Amazing Spider-Man from the beginning

[matthewaos]

I like the thread in the X-Men forum, and I would like a same here. So I gathered my back issues, some frineds gave me their essentials, and also got some translated versions. I'll strat reading ASM from issue #1 (actually I'll start with AF #15), as if I don't know what is happening. I'll comment on what I like and what I dislike and I'm waiting for your comments too. Hope that it's a fan ride...

[matthewaos]

Amazing Fantasy #15

I really like that cover. It really catches your eye. I'm sure that I would have bought it, only by the cover.
The story is about a young teenager named Peter Parker who is "far from the biggest man on campus". Though he is loved by his Uncle and Aunt, Ben and May. No one wants to go with him on a science excibit, so he goes by himself. As the experiment is going, no one notices a tiny spider that gets exposed in the radioactivity, and in a schock bits the nearest living thing, who happens to be Peter Parker, our protagonist. He fast decides that with the power he has he can gain money. A TV produces convinces him that he can make a fortune. So he sews a costume, builts webs, easily, and names himself Spiderman (without "-").
In part two of the story, Spiderman is famous, the media loves him. But in a burglar chase he is not bothered, cause everyone in the world does not care for him, except his Aunt and Uncle, why should he? Time passes by, but one night the his uncle Ben is shoot, murdered. He lears wher the murder is and goes to the old Acme warehouse as Spiderman. He chases him and after he catches him he realizes he is the same man that he didn't stop. Peter is shocked, delivers in a the killer and so he learns a powerful lesson: With great power comes great responsibility.

The story is amazing, though the passing is quick, even for the 60s, I think. It's a powerful story of a very different super hero. I think it does not need more comments, it is maybe the best Spider-Man story ever told.

[NickFury90]

I always pretty "eh" about the Lee/Ditko issues. Yeah, they're classics and the foundation of the entire character, but as someone who grew up reading comics from this decade and not the 70s-80s, I find it laughably overwritten and campy now. Not that all older Spidey stories are like that(one of my top ten favorites is "Death of Jean Dewolff"), but I always see lists of "favorite Spidey stories" end with the usual suspects of AF#15 or The Death of Gwen Stacy, and all I can do is shrug my shoulders, not knowing what the big deal is.

Either way, good luck with this. 600+ issues to go!

[matthewaos]

Sure I was hopping for more suport but anyway.

I try to read older issues and think when they were published. Sure if this was published today it would be close to rubbish. But considering what was the status quo in comics back then, I think that if I was reading comics in the 60s, I would be very excited about this one.

The writing seems a little silly today, sure though. But I enjoy it. Especially Spider-Man is one of Stan Lee's greatest creations, his issues can be read today and not be boring.

As for Ditko, I never really liked his art. But I have started to admire him today. But come to think about it, I think he is more fitting for Spider-Man than Kirby would be. I mean, he set the tone really nice.

[Mister Mets]

Good luck, man.

The Lee/ Ditko stories are fun but they are dense. It's still an incredible run in comics history.

[Andrew T]

This seems like a massive undertaking. Best of luck if you decide to stick with it.

I've been trying to get a hold of a copy of some of the earlier comics to read, either via the DVD they put out or the big collections. I might chime in with some opinions as you go along if I do.

[Mr. Palmer]

I read the first two essential ASM volumes and got a kick out of them. They're so goofy, yet so fun. I can only handle those in small doses, though. I think the essential line really kicks into gear with volume 3.

But yes! As others have said, good luck on your journey!

[matthewaos]

Amazing Spider-Man #1


Because fans were crazy about Spider-Man, marvel published Spider-Man (now with "-") as a monthly book!
The story starts with recaping what happened in the previous issue (something that was happening even during the 90s. Man, was it really hard to do a recap page?). Peter and his Aunt don't have any money and Peter is thinking that he could rob banks etc, but what stops him is that he could go to jail for this, and Aunt May will be alone. Peter is having one more show as Spider-Man, with all his schoolmates watching. At the end of the show the producer gives him a check to "Spider-Man". The other day he goes to the bank but he can't get the money, cause anyone could wear a costume.
The next night, the producer is not allowed to perform again, cause of an editorial writren in the daily bugle, by DB's bublisher, J. Jonah Jameson. Jameson is not fufliled with the editorial and gives lectures all over town, about how Spider-Man is bad for the youth because someone will imitate him, and that they can not trust him, cause he is not showing his true face. Instead he tells the people to look for real heroes, like his son, the Test Pilot. Spider-Man is depressed, because he can't find a job as Peter OR Spider-Man.
Part two finds Peter watching the capsule with John Jameson ready to take off. But there is a malfunction and it's about to crash. The space technicians are drop a steel net (???) to catch the capsule but it's of no use. So Spider-Man shows up and offers his help, with JAmeson not wanting it. Spider-Man runs to the test site, webs a soldier, cause there are no time for explanations, grabs a pilot and a plane, and with a web line he tries to land the capsule.
In part 3, Spider-Man saves the day and he is waiting for everyone to thank him. Instead, Jameson writes another editorial where he says that everything was a plan orchestrated by Spider-Man. Peter is again depressed, as Aunt May wishes that they will catch that horible Spider-Man.

The Chameleon story is much better I think. I starts with Peter going to the BAxter building to show his talent to the FF, in an attempt to be one of their member. But there is a misunderstanding in the beginning. Spider-Man tells them that he wants in for the money, but the FF tells him that they don't have any payable slots in their team, and Spider-Man is leaving in a rush, while the FF are telling him to wait. At the same time, the Chameleon, a master of disguise, with a mask for a face, is trying to steel information to give them to the Russians, or at least some communist submarrine. They clash with Spider-Man, when the chameleon is dressed like him. In the end he is disquised as one of the guards, and Spider-Man understand who he is cause he has a sencew tingling. In the end, he is no hero, but also not as misunderstood as in the beginning.

Since Spider-Man has not realized since what this tingling sence is, I would like to see if this story was writen today when it would be revealed. Overal a good issues, I liked the FF moment and the Chameleon fight. The first story was not something great, and JJJ's hatred is a little with no reason, but it moves the story cause you see how other characters react.

[Aziz Abbasi]

I can finish reading a whole Spider-Man Essential everyday and re-read
I love the fact that they started his magazine with the first half of "Amazing Fantasy" name, didn't go just with a stiff SPIDER-MAN for a logo

[matthewaos]

I fixed the image in the previous post.

I can't remember any book that didn't have an adjective, at least under Lee. Except maybe the FF, but their name has it. I mean "The Astonishing Fantastic Four" would sound rediculus.

[Aziz Abbasi]

DareDevil
Captain America
Silver Surfer
At first Stan & Jack only had their book titled Avengers, not Mighty Avengers

[Rev. Calibos]

Hey matt, wish you the best in this undertaking, it's a considerable amount to read but it's appreciated and I'll be checking up on this thread regularly.


One thing I really enjoyed about issue #1 was the appearance of the FF.

I love the Marvel Universe, it's a vast, monsterous thing to consider all of the inhabitants, all of stories and all of the issues that have been put out about the Marvel U. It's a unique fictional construct.

But to look back on issue 1 is to see that universe brand new, taking its earliest formative steps.

[matthewaos]

DareDevil
Captain America
Silver Surfer
At first Stan & Jack only had their book titled Avengers, not Mighty Avengers

Uh, I guess I posted without really thinking... Add X-Men to that.

[matthewaos]

Amazing Spider-Man #2


"Duel To The Death With The Vulture!"
Not a bad story at all. I never liked the Vulture as a character though, I always found him silly. The Vulture, is steeling from the people of the city, and no one can stop him or follow him, cause he flys in the air. Also, no one has a picture of him, only scetches and JJJ really wants one, for his NOW magazine. On the other hand, his hatred for no reason for Spider-Man continues in the Bugle. Peter overheards some of his classmates and thinks that it will be great to sell photos of the Vulture, and it will be a great joke to sell those pictures to Jameson, the guy who hates Spider-Man. The Vulture is taunting the police telling them that he is going to steel a diamond shipment, so everyone is waiting for him. So instead of the air, he comes from the sewers, and surprises everyone. Spider-Man manages to stop him at the end, and gives his Aunt the rent for a full year!

I really liked how the Vulture surprised the police. It's one of those briliant Stan Lee moments. Also there is a scene where Spider-Man sees the Vulture and he is taking picturea of him, but the Vulture surprises him, and Lee gives us another lesson of responsibility over greed. Jameson for the time beeing just shouts he hates Spider-Man.

"The Uncanny Threat Of The Terible Tinkrer!"
A profersor aproaches Peter to work on an experiment together. It's the first time Flash is named. Peter first goes to get the profesor's radio from Tinkere's shop, but it looks suspicious. Back at the lab, Peter discovers mechanisms inside the radio that looks suspicious, so he goes back at the Tinkerer's shop to examine what happens. He discovers that the Tinker is working with some aliens, and he may be one of them, who spy on the Earth's technology, as to invade. Spider-Man goes into battle, they capture him, but he manages to escape, cause he shot a webline from a tiny hole in his glass cage that pushed the button that opened the cage. He defeats the alies, smashing their spy machine and the shop caughts fire. The alies escape, in their spaceship and in the end Spider-Man is left with the Tinkerer's mask. Nothing else is revealed.

Well, fist tims I read that story I was all WTF? I found it silly that the Tinkerer was working with some unamed aliens, though if it was published now I may be more intrigued to see what will happen, though the aliens stated that they should not come back. It was also silly that they had planted spy devices and they could not see that Peter PArker was searching inside the radio? Anyway, not something special. The art looks better than the previous two issues though.

[matthewaos]

Amazing Spider-Man #3



"The Strangest Foe Of All Time... Spiider-Man Versus The Doctor Octopus"

The story beginns with Spider-Man almost wishing to go against an opponent worthy enough to fight him. Little he knows that in an explosion during a scientific experiment Doctor Otto Octavious is going to be it. His metal arms, that he was using for the experiment are fused to his body and somehow are listening to his commants. Also, he has an uncertain brain damage. Doctor Octopus is the nickname they gave him, cause of the metal arms, and I guess also the similarity to his name:rolleyes: . Jameson assigns Peter to get a photo of Octavious, and he agrees. While he arrives in the hospital, Doc Ock has some hostages, and the two imediatly fight. Spider-Man is an easy opponent for Doc Ock, who he troughts out of the window. Peter is thinking that he had his first defeat, and that maybe it's the end of Spider-Man. The goverment assigned the Human Torch to hunt the good doctor, and (for some reason) he gives a demonstration on Peter's school. Torch's words make PEter realize that he should not give up, so he goes to find Doctor Octopus, who he capture a lab and is ready to destroy it. Spider-Man shows his scientific skills by creating something that fused two of the tentacles, and after a very intence fight, he manages to give the first punch and he knocks him out. He later says thanks to the Torch.

First of all, I didn't know that Spider-Man was bi-monthly at that time. Also, as for the bad things here, the Tinkerer story and this started almost exactly with the same line: "every story has to start from somewhere and this is it". That's it, the issue is great! Sure the best of the series yet, except AF #15. Ditko's art seems even better, in some panels. Though Doc seems pretty ugly and stupid, but I guess they wanted him to look like that. And ugh, that haircut!
Also I read the letter's page. Most guys are really like Spider-Man, there's one wishing for 50 years of publication, and there is another one who says that they should make him a detective and fight street thugs. They all believe that after a while the world will realixe that Spider-Man is a good guy and pretty much everyone hates Jameson.