SPIDER-man
The Amazing Wall-Crawler. The Spectacular Web-Slinger. The Ultimate Hero.
Following a tragic life lesson, Peter Parker understood that with his great power there must also come great responsibility. Swinging through the streets of New York City as the Amazing Spider-Man, he aspires to live up to that great responsibility everyday, taking on super villains and saving every life he can, no matter the personal cost.
high school
(Stan Lee + Steve Ditko)
"Sometimes I wish I were just like any normal teenager! If only it had never happened!"
These early exploits of your friendly neighborhood superhero are considered comic book gold for good reason. Following the definitive origin story presented in 1962's Amazing Fantasy #15, each issue of Spidey's signature new series by co-creators Stan Lee & Steve Ditko and letterer Sam Rosen featured face-offs with colorful new villains, dramatic developments in both his personal and professional lives, and his attempts to balance life as a high school senior and the concerns of a kindhearted aunt amidst it all. All preparing him from one of his all-time greatest challenges...
Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #1-28 + Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1
If this be my destiny...!
"A man may lose! A man may be defeated! It's no disgrace -- so long as he doesn't give up!"
This is Spidey at his finest. Friends and family in danger. A nefarious mastermind behind a secret organization with countless henchfolks at his disposal. And obstacle after obstacle thrown in his way. Does he surrender in the face of overwhelming odds? You'll have to read to find out but this iconic story propelled Peter Parker into a new era: attaining a college education at Empire State University. Along with new faces and new responsibilities came a story that pushed Peter Parker to his absolute limits & defined early on exactly why this spectacular superhero continues to be loved and rooted for by millions today!
Amazing Spider-Man (1963)
#31-33
"Okay, Parker! This may be the most fateful fight of your life! So don't fumble the ball, fella... there's too much at stake!"
New
beginnings
(Stan Lee + John Romita Sr.)
After thirty-eight excitingly excellent issues chronicling the web-head's origin through his opening adventures, high school graduation, and start at ESU, Steve Ditko and Stan Lee's creative collaboration came to a close, with Jazzy John Romita welcomed to the book beginning with #39, an issue that kicked off a series of stories that would bring Peter face to face with two individuals who's impact continues to be felt decades later. With the gruesome Green Goblin out for revenge and other new threats on the horizon, Spidey met new dangers head-on like never before and managed to hit the jackpot in the process.
Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #39-43
turning point
(gerry Conway + Gil kane)
It's difficult to overstate how much the first couple decades of ASM function as a complete narrative. Peter's final months at Midtown High to his first couple of years at Empire State University are packed with new villains and challenges in his personal life with each issue and, above all, most moments and remarkable revelations carry their emotional and character-developing weight into the stories that follow. While we highly recommend reading through the complete ASM #1-120 before getting to this critical moment in the Spider-Mythos to fully understand the dominos that fell to bring Spidey here, know that, even on it's own, this shocking story shows both sides of our hero at risk like very few stories had done before. With a sinister villain out for revenge on Spider-Man & Peter Parker's friends and family in the way of irrevocable danger, nothing would ever be the same for everyone's favorite web-slinger ever again.
Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #121-125
