Where do you start reading Spider-Man comics? And other recommendations.

[shadow panther]

thank you all very much for your input
having taken all that's been said into consideration, my plan looks like this:
1a. flip a coin
1b. start at BND or big time
2. stay away from new avengers
3. check out the first few books from avenging, ff, scarlet and venom

once again, thx a lot to all of ya

i highly suggest not reading Scarlet Spider until AFTER Spider Island
Venom is best read AFTER Amazing 654.1
One More Day begins in Swing Shift which was originally a free comic book day book but later reprinted
theres also the annuals 35-39 36 is kinda essensial in reading as it sets up a certain arc in amazing
Spidey is no longer in FF he was silently phased out after the return of the Torch
Daredevil 8 crosses over with Amazing 677
Avenging Spider-Man 6, continues in Daredevil 11, and concludes in Punisher 10
Avenging 8 wraps up the current storline from Amazing

[DrewHLMW]

Well I was in this situation last summer.

Starting Point #1
Spider-Man the Next Chapter Volumes 1, 2 and 3
Collects Amazing Spider-Man #1 - #18 (1999), Peter Parker Spider-Man #1 - #18 (1999) and a few extras
I'm hoping this gets a volume 4 and/or 5 so that it synchs up with Starting point #2

Starting Point #2
Spider-Man Ultimate Collection by J. Michael Straczynsky Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Collects Amazing Spider-Man #39 - 545 (everything important up till one more day) (reverts to issue #500 around issue 50)

Starting Point #3
Spider-Man: Brand New Day Volumes 1, 2 and 3
The new era begins you just buy them in the correct order and you'll catch up eventually.

Starting Point #4
Big Time Ultimate Collection
after this you would need Return of Anti-Venom, Spider Island, Flying Blind, Trouble on the Horizon and Ends of the Earth released August 8th

Starting Point #5
Amazing Spider-Man #688
New story arc with the Lizard and defo the issue you should buy no matter where you decide to start from with the trades.

None of the team books or spin off characters are necessary to enjoy spider-man, he only ever mentions them in passing most of teh time, none have nay real effect on his own stories and is just a way for marvel to get you to spend more money. unless you are interested in those books for their own featured characters then I wouldn't bother with them.

If you want anything before the 1999 relaunch I'd say just grab the Marvel Masterworks or omnibus volumes and have a lot of patience for them to catch up lol.

[j keys]

So I read this thread and still need a little direction. I'm pretty new to comics. I started with Batman, where it's all small series. I liked Year One, long halloween, etc. It was darker and had a lot of literary and darker elements.

I want to start from the beginning with spider and to my knowledge there's pretty much two main series, Peter Parker spectacular and the amazing spider man, which is still on going today.

Which one has the better story/which one should I start reading to get into spiderman/

[ScarletSpiderFan]

So I read this thread and still need a little direction. I'm pretty new to comics. I started with Batman, where it's all small series. I liked Year One, long halloween, etc. It was darker and had a lot of literary and darker elements.

I want to start from the beginning with spider and to my knowledge there's pretty much two main series, Peter Parker spectacular and the amazing spider man, which is still on going today.

Which one has the better story/which one should I start reading to get into spiderman/

Hoo boy. Well, Amazing is the Spider-Man "mother-book." It started first and is still ongoing, and generally has the better stories. It's the book that will contain all major Peter Parker status quo changes. PP Spectacular Spider-Man, started in '75 or '76, is one of several secondary series. In the 90's (late 80's?) however all four or five Spider-Man books started to do crossover events. All of this is much easier to follow once you start reading. Here are the resources I use to get the whole story.

http://www.spiderfan.org/comics/year/index.html -- Use this to keep track and make sure you read every mainline Spider-Book coming out each month. (Spider-Books being Amazing, Spectacular, Sensational, "no-adjective", Peter Parker: Spider-Man, and Web of Spider-Man, plus any relevant miniseries (see next link).)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Spider-Man_titles -- Use this to find out where you can read each issue. The books are laid out chronologically if you click "7. Collected Editions." The rest of the page should help you keep track of just what all these different books are.

In general if you only read Amazing (and the books it explicitly crosses over into) you will get 80-90% of the story. To do this click "7.1.1. Trade Paperbacks" and enjoy. This will show you all the books you need to read all reprinted Amazings and any books that Amazing spilled into.

Hope this helps, it will make more sense after you start.

[Mister Mets]

So I read this thread and still need a little direction. I'm pretty new to comics. I started with Batman, where it's all small series. I liked Year One, long halloween, etc. It was darker and had a lot of literary and darker elements.

I want to start from the beginning with spider and to my knowledge there's pretty much two main series, Peter Parker spectacular and the amazing spider man, which is still on going today.

Which one has the better story/which one should I start reading to get into spiderman/

Amazing Spider-Man was always the main book.

If you liked smaller series, I would recommend Spider-Man: Blue, by the creative team of Batman: The Long Halloween.

Other good smaller self-contained stories are Kraven's Last Hunt, Negative Exposure and Spider-Man/ Human Torch: I'm With Stupid.

[marcaevans]

I asked the same question recently. I am very new to comic books but it has not taken me long to become hooked. I was told the best place to start reading was Ultimate Spider-Man so thats what I have done. It is really enjoyable, it really builds into the characters. I have currently read the first four volumes (i.e. #1-27) in about four days and I have today purchased the fifth volume which I will read tomorrow probably. Volume four was amazing!

[ChristmasFanatic]

Guys I just want selective reading these days and in TPB form. I used to buy a lot of Spidey monthlies til the Kraven arc(with his family)...

So is Spider Island any good? And if so, is the Spider Island Companion HC a good... companion as well or just skip it?

Also, I want to read more of Anti-Venom, I think the last arc I read about him was when he teamed up with Punisher. Any new ones(and good ones) after that?

THANKS!

[ScarletSpiderFan]

Guys I just want selective reading these days and in TPB form. I used to buy a lot of Spidey monthlies til the Kraven arc(with his family)...

So is Spider Island any good? And if so, is the Spider Island Companion HC a good... companion as well or just skip it?

Also, I want to read more of Anti-Venom, I think the last arc I read about him was when he teamed up with Punisher. Any new ones(and good ones) after that?

THANKS!

Return of Anti-Venom's good, and I believe it leads right into Spider-Island, which is FANTASTIC and in which Anti-Venom plays a pretty huge part. So definitely pick-up those two stories.

[ChristmasFanatic]

Return of Anti-Venom's good, and I believe it leads right into Spider-Island, which is FANTASTIC and in which Anti-Venom plays a pretty huge part. So definitely pick-up those two stories.

How about the Spider Island Companion? Full of tie-ins? I really dont one mediocre tie-ins on events Im not totally THAT excited about.

COLLECTING: SPIDER-ISLAND: THe AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL 1-3; SPIDER-ISLAND: CLOAK & DAGGER1-3;SPIDER-ISLAND: DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU 1-3;HERC 7-8; SPIDER-ISLAND: AVENGERS 1; SPIDER-ISLAND: SPIDER-WOMAN 1; HEROES FOR HIRE 12; BLACK PANTHER 524; SPIDER-ISLAND: HEROES FOR HIRE; SPIDER-ISLAND SPOTLIGHT

THANKS!

[Nightwing419]

Because I don't want to read 27 pages, would anyone mind giving me a good jump on point for all things Spiderman? I'd like to get to the current stuff as fast as possible. This is what I know about the Spider Man Universe.......... nothing. Thanks!

[Nightwing419]

Also, I know NOTHING about Marvel in general either. If that helps.

[ScarletSpiderFan]

Also, I know NOTHING about Marvel in general either. If that helps.

Start at #648 for the Big Time stories. Also, starting at #688, which came out very recently would be good too. It's actually almost better that you know nothing. But if you like what you read I'd recommend checking out some back issues or stuff like Spider-Man: Blue. But 648 or 688 for now.

[Nightwing419]

Start at #648 for the Big Time stories. Also, starting at #688, which came out very recently would be good too. It's actually almost better that you know nothing. But if you like what you read I'd recommend checking out some back issues or stuff like Spider-Man: Blue. But 648 or 688 for now.

I think I'll go with 688. Thanks!

[z1co80]

I am pretty new to comics but have been reading a little Batman and Avengers. I went to see Amazing Spider-Man at the Cinema and it made me think maybe i should add a little Spidey to my reading.

I just wondered if this is a good way to start without having to buy all the Masterworks books?

Masterworks Volume 1-4
Spider-Man Visionaries: Kurt Busiek
Spider-Man Visionaries: John Romita
The Death of the Stacy's
Spider-Man Visionaries: Roger Stern
Spider-Man: The Origin of the Hobgoblin
Spider-Man: Kraven’s Last Hunt
Spider-Man: The Death Of Jean DeWolff
Spider-Man Legends Vol. 1-3
Spider-Man: The Birth Of Venom
Spider-Man: Maximum Carnage
Amazing Spider-Man: JMS Ultimate Collection 1-5
Marvel Knights Spider-Man

Any tips or help would be appreciated. I may have missed stuff and i wasn't sure if i should just start from JMS and go from there.

[Mister Mets]

I am pretty new to comics but have been reading a little Batman and Avengers. I went to see Amazing Spider-Man at the Cinema and it made me think maybe i should add a little Spidey to my reading.

I just wondered if this is a good way to start without having to buy all the Masterworks books?

Masterworks Volume 1-4
Spider-Man Visionaries: Kurt Busiek
Spider-Man Visionaries: John Romita
The Death of the Stacy's
Spider-Man Visionaries: Roger Stern
Spider-Man: The Origin of the Hobgoblin
Spider-Man: Kraven’s Last Hunt
Spider-Man: The Death Of Jean DeWolff
Spider-Man Legends Vol. 1-3
Spider-Man: The Birth Of Venom
Spider-Man: Maximum Carnage
Amazing Spider-Man: JMS Ultimate Collection 1-5
Marvel Knights Spider-Man

Any tips or help would be appreciated. I may have missed stuff and i wasn't sure if i should just start from JMS and go from there.

That's a good place to start.

I wouldn't recommend Maximum Carnage, but some people do like it.

The best stories in Spider-Man: Legends Vol. 1-3 are included in the Birth of Venom TPB.