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Spider-Man The Icon: The Life and Times of a Pop Culture Phenomenon
THE LIFE AND TIMES
OF A POP CULTURE PHENOMENON
From his modest 1962 debut in Amazing Fantasy #15, Peter Parker — better known to readers as the web-spinning Spider-Man — has evolved from underdog to international icon. Along the way he’s thrilled entire generations through the comics, cartoons, movies, and tons of spectacular toys.
The Icon traces that unlikely evolution. A lavishly illustrated chronicle, it charts the wall-crawler’s career from counter-culture figure to motion picture superstar, visually portraying every aspect of the web-spinning phenomenon. This deluxe celebration of the ultimate super hero includes insights from key comic book writers and artists, photos of rare, vintage collectibles, and a vast array of scintillating imagery from the comics, cartoons, television series, and movies.
In doing so, it also traces the history of popular culture over the last five decades. Renowned Spider-Man expert Steve Saffel combines a wealth of arcane knowledge and incredibly rare archival material to create the essential book for every Spider-fan!
OF A POP CULTURE PHENOMENON
From his modest 1962 debut in Amazing Fantasy #15, Peter Parker — better known to readers as the web-spinning Spider-Man — has evolved from underdog to international icon. Along the way he’s thrilled entire generations through the comics, cartoons, movies, and tons of spectacular toys.
The Icon traces that unlikely evolution. A lavishly illustrated chronicle, it charts the wall-crawler’s career from counter-culture figure to motion picture superstar, visually portraying every aspect of the web-spinning phenomenon. This deluxe celebration of the ultimate super hero includes insights from key comic book writers and artists, photos of rare, vintage collectibles, and a vast array of scintillating imagery from the comics, cartoons, television series, and movies.
In doing so, it also traces the history of popular culture over the last five decades. Renowned Spider-Man expert Steve Saffel combines a wealth of arcane knowledge and incredibly rare archival material to create the essential book for every Spider-fan!
- GenresComicsSpider Man
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
1 person is currently reading
38 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 25, 2024
Here's a glorious coffee table book on Spider-Man released back in 2007. It stops after briefly mentioning the Spider-Man Musical. And rightfully so, after how that whole thing went down.
(Side note: I still jam out to the soundtrack on CD every now and then).
I also love that this is a somewhat unknown publisher, so while it is unofficial, it's extremely informative and can even include info on crossover appearances, such as with Batman or Superman.
I received this years ago as a Christmas gift, though I recently checked on eBay for it and they're all around the $20 range, which is good. But it goes into all things from comics, to television, to Tobey Maguire and even mentions the well sought-after Spider-Man toilet paper (preferably not used).
It even includes a forward by Stan Lee. I saw they had a rare numbered edition on eBay for around $200, signed by the man, for those willing to hunt one down.
Overall, a wonderful addition to any comic or Spidey fan's shelf.
Highly recommended.
(Side note: I still jam out to the soundtrack on CD every now and then).
I also love that this is a somewhat unknown publisher, so while it is unofficial, it's extremely informative and can even include info on crossover appearances, such as with Batman or Superman.
I received this years ago as a Christmas gift, though I recently checked on eBay for it and they're all around the $20 range, which is good. But it goes into all things from comics, to television, to Tobey Maguire and even mentions the well sought-after Spider-Man toilet paper (preferably not used).
It even includes a forward by Stan Lee. I saw they had a rare numbered edition on eBay for around $200, signed by the man, for those willing to hunt one down.
Overall, a wonderful addition to any comic or Spidey fan's shelf.
Highly recommended.
March 12, 2012
Full disclosure: I've known Steve Saffel for a very long time. I met him in the late 1970s... long before he was an editor in New York, before he was employed by Marvel—before Saffel had Spider-Man on his business cards (and how cool is that?)... I met Steve way back in Huntington, West Virginia, when he and Valerie Stewart were the motivating forces behind MUSFS (the Marshall University Science Fiction Society, that is). So I am not going to be the most objective of reviewers, when it comes to something Steve wrote.
That said, though, I think this book really is, objectively, an amazing artifact. It's a labor of love, containing an incredible amount of detail about the iconic Spider-Man (please just imagine the trademark symbol inserted wherever necessary—and don't, for heaven's sake, forget the hyphen), as he has appeared in comics, newspapers and film, as well as in innumerable three-dimensional products. If there were ever Spider-Man napkins printed, there are probably pictures of them (front and back) in here somewhere. And there really is, or at least was, Spider-Man toilet paper (see p. 92).
Spider-Man The Icon is a beautiful production, too, with the large format necessary for reproducing intimate details of the artists' work. Titan Books did a wonderful job here. There are full-color pages from the Spider-Man comics, reproductions of pencil sketches and other pre-production art... almost every page gives you another distinct view of the world's most famous web-slinger.
This book came out in 2007, and it stops just short of the Broadway production, "Spider-Man: The Musical"—some preliminary notes about that impending project appear on the very last page before the Acknowledgements. Maybe that's a good thing, considering how that production turned out.
I must admit that this book will be best appreciated by people who really like Spider-Man. It's exhaustive, but also exhausting, to read this much about this many aspects of a single character. I received my copy as a thoughtful and much-appreciated Christmas present from my daughter... but it still took me several months to get around to reading it all.
Not to go unmentioned is the Metafilter thread and article about Spider-Man that appeared on March 10, 2012, the day before I finished reading Steve's book—which, I suppose, is proof positive that there's still an avid audience for this character. And that is, after all, a good thing.
As Spider-Man The Icon itself concludes... "'Nuff said."
That said, though, I think this book really is, objectively, an amazing artifact. It's a labor of love, containing an incredible amount of detail about the iconic Spider-Man (please just imagine the trademark symbol inserted wherever necessary—and don't, for heaven's sake, forget the hyphen), as he has appeared in comics, newspapers and film, as well as in innumerable three-dimensional products. If there were ever Spider-Man napkins printed, there are probably pictures of them (front and back) in here somewhere. And there really is, or at least was, Spider-Man toilet paper (see p. 92).
Spider-Man The Icon is a beautiful production, too, with the large format necessary for reproducing intimate details of the artists' work. Titan Books did a wonderful job here. There are full-color pages from the Spider-Man comics, reproductions of pencil sketches and other pre-production art... almost every page gives you another distinct view of the world's most famous web-slinger.
This book came out in 2007, and it stops just short of the Broadway production, "Spider-Man: The Musical"—some preliminary notes about that impending project appear on the very last page before the Acknowledgements. Maybe that's a good thing, considering how that production turned out.
I must admit that this book will be best appreciated by people who really like Spider-Man. It's exhaustive, but also exhausting, to read this much about this many aspects of a single character. I received my copy as a thoughtful and much-appreciated Christmas present from my daughter... but it still took me several months to get around to reading it all.
Not to go unmentioned is the Metafilter thread and article about Spider-Man that appeared on March 10, 2012, the day before I finished reading Steve's book—which, I suppose, is proof positive that there's still an avid audience for this character. And that is, after all, a good thing.
As Spider-Man The Icon itself concludes... "'Nuff said."
December 5, 2012
(More pictures at parkablogs.com)
This is a behemoth of a book, in terms of size and content. Spider-man has been given an impressive coverage.
The amount of research done by author Steve Saffel shows. Included is the whole history of Spider-man up to the blockbuster movies. That's from when Stan Lee was only a coffee boy and comics were only 12 cents!
There's everything a Spider-man fan could wish to read about. Licensing, toys, media coverage, marketing of comics overseas, re-adaption to different mediums and so much more. The book is written in chronological order. We can see how Spider-man has changed and garnered the immerse popularity it has today.
There are tons of pictures in the book. Included are comic covers, toys merchandise, sketches, posters and photos. Every one is well captioned. The clear evolution for Spider-man and his villains can be clearly seen flipping through the pages.
There are 320 pages, a rather thick book made more so with the high quality minimal-gloss paper. It will take a while to finish the book.
It's highly recommended to all fans of Spider-man.
This review was first published on parkablogs.com. There are more pictures and videos on my blog.
June 21, 2019
Superb chronicle of Spider-Man's history, covering everything from the comics to the movies to everything in between. Saffel does a great job collecting Spider-Man's history in one volume, with great photos not just showcasing the art but the various merchandise the character was involved in, from the toys to underoos, leaving no stone unturned. For Spider-Man fan, a must own.
July 19, 2012
I got this book from my library and I was the first person to check it out, so that's pretty neat to have tucked in that book's history.
The book itself was very well informed on everything spider-man and the legacy of him. Everything about him, from conception to current present status is hugely talked about and explained with details and facts about the web-slinger.
Many comic excerpts were installed throughout the book and it was cool to see all the collaborations and merchandise.
The book itself was very well informed on everything spider-man and the legacy of him. Everything about him, from conception to current present status is hugely talked about and explained with details and facts about the web-slinger.
Many comic excerpts were installed throughout the book and it was cool to see all the collaborations and merchandise.
March 22, 2008
I am a massive spiderman fan and have been for a while so this book was a welcome gift. It's a great book for both the adoring fan and people who don't know much about the superhero. Lots of glorious comic book covers and toys through the decades to look (and laugh) at.
December 29, 2007
Exciting !!
August 14, 2008
A great book for any Spider-Man fan packed with the history of Spider-Man as an icon. Packed with pictures of all the comics, gadgets, toys and oddities that have emerged over the years.
Read
July 27, 2011Some beautiful artwork but gets a bit repetitive. Good coffee table book though.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews