menjelidiki, mengeloearkan publikasi tiap tahoen dan lain-lain, walaupoen banjak poela rintangan dari loear jang diderita mereka. Apakah kaoem kita oemoemnja beloem dihinggapi oleh djin (demon) penjelidikan, beloem bernafsoe membikin (scheppen), baroe toekang tiroe mengamin sadja? Atau nafsoe ini bangkit apabila ia hidoep dalam masjarakat sendiri jang tidak biasa structuurnja? Wallahoealam. [cetak miring dai penulis, MTZ].

K

UTIPAN di atas agaknya membingungkan pembaca yang budiman. Tetapi mohon jangan salah faham. Saya mengutipnya sekedar pembuka wacana untuk memahami sekedarnya tentang tempat Pak Ahamd Syafii Maarif  (ASM)  di  antara kaum akademisi Indonesia. Inilah “angle” yang akan saya gunakan untuk berbincang tentang siapa ASM dalam kaca-mata saya. Meskipun saya dapat memastikan sudah mengenal namanya lebih dari dua puluh tahun lalu, tetapi tentu sangat sedikit yang dapat saya ketahui tentang ASM. Terlebih lagi karena perkenalan saya yang agak dekat dengannya baru terjadi belakangan. Rasanya baru sejak pertengahan 1990-an, ketika kami sering bertemu dalam seminar-seminar, forum diskusi Kompas atau sesekali bersua saat beliau “mudik”, pulang kampung ke Sumatera Barat. Kadang beliau juga mengirim “souvenir” kepada saya, yakni berupa buku karya beliau sendiri yang baru diterbitkan. Saya pun demikian, sekali-sekali mengirimkannya juga buku saya. Paling tidak untuk menutup malu agar jangan dicap hanya suka “menerima” melulu, tetapi jarang memberi.

Salah satu buku beliau yang paling berkesan bagi saya ialah berjudul Islam dan Politik. Teori Belah Bambu. Masa Demokrasi Terpimpin 1959-1965 (1996). Buku itu berasal dari “tesis MA”-nya (1975-1977) di Ohio State University, AS di bawah bimbingan Prof. Dr. William Frederick, yang sekali waktu juga pernah menjadi guru saya saat kuliah di Kampus Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta. Bedanya, beliau berguru dengannya di Amerika, sementara saya cukup di tanah air saja. Kebetulan Dr. William Frederick menjadi guru besar tamu di Fakultas Sastra dan Budaya, Universitas Gadjahmada, tempat di mana saya kuliah di akhir 1970-an. Meskipun kampus kami bertangga -- saya di Bulaksumur dan  ASM di Kampus IKIP Karang Malang, di mana ia mengajar -- kami tak pernah bertemu satu sama lain. Soalnya saya mahasiswa dan beliau sudah menjadi dosen. Meskipun begitu waktu itu saya sudah mengenal namanya. Lain tidak. Tetapi alasan mengapa kami tak pernah berjumpa sebenarnya ialah karena saat itu beliau masih melanjutkan studi ke negera Paman Sam, seperti halnya dengan kolega ASM yang lain: Dr. Amin Rais dan Dr. Kuntowijoyo; yang terakhir ini juga dosen saya di Jurusan Sejarah. Ketiganya kemudian menjadi tokoh yang dikenal luas di kalangan aktivis kampus Yogya. Pada umumnya mahasiswa generasi saya di akhir 1970-an dan sesudahnya mengenal ketiga tokoh ini sebagai sosok yang dihormati. Barangkali karena ketiganya bukanlah termasuk golongan ilmuwan seperti “Meneer X” yang diceritakan dalam kutipan di atas.

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Kutipan di atas aslinya berasal kumpulan karangan Dr. Amir (1900-1949), seorang cendikiawan Minang yang menamatkan studinya di bidang kedokteran di Belanda. Kumpulan karangan itu -- yang ditulis untuk berbagai media antara tahun 1923 sampai 1939, diberi judul Boenga Rampai (terbit tahun 1940). Dengan kutipan di atas, Dr. Amir sebenarnya sedang mengutarakan keprihatinannya terhadap kiprah ilmuwan Indonesia yang menamatkan studinya di luar negeri. Waktu itu jumlah tentu masih amat sedikit. Apalagi yang menamatkan degree doktor masih dapat dihitung dengan bilangan jari sebelah saja. Meskipun demikian gejala yang diamati Dr. Amir pada zaman sebelum perang itu rupanya masih amat kental pada kita masa sekarang. Sebagai salah seorang aktivis nasionalis, Dr. Amir sangat mendambakan agar bangsanya bergiat mengejar ilmu yang saat itu berkembang di Barat (khususnya di Eropa). Ini dikesan pada pembicaraan Amir tentang proefschrift (disertasi) Latumeten dan Todung Sutan Gunung Mulia. Atau apa yang dilakukannya sewaktu ia tinggal di Eropa. Diceritakannya tentang refereeavond ketika mahasiswa dan dosen terbiasa memperdebatkan isi majalah dan buku. Ia juga mendambakan kehidupan kaum ilmuwan Indonesia juga demikian. Ia tak puas dengan hanya melakukan peminjaman ilmu yang intinya sama dengan peminjaman teknologi.

Maka bertanyalah Dr. Amir dalam salah satu tulisannya (bab XXIV: h.215): Kenapa meneer X, sesoedah promosi di negeri Belanda tak pernah membikin publikasi (penjelidikan wetenschappelijk) seoemoer hidoepnja lagi? Lantaran soedah berpangkat, tidak ada tempoh, banjak kerdja, banjak anak, besar tanggoengan, digoda oleh chef[alias mengejar jabatan, MTZ] selaloe dipindahkan oleh papa gouvernement, dipergantoengi oleh kaoem famili segerobak ....?

Pernyataan dan pertanyaan Amir ini ternyata memiliki  implikasi yang luas sebagaimana sudah dikatakan di atas, bahwa gejala itu bukan hanya melulu di masa hidup Amir saja, melainkan juga di masa masa kita kini. Menurutnya gejala itu terjadi karena sejumlah sebab. Tetapi ia percaya akibat lebih dulu daripada sebab. Ini logika yang biasa dikenal di kalangan mereka yang belajar sejarah. Artinya suatu peristiwa menjadi historis [bersejarah] karena akibat yang ditimbulkannya. Jadi sejarah mulai dari akibat. Tanpa mempersoalkan kebenaran sebab yang ditemuinya, sejarawan biasanya mengembangkan semacam hipotesis. Dr Amir menyatakan bahwa sikap kita yang "menimba" ilmu dari Barat ialah menelannya tanpa menggalinya dan mengkritisinya. Ini tentu erat kaitan dengan cara kita berguru dari Barat dan akibatnya kita menjadikan Barat "guru" yang menurut Dr. Amir dapat berarti “bapa rohani” — Amir melekatkan ini untuk Gandhi, tetapi ini juga sikap kita terhadap "guru Barat". Kita mengenal dunia, bahkan diri dan budaya sendiri melalui ajaran "guru Barat". Akibatnya, kita tidak berani menyimpang dari guru dan selalu menanti lampu hijau guru. Kita akan selalu meniru. Jadi “Pak Tiru”. Ini ditambah dengan sikap guru Barat yang menggurui, yang ada kalanya berkeliling menemui para cantriknya dan sekaligus menambah pengetahuan mereka. Ini bisa terjadi karena bagi kebanyakan kita membaca hanya perlu semasa belajar. Kita berhenti membaca begitu tamat, dapat ijazah, juga ijazah doktor. Apalagi bacaan kita batasi kepada yang disarankan guru. Kita jaga tidak perlu membaca sesuatu yang memungkinkan kita berbeda dari guru, apalagi akan berlawanan. Sebagai akibatnya, ilmuwan kita berperan sebagai ”juru bicara” ilmu Barat.

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Dr. Amir menginginkan agar ilmuwan atau kaum akademisi tetap bergerak dalam dunia ilmu, menyumbangkan sesuatu kepada perkembangan teori. Akan tetapi ini tidak mungkin dilakukan dengan hanya meminjam dan memamahbiak apa yang diterima dari sang guru. Perlu keberanian pencarian sendiri. Tetapi itu hanya mungkin dilakukan dengan mempertanyakan apa saja. Dan kalau sarjana Barat merumuskan suatu teori berdasarkan pemikiran budaya mereka, kita dapat melakukan hal yang sama. Merumuskan sesuatu (teori) berdasarkan pemikiran budaya kita. Tapi perlu diingat, sarjana Barat, selalu mengubah teori mereka, antara lain akibat perkenalan dengan dunia luar. Ini terutama di bidang ilmu sosial, termasuk ekonomi. Mereka akan mengubahnya bila dunia berubah. Kehilangan jajahan memaksa mereka mengembangkan teori baru. Sekarang teori pascakolonialisme sedang lagi ”in” di dunia sana dan mulai marak pula dikutip-kutip di sini. Begitulah seterusnya dengan teori-teori yang lain. Dalam hal ini Umar Junus (2000) agaknya benar. Menurutnya ada dua faktor utama: penggalian dan keterbukaan kepada dunia luar. Mungkin kita bisa mulai dengan penggalian sendiri. Tapi kita tidak mungkin menggali lebih dalam tanpa perkenalan dengan dunia luar, yang memperkenalkan kita kepada alat-alat yang menolong kita menggali lebih dalam. Ini termasuk perkenalan dengan teori baru yang berkembang di Barat, yang memungkinkan kita ”memperbarui” pemahaman kita. Bahkan perkenalan dengan teori baru memungkinkan seorang ilmuwan menemukan sesuatu yang dapat menyumbangkan sesuatu kepada perkembangan teori ilmu. Paling tidak, perkenalan itu membuat ia berani menyatakan sesuatu yang berlainan dari dan bertentangan dengan kebiasaan dan ini memungkinkan penemuan (baru). Sesungguhnya di sinilah, hemat saya, letak arti penting buku ASM tentang ”teori belah bambu” itu.

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ASM sedikit banyak berhasil menggunakan metafora ”belah bambu” untuk teorinya tentang kebijakan rejim penguasa terhadap Islam di masa ”Demokrasi terpimpin” (1959-1965). Ia mengambil sebuah metafora dari budaya petani yang bekerja di sawah ladang, di mana mereka akrab dengan bambu. Karena semua dikerja dengan manual maka untuk membelahnya, sisi yang satu diinjak dan yang satu lagi diangkat untuk mencapai tujuan; yakni untuk tujuan yang berguna bagi yang empunya kerja. Misalnya bagi petani untuk membuat pondok atau pagar sawah ladang mereka. Toeretisi Barat mungkin bingung menangkapnya karena gagasan teoretisnya diambilkan dari budaya Indonesia. Dengan kata lain ia sangat dekat dengan lingkungan emperik kita dan mudah dimengerti.

Meskipun ASM dalam bukunya itu tidak menjelaskan lebih jauh bagaimana konstruksi teorinya dibangun, terutama kerangka konseptual yang melandasinya kebenaran empirik dari temuannya itu memang didukung oleh bukti-bukti empirik, bahwa telah terjadi sikap berat-sebelah rejim terhadap partai-partai Islam yang berkembang pada masa itu. Partai-partai Islam (seperti PSII, NU dan Masyumi) yang telah memberikan andil dalam merintis perjuangan kemerdekaan jauh sebelum proklamasi 1945, seakan-akan dikucilkan setelah merdeka. Sejumlah pemimpin mereka ditangkapi, partai dihapuskan dan medianya dibrangus. Sebaliknya partai komunis (PKI) semakin berkibar dan menjadi ”anak emas” yang mesra dengan rejim.

Namun jika dikaji lebih jauh, teori itu tidak hanya cocok untuk menjelaskan hubungan negara dan partai pada masa demokrasi terpimpin; ia tentu juga relevan untuk rejim ”Demokrasi Pancasila” Orde Baru kemudian. Orang akan ingat bagaimana, misalnya, Golkar (waktu itu enggan disebut partai)  menjadi besar dan sangat berkuasa, seperti halnya PKI di zaman Orde Lama. Orang akan ingat betapa tak terlindungnya – kalau bukannya teraniaya -- kelompok umat Islam di masa lalu. Anak-anak muda, terutama kaum perempuan yang ingin melamar bekerja sebagai calon pegawai atau karyawan suatu lembaga bisnis suasta tidak diizinkan memakai ”jilbab” dalam wawancara dan dokumen foto lamaran mereka. Tetapi kebanyakan pemimpin Islam waktu diam saja, kecuali beberapa orang kelompok kritis yang tidak mau ”tiarap” begitu saja. ASM  jelas salah seorang dari sedikit tokoh yang tidak mudah “tiarap”.

Di era reformasi dewasa ini, di kala usianya sudah berangkat sore (73), ia masih tetap ASM yang dulu, tokoh yang kritis dan tetap lantang, tetapi ”tanpa kemarahan dan sikap berat sebelah” – Sine Ira et Studio – meminjam semboyan sejarawan Romawi, Tacitus. Baru-baru ini ia mengeluarkan pernyataan ”buka kulit tampak isi”. Katanya ”peradaban politik kita masih rendah dan kumuh. Kotor. Ya politik uang, ya moral.” Setelah reformasi, kendati dipuji-puji dunia, kualitas demokrasi kita sebenarnya di bawah stándar karena berada di tangan mereka yang tidak bertanggung jawab dan berwawasan picik. Bangsa Indonesia mengalami krisis kepemimpinan karena, menurutnya, politik gandrung menjadi ajang kompetisi kepentingan-kepentingan sempit kelompok, bukan untuk mencapai keadilan sosial dan kesejahteraan seluruh rakyat, seperti dicita-citakan para pendiri negeri ini. Komitmen ini pula yang memperkokoh dirinya sebagai salah seorang dari sedikit kaum intelektual Indonesia yang konsisten dengan perjuangan menegakkan “perdamaian” dalam kebhinekaan. Istilah kerennya  moderasi, inklusivitas dan pluralisme. Saya tak begitu paham dengan jargon ini. Tetapi untunglah dalam keterangan persnya ia pernah menyatakan philosopi hidupnya yang sangat sederhana, “bahwa tidak hanya orang beriman (believers) saja yang berhak hidup di muka bumi ini tapi juga orang yang tidak beriman (non-believers) bahkan ateis sekalipun. Tentu dengan satu syarat bahwa semuanya sepakat untuk hidup berdampingan dengan saling menghargai dan menghormati secara damai.

Tak syak lagi bahwa komitmen perjuangan ini pula yang membawa reputasinya sebagai tokoh Indonesia kedua yang dianugerahi penghargaan internasional “Magsaysay Award” untuk kategori Perdamaian dan Pemahaman Internasional tangal 31 Juli 2008 lalu. Sebelumnya, tahun 1978 penghargaan yang sama pernah diterima oleh Soedjatmoko (1922-1989), tokoh intelektual dengan reputasi dunia.

ASM hemat saya bukan hanya seorang ilmuwan yang menekuni ilmu dan melahirkan teori ilmiah bagi dunia ilmu pengetahuan yang digelutinya, tetapi sekaligus juga seorang tokoh intelektual Indonesia yang menyadari nasib bangsanya. Sebagai ilmuwan ia tidak seperti pohon pisang yang berbuah sekali. Begitulah metafora yang digunakan Prof. Sartono Kartodirdjo untuk mereka yang setelah menulis disertasi, seperti ”Menerer X”  dalam kutipan di atas, lalu tergoda mengejar jabatan, sehingga tak ada lagi karya keluar dari tangannya. Tetapi dari tangan ASM, banyak karyanya diterbitkan dan ia juga menulis dalam media publik. Dalam dunia ilmu pengetahuan berlaku semacam adagium berikut: The more one doing research the more one is able to deviate himself from the discipline. Teori “belah bambu” ASM, saya kira, juga mangkus untuk menjelaskan fenomena kebijakan pemerintah dalam menaikkan harga bahan bakar minyak (BBM) berdasarkan silogisme post hoc proter hoc. Artinya harga minyak ”terpaksa” dinaikkan pemerintah guna menutup defisit anggaran negara akibat naiknya harga minyak dunia. Bila pemerintah menaikkan harga minyak karena alasan kenaikan harga BBM dunia, tetapi mengapa ketika harga minyak dunia sekarang sudah turun lebih 50% dari harga dunia sebelumnya harga BBM dalam negeri lantas tidak turun-turun? Barangkali teori belah bambu bisa menjawabnya.  Sebagai intelektual ASM  sedikit banyak mewarisi tradisi berfikir “the founding fathers”.

Memang semua tokoh “the founding fathers”. (Bapak Bangsa), tanpa kecuali, adalah unik pada dirinya, tetapi sekaligus memiliki kesamaan. Persamaan di antara para Bapak Bangsa terutama ialah: (i). intelektualisme dan (iii) keteguhan dalam memegang prinsip altruisme.Dengan intelektualisme maksudnya ialah mereka yang memiliki kelebihan sebagai insan pemikir visioner, dalam arti memiliki kemampuan dan visi untuk ‘membaca’ tanda-tanda zaman. Fikiran-fikrian mereka menjadi suluh yang menerangi kondisi sezaman dan menawarkan jalan keluar yang harus ditempuh ke depan.  Julukan “Buya” untuk dirinya juga mengidikasikan peran ini. Intelektualisme pastilah menuntut setidaknya dua hal: kecerdasan dan berfikir kritis di satu pihak dan keterlibatan di lain phak.

Sebagai kaum literasi yang berada di pusaran sejarah yang menentukan, para Bapak Bangsa di masa lalu mengasah fikiran mereka dengan kebiasaan membaca dan menulis. Membaca bagi mereka tidak hanya dalam arti membaca teks (buku dan sejenisnya), melainkan membaca dunia di sekitarnya sebagai teks; dalam istilah Minangkabau dikenal ungkapan “alam terkembang jadi guru”. Dalam istilah mufasir ”ayat-ayat ”kauniyah”. Dalam hal ini para Bapak Bangsa umumnya pemimpin yang mampu menulis. Intelektualisme selanjutnya menuntut keterlibatan. Mereka tidak hanya kritis dan gigih mengatakan ini dan itu, tetapi juga membuktikannya. Kata kuncinya ialah sesuai kata dengan perbuatan. Pada gilirannya ini melahirkan sikap ketauladanan sang pemimpin. Di sini kita lalu berjumpa dengan aspek kedua, yaitu keyakinan altruistik, melakukan perbuatan terpuji demi kebajikan orang lain. Ini hanya mungkin jika setelah seseorang mampu memenangkan pertempuran melawan egonya demi kebajikan orang banyak atau mendahulukan kepentingan orang lain daripada kepentingan diri dan golongannya. Bingkai ideologis yang mengikat pandangan hidup altruisme mereka – meminjam istilah Moh. Hatta – ialah “nasionalisme kerakyatan”.

Rumah kaum intelektual”, kata Jaques Barzun dalam bukunya The House of Intellect (1959) “ialah seluas jagad semesta”, tetapi tetap berurat berakar dalam tradisi dan sejarahnya sendiri. Ia adalah telaga yang tak pernah kering mengalirkan gagasan-gagasan bening, orisinil dan keterlibatan mereka yang intens dalam mendobrak sejarah zamannya. Di masa lalu para “bapak bangsa” telah melahirklan Republik ini, tetapi kiprah mereka mereka seharusnya sumber inspirasi generasi masa kini tentang bagaimana negeri ini harus dikelola. Dan tak syak lagi ASM adalah salah seorang dari sedikit kaum intelektual Indonesia yang telah mewarisi tradisi yang telah dibangun oleh the founding fathers lebih setengah abad lalu itu. * * *

Mestika Zed, menamatkan M.A. dan Ph.D-nya di Vrije Universiteit, Amsteram, Belanda (1991)   

dan sekarang di samping mengajar ia juga menjadi Direktur Pusat Kajian Sosial-Budaya & Ekonomi (PKSBE), Fakultas Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial (FIS), Universitas Negeri Padang.

Tulisan ini berdasarkan Seminar tentang ASM 30 April 2008 di Padang oleh PWM Sumbar-UMSB.