Customer Reviews:
GREAT!.......2007-09-29
I purchased this collection for my father as a gift. HE LOVES IT!!! He owned many of the original Spiderman comics when he was a child and living on a military base in Japan. When my grandfather was stationed back in the U.S. my grandmother made him leave them in Japan.
This is a great gift for any true Spideerman fans or anyone who wants to get familiar with the actual comics. :)
An Amazing Fantasy for any Spidey Fan!!!.......2007-07-30
An irradiated spider bite, a tragic twist of fate, a poignant proverb; over the years there have been numerous attempts to re-tell or re-interpret Spider-Man's origin. With some of them being successful and others not so much, any Spidey fan's best bet is to actually read the original Lee/Ditko comics in all their grandeur. The Marvel Masterworks series provides Spider-Man fans with this exact opportunity. Important to note - unlike some trades that compile these comics in black & white, in this collection, they are all in magnificent COLOR!
This particular volume, Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol.1 consists of Amazing Fantasy #15 (Spider-Man's first appearance) along with Amazing Spider-Man #1-10. This volume provides a great window to explore the original and definitive origin of Spider-Man with the introduction of his supporting cast, including: Uncle Ben, Aunt May, Flash Thompson, Liz Allen, Betty Bryant, and J.J. Jameson. We also see first appearances by classic villains, such as: Chameleon, Vulture, Doc Ock, Sandman, Lizard, and Electro, along with lesser known foes such as: the Fantastic Four's Doctor Doom, the Terrible Tinkerer, the Living Brain, and the Enforcers. Spider-Man also runs into some allies, with the Human Torch making multiple guest appearances as the webslinger's teenage foil.
Overall, the strength of these stories is Stan Lee's revolutionary concept in re-defining the traditional characteristics of a superhero. Unlike the morally perfect, father-figures that had dominated comic book pages for decades, Peter Parker was a socially awkward teenager who reflected his youth-oriented readers. Reading these early comics, we witness what is to become the trademark of Peter Parker's life: problems. From girl issues to money woes to his physically feeble Aunt May, it is Peter's personal life that remains the emotional core of his stories. While other heroes have the ability to retreat into their secret-identity, Peter's personal life is only more complicated by his newly earned powers and responsibilities. It is this aspect that made Spider-Man the most relatable superhero. Steve Ditko equally contributes to the success of the wallcrawler by making Spider-Man's world stand out with unique visuals, quirky costumes, and greatly depicted battles, particularly the classic showdown with Doctor Octopus.
Like all older comics, there is some dated dialogue that doesn't translate well into the vocabulary of the 21st century. There also is a tendency for Spider-Man and his villains to verbally narrate every action they engage in. However, the joyful and emotionally compelling nature of these stories diminishes these flaws entirely. This is a must have for any old or new Spider-Man fan!
What a Comic book collection should be!.......2007-02-03
That's what I call a great comic book collection! It just covers the earlier adventures of the Amazing Spider-man (#1-10 plus Amazing Fantasy #15) and the episodes'arts and scripts may not be as entertaining as some on the further issuses but still this collection remains a classic of its genre and is functional to the full understanding of the super-hero character Spider-Man.
Modern Mythology in the Making.......2006-10-29
For people who love comic books this is a nice thing to have. See how the Amazing Stan Lee started out his most popular creation. This book begins with Amazing Fantasy # 15 where Spiderman made his first ever appearance then goes on to present Amazing Spiderman # 1 - # 10. It includes Spidermans origin and goes on into battle with some of Spideys' most enduring enemies from Doctor Octopus to the Lizard, to Electro, Dr Doom and the Sandman. Spiderman even battles the Fantastic Four. The book even includes a small introduction by Stan Lee. The Marvel Masterworks series sits really well on the bookshelf next to the DC Archives sets. Collect books from both publishers and build a nice library of Superhero Mythologies.
In the beginning..........2006-08-20
There isn't much about Spider-Man that the average earthling doesn't already know: nerd bitten by a radioactive spider, first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15, lost his uncle and, oh yeah, "with great power comes great responsibility".
But there IS more to know.
In the beginning Peter couldn't catch a break with a webbed mitt. He lost his job, his girl and his self respect almost every day. Ah, high school, remember? And if that wasn't enough, he blamed himself so much for his Uncle Ben's death that he HAD to go out there and beat up Doc Ock, the Lizard and an endless array of diverse villians - even if he had a test tomorrow!
The stories are legendary but so is the art. If you have never seen the work of Steve Ditko then I envy you the new experience. His quirky characterizations just fit the mood of our arachnid misfit. It is safe to say Spidey's adventures would never have touched so many of us geeks and outcasts had he not been rendered by Mr. Ditko.
If this is new to you then enjoy. The only way it could be better would be to be in high school again - but who needs that?!
Customer Reviews:
Go Spidey!.......2007-06-04
I buy these books for my husband. He loves them! They feature full color glossy pages. Nice hard cover books with colorful dustjackets. They are a wonderful way to "collect" these earlier comics without the heafty price tag. They look great on the bookshelf! Nothing messy like loose (yet valuable) comics. I don't know if these will ever become collectors, but if you want them for the joy of the story & the artwork, you certainly wont be dissapointed stepping back in comic time.
If you're a Spider-Man fan, you MUST purchase this!.......2005-08-10
Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man.
INTRODUCTION:
Circa 1962, comic book artist Stan Lee's publication Amazing Fantasy was not selling as well as he had hoped, and following its twelfth issue, it would be discontinued. In volume twelve, Lee introduced Spider-Man, a super hero who broke all the rules of super hero comics. Everyone ridiculed Lee's idea, saying he shouldn't create a teenage super hero who had to deal with everyday problems, and have a questionable reputation. Since Amazing Fantasy was going under anyway, Lee went against everyone else's views and featured the character in there. The result was NOT what any of those critics would have expected. The story did so well and got so much good feedback that Lee put Spider-Man in his own comic series! Over the years there have been a ton of Spider-Man comics, and needless to say, tracking down the older ones has become a difficult task. Not to worry. The Marvel Masterworks collection has taken several of the company's classic franchises, and rereleased the comics as "multi-pack" collections, reprinted in large books. So, how do these old stories measure up? Read on for my review.
OVERVIEW:
If you don't know the story behind Spider-Man, you've probably been living under a rock your whole life. But for those of you who don't know it for some strange reason, here it is (I'm not going to give summaries for the individual stories listed in this volume, the other reviewers have already done plenty of that.) Peter Parker was a typical nerdy teenager who was always an outcast in his school. But one day, he paid a visit to a laboratory and got bitten by a radioactive spider. Rather than killing him or giving him radiation poisoning, this spider's bite gave him extraordinary powers! He became stronger, faster, and much more agile than any human being. As he used his powers to gain some fame and quick cash, he let a robber escape from one of the venues, feeling that stopping this robber was not his problem. And then, one night, he arrived home to make a startling discovery - there had been an intrusion, and his Uncle Ben had been murdered. When Peter confronted his uncle's killer, he made a painful discovery - it was the same man he let go from his perfomance venue not long ago! This caused him to realize the depth of what his uncle once told him - With great power, comes great responsibility. And thus, he took up crimefighting, battling villains like the master-of-disguise Chameleon, the mad scientist Dr. Octopus, the flying menace known as the Vulture, and many others. With a colorful cast of heroes and villains alike, the series has remained conistently popular long after its 1962 conception.
REVIEW:
These stores are awesome, and it's great to get so many of them in one quick and convenient place. I'm sure plenty of fans were getting sick and tired of having to hunt down and buy these comics at radically-inflated prices. Each story is reprinted extremely well, and you get the cover for every book featured. Initially these Marvel Masterworks books were released in hardcover and rather expensive, but they've since gotten the paperback cover treatment, and are now considerably more affordable and accessable. Despite their age, these stories are still extremely entertaining. Some of the stories do seem a bit dated, but in my opinion, this just makes them more enjoyable. If you're a Spider-Man fan, you MUST read the comics that started it all, and ultimately made this franchise so successful. So what are you waiting for? With the release of these Marvel Masterworks books, you've no longer got any excuse for not checking the stories out!
EDITION NOTES:
There are only two versions of this collection that I am aware of - Hardcover and paperback. Rather obviously, I recommend getting the paperback edition since it is considerably less expensive that its hardcover counterpart.
OVERALL:
The only thing that there is really left to say is that this is a great collection. It's great to have these stories back in print, and all in one convenient location. With roughly ten comics in every collection, the Marvel Masterworks Spider-Man series is strongly recommended. If you're a fan of Spider-Man and you don't own this yet, do yourself a favor and add it to your collection. No fan should be without these classic stories.
Ugh! Bad Colors, bad!.......2003-12-26
Surely this is an important historical volume, along with the others comprising the first 100 issues of Spider-Man.
But the restoration is suspect. Especially BAD is the coloring job. It's not just that the different technology creates more-saturated colors; it's that the new colorists changed the colors. Sometimes they think they are "improving" upon the original, by using colors that blend subtly, and using more tones than were available to Marie Severin and the original Marvel colorists. But these effects put Steve Ditko's linework at a disadvantage: Ditko is well-known as a fastidious, thoughtful artist, and his line work in his Marvel era usually was done with the colors in mind. The very subtlety of the modern color work makes the linework here seem crude by comparison, which is certainly NOT the case in the original printing process.
It gets worse: the colorists here did a bad job. A brunette shows up as a redhead in a page or two, and she's a major character. A villain is colored as though his bare hands were gloves. And so on.
"The Essential Spider-Man" volumes, much cheaper, are in black and white, and do not contain these ugly, ill-chosen colors.
The genius of Steve Ditko.......2003-06-22
Stan Lee once described Steve Ditko as "the most unique genius".As a long time fan of Spiderman,(and everything else illustrated by Steve Ditko),I feel those words describe the man to a T. While I would not deny the quality of the artwork of all the other comic book artists that have tried their hand at drawing Spiderman,in particular,Frank Miller,the hand of Steve Ditko made us all believe that Peter Parker really was the SPIDER MAN.(with the emphasis on both words).
Lee and Ditko make Spider-Man's life much more complicated.......2003-04-14
The second ten issues collected in "Marvel Masterworks: Amazing Spider-Man Volume 2" are better than the first ten issues collected in Volume 1. Of course, you cannot appreciate the second ten issues without having read the first ten issues, so do not think that you should begin your appreciation of Spider-Man with this second volume. Unlike the "Essential Spider-Man, Volume 1," which combines all of the aforementioned comic book stories in a single volume, these reprints are in color. Either way one of the things that stands out in these issues is the outstanding artwork of Steve Ditko. I was never really a fan of the way Ditko drew people, but his compositional skills are absolutely first rate.
In these ten issues Stan Lee and Ditko consistently work in all of the familiar elements that made Spider-Man the most popular comic book superhero of the 1960s. Peter Parker loves Betty Bryant, but when her brother is shot during a fight she ends up blaming Spider-Man (#11), showing that when it comes to the romance department our hero rarely has any good luck. To add to his troubles Spider-Man is "Unmasked by Dr. Octopus" (#12), has to tangle with both the Green Goblin and the Incredible Hulk (#14), teams up with Daredevil to battle the Ringmaster (#16), has to deal with a supervillain created specifically by J. Jonah Jameson ("The Coming of the Scorpion," #20), has to worry about poor old frail Aunt May (#17), and even ends up seeing a psychiatrist because Mysterio is driving him crazy (#13). For Spider-Man, being a superhero is not all it is cracked up to be.
One of the improvements in this second collection is that we are dealing with the best of Spider-Man's villains: Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio, and the Scorpion, with Dr. Octopus and the Green Goblin appearing in two issues apiece. This is a big improvement over the Terrible Tinkerer and crossover bad guys like Dr. Doom. Stan Lee is writing better stories about both Spider-Man and his secret identity, creating a situation that is more and more complex. The predictability of these stories is getting less and less as Lee goes out of his way to keep taking things in new directions. But keep in mind: this is not the best of ýThe Amazing Spider-Maný by Lee and Ditko; that is yet to come (that would be the Master Planner/Doctor Octopus trilogy in issues #31-33, which means you have to wait for Masterworks Volume 4).
Product Description
SHRINK WRAP HARDCOVER EDITION OF MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOLUME 7
Customer Reviews:
Spider-Man at his silver-age pinnacle.......2006-08-18
There was a time when the quality of writing and artwork came together and hit a peak. This was in 1968 at the tail end of the silver-age of comics. The issues of Spider-Man reproduced in this volume are perhaps the best ever. Collected here are Amazing Spider-Man 62-67, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5 and both issues of Spectacular Spider-Man Magazine.
Annual #5 is the "The Parents of Peter Parker" back in the days when the 25 cent annual contained original and quality material. Those were the days.
Spectacular Spider-Man magazine was a glossy magazine that sold for 35 cents in the 12 cent comic era. It didn't last or sell well and was cancelled after two issues, but the stories are stellar. Issue 1 contains what I believe is the definitive representation of the origin of Spider-Man -- in beautiful black and white. I can still recall finding this on a regular magazine rack within a store on Irving Street in San Francisco.
I walked to that store repeatedly looking for the next issue and issue #2 contained the definitive Green Goblin story - which later was adapted into elements of the first Spider-Man movie. Although I looked for months and months, the third issue never came.
The other issues contain Medusa, the old and new Vulture, and a really good Mysterio story. There is also a story where Spider-Man is arrested and taken to jail where Captain Stacy protects Spider-Man's right to a secret identity.
This volume has all good stuff. Although this is the peak John Romita era, the best complete works are drawn by Larry Lieber, i.e., Annual #5 and the origin tale from Spectacular Spider-Man #2. Jim Mooney and Don Heck are likewise major contributers to the very best Spider-Man era. Romita is such a good artist. He and Curt Swan (Superman's artist) truly were the best of the best.
Today's comic books can't come close to equalling the creativity and quality of this era. What a great collection. This is a must-buy. Spider-Man has not been done better before or since.
Excellent collection.......2006-03-21
Marvel has done an excellent job on this volume. The art reproduction and restoration is, with the exception of 2 issues, first rate (the weak efforts are issues 64 and 65), and the highlights are the inclusion of the 2 issues of the magazine "Spectacular Spiderman." Thankfully, the first issue is reproduced in its original black and white form, and even though the pages are smaller than in the original, the art looks terrific. Also worth commenting on is the fine introduction by John Romita -- unlike the usual vapid Stan Lee intros in this series, this one contains a lot of interesting historical info about the stories. The stories themselves are solid and entertaining, and are great examples of why Marvel comics were the best comics published in the late 60's.
Customer Reviews:
Pretty Good But Less Origionality Than In The Past........2007-03-12
The Marvel Masterworks series srtikes again with The Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 4. This volume shows change from the first three Masterwork volumes. The collection begins with Peter Parker enrolling at Empire State University. As Peter enters college, he is no longer being teased for being an egghead, but still is outcast from the social circle in the usual Spiderman fashion. Gwen Stacy is introduced, as well as Harry Osborn. Gwen seems different from the one-dimensional Liz Allen or the sterotypical Betty Brant. Finally, Stan comes up with a girl with character. This volume is the book I could identify with the most, being a college student myself. It was a good buy. My only complaint is the lack of new interesting super-villians. It also seems that Spiderman has given up using his brain to out-wit his foes or his agility to out-manuver them. He seemed to take a liking to slug it out like an ordinary street brawler, which isn't quite as interesting as previous spidey battles. At least I now own the complete works of Steve Ditko's Spiderman. I was never a fan of John Romita, who I think drew Spiderman to look like Archie comics. However it was interesting to see the character from another perspective. I would recommend buying this volume, but buy the previous volumes first.
Ditko and Lee at the top; Romita introduced.......2005-12-25
Spiderman was never so good as Ditko (sometimes getting plot credit) and Lee presented him here. The collaborators are in complete control of Spider-man and the great cast of bad guys--especially the Green Goblin and Doc Ock. The ironies of Peter Parker's life are poignant, and each issue seems to develop both Peter's life and the supporting cast. This volume includes the great "Man on a Rampage" trilogy and the switch to John Romita and his great two-part Goblin battle.
I've read that sales picked up with Romita (and I'll admit that I thought his art was better when I read them ages ago); however, looking back, Ditko's art has withstood the test of time. Romita drew more attractive women and made Peter look more like a leading man from a romance comic--thus more mainstream. But that wasn't what made Spider-man great.
Even so, it was a brilliant move by Lee to start with the secret identities of Spider-man and the Goblin revealed with those transition issues. No one would pass those up. (I've read that revealing the identity of the Green Goblin was the straw that broke the Lee-Ditko team. If so, it's too bad they couldn't see what they had going.)
A must-buy for any Spider-Man fan.......2005-08-14
Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man.
INTRODUCTION:
Circa 1962, comic book artist Stan Lee's publication Amazing Fantasy was not selling as well as he had hoped, and following its twelfth issue, it would be discontinued. In volume twelve, Lee introduced Spider-Man, a super hero who broke all the rules of super hero comics. Everyone ridiculed Lee's idea, saying he shouldn't create a teenage super hero who had to deal with everyday problems, and have a questionable reputation. Since Amazing Fantasy was going under anyway, Lee went against everyone else's views and featured the character in there. The result was NOT what any of those critics would have expected. The story did so well and got so much good feedback that Lee put Spider-Man in his own comic series! Over the years there have been a ton of Spider-Man comics, and needless to say, tracking down the older ones has become a difficult task. Not to worry. The Marvel Masterworks collection has taken several of the company's classic franchises, and rereleased the comics as "multi-pack" collections, reprinted in large books. So, how do these old stories measure up? Read on for my review.
OVERVIEW:
If you don't know the story behind Spider-Man, you've probably been living under a rock your whole life. But for those of you who don't know it for some strange reason, here it is (I'm not going to give summaries for the individual stories listed in this volume, Spider-Man fansites have already done plenty of that.) Peter Parker was a typical nerdy teenager who was always an outcast in his school. But one day, he paid a visit to a laboratory and got bitten by a radioactive spider. Rather than killing him or giving him radiation poisoning, this spider's bite gave him extraordinary powers! He became stronger, faster, and much more agile than any human being. As he used his powers to gain some fame and quick cash, he let a robber escape from one of the venues, feeling that stopping this robber was not his problem. And then, one night, he arrived home to make a startling discovery - there had been an intrusion, and his Uncle Ben had been murdered. When Peter confronted his uncle's killer, he made a painful discovery - it was the same man he let go from his perfomance venue not long ago! This caused him to realize the depth of what his uncle once told him - With great power, comes great responsibility. And thus, he took up crimefighting, battling villains like the master-of-disguise Chameleon, the mad scientist Dr. Octopus, the flying menace known as the Vulture, and many others. With a colorful cast of heroes and villains alike, the series has remained conistently popular long after its 1962 conception.
REVIEW:
These stores are awesome, and it's great to get so many of them in one quick and convenient place. I'm sure plenty of fans were getting sick and tired of having to hunt down and buy these comics at radically-inflated prices. Each story is reprinted extremely well, and you get the cover for every book featured. Initially these Marvel Masterworks books were released in hardcover and rather expensive, but they've since gotten the paperback cover treatment, and are now considerably more affordable and accessable. Despite their age, these stories are still extremely entertaining. Some of the stories do seem a bit dated, but in my opinion, this just makes them more enjoyable. If you're a Spider-Man fan, you MUST read the comics that started it all, and ultimately made this franchise so successful. So what are you waiting for? With the release of these Marvel Masterworks books, you've no longer got any excuse for not checking the stories out!
EDITION NOTES:
There are only two versions of this collection that I am aware of - Hardcover and paperback. Rather obviously, I recommend getting the paperback edition since it is considerably less expensive that its hardcover counterpart.
OVERALL:
The only thing that there is really left to say is that this is a great collection. It's great to have these stories back in print, and all in one convenient location. With roughly ten comics in every collection, the Marvel Masterworks Spider-Man series is strongly recommended. If you're a fan of Spider-Man and you don't own this yet, do yourself a favor and add it to your collection. No fan should be without these classic stories.
Customer Reviews:
Lee and Ditko Hit the Heights.......2005-12-25
Spiderman was never so good as Ditko (sometimes getting plot credit) and Lee presented him here. The collaborators are in complete control of Spider-man and the great cast of bad guys--especially the Green Goblin. The ironies of Peter Parkers life are poignant, and each issue seems to develop both Peter's life and the supporting cast. This and the next volume are probably the best collections: the next volume includes the great "Man on a Rampage" trilogy and the switch to John Romita.
If you're a Spider-Man fan, you MUST purchase this!.......2005-08-10
Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man.
INTRODUCTION:
Circa 1962, comic book artist Stan Lee's publication Amazing Fantasy was not selling as well as he had hoped, and following its twelfth issue, it would be discontinued. In volume twelve, Lee introduced Spider-Man, a super hero who broke all the rules of super hero comics. Everyone ridiculed Lee's idea, saying he shouldn't create a teenage super hero who had to deal with everyday problems, and have a questionable reputation. Since Amazing Fantasy was going under anyway, Lee went against everyone else's views and featured the character in there. The result was NOT what any of those critics would have expected. The story did so well and got so much good feedback that Lee put Spider-Man in his own comic series! Over the years there have been a ton of Spider-Man comics, and needless to say, tracking down the older ones has become a difficult task. Not to worry. The Marvel Masterworks collection has taken several of the company's classic franchises, and rereleased the comics as "multi-pack" collections, reprinted in large books. So, how do these old stories measure up? Read on for my review.
OVERVIEW:
If you don't know the story behind Spider-Man, you've probably been living under a rock your whole life. But for those of you who don't know it for some strange reason, here it is (I'm not going to give summaries for the individual stories listed in this volume, Spider-Man fansites have already done plenty of that.) Peter Parker was a typical nerdy teenager who was always an outcast in his school. But one day, he paid a visit to a laboratory and got bitten by a radioactive spider. Rather than killing him or giving him radiation poisoning, this spider's bite gave him extraordinary powers! He became stronger, faster, and much more agile than any human being. As he used his powers to gain some fame and quick cash, he let a robber escape from one of the venues, feeling that stopping this robber was not his problem. And then, one night, he arrived home to make a startling discovery - there had been an intrusion, and his Uncle Ben had been murdered. When Peter confronted his uncle's killer, he made a painful discovery - it was the same man he let go from his perfomance venue not long ago! This caused him to realize the depth of what his uncle once told him - With great power, comes great responsibility. And thus, he took up crimefighting, battling villains like the master-of-disguise Chameleon, the mad scientist Dr. Octopus, the flying menace known as the Vulture, and many others. With a colorful cast of heroes and villains alike, the series has remained conistently popular long after its 1962 conception.
REVIEW:
These stores are awesome, and it's great to get so many of them in one quick and convenient place. I'm sure plenty of fans were getting sick and tired of having to hunt down and buy these comics at radically-inflated prices. Each story is reprinted extremely well, and you get the cover for every book featured. Initially these Marvel Masterworks books were released in hardcover and rather expensive, but they've since gotten the paperback cover treatment, and are now considerably more affordable and accessable. Despite their age, these stories are still extremely entertaining. Some of the stories do seem a bit dated, but in my opinion, this just makes them more enjoyable. If you're a Spider-Man fan, you MUST read the comics that started it all, and ultimately made this franchise so successful. So what are you waiting for? With the release of these Marvel Masterworks books, you've no longer got any excuse for not checking the stories out!
EDITION NOTES:
There are only two versions of this collection that I am aware of - Hardcover and paperback. Rather obviously, I recommend getting the paperback edition since it is considerably less expensive that its hardcover counterpart.
OVERALL:
The only thing that there is really left to say is that this is a great collection. It's great to have these stories back in print, and all in one convenient location. With roughly ten comics in every collection, the Marvel Masterworks Spider-Man series is strongly recommended. If you're a fan of Spider-Man and you don't own this yet, do yourself a favor and add it to your collection. No fan should be without these classic stories.
Customer Reviews:
A must-buy for any Spider-Man fan.......2005-08-14
Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man.
INTRODUCTION:
Circa 1962, comic book artist Stan Lee's publication Amazing Fantasy was not selling as well as he had hoped, and following its twelfth issue, it would be discontinued. In volume twelve, Lee introduced Spider-Man, a super hero who broke all the rules of super hero comics. Everyone ridiculed Lee's idea, saying he shouldn't create a teenage super hero who had to deal with everyday problems, and have a questionable reputation. Since Amazing Fantasy was going under anyway, Lee went against everyone else's views and featured the character in there. The result was NOT what any of those critics would have expected. The story did so well and got so much good feedback that Lee put Spider-Man in his own comic series! Over the years there have been a ton of Spider-Man comics, and needless to say, tracking down the older ones has become a difficult task. Not to worry. The Marvel Masterworks collection has taken several of the company's classic franchises, and rereleased the comics as "multi-pack" collections, reprinted in large books. So, how do these old stories measure up? Read on for my review.
OVERVIEW:
If you don't know the story behind Spider-Man, you've probably been living under a rock your whole life. But for those of you who don't know it for some strange reason, here it is (I'm not going to give summaries for the individual stories listed in this volume, Spider-Man fansites have already done plenty of that.) Peter Parker was a typical nerdy teenager who was always an outcast in his school. But one day, he paid a visit to a laboratory and got bitten by a radioactive spider. Rather than killing him or giving him radiation poisoning, this spider's bite gave him extraordinary powers! He became stronger, faster, and much more agile than any human being. As he used his powers to gain some fame and quick cash, he let a robber escape from one of the venues, feeling that stopping this robber was not his problem. And then, one night, he arrived home to make a startling discovery - there had been an intrusion, and his Uncle Ben had been murdered. When Peter confronted his uncle's killer, he made a painful discovery - it was the same man he let go from his perfomance venue not long ago! This caused him to realize the depth of what his uncle once told him - With great power, comes great responsibility. And thus, he took up crimefighting, battling villains like the master-of-disguise Chameleon, the mad scientist Dr. Octopus, the flying menace known as the Vulture, and many others. With a colorful cast of heroes and villains alike, the series has remained conistently popular long after its 1962 conception.
REVIEW:
These stores are awesome, and it's great to get so many of them in one quick and convenient place. I'm sure plenty of fans were getting sick and tired of having to hunt down and buy these comics at radically-inflated prices. Each story is reprinted extremely well, and you get the cover for every book featured. Initially these Marvel Masterworks books were released in hardcover and rather expensive, but they've since gotten the paperback cover treatment, and are now considerably more affordable and accessable. Despite their age, these stories are still extremely entertaining. Some of the stories do seem a bit dated, but in my opinion, this just makes them more enjoyable. If you're a Spider-Man fan, you MUST read the comics that started it all, and ultimately made this franchise so successful. So what are you waiting for? With the release of these Marvel Masterworks books, you've no longer got any excuse for not checking the stories out!
EDITION NOTES:
There are only two versions of this collection that I am aware of - Hardcover and paperback. Rather obviously, I recommend getting the paperback edition since it is considerably less expensive that its hardcover counterpart.
OVERALL:
The only thing that there is really left to say is that this is a great collection. It's great to have these stories back in print, and all in one convenient location. With roughly ten comics in every collection, the Marvel Masterworks Spider-Man series is strongly recommended. If you're a fan of Spider-Man and you don't own this yet, do yourself a favor and add it to your collection. No fan should be without these classic stories.
Spider-Man not only quits, he finally meets Mary Jane.......2005-03-25
When John Romita (Sr.) took over the artistic duties for "The Amazing Spider-Man" from Steve Ditko he certainly started off with a bang as his first two issues (#39-40) was when the Green Goblin learned Spider-Man's secret identity. As we get to "Marvel Masterworks: Amazing Spider-Man, Volume 5," we get to see what Romita and Stan Lee came up with after that high point in the series. This hardback volume collects issues #41-50 of "The Amazing Spider-Man," along with Annual #3 (okay, the original story, "...To Become an Avenger," where Spider-Man has to bring in the Hulk as his initiation to the group of superheroes but lets the Hulk go when he learns he is really Doctor Bruce Banner, and not the reprints of the second and third appearance of Doctor Octopus in issues #11 and #12, which are reprinted in Volume 2 of this series).
The cover shot is of "Spider-Man" #50, "Spider-Man No More," the story that was at the core of the successful "Spider-Man 2" film from last summer. Then there is the equally memorably splash page on page 8 that was used in the movie as well. Besides, any story that has J. Jonah Jameson talking to Johnny Carson while Ed McMahon shows Spider-Man's costume has its moments. But Spider-Man's premature retirement is not the only memorable moment in this collection, because at the end of #42 Peter Parker finally meets Mary Jane Watson, after one of the longest build ups of all time. She actually stopped by to visit Aunt May back in #25, but we did not get to see her face (Liz Allen and Betty Brant did and they thought she looked like a movie star). Talk about being worth the wait. If there is one thing John Romita could do it was draw good looking women and MJ's entrance line, "Face it, Tiger...you just hit the jackpot!" is perfect. So there is one great story here and another great moment, while the rest is simply a solid collection of Spider-Man stories from Lee and Romita.
So, yes, Spider-Man does more than quit and meet girls (actually the other way around) in these stories. Spider-Man battles the Rhino (#41 & #43), John Jameson (#42), a rematch with the Lizard (#44-45), the Shocker (#46), Kraven the Hunter (#47), the "new" Vulture (#48), and then Kraven the Hunter and the "new" Vulture (#49). In fact, Spider-Man fights a couple of these villains with one arm strapped to his side. Still, it is hard not to keep noticing that Peter Parker's social life is improving now that he is off to college and is sharing his own place (Peter Parker's pad, of course) with Harry Osborn, and in retrospect the key thing here is appreciating what it being set up down the road. Despite the arrival of Mary Jane, who is the one who Peter finally ends up marrying, it is Gwen who is going to become the love of Peter's life. It is impossible for long time fans to read these stories again and not think about what will happen to Gwen, Harry, and Mary Jane in the years to come.
Customer Reviews:
This time around, pay attention to the skills of Steve Ditko.......2002-12-22
I started reading "The Amazing Spider-Man" with issue #62 and the appearance of Medusa (the Inhuman with the living hair). Eventually I worked my way back to the beginning, mostly through reprints of the early issues in "Marvel Tales." Once I got past the epic two-parter in issues #39-40 when the Green Goblin learned Spider-Man was really Peter Parker, I was not as impressed because the artwork for the first 38 issues was by Steve Ditko and not John Romita (Sr.). I was never really impressed by Ditko's artwork and when he left Marvel to work for Charlton comics I always thought those were pretty much the worst drawn comics around (except for the issue of "X-Men" that was Barry Smith's first work in comics). However, I have had a major change of heart. I am never going to be enamored of the way Ditko draws faces, but I have come to appreciate that the man was a master of composition in the field of comic books.
Collected within Volume 1 of the Marvel Masterworks series devoted to Spider-Man are his debut in "Amazing Fantasy" #15 and the first ten issues of "The Amazing Spider-Man." We all know about the radioactive spider, the death of Uncle Ben, and the lesson that with great power comes great responsibility. Stan Lee certainly created something completely different when he came up with a superhero whose bad luck was the only luck he had. But this time reading these issues just look at how Ditko sets up each panel, paying attention to both this compositional skills and his sense of pacing. In "Spider-Man" #8 there is a Spider-Man Surprise Extra in which "Spider-Man Tackles the Torch!" The short story is drawn by Jack Kirby and inked by Ditko. Compare it to the other stories and see how superior Ditko's layouts are. Kirby offers rather minimalist backgrounds to the action, whereas Ditko usually provides detailed backgrounds of the city or where ever the scene takes place. I know fans of Ditko point to his artwork on "Dr. Strange" as his best work, with its depiction of spells and strange dimensions, but I really think he did his finest work on "Spider-Man." However, it will not be until we get to Volume 3 of these Marvel Masterworks volumes that we get to his trilogy involving Dr. Octopus that remains one of the greatest Spidey stories.
The Terrible Tinkerer in issue #2 remains one of the comic book's biggest duds and my students found the Lizard laughable when they read these comics for class (I always had problems with issue #1 when Spidey lassoes John Jameson's space capsule), but there are mostly solid efforts in these first ten stories. Of course, the origin issue remains a classic, setting the template for the comic's entire history. Borrowing Dr. Doom from the FF for a battle is okay, but it is the original villains, especial Doc Ock that stand out. The Vulture makes two appearances, the Sandman shows up to knock some sense into our hero, and Electro's costume is over the top but his powers are semi-logical all things considered. The most important thing is that all of the elements which have defined Spider-Man for almost forty years are all established in these first eleven stories.
Compared to DC Archives, Masterworks is disappointing.......2002-06-22
I've purchased several DC Archives and the art and coloring is very sharp. In comparison, in this edition of Masterworks, the art and coloring seems to be smudged. The look and feel of the book is just not as good. These early Spider-Man stories are good from a historical perspective, but Lee and Ditko have not yet hit their stride. Battles with aliens, the "Living Brain" and Dr. Doom are not good match-ups for Spider-Man. I have all five volumes of the "Essential" series and have enjoyed those very much. Even though they are in black and white, they are cheap and a great way to relive the best years of Spider-Man.
Greatest book I have ever read.......2002-05-01
I recently Bought this book after a long search for almost 4 months. When I finnaly got to open this book I was excited to find out how and who Spiderman was going to face in the first ever issues of the amazing Spiderman. This book is so unbeleivable I have to keep reading it, I literly can not stop. Filled with the first ten issues of the Amazing Spiderman (including AF15) and all of spiderman's first enemys. If you have a chance to buy this book you should definetly pay the fee and read this outstanding book. I love the drawings of Steve Ditko.
With Great Stories Must Come...Great Hardcovers.......2002-04-28
"With great power must also come...great responsibility."-Stan Lee.
With those words, Stan Lee closed the chapter on the first story of the Amazing Spider-Man.
Spider-Man was unlike any super-hero before him. He didn't just pretend to be the wallflower like some other boy scout I could name. He was the social outcast, ostracized by his peers, rejected and alone. He was a teenager. Back then, teens were usually the sidekicks. As Peter Parker, he was the epitome of uncool.
And Spider-Man didn't become a hero out of some notion of civic duty, or revenge for a past sorrow. Instead, he was driven by guilt. The guilt of knowing that had he simply stuck out his foot and tripped a passing burglar, his Uncle Ben wouldn't be dead.
That story, and the first ten issues of Amazing Spider-Man, featuring the wall crawler in battle against deadly foes like Doctor Octopus, Doctor Doom, the Sandman, Electro, and The Chameleon, as well as guest appearances by the Fantastic Four.
The oldest and most classic stories preserved for all time here in a hardcover bookshelf edition that you can be proud to show off to anyone. THIS is what comic books are all about.
Just like the title, AMAZING.......2002-03-02
Finally, if you'd like to have the very first 11 issues of amazing Spider-Man youhave to look no further of pay thousands of dollars for orignal 60's comics, this collection presents the first issues of Spider-man. Get to know his origins, the first villians he fought and his life a super hero. Printed in high quality gloss paper, in full, glorius colour, the pencil here may not be what newest readers are used to. These are simple, straight forward drawings that are now cult classics. The text by the master himself, Stan Lee, are interesting, yet funny and direct enough. I read it really fast, I only wish they would release the next issues. This book is for readers who maybe owned the original comics back in the 60's or 70's and want to relive those moments. Great also for fans of Spidey who want to witness his origins. Definetely a must.
Product Description
One of Marvel Comics most recognizable and best-loved superheroes, Spider-Man appears in three comic books with a monthly circulation of over one million, is syndicated in over 500 newspapers, with a readership of over 100 million, and was the star of 2002's biggest box-office smash (starring Tobey Maguire as the wall-crawling Peter Parker).
Customer Reviews:
"comicbook lunatic".......2007-05-24
OK first I love the masterworks series they are high quality,well printed books.As for reading comics on a computer,please.That does not even give regular books justice.Now don't get me wrong the idea of having all the issues on a CD sounds swell,but it ruins the whole concept of holding the art and stories in your hands and turning the crisp pages.So get the books!,but first check the Tales of Wonder web site and see if they have the book in stock before you pay a crazy price for your copy.Peace and love!
Good collection, but get the 40 Years CD-ROM instead.......2005-09-02
Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man.
INTRODUCTION:
Circa 1962, comic book artist Stan Lee's publication Amazing Fantasy was not selling as well as he had hoped, and following its twelfth issue, it would be discontinued. In volume twelve, Lee introduced Spider-Man, a super hero who broke all the rules of super hero comics. Everyone ridiculed Lee's idea, saying he shouldn't create a teenage super hero who had to deal with everyday problems, and have a questionable reputation. Since Amazing Fantasy was going under anyway, Lee went against everyone else's views and featured the character in there. The result was NOT what any of those critics would have expected. The story did so well and got so much good feedback that Lee put Spider-Man in his own comic series! Over the years there have been a ton of Spider-Man comics, and needless to say, tracking down the older ones has become a difficult task. Not to worry. The Marvel Masterworks collection has taken several of the company's classic franchises, and rereleased the comics as "multi-pack" collections, reprinted in large books. So, how do these old stories measure up? Read on for my review.
OVERVIEW:
If you don't know the story behind Spider-Man, you've probably been living under a rock your whole life. But for those of you who don't know it for some strange reason, here it is (I'm not going to give summaries for the individual stories listed in this volume, Spider-Man fansites have already done plenty of that.) Peter Parker was a typical nerdy teenager who was always an outcast in his school. But one day, he paid a visit to a laboratory and got bitten by a radioactive spider. Rather than killing him or giving him radiation poisoning, this spider's bite gave him extraordinary powers! He became stronger, faster, and much more agile than any human being. As he used his powers to gain some fame and quick cash, he let a robber escape from one of the venues, feeling that stopping this robber was not his problem. And then, he arrived home to make a startling discovery - there had been an intrusion, and his Uncle Ben had been murdered. When Peter confronted his uncle's killer, he made a painful discovery - it was the same man he let go from his perfomance venue not long ago! This caused him to realize the depth of what his uncle once told him - With great power, comes great responsibility. And thus, he took up crimefighting, battling villains like the master-of-disguise Chameleon, the mad scientist Dr. Octopus, the flying menace known as the Vulture, and many others. With a colorful cast of heroes and villains alike, the series has remained conistently popular long after its 1962 conception.
REVIEW:
These stores are awesome, and it's great to get so many of them in one quick and convenient place. However, there is another way to get them, which is even cheaper and more convenient - the 40 Years Of The Amazing Spider-Man CD-ROM collection. The CD-ROM collection runs anywhere from $30-$50, and it has OVER FIVE HUNDRED stories. Plus, the reprints are AUTHENTIC on the CD-ROM package, featuring all the original ads and letters. The Masterworks reprints DO NOT include the original ads and letters, they only include an average of TEN stores a piece, and the less-expensive paperback editions are Barnes And Noble exclusives (a huge problem if you don't have a B&N near you.) The only advantage the Masterworks have over the CD collection is remastered quality and the inclusion of the annuals, which the CD mysteriously lacks. Still, the argument for the CDs outweighs the one for the Masterworks - get the CDs instead.
EDITION NOTES:
There are only two versions of this collection that I am aware of - Hardcover and paperback. I recommend the less-expensive paperback collections, should you decide to go with these books instead of the CDs for some ungodly reason or you don't have a computer, but keep in mind that those are Barnes and Noble exclusives.
OVERALL:
The only thing that there is really left to say is that this is a great collection, but the CD-ROM collection is a better, more-affordable space-saving alternative. Go with it instead. Still, this collection in its own right is very good. If you don't have a computer, you might as well go with the Masterworks collections (but in this day and age, who DOESN'T have a computer?) Final verdict? Good collection, but ultimately, the CD collection is better.
Books:
- Midaresomenishi: A Legend of Samurai Love
- Moby-Dick (Bantam Classics)
- Naoki Urasawa's Monster, Volume 7 (Naoki Urasawa's Monster)
- National Electrical Code 2005 Softcover Version (National Fire Protection Association National Electrical Code)
- Neon Genesis Evangelion, Vol. 9
- No Need for Tenchi!, Vol. 10: Mother Planet
- Off-Road Disciplines: Spiritual Adventures of Missional Leaders (J-B Leadership Network Series)
- Oracle Database 10g OCP Certification All-In-One Exam Guide (Oracle Database 10g Handbook)
- Peanuts: A Golden Celebration: The Art and the Story of the World's Best-Loved Comic Strip
- Physik (Septimus Heap, Book 3)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Perennial All-Stars: The 150 Best Perennials for Great-Looking, Trouble-Free Gardens
- History: Fiction or Science
- Ciudad De Dios / City of God
- Devil in the Details: Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood
- Freak The Mighty
- Fundamentals of Power Electronics
- Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy
- Princess in the Land of Snows
- Economic Perspectives on State Taxation of Multijurisdictional Corporations
- Reminiscences of James N. Glover
General
| Comic Strips
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
Marvel Masterworks: Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2
Marvel Masterworks: Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 3
Marvel Masterworks: Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 4
Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men Vol. 1
Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 1
