So, when was Spider-Man's prime?

[Hanzo the Razor]

Since BND seems to be a "jump the shark" moment for so many here, I was just curious as to when everyone's favorite period for Spider-Man was.

Or, to think of it another way, when were you happiest reading Spider-Man?

[Karl Cook]

Since BND seems to be a "jump the shark" moment for so many here, I was just curious as to when everyone's favorite period for Spider-Man was.

Or, to think of it another way, when were you happiest reading Spider-Man?

For me, it was the '80s. Roger Stern, Peter David, J.M. DeMatteis and David Michelinie could do no wrong.

[whiteshark]

In no order.

When the Brand New Day stories started.(which made the Spidey stories funny again)

Reading Stan Lee stories in the Amazing Spider-Man title.

Reading Gerry Conway stories in the Amazing Spider-Man title.

And reading Spider-Man with a black costume after Secret Wars.

[Matt Linton]

In terms of my actual reading "career", it's right now, the Brand New Day stuff. In terms of overall quality I'd put the Lee/Ditko and Lee/Romita stuff above it, but those are both way before my time.

My actual start would be somewhere between the 80s and the 89/mid-90s option.

[Hanzo the Razor]

Matt, I just meant your favorite period of time to read.

I really enjoy that early stuff way more than anything after it. I feel "happiest" when reading the Lee/Romita SR years; the stories involve me more and are generally more exciting and fun.

However, I didn't start reading Spidey or any comics until the mid-80's.

[Matt Linton]

Ranking time periods, I'd go

Lee/Romita
Lee/Ditko
Current
80s (mainly for Kraven's Last Hunt and the Death of Jean DeWolff)
early 90s (Michelinie/McFarlane/Larsen)
70s (Conway/Wein/Marvel Team-Up)

[Hanzo the Razor]

For me...

Lee/Romita
Lee/Ditko
Current
70s (Conway/Wein/Marvel Team-Up)
JMS/Romita JR (nothing after JR left)
early 90s (Michelinie/McFarlane/Larsen)
80s (mainly for Kraven's Last Hunt and the Death of Jean DeWolff)
Mackie/Byrne Reboot

[Grapeweasel]

< Asm 123.

[remoteman]

I would say the quality of the titles was highest during the Stern era of the 1980's, roughly from #220 or so till the end of Stern's run. At this point the character and his supporting cast had developed enough to make them interesting, while not being as bogged down by continuity as they have often seemed in recent years. The fact that both books also had good creative teams during this time also helped.

Aside from that, a very underrated period in my opinion is the pre-reboot era that occurred directly after Ben Reilly's death. While four titles was perhaps overkill, each at least had a unique feel and direction, and had solid creative teams. Dematteis and Defalco are both Spider-Man legends, and Mackie was turning in some of the best work of his career. While Todd Dezago's run on Sensational is not generally very well thought of, I felt that he turned in some solid, fun stories that benefited from excellent art from the late Mike Wieringo.

Probably not one of the greatest Spider-Man era's, but certainly one of my favourites, and one that deserves a lot more praise than it seems to get.

[oldschool]

Heh.....I assume by "Aunt Man's Dead" OP really meant "Aunt May" and not the Avenger......

[Scott Taylor]

It started right about here and went for 100 issues.

[oldschool]

I would say the quality of the titles was highest during the Stern era of the 1980's, roughly from #220 or so till the end of Stern's run. At this point the character and his supporting cast had developed enough to make them interesting, while not being as bogged down by continuity as they have often seemed in recent years. The fact that both books also had good creative teams during this time also helped.

Aside from that, a very underrated period in my opinion is the pre-reboot era that occurred directly after Ben Reilly's death. While four titles was perhaps overkill, each at least had a unique feel and direction, and had solid creative teams. Dematteis and Defalco are both Spider-Man legends, and Mackie was turning in some of the best work of his career. While Todd Dezago's run on Sensational is not generally very well thought of, I felt that he turned in some solid, fun stories that benefited from excellent art from the late Mike Wieringo.

Probably not one of the greatest Spider-Man era's, but certainly one of my favourites, and one that deserves a lot more praise than it seems to get.

I agree 100% with your first paragraph. As for your second paragraph, well.....I think DeMatteis's run on Spectacular was the best of the four runs by far. DeFalco's return to ASM was very disappointing to me and Dezago had not much to work with on Sensational. Mackie is, to me, the worst writer to ever regularly work on a Spidey title.

[remoteman]

I agree that Mackie has turned in some horrible writing on occasion, but judged on its own merits his run on PPSM was very solid, helped of course by Jr Jr's art. Of course it had its problems, but I think Mackie succeeded at telling some good crime/noir type stories, the likes of which have rarely been seen in Spider-Man.

[Hypestyle]

Jim Owsley= best Spider-Man editor ever...

80's era writers- rog. stern, tom defalco, ron frenz..

Spider-Man vs. Wolverine= best Spidey one-shot ever..

[Endless Flight]

The 80s by far.

There was nothing better than the Hobgoblin era.