Michael Jackson! Michael Jackson! Does whatever a spider can action!

One of those stories where the headline suddenly collapses when you poke it from the Daily Telegraph:

Michael Jackson planned to star in Spider-Man movie
Michael Jackson had planned to star in a new Spider-Man movie before his death, the superhero's creator has disclosed.

Wow. That's quite a thing, but since the headline and the standfirst both claim Stan Lee says a guy in failing health had been planning to appear as Spiderman, it must be true, right?

Marvel legend Stan Lee, 86, said the King of Pop had discussed his plans to produce the flick - and believes he wanted to play the eponymous web-slinger himself.

Oh. Or possibly isn't true.

"I'm not sure whether he just wanted to produce it or wanted to play the role. Our conversation never got that far along."

So rather than knowing for sure that Jackson wanted to play Spiderman, it's just a guess on Lee's part.

Asked if he thought Jackson would have taken the title role, Mr Lee replied: "I suspect so."

... although, naturally, there is nothing at all for Lee to base that on as, by his own admission, casting never even came up.

Still, 'Michael Jackson had speculative discussions about buying the rights to Spider-Man' - who would bother to read a story if that was the headline?