After being bitten by a radioactive spider, Peter Parker went from fairly ordinary high school student to having the proportionate abilities of an arachnid. This includes not only super-human strength, speed, and durability, but the ability to climb walls and a ‘spider-sense’ capable of detecting impending danger.
Soon after, a personal tragedy taught Peter his greatest lesson: With great power comes great responsibility. With this mission, Peter has to juggle school, a job, his family, a girlfriend, and saving the world… or at least the neighborhood.
Generally considered to have been created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (though Jack Kirby has claimed to have created the character), Peter Parker first appeared in the pages of Amazing Fantasy #15 (1963). Expectations were low based on the idea that people did not like spiders, and Amazing Fantasy was a title expected to be cancelled.
Spider-Man has gone on to become the flagship hero of Marvel Comics, appearing in television, films, and well over 4,000 issues of comics.
Peter Parker was the ultimate everyman, and has been for the vast majority of his existence. Before his existence, heroes were god-like ubermensch. Peter Parker was a normal guy. He had to pay bills, deal with health concerns, suffer through miserable roommates, and with his longtime love Mary Jane Watson, struggle through everything any other romantic relationship had to.
Best of all though, Peter Parker taught us to persevere, no matter what we faced. Whether it’s supervillains mowing a path through the city or being there for Aunt May’s cancer treatments, Peter will fight through everything to come out on top, and that’s something we can all look up to.
Gold
Introducing Spider-Man
June 1962
- Amazing Fantasy #15
- Stan Lee & Steve Ditko
- Steve Ditko
- Steve Ditko
- Stan Goldberg
- Artie Simek
The Plot
Learn the incredible origin of the web-slinger! What events led mild mannered Peter Parker to become the wise cracking hero known around the world as SPIDER-MAN?!
Get a glimpse of Peter’s life, his family, and what turned him into the heroic figure he became.
Why We Love It
The wall crawler’s debut remains of his greatest stories. It’s also one of Stan Lee’s best stories, with fantastic art and design by Steve Ditko. Also notable for forever imprinting the infamous catchphrase on pop culture – with great power comes great responsibility! It’s become the gold standard of superhero origins, with moments that every fan will instantly recognize and emotional shocks that will stick with you.
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Silver
If This Be My Destiny
February 1966
- Amazing Spider-Man #31-33
- Stan Lee
- Steve Ditko
- Steve Ditko
- Sam Rosen & Artie Simek
The Plot
After a tranfusion of his blood unexpectedly places Aunt May at death’s door, Peter races against time to find the only thing that could save her- ISO-36!
Unfortunately its in the hands of a mysterious enemy, the criminal mastermind the Master Planner. When the shocking identity of the Planner is revealed, Peter has to battle him, his allies, and the most iconic chunk of rubble in comic book history.
Why We Love It
Easily the most iconic (non-origin) story of the Lee/Ditko run, this is the perfect example of Spidey fighting through impossible odds to help a loved one.
The story also includes the iconic moment of Peter lifting an impossibly heavy chunk of rubble to free himself, a moment that’s been adapted in multiple later films and series, including Spider-Man: Homecoming.
It’s a story that served as a model for many later Spidey stories to come, and is a great thriller. The emotional stakes in particular will keep you hooked as you hang on for exactly how Peter will save the day here, especially as you realize Peter’s greatest power isn’t his strength but his determination to do what’s right.
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Kraven’s Last Hunt
October – November 1987
- Web of Spider-Man #31-32
- Amazing Spider-Man #293-294
- Spectacular Spider-Man #131-132
- JM DeMatteis
- Mike Zeck
- Bob McLeod
- Janet Jackson, Bob Sharen, & Mike Zeck
- Rick Parker
The Plot
Kraven the Hunter determines that in order to overcome his greatest enemy he must become the spider!
To accomplish his horrifying goal, he does the unthinkable, leaving Peter for dead after a brutal battle and taking his place. Can Spider-Man fight back to survive, and what else does Kraven have planned?
Why We Love It
A particularly dark turn for the web slinger, Kraven faces Spider-Man and mental illness. It’s perhaps the most shocking Spidey story and only prevented from being in the top spot by being more of a Kraven story than a Spider-Man story.
It’s a tense and thrilling classic, but more than that its one of the best character examinations in comics history. Kraven’s heartbreaking fate will even make the most stoic comic readers weep.
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The Night Gwen Stacy Died
June 1973
- Amazing Spider-Man #121-122
- Gerry Conway
- Gil Kane
- John Romita Sr. & Tony Montellaro
- Dave Hunt
- Artie Simek
The Plot
Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, kidnaps Gwen Stacy, the love of Peter’s life, to draw him into the ultimate confrontation. However, the battle ends in tragedy!
As Peter tries to save the day, Gwen is tragically killed when the Goblin throws her off the George Washington Bridge.
Why We Love It
The Night Gwen Stacy Died is the ultimate superhero personal tragedy, long before the storytelling trope became a comic book cliche. It’s a tragedy that would haunt the character the rest of his life, and a loss that would define most of his personal relationships for the rest of his publishing history.
It’s the ultimate loss, and the greatest story of its type in comics. It also set the stage for the character growth of every member of Peter’s supporting cast, as this is the moment everyone from Peter, to Mary-Jane Watson, to Harry Osborn grew up.
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Lifeline Tablet Saga
February 1969
- Amazing Spider-Man #69-75
- Stan Lee
- John Romita Sr. & Jim Mooney
- Jim Mooney
- Sam Rosen
The Plot
A gang war erupts in New York’s underworld over a mysterious tablet that holds the secret to eternal life. Spider-Man is the only one who can stop it from consuming the city!
It’s a battle that draws in some of Spider-Man’s greatest enemies and establishes Marvel’s super-powered gangsters as major players in the franchise and the entire universe for decades to come.
Why We Love It
One of the earliest longform arcs in the series, this arc laid the groundwork for multiple stories to follow. It also established two of Spidey’s longest term foes- the Kingpin and Silvermane- as forces to be reckoned with.
It’s a story that has had multiple adaptations and sequels, including the current major driving plot of Amazing Spider-Man. After all, who doesn’t want to live forever?
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Bronze
Best of Enemies
May 1993
- Spectacular Spider-Man #200
- JM DeMatteis
- Sal Buscema
- Bob Sharen
- Joe Rosen
The Plot
Driven mad by the Goblin serum, Harry Osborn has to choose between revenge and the brotherly bond between himself and Peter in a battle that will ultimately cost him his life!
Why We Love It
The Goblin Legacy has always haunted Spider-Man, but it comes to a head here. This issue isn’t just the culmination of the Green Goblin’s decades long reign of terror against Spider-Man. It’s also an exploration of Peter Parker’s longest friendship and how two men can overcome everything to save one another.
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Revenge of the Sinister Six
January – June 1992
- Spider-Man #18-23
- Erik Larsen
- Erik Larsen
- Gregory Wright
- Chris Eliopoulos
The Plot
Otto Octavius forms the most dangerous version of the Sinister Six ever, and it will take everything Peter Parker has in him (and some wild guest stars) to defeat him.
Why We Love It
Writing and drawing this epic, Erik Larsen proves why Doctor Octopus is Spider-Man’s greatest enemy. It’s a tense and thrilling ride with guest stars galore, some truly triumphant moments for the web slinger and wonderfully silly 90’s excess.
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Interlude
January 2002
- Amazing Spider-Man #37-39
- J. Michael Straczynski
- John Romita Jr
- Scott Hanna
- Dan Kemp
- Richard Starkings & Comicraft’s Wes
The Plot
Aunt May discovers Peter is Spider-Man. It goes much differently than you might expect.
Why We Love It
Overshadowed by some exceptionally bad stories late in his run, readers often forget how good JMS’s early issues are. The best example of that is perhaps this arc, in which May Parker discovers that her nephew is the Amazing Spider-Man. Rather than get angry or feel betrayed, May becomes Spidey’s greatest advocate, even chewing out J Jonah Jameson for his treatment of the hero. With fantastic character acting in Romita’s pencils, this story is a perfect example of why Spidey has the best supporting cast in comics.
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Finale
September 2018
- Spectacular Spider-Man #310
- Chip Zdarsky
- Chip Zdarsky
- Chip Zdarsky
- Chip Zdarsky
- Travis Lanham
The Plot
Chip Zdarsky ends his Spider-Man run with one of the greatest “man on the street” stories in the character’s history.
Why We Love It
This story doesn’t just show the impact of Spider-Man on New York as a whole but on one mother in particular after Peter helps her delinquent son turn his life around. It’s an unexpectedly moving story, and one of the best examples of this type of story published in years.
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Spider-Man vs Firelord
October 1985
- Amazing Spider-Man #269-270
- Tom DeFalco
- Ron Frenz
- Bob McLeod
- Bob Sharen
- Joe Rosen
The Plot
Spider-Man finds himself facing one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe, the former herald Firelord! If he’s unable to stop him, the cosmic being may lay waste to the entire city!
Why We Love It
Spider-Man stories where Peter Parker faces impossible odds are a dime a dozen. However, in the 80’s these stories were much less common. While many would recommend the infamous showdown with the Juggernaut, this story offers an incredible bang for its buck, and showcases two of Spider-Man’s greatest creators at the height of their game.
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Tony Thornley
Tony Thornley is a geek dad, blogger, Spider-Man and Superman aficionado, X-Men guru, autism daddy, amateur novelist, and all around awesome guy. He’s also very humble.
