Let's Read The Amazing Spider-Man

Since I was six or seven years old and I thumbed through my first issue in a drug store in McKeesport, Pennsylvania while my grandmother picked up her prescriptions, I have loved the amazing Spider-Man.

I loved that he was a picked-on smart kid with too-big glasses who would rather study than play sports. That was just like me!

I loved that he wise-cracked his way through tough spots, his wit covering up his fear. That was just like me!

I loved that he was flawed… sometimes selfish, sometimes unkind to his friends, always neurotic and second-guessing himself. That was… hopefully was… just like me!

"The Amazing Spider-Man," especially the wonderfully corny, soap-opera-tastic issues written by Len Wein and drawn by Ross Andru, was the manual for my young life. I love Peter Parker. The Amazing Spider-Man is my hero.

Reading The Amazing Spider-Man

For months, I've had an idea that would not go away. When an idea sticks with you, it's probably worth pursuing. Here it is:

I'm going to read "The Amazing Spider-Man," from issue one through issue 545. Once a week, every Tuesday, I'll post my thoughts and observations, issue by issue, from the perspective of a writer, a creator and most importantly, a fan. I think I'll learn things about episodic storytelling, long-form character arcs, creating comics, and, yes, I'll go ahead and also add "myself."

I think it'll be fun.

Join me! We'll start with the debut issue of "The Amazing Spider-Man," cover dated March 1963, next Tuesday.

Matthew Wayne Selznick - Telling stories with words, music, pictures and people.