Spider-Man: Other Great Stories

[Tigereyes]

Now that the Top 50 Spider-Man arcs have been revealed, I was wondering what people voted for that did not make the final cut.

So, if each poster would just post one Spidey story a day (that way every story gets to shine) with maybe a brief (or not so brief explanation about why it made your Top 10.)

I believe this was my number 6 pick...





I just remember reading this and being surprised at how great it was. The story, the location, the interactions, were all large, and yet tight. Go read it.

NEXT...

[Mister Mets]

Excellent idea for a thread.

I did a Top 15 a while back, and there's one story in it that did not make CBR's Top 50.

10. "One Small Break" Peter Parker Spider-Man #30-32


Credits: Cover by Humberto Ramos; Script by Paul Jenkins/ Pencils by Mark Buckingham/ Inks by Wayne Faucher

Reprinted in: One Small Break, along with two other great Jenkins-Buckingham tales (and one story that's merely good.)

This was originally supposed to be a Spider-Man VS. Superskrull story to give Mark Buckingham the opportunity to draw all the major characters. Instead it introduced Fusion- a man who truly hates Spider-Man, and seems to have the powers of every Marvel hero (and of course Mark Buckingham had the opportunities to draw said heroes.) His reason for hating Spider-Man is a lot more sensible than Venom's, and something Jonah's warned against since Amazing Spider-Man Issue 1, which sadly does sometimes happen. Of course he loses the reader's sympathy rather quickly by gaining a three-figure body count. He gives Spider-Man a truly vicious beating, giving new meaning to the words "One Small Break." The last issue features the story's great moment as a completely shattered Spider-Man realizes Fusion's secret.

Other great moments include Jonah realizing he can't publicize Fusion's vendetta against Spider-Man since all the other media sources are doing that, and Peter Parker being comforted by Flash Thompson, in a scene that is perfectly in character.

Fusion reappeared in Peter Parker Spider-Man #39-41, also a solid Doctor Octopus story. I'm not sure if anyone's ever going to use him again, but I really hope so.

Other critics....
Jeff English of spiderfan.org gives every issue 5 stars.
http://www.spiderfan.org/comics/titl...rman_v2-2.html

Madgoblin's review of the story in his 2001 year in review is summed up with the words "Fusion Fizzles"
http://www.spideykicksbutt.com/Yeari...erman2001.html

[Magnum_Valentino]

Spirits Of The Earth is well painted at times but it is one of the dumbest Spider books I've ever read. I can't get rid of my copy because I lovehate it so much. I'd vote for Peter Parker v.1 84, in which Peter is stuck to the side of a building dosed with Morbius-induced Vertigo in which the Shocker is conducting a burglary, discovers Spidey on the exterior, shoots at him and then (presumably) gets the lift down a few floors to do the same again as naturally Spider-Man is just falling for a bit then reclinging. When Spidey eventually reaches street level, he has to fight Juggernaut. IT IS AWESOME.

What's that? That single late 90s issue DID make the cut? Shame I didn't read the list then.

My vote for all-time best Spider-Man story, though, is The Assassin-Nation Plot. Shame those six issues couldn't have been stretched to, like, 15 or so.

(That PP issue is one of my favourites though)

[Rob London]

Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #25-31, by Bill Mantlo, Frank Miller, and Jim Mooney. It's got a great, spooky new villain (Carrion), very nice art, an exciting mystery, two of the best villain deaths in Spider-Man history (death by Red Dust of Death and death by Spider-Amoeba), and the first issue is entitled "Carrion, My Wayward Son!" What more can you ask for?

[Chuckles]

I've never actually sat down and created my personal Top 50. Having said that, I think Mister Mets choice would be in my list too.

Off the top of my head, the story that didn't make CBR's Top 50 that would definitely make mine is Spectacular Spider-Man #64 by Bill Mantlo; the issue that introduces Cloak and Dagger. Those characters have become sanitized since, but this is a raw story that blew me away when I first read it.

[Maestro]

[Mister Mets]

Time to pimp the other story in my Top 15.

15. What If Volume 2 # 88 "Arachnomorphosis"



Credits:Ben Raab (Script), Ariel Olivetti (Pencils), Agostin Comoto (Inks), Marie Javins (Color); Malibu (Enhancement) (Colors), Richard Starkings; Comicraft (Letters).

This is sure to be the most obscure story on my list. It's basically the story of Spider-Man retold as a really dark horror tale. Peter, and Gwen got married, but Gwen died in childbirth. The spider bite has affected Peter in a very different way, and a half-man, half-spider monster wanders around his house sometimes. The dog's gone missing. Peter's son Ben doesn't like him very much, or anyone else in the world, except for Sara Joy Watson, a girl who's never seen Ben without his hat. Ben's also mutating into something, so Peter makes arrangements to send him to the Xavier School for Gifted Mutants. and Ben makes the mistake of running away. Peter also has a few days left to live, and has only one chance to save himself, but he may have to give it up. And in case you didn't realize it from the plot, it doesn't end very well for the Parkers.
This is just a really dark affecting twist on the character that I would recommend to anyone. I'm sure it's available in dollar bins all over the country, and I really recommend it to anyone who finds a copy.

[Cheesedique]

One story I never see mentioned anywhere is Spectacular Spider-man #198-200. It is basically the first appearance and origin of the Spot, who is an awesome villain. Al Milgrom's scripting and art are great. It was also neat to see the symbiote escape and possess someone on the street first in #100, which sets up Web of #1.

[Zombies8MyDingo]

Always been a fan of the Mad Dog Ward storyline, had a darker tone than I was used to with Spider-Man at the time.