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Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man #1
Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 1
Book by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko
256 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 1964
3984 people are currently reading
2098 people want to read
About the author
Stan Lee
7,572 books2,353 followersStan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber) was an American writer, editor, creator of comic book superheroes, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics.
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 357 reviews
August 26, 2024
Title: Marvel Masterworks #1: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol.1
Author: Stan Lee
Genre: Superheroes
Publication Year: 1987 (reprinting material from 1962/1963)
Review: Marvel Masterworks began as a hardcover compilation of the early Marvel comic books which would later be termed "Silver Age." This one collects earliest Spider-Man: Amazing Fantasy #15, and Amazing Spider-Man #1-10, written by Stan Lee, drawn by Steve Ditko, and lettered by either Rosen or Simek. Some of the better known villains debuted in these issues: Doctor Octopus, Lizard, Vulture, Sandman, and Electro.
The stories are wonderfully escapist fare, and Stan Lee / Steve Ditko are at their best. Although I admit that Lee overwrites the narration, so much in some places that he crowds the panel design, most times the reader doesn't notice. Marvel struck gold with Spider-Man to such an extent that this character is still the standard-bearer for the company.
Author: Stan Lee
Genre: Superheroes
Publication Year: 1987 (reprinting material from 1962/1963)
Review: Marvel Masterworks began as a hardcover compilation of the early Marvel comic books which would later be termed "Silver Age." This one collects earliest Spider-Man: Amazing Fantasy #15, and Amazing Spider-Man #1-10, written by Stan Lee, drawn by Steve Ditko, and lettered by either Rosen or Simek. Some of the better known villains debuted in these issues: Doctor Octopus, Lizard, Vulture, Sandman, and Electro.
The stories are wonderfully escapist fare, and Stan Lee / Steve Ditko are at their best. Although I admit that Lee overwrites the narration, so much in some places that he crowds the panel design, most times the reader doesn't notice. Marvel struck gold with Spider-Man to such an extent that this character is still the standard-bearer for the company.
January 9, 2023
Books are not just an escape for me. They prominently mark the moments of my life, as well. It has to do with my compulsive nature that I attach significance and ritual to the liminal moments of my life. Therefore in 2018, after losing my two brothers (within the span of a year), and my Mom one year later to various diseases, I went to live in Puerto Rico with my Dad. She took care of him for 54 years and I could not let him be alone. We owned a comic shop in my youth. Coming to Puerto Rico was a return to that time when the shop was a family business, and I re-read a crap-ton of the comic books, trade paperbacks, and the Marvel Masterworks collections curated at the house. I never wrote reviews for them. I didn't realize that was a thing, so I will rectify that with this bookshelf: Read 2018. Marvel Masterworks #1 features the Amazing Spider-Man from his origin in Amazing Fantasy #15, and Amazing Spider-Man #1-10, written by Stan Lee, drawn by Steve Ditko, and lettered by either Rosen or Simek. Those first issues are great for the introduction of Spider-Man's Infamous Rogues Gallery villains: Lizard, Vulture, Doctor Octopus, Electro, and Sandman. Although Stan Lee tends to get wordy in what amounts to a visual medium, I don't mind so much. I promise to try to be as objective as possible, but I really believe that they struck gold here in collecting the early Spider-Man. It established a standard it would be very difficult to replicate.
November 29, 2021
8.1/10
Gather around folks and witness the origin of one of the greatest superheroes of all time.
Peter Palmer Peter Parker is a smart teenager that is made fun of all the time by his classmates. His life doesn't seem like much, but that will change when he will get bitten by a spider and turn to the one and only.... The Amazing Spider-Man!!!!
Although his strength and his unique abilities are second to none, Peter's life is not easy. He finds out that keeping a balance in his life is hard. He tries to raise money for him and his aunt May as Peter, and at the same time he fights fearsome enemies as Spider-Man.
In these 10 issues you can see how Spidey fights some of the most iconic villains and the worst enemy of them all... J.Jonah Jameson? ( Think about it, he is the person who causes the biggest troubles to Peter )
Great read and very important historically for the comic book industry.
Gather around folks and witness the origin of one of the greatest superheroes of all time.
Although his strength and his unique abilities are second to none, Peter's life is not easy. He finds out that keeping a balance in his life is hard. He tries to raise money for him and his aunt May as Peter, and at the same time he fights fearsome enemies as Spider-Man.
In these 10 issues you can see how Spidey fights some of the most iconic villains and the worst enemy of them all... J.Jonah Jameson? ( Think about it, he is the person who causes the biggest troubles to Peter )
Great read and very important historically for the comic book industry.
October 4, 2020
These Silver Age stories may be corny and too wordy, a product of their time, but the foundation Stan Lee and Steve Ditko laid with the original Spider-man made a huge impact on the superhero medium and deservedly so. Learn how it all started with Marvel's flagship character with his colorful gallery of villains, even if origins for the likes of the Vulture and the Lizard really don't make any sense. It's fun, and at least Peter Parker has some personality. Comic aficionados will appreciate reading. However, can't say the entertainment factor ages well since comics have evolved so much in the decades since...
June 22, 2021
In 2002, I saw a movie that changed my entertainment diet forever. That was when the first Spider-Man film was released, and seeing it on the big screen was definitely a treat. Over time, I watched and enjoyed the sequels—even the one that nobody else seemed to like—and other Marvel flicks, ranging from the X-Men trilogy to the first Fantastic Four movie. Years later, I also discovered superhero cartoons thanks to a random purchase of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fast Forward DVD at a garage sale; after that, I checked out pretty much any DC or Marvel animated fare I could get my hands on, including the Spidey flicks that consisted of TV episodes spliced together.
In recent years, I’ve read countless graphic novels and comic book issues…but, I was always curious as to the origins of my favorite heroes, including Peter Parker. This book delivered on that front and then some. While it may seem quaint compared to the comics of today, it’s still an enjoyable blast from the past, and the content is much cleaner than recent Marvel fare. If you’re like me, and too young to remember Spidey’s debut, but still a big fan of Stan Lee’s various creations, you should check this out.
In recent years, I’ve read countless graphic novels and comic book issues…but, I was always curious as to the origins of my favorite heroes, including Peter Parker. This book delivered on that front and then some. While it may seem quaint compared to the comics of today, it’s still an enjoyable blast from the past, and the content is much cleaner than recent Marvel fare. If you’re like me, and too young to remember Spidey’s debut, but still a big fan of Stan Lee’s various creations, you should check this out.
July 15, 2012
1960’s comics have a certain style that is either fun or ridiculous, depending on your point of view. Villains engage in a lot of expositional speeches, nobody is ever seriously hurt in all of these superhuman battles (somehow), and the dialogue is awfully campy.
That said, if you are a fan of the Stan Lee style there is a whole lot to enjoy here. This collection contains Amazing Fantasy #15 (Spider-Man’s first appearance, telling the familiar origin story) and the first 10 issues of The Amazing Spider-Man. Along with The Fantastic Four, The Amazing Spider-Man was probably Marvel’s best series in the early ‘60s. The goofier style of ‘60s comics fits well with the wisecracking webcrawler, and subplots involving Peter Parker’s high school problems, Aunt May, or his love interests provide some variety. Mercifully, these issues avoid Marvel’s early obsession with ludicrous alien invaders and communist plots (at least for the most part). Instead, this collection includes the first appearances of Electro, The Lizard, The Sandman, and Doctor Octopus:
Personally, I think these Stan Lee stories are fun and I have been slowly making my way through the Masterworks series. This is the best one I’ve read so far, and if someone were to buy/read just one Marvel Masterwork collection I’d recommend this one. You get to see the story from the very beginning, watch the development of some famous Marvel villains, and (most importantly) the quality of the storytelling is simply better than almost anything else Marvel was doing from 1961-1965. 4 stars, recommended.
That said, if you are a fan of the Stan Lee style there is a whole lot to enjoy here. This collection contains Amazing Fantasy #15 (Spider-Man’s first appearance, telling the familiar origin story) and the first 10 issues of The Amazing Spider-Man. Along with The Fantastic Four, The Amazing Spider-Man was probably Marvel’s best series in the early ‘60s. The goofier style of ‘60s comics fits well with the wisecracking webcrawler, and subplots involving Peter Parker’s high school problems, Aunt May, or his love interests provide some variety. Mercifully, these issues avoid Marvel’s early obsession with ludicrous alien invaders and communist plots (at least for the most part). Instead, this collection includes the first appearances of Electro, The Lizard, The Sandman, and Doctor Octopus:
Personally, I think these Stan Lee stories are fun and I have been slowly making my way through the Masterworks series. This is the best one I’ve read so far, and if someone were to buy/read just one Marvel Masterwork collection I’d recommend this one. You get to see the story from the very beginning, watch the development of some famous Marvel villains, and (most importantly) the quality of the storytelling is simply better than almost anything else Marvel was doing from 1961-1965. 4 stars, recommended.
February 8, 2021
The first 10 comics for the Amazing Spider-Man!
I really enjoyed reading these comics and reading his original stories. I loved the way he engaged his villains, even though the dialogue could be a bit corny.
The drawings made the story truly come to life and really drove home my love for the simplistic style. The way they carry a story and give you exactly what you need!
I loved that these stories didn't just focus on Spider-Man, they also focused on Peter Parker. Peter's love for his Aunt May, their struggles with money and how he was just a teenager, trying to figure out what he should do with his incredible abilities.
Overall, really enjoyed seeing the original Spider-Man and I can't wait to delve deeper!
I really enjoyed reading these comics and reading his original stories. I loved the way he engaged his villains, even though the dialogue could be a bit corny.
The drawings made the story truly come to life and really drove home my love for the simplistic style. The way they carry a story and give you exactly what you need!
I loved that these stories didn't just focus on Spider-Man, they also focused on Peter Parker. Peter's love for his Aunt May, their struggles with money and how he was just a teenager, trying to figure out what he should do with his incredible abilities.
Overall, really enjoyed seeing the original Spider-Man and I can't wait to delve deeper!
July 7, 2019
Okay, obviously this is not a book nor a graphic novel. What is contained here is the origin of Spider-Man (Amazing Fantasy #15) as well as issues #1-10 of The Amazing Spider-Man. While I have read the majority of these stories through the 25-cent reprint mags Marvel used to issue (which I have, lovingly backed/sealed/boxed), there were a couple I hadn’t. While a bit small on the Kindle, it wasn’t too small to read, and it was nice to see in color.
For those not aware, Stan Lee and Marvel Comics were totally different than the ones presented by DC (who had the Superman/Batman stable of heroes). Marvel was all about the characters and fleshed them out, just like a good book. While Superman didn’t fret much except staying away from Kryptonite and keeping his secret identity safe, Spider-Man was actually a high school student who had to deal with bullying, being a wage-earner so he could help out at home, girl friends (although it was the lack of in the beginning), and the various challenges that arise for all superheroes. It was a regular occurrence for Spider-Man to become tired, or have injuries, or to have the villain beat him senseless.
Great fun for old or new fans to be able to see the original comics. Five stars.
For those not aware, Stan Lee and Marvel Comics were totally different than the ones presented by DC (who had the Superman/Batman stable of heroes). Marvel was all about the characters and fleshed them out, just like a good book. While Superman didn’t fret much except staying away from Kryptonite and keeping his secret identity safe, Spider-Man was actually a high school student who had to deal with bullying, being a wage-earner so he could help out at home, girl friends (although it was the lack of in the beginning), and the various challenges that arise for all superheroes. It was a regular occurrence for Spider-Man to become tired, or have injuries, or to have the villain beat him senseless.
Great fun for old or new fans to be able to see the original comics. Five stars.
November 29, 2021
This was such a fun read and an epic one at that!
Spider-man origins and then we see him facing off against different villains like Chameleon, Vulture, Tinkerer, Lizard, Electro and Enforcers and the struggles of Peter between his personal and professional lives and also the escapades with his supporting cast and also J-cube and Betty and Aunt May and it makes for a great read and I love the way Stan does this, he balances the superheroics and villains and makes Pete so much relatable and each issue is its own story which you will never see in todays comics and in a way its awesome and makes you appreciate this volume even more.
The down on his luck is so relatable and you feel a chord with him and cheer for him but I like how he comes out of it using his head and other things. The supporting cast is really fleshed out and Betty and Liz and particularly Flash are fun too! Its one of the best and definitive Marvel comics to read and a must recommend!
Spider-man origins and then we see him facing off against different villains like Chameleon, Vulture, Tinkerer, Lizard, Electro and Enforcers and the struggles of Peter between his personal and professional lives and also the escapades with his supporting cast and also J-cube and Betty and Aunt May and it makes for a great read and I love the way Stan does this, he balances the superheroics and villains and makes Pete so much relatable and each issue is its own story which you will never see in todays comics and in a way its awesome and makes you appreciate this volume even more.
The down on his luck is so relatable and you feel a chord with him and cheer for him but I like how he comes out of it using his head and other things. The supporting cast is really fleshed out and Betty and Liz and particularly Flash are fun too! Its one of the best and definitive Marvel comics to read and a must recommend!
December 2, 2023
Besides the Fantastic Four, Spider-man is where Marvel Comics begins. A teenage hero not adored by everyone with hang-ups and problems in his civilian role as Peter Parker and who feels most free as the web swinging Spider-man.
This first volume shows his origin in Amazing Fantasy #15 and the first 10 issues of Amazing Spider-man. My favorite stories are the last two. Electro was always my favorite Spider-man villain growing up and his first appearance is in #9 and in #10 we get the mysterious Big Man and his Enforcers and I feel that Ditko’s Art really improved in the last two issues as well. But overall we get to see The Vulture, Chameleon, Sandman, and Doc Ock. Lee’s scripts crackle and pop with drama, action and angst complimenting Ditko’s kinetic art.
This first volume shows his origin in Amazing Fantasy #15 and the first 10 issues of Amazing Spider-man. My favorite stories are the last two. Electro was always my favorite Spider-man villain growing up and his first appearance is in #9 and in #10 we get the mysterious Big Man and his Enforcers and I feel that Ditko’s Art really improved in the last two issues as well. But overall we get to see The Vulture, Chameleon, Sandman, and Doc Ock. Lee’s scripts crackle and pop with drama, action and angst complimenting Ditko’s kinetic art.
April 23, 2021
Ditko.
You amazing artist you!
Thank you!
You amazing artist you!
Thank you!
June 9, 2016
Sometimes these oldies are a bit rough, but it's not hard to see how this comic has been so popular for so long.
May 1, 2025
This volume collects the first 10 issues of the original Spider-Man run. Peter Parker is called Palmer in the second or third volume throughout. The times and the dialogues and the techs no longer make sense, and the characters are still finding their place. Some original baddies are Vulture, Dr. Octopus, Sandman, Lizard, Electro, etc. It was nice reading the beginning after reading other modern Spider-Man stories. So with the vol. 1 done will be reading vol. 2 soonish, but let's see if I can reduce the Current Reading list a little bit more. Let's go through books to read and never enough time, so let's go and Keep on Reading.
I have always loved comics, and I can and I have. I love comics to bits, may the comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more. You should also read what you love, and I hope you will always love it. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics, Diamond Comics, or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I just want to Keep on Reading.
I have always loved comics, and I can and I have. I love comics to bits, may the comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more. You should also read what you love, and I hope you will always love it. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics, Diamond Comics, or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I just want to Keep on Reading.
July 11, 2023
An important piece of history, featuring the first 10 issues of the Amazing Spider-Man, along with Spidey's first appearance in Amazing Fantasy no. 15.
Interesting to note: Spidey's strange hatred for the Human Torch. The Amazing Spider-Man no. 1 has Spidey trying to join the Fantastic Four, but after they tell him they aren't hiring, he grows angry and it becomes a whole thing.
To be fair, the Fantastic Five just doesn't sound as good.
The last 10 pages or so also showcase some rare Steve Ditko art for the original Amazing Fantasy no. 15, including the unused cover for it.
Interesting to note: Spidey's strange hatred for the Human Torch. The Amazing Spider-Man no. 1 has Spidey trying to join the Fantastic Four, but after they tell him they aren't hiring, he grows angry and it becomes a whole thing.
To be fair, the Fantastic Five just doesn't sound as good.
The last 10 pages or so also showcase some rare Steve Ditko art for the original Amazing Fantasy no. 15, including the unused cover for it.
February 1, 2020
From the wide spectrum of all the different characters that Stan Lee and Steve Ditko have created, none are as popular as Spider-Man.
What has made him so famous over time is how well the world of Spider-Man has been built up. Spider-Man/Peter Parker is not your typical superhero with endless amount of money or secret lairs, he's just a high school kid with real life problems, like rent, study, job. This makes the character more relatable and the readers are more invested in the book.
Like the early works of Stan Lee, this book is also not without its fair amount of ridiculousness, but it is in its minimum as compared to those other works.
Peter Parker himself is a lovable character and he is supported by a variety of characters who stand out so well on their own especially J. Jonah Jameson (Give that guy some pictures of Spider-Man!!).
The art may seem a bit dated, but the character designs are so well that they are still including the modern comic book artists to this day.
With a new and iconic villain bring introduced in every other issue and with an equally interesting plot, the early Spider-Man stories are nothing short of a classic.
What has made him so famous over time is how well the world of Spider-Man has been built up. Spider-Man/Peter Parker is not your typical superhero with endless amount of money or secret lairs, he's just a high school kid with real life problems, like rent, study, job. This makes the character more relatable and the readers are more invested in the book.
Like the early works of Stan Lee, this book is also not without its fair amount of ridiculousness, but it is in its minimum as compared to those other works.
Peter Parker himself is a lovable character and he is supported by a variety of characters who stand out so well on their own especially J. Jonah Jameson (Give that guy some pictures of Spider-Man!!).
The art may seem a bit dated, but the character designs are so well that they are still including the modern comic book artists to this day.
With a new and iconic villain bring introduced in every other issue and with an equally interesting plot, the early Spider-Man stories are nothing short of a classic.
February 17, 2019
It was a lot of fun revisiting the first appearances of Peter Parker (or Peter Palmer, according to Amazing Spider-Man #2) as your friendly neighborhood wall-crawler, even if the writing and art wasn't all that amazing.
This collection of stories features some the most iconic Spider-Man villains ever, including The Vulture, Doctor Octopus, The Lizard, The Sandman, and Electro. And there are even several cameos by the Fantastic Four. How can you go wrong?
All in all, a pretty great slice of nostalgia for Spidey fans, like me. ☺
This collection of stories features some the most iconic Spider-Man villains ever, including The Vulture, Doctor Octopus, The Lizard, The Sandman, and Electro. And there are even several cameos by the Fantastic Four. How can you go wrong?
All in all, a pretty great slice of nostalgia for Spidey fans, like me. ☺
January 4, 2026
Spider man is one of my favourite marvel characters so when I saw this book with all the first comic editions was on prime reading I had to download it!
I never realised the original artwork for Spider man went missing for so many years so it was really cool to be able to read the first comics. I love the Spider man films so it was great to see the similarities and differences between the film plots and the original stories and characters
I never realised the original artwork for Spider man went missing for so many years so it was really cool to be able to read the first comics. I love the Spider man films so it was great to see the similarities and differences between the film plots and the original stories and characters
April 20, 2021
Mostly watched spiderman movies, also read few comics during the late 90s on spidey so finally I was able to read this one.
it was good if we consider the time it was published
it was good if we consider the time it was published
January 1, 2021
The best thing about this Marvel Masterworks is that it collects Spiderman from the very beginning so you start fresh with issue 1 and are introduced to many of his classic villains such as Doctor Octopus. That alone makes it worth buying, Especially to those who are curious about the Spiderman character and want to start fresh as well as the old school fans.
That being said, The one thing I do care for is that the comics are very straight forward plot wise. No real depth to them and are incredibly predictable. It also doesn't help that there are no two-part comics or a series of comics centered around a single villain, It's all just a one shot comic with a different villain each time. The dialogue also comes off as very kiddish and would easily appeal to younger readers far more than adults.
That being said, The one thing I do care for is that the comics are very straight forward plot wise. No real depth to them and are incredibly predictable. It also doesn't help that there are no two-part comics or a series of comics centered around a single villain, It's all just a one shot comic with a different villain each time. The dialogue also comes off as very kiddish and would easily appeal to younger readers far more than adults.
March 17, 2019
It's been a rough week, but Spider-Man comics made for good company.
February 24, 2026
Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 1 by Stan Lee
📖 Why This Volume Still Matters
🕷️ Chapter-Wise Breakdown (Spoilers Ahead)
🔥 Final Verdict
⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4.0 / 5)
Before there were cinematic universes, before multiversal crossovers, before “event comics” dominated the shelves — there was a nervous teenager who couldn’t pay his rent.
Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 1 collects the foundational issues that didn’t just launch a character — they rewrote superhero storytelling.
📖 Why This Volume Still Matters
Spider-Man was flawed from page one.
🕷️ Chapter-Wise Breakdown (Spoilers Ahead)
🔥 Final Verdict
It’s the birth of responsibility as a superpower.
And more than sixty years later, it still swings.
October 24, 2020
I don’t read comic books. Well, I didn’t. The last, and only, comic book I had read before this was a Disney comic and that was probably 20 years ago. It’s also only over the past year that I’ve even started watching some of the Marvel movies. But I figured I’ve exercised my brain with enough classics that it could withstand the rot of one comic book, and giving a new genre a try sounds fun. Why start with this one? I recognized Spider-man’s name and my library had a copy. So, the following are the thoughts of a comic book/superhero newbie.
How fun! I love the art.
The dialog is awful. There’s just no getting around it. (It will rot your brain. Kind of like an exclusive diet of (insert favorite candy name) will rot the rest of you.) Somehow though I didn’t care, eventually. It did take a bit over that. Usually, I lost track of that when the plot took some absolutely wild twist. Those were fun in a slightly horrific manner. Who knew that getting irradiated could be so spottily beneficial? It seems to be able to turn you into a superhuman, but it also seems to seriously mess with your morals by turning you into a supervillain. The sheer variety of villains keeps it fun.
I enjoyed it. Then I also enjoy really old sci-fi. If you like that you will probably like this as well.
Anyway, if you feel like rotting your brain this would be a fun place to start.
How fun! I love the art.
The dialog is awful. There’s just no getting around it. (It will rot your brain. Kind of like an exclusive diet of (insert favorite candy name) will rot the rest of you.) Somehow though I didn’t care, eventually. It did take a bit over that. Usually, I lost track of that when the plot took some absolutely wild twist. Those were fun in a slightly horrific manner. Who knew that getting irradiated could be so spottily beneficial? It seems to be able to turn you into a superhuman, but it also seems to seriously mess with your morals by turning you into a supervillain. The sheer variety of villains keeps it fun.
I enjoyed it. Then I also enjoy really old sci-fi. If you like that you will probably like this as well.
Anyway, if you feel like rotting your brain this would be a fun place to start.
February 7, 2024
Never would have thought that a comic book can capture emotion so well.
October 2, 2025
My Spider-man isn’t a cool badass. He isn’t a hyper modern kid in a black suit hopping around a multiverse. He’s a high school student who wears a sweatervest, whose elderly aunt constantly needs medicine, and whose super hero alter ego cant catch a break. The Fantastic Four are a full fledged nonprofit and poor Peter Parker has to sew his own costume.
Lee and Ditko’s run on Spider-Man is nostalgic for me. I read, and had read to me, many of the issues that were reprinted in the Buffalo News in the early 2000s. Rereading these stories was a pleasure, but that’s not to suggest that they’re perfect. While Ditko’s art remains excellent, with enough character and spunk to make up for occasionally so-so draftsmanship, I found Stan Lee’s dialogue and captions to be excessive and verbose. He has a unique voice and sense of humor that I wouldn’t trade for the world, but after a while my eyes began to glaze over. Often, Lee will describe what the artwork clearly shows. These redundancies do bug me after a while, but with a little skimming, my enjoyment returned.
50 years later, these comics are as fun as ever!
Lee and Ditko’s run on Spider-Man is nostalgic for me. I read, and had read to me, many of the issues that were reprinted in the Buffalo News in the early 2000s. Rereading these stories was a pleasure, but that’s not to suggest that they’re perfect. While Ditko’s art remains excellent, with enough character and spunk to make up for occasionally so-so draftsmanship, I found Stan Lee’s dialogue and captions to be excessive and verbose. He has a unique voice and sense of humor that I wouldn’t trade for the world, but after a while my eyes began to glaze over. Often, Lee will describe what the artwork clearly shows. These redundancies do bug me after a while, but with a little skimming, my enjoyment returned.
50 years later, these comics are as fun as ever!
June 8, 2017
Sure, it's dated and juvenile, but it's also a great time capsule of the '60's. It's definitely fun and the art by Steve Ditko gets better as the volume goes on. There is no continuous story other than Peter Parker (or "Palmer", as at least one issue calls Pete) encountering villain after villain and gradually refining his crime-fighting technique. I suspect that was actually Stan Lee refining the logic behind what would become a world-famous pop culture character. The introductions of the Vulture, Doctor Octopus, Sandman, the Lizard, and Electro are notable, though none of them have a very sympathetic goal other than to steal money. Clearly the real focus is on the downside of being a hero, which consistently makes Peter sympathetic; pretty common these days, but it must have been one of the very first steps toward a more mature superhero story.
July 21, 2017
2.5
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Παρα την μέγιστη ιστορική σημασία τους, είναι οι ιστορίες αυτές πραγματικά διαχρονικές; Μπορεί κάποιος να τις διαβάσει σήμερα χωρίς να χρειαστεί να χαμηλώσει εκπληκτικά τις απαιτήσεις του; Η απάντηση είναι εμφατικά όχι. Η δουλειά των Lee/Ditko έχει γεράσει πέρα από κάθε φαντασία και δείχνει πως, παρά τις υπέροχες ιδέες τους, οι ικανότητες στους στους τομείς που έχει αναλάβει ο καθένας τους είναι…μέτριες. Ο διάλογος του Stan Lee είναι αφύσικος, ξύλινος και με υπερβολικά πολύ exposition/αχρείαστες εξηγήσεις για την παραμικρή πράξη που κάνουν οι χαρακτήρες, ενώ το σκιτσάρισμα του Ditko είναι επίπεδο, χωρίς καθόλου δυναμικές στα χρώματα και με αρκετά ανέμπνευστη «σκηνοθεσία» στα panel.
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Παρα την μέγιστη ιστορική σημασία τους, είναι οι ιστορίες αυτές πραγματικά διαχρονικές; Μπορεί κάποιος να τις διαβάσει σήμερα χωρίς να χρειαστεί να χαμηλώσει εκπληκτικά τις απαιτήσεις του; Η απάντηση είναι εμφατικά όχι. Η δουλειά των Lee/Ditko έχει γεράσει πέρα από κάθε φαντασία και δείχνει πως, παρά τις υπέροχες ιδέες τους, οι ικανότητες στους στους τομείς που έχει αναλάβει ο καθένας τους είναι…μέτριες. Ο διάλογος του Stan Lee είναι αφύσικος, ξύλινος και με υπερβολικά πολύ exposition/αχρείαστες εξηγήσεις για την παραμικρή πράξη που κάνουν οι χαρακτήρες, ενώ το σκιτσάρισμα του Ditko είναι επίπεδο, χωρίς καθόλου δυναμικές στα χρώματα και με αρκετά ανέμπνευστη «σκηνοθεσία» στα panel.
July 7, 2020
Whereas the Fantastic Four had to warm up a bit, (the writing was a bit uneven in the first couple of issues,) Spider-Man seemed to be great almost immediately. Most of the iconic villains were introduced in this first volume; Mysterio, Kraven & Green Goblin are introduced in the next Masterwork volume.
Steve Ditko is "the" Spider-Man artist. I found it interesting that when Kirby penciled the Torch vs. Spidey story the action was great but the story was lacking the usual wow, even though Steve Ditko was inking.
Steve Ditko is "the" Spider-Man artist. I found it interesting that when Kirby penciled the Torch vs. Spidey story the action was great but the story was lacking the usual wow, even though Steve Ditko was inking.
February 16, 2020
Contiene spoilers.
Pues es el primer cómic de Spiderman, una delicia en cuanto a escritura y dibujos. Poco hay que comentar de Spiderman , creo que todos los jóvenes ya sea de edad o ❤️ estamos familiarizados con él. Es un adolescente marginado en su escuela pero brillante estudiante y buen sobrino. Sin embargo también es inmaduro y egoísta, lo cual me ha gustado por cierto. Pero un día pasa lo que muchos sabemos y eso hace que él decida ser un superhéroe. Un gran poder conlleva una gran responsabilidad. Me encantaría que Marvel reimprima la primera historia. Pasará? Ojalá si.
Pues es el primer cómic de Spiderman, una delicia en cuanto a escritura y dibujos. Poco hay que comentar de Spiderman , creo que todos los jóvenes ya sea de edad o ❤️ estamos familiarizados con él. Es un adolescente marginado en su escuela pero brillante estudiante y buen sobrino. Sin embargo también es inmaduro y egoísta, lo cual me ha gustado por cierto. Pero un día pasa lo que muchos sabemos y eso hace que él decida ser un superhéroe. Un gran poder conlleva una gran responsabilidad. Me encantaría que Marvel reimprima la primera historia. Pasará? Ojalá si.
May 29, 2016
The collection contains the first few issues of Spider-man. While the writing is pretty weak and Peter Parker comes off as a jerk, it is interesting to see how Spider-man develops as a character at the beginning of his run. I would say that those who are interested in comics history and comics studies should read this. As a bonus, the letters pages are included as well, which provides an interesting window into the way that readers interacted with publishers in those days.
July 6, 2020
This collection includes the first ever appearance of Spider-Man in Amazing Fantasy #15, as well as the first ten issues of the original Amazing Spider-Man run from 1963. The story (told by Lee in the intro) is that “Amazing Fantasy” was about to be discontinued, and this gave Lee and team the opportunity to present a character that the powers-that-be found too ridiculous to merit consideration (but no one cared because the series was going under.) Lee’s instincts were right. Marvel got tons of love letters to the character, and Lee was able to sell the idea of a stand-alone comic.
This is a hard book to critique. It’s the dawn of a much beloved character – arguably Marvel’s flagship to this day, and there are many solid reasons for that love. That said, this ground-breaking collection of comic books that would launch a vast empire [or multi-verse] around one of the most popular characters ever, is in many ways fairly amateurish (e.g. in an early episode the lead’s alter-ego is called “Peter Palmer” for a whole issue, presumably because Lee forgot that “Parker” was the correct last name and there was no editorial oversight.)
So, this collection mixes tremendous strengths with some cringeworthy elements. I’ll start with the former for two reasons. First, I think they ultimately outweigh the weaknesses, and – judging from the immense popularity -- most people seem to agree. Second, and probably far more important, is the realization that criticizing Lee almost 60 years later is a little like faulting Edison for the short filament life of incandescent lightbulbs. Lee, Ditko, and Kirby were on the sparse end of the learning curve. [I also realize that the lack of objective editorial oversight that made “the Palmer debacle” possible may have also made the series much better because of a lack of second-guessing by higher-ups.]
So, what are the strengths? First, Lee builds an extremely interesting and sympathetic character in Peter Parker / Spider-Man. Parker is beleaguered with problems (e.g. bullied at school, raised by a single aunt who is elderly and [in some issues] in poor health, and he’s constantly in need of cash to keep the household afloat.) Spider-Man is made tremendously powerful, but not invulnerable. He is presented with a steady stream of moral dilemmas in which he could easily solve a problem using his power if he weren’t compelled to act morally. Second, these early episodes did a tremendous amount of foundational heavy-lifting for the enterprise. It’s not just his origin story. Many of the members of Spider-Man’s rogue’s gallery that are most well-known and which have been drawn upon for the movies (e.g. The Vulture, Doc Ock, Sandman, and Electro) feature in these early issues. The bulk of Spider-Man’s world – minus his most well-known love interests and the Osborn's [Norman, Harry, and the Corporation] – are presented in these pages.
The bulk of the weakness is in dialogue and internal monologue. First, there is a lot of “as-you-know-Bob” exposition. [If you’re not familiar with that term, it’s explanation of things that should be clear to the relevant characters (and to the reader,) but that are said anyhow.] Part of the reason for this is the serialization issue (i.e. one doesn’t want someone to be penalized for joining in the middle of the series, so one is constantly rehashing backstory – but there are more and less skillful ways to do this.) Beyond the serialization conundrum, there seemed to be a lack of faith that readers would understand the action from the drawings. [However, while the art might seem crude by today’s standards, I think it did a very clear job of conveying the dynamism of action.]
Second, there is sometimes flimsy psychology behind character motives. This is best exemplified by a soliloquy by J. Jonah Jameson at the end of the collection. He explains, to himself, why he hates Spider-Man, and it presents a man who is a villain in his own mind, as if he realizes his own faults but insists on moving forward with them. (As opposed to thinking that he is the hero of his own story and acting from that deluded belief.) I don’t know the backstory, but it reads as if someone said, “Why does Jameson continue to hate Spider-Man?” and the staff had no idea besides that it increased plot tension nicely. So, they wrote the kind of weak explanation that a person tends to engage in when one attributes nefarious motives to one’s employer or anyone else one doesn’t get along with. That is, they suggested that Jameson is just a jerk because he feels like being a jerk (not because he is operating from his own motives and worldview, which don’t necessarily align with Parker’s.) [Actually, a brief mention early in the collection hints that Jameson doesn’t like Spider-Man one-upping Jameson’s son, which is a much more interesting motivation than the others presented.] A possible third weakness is an excess of cornball. I suspect this tendency results from Lee trying to appeal to what he thought kids would find hip. (Which may or may not be the same as what they actually did find hip.) I’m not so sure about this one, as I think it’s something that people love about Lee’s work –e.g. alliterative naming schemes, strained metaphors, and narcissistic internal monologuing.
If you are a fan of comic books, you must read this as a piece of history and for some very entertaining superhero stories.
This is a hard book to critique. It’s the dawn of a much beloved character – arguably Marvel’s flagship to this day, and there are many solid reasons for that love. That said, this ground-breaking collection of comic books that would launch a vast empire [or multi-verse] around one of the most popular characters ever, is in many ways fairly amateurish (e.g. in an early episode the lead’s alter-ego is called “Peter Palmer” for a whole issue, presumably because Lee forgot that “Parker” was the correct last name and there was no editorial oversight.)
So, this collection mixes tremendous strengths with some cringeworthy elements. I’ll start with the former for two reasons. First, I think they ultimately outweigh the weaknesses, and – judging from the immense popularity -- most people seem to agree. Second, and probably far more important, is the realization that criticizing Lee almost 60 years later is a little like faulting Edison for the short filament life of incandescent lightbulbs. Lee, Ditko, and Kirby were on the sparse end of the learning curve. [I also realize that the lack of objective editorial oversight that made “the Palmer debacle” possible may have also made the series much better because of a lack of second-guessing by higher-ups.]
So, what are the strengths? First, Lee builds an extremely interesting and sympathetic character in Peter Parker / Spider-Man. Parker is beleaguered with problems (e.g. bullied at school, raised by a single aunt who is elderly and [in some issues] in poor health, and he’s constantly in need of cash to keep the household afloat.) Spider-Man is made tremendously powerful, but not invulnerable. He is presented with a steady stream of moral dilemmas in which he could easily solve a problem using his power if he weren’t compelled to act morally. Second, these early episodes did a tremendous amount of foundational heavy-lifting for the enterprise. It’s not just his origin story. Many of the members of Spider-Man’s rogue’s gallery that are most well-known and which have been drawn upon for the movies (e.g. The Vulture, Doc Ock, Sandman, and Electro) feature in these early issues. The bulk of Spider-Man’s world – minus his most well-known love interests and the Osborn's [Norman, Harry, and the Corporation] – are presented in these pages.
The bulk of the weakness is in dialogue and internal monologue. First, there is a lot of “as-you-know-Bob” exposition. [If you’re not familiar with that term, it’s explanation of things that should be clear to the relevant characters (and to the reader,) but that are said anyhow.] Part of the reason for this is the serialization issue (i.e. one doesn’t want someone to be penalized for joining in the middle of the series, so one is constantly rehashing backstory – but there are more and less skillful ways to do this.) Beyond the serialization conundrum, there seemed to be a lack of faith that readers would understand the action from the drawings. [However, while the art might seem crude by today’s standards, I think it did a very clear job of conveying the dynamism of action.]
Second, there is sometimes flimsy psychology behind character motives. This is best exemplified by a soliloquy by J. Jonah Jameson at the end of the collection. He explains, to himself, why he hates Spider-Man, and it presents a man who is a villain in his own mind, as if he realizes his own faults but insists on moving forward with them. (As opposed to thinking that he is the hero of his own story and acting from that deluded belief.) I don’t know the backstory, but it reads as if someone said, “Why does Jameson continue to hate Spider-Man?” and the staff had no idea besides that it increased plot tension nicely. So, they wrote the kind of weak explanation that a person tends to engage in when one attributes nefarious motives to one’s employer or anyone else one doesn’t get along with. That is, they suggested that Jameson is just a jerk because he feels like being a jerk (not because he is operating from his own motives and worldview, which don’t necessarily align with Parker’s.) [Actually, a brief mention early in the collection hints that Jameson doesn’t like Spider-Man one-upping Jameson’s son, which is a much more interesting motivation than the others presented.] A possible third weakness is an excess of cornball. I suspect this tendency results from Lee trying to appeal to what he thought kids would find hip. (Which may or may not be the same as what they actually did find hip.) I’m not so sure about this one, as I think it’s something that people love about Lee’s work –e.g. alliterative naming schemes, strained metaphors, and narcissistic internal monologuing.
If you are a fan of comic books, you must read this as a piece of history and for some very entertaining superhero stories.
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