Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection, Vol. 1: Great Power

Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection

by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko (Illustrator), Jack Kirby (Illustrator)

In 1962, in the pages of a comic book slated for cancellation, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko gave birth to one of the most enduring icons in American popular culture - the one and only Amazing Spider-Man! Turning the concept of a super hero on its head, they imbued the young, guilt-ridden Peter Parker with the fantastic powers of an arachnid and the fantastic pressures of an everyday teenager. The combination was pure magic. With this Epic Collecti on you can leap into Spider-Man's web-slinging world from the very beginning.

COLLECTING: AMAZING FANTASY (1962) 15, AMAZING SPIDERMAN (1963) 1-17, ANNUAL (1964) 1 (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN EPIC COLLECTION VOL. 1

Genres: Comics, Spider Man, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Superheroes, Fiction, Science Fiction

482 pages, Paperback

First published October 14, 2014

About the author

Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber) was an American writer, editor, creator of comic book superheroes, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics.

With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.

Reviews

[Sean Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unless you hold the friendly neighborhood wall crawler in the highest possible esteem (check) or have the pointless and absurd ability to nostalgically pine for simpler days that happened before you were born (check), getting through the first 20 issues of The Amazing Spider-Man is a slog. Sure, Ditko’s rendering of Spidey remains iconic and vibrant and Stan’s hyperbolic patter is charming from the get-go, but the mix of page after page of 9-panel layouts, excessive overwriting, and cringe-worthy slang (not to mention the fact that high school student Peter Parker both looks and acts like a man 20 years his senior) make for some tough sledding. Still…

Still. This is where it began, the genesis of a hero who, nearly 60 years after he debuted, still possesses the single greatest origin story in comics—no, not the radioactive spider bite, which is how pretty much every hero got his/her powers at that point in time; I mean the needless death of beloved Uncle Ben, the one that taught Spidey, in the words of the omniscient narrator of Amazing Fantasy #15, that “with great power there must also come great responsibility” (and a huge f#@$ you to Voltaire*, who wishes he would have been so eloquent as to state it so succinctly).

It might be a stretch to say that Spider-Man transformed pop culture, creating an indelible imprint that continues to influence writers, artists, thinkers, and business leaders today. Then again, it might not. That’s how powerful a creation this was, folks—I can throw that contention out there as fodder for discussion and you can’t immediately dismiss it.

Putting aside its appeal as a historical novelty and its cultural impact, Lee and Ditko sure crushed it right out of the gates when it came to spinning up adversaries for the teenage webhead—Doc Ock, Vulture, Mysterio, Green Goblin, Sandman, Kraven, and Electro all show up over the course of the first dozen issues. It may not quite rival Batman’s, but I’m hard pressed to think of a Marvel hero who has a better rogues’ gallery.

I’m biased because Spider-Man is my all-time favorite superhero and it’s not even close; still, if you can steel yourself for the challenge of wading through 1960s hipsterisms and 10,000 words per page, this is well worth the time to acquaint (or reacquaint) yourself with the building blocks of a mythology that has since spanned thousands of epic, and intimate, tales (and resulted in 2018’s best movie, for my money—Into the Spider-Verse).


*I’m kidding. I love Voltaire. He just wasn’t as smart as Stan Lee.**

**Okay, fine, he was probably smarter than Stan Lee. But he sure had fewer cameos in Marvel movies.

[Malum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is your typical '60s comic: "Monster of the week" plots, ugly coloring, and enough exposition to choke a donkey. These are still worth checking out, though, because they are such cultural artifacts. These stories and characters would go on to inspire some of the greatest stories in comic book and movie history.

In these early Spider-Man stories, Lee and company were firing on all cylinders. In almost every issue we are introduced to a new villain that would go on to make up one of the greatest villain bullpens in all of comics. Vulture, Sandman, Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Mysterio, Kraven the Hunter, Electro, The Sinister Six, and more all pop up here in these first issues.

We also get to see an oft-forgotten Spider-Man romance. Before Gwen Stacy, before Mary Jane Watson, there was the perpetually crying Betty Brant (seriously, she should look into getting on to some anti-depression meds).

And, of course, we can't forget J. Jonah Jameson. He was actually my favorite part of this whole book. While most of the writing is pretty cringe-worthy, J.J.J. is still good for a genuine laugh.

[Edward Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories might not be the best, but all the fun of the original Spider-Man is here for the taking, featuring battles with some of his most iconic villains, including The Burglar, The Chameleon, The Vulture, The Tinkerer, Doctor Octopus, The Sandman, Doctor Doom, The Lizard and Electro, plus cameo appearances from The Fantastic Four! You can't go wrong with this introduction to Marvels greatest solo character. Some of the most important characters in Spider-Man's rogues gallery are seen in this volume for the first time; The Green Goblin, later responsible for the death of Peter Parker's one true love, and Kraven The Hunter who buries Spidey alive and comes so close to killing him. Yet these earlier tales are so innocent and kitschy, not yet showing how terrible these cartoonish villains might become. Plus there's Mysterio and an annual featuring the earliest incarnation of the Sinister Six.

[Brent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Artist Steve Ditko is on my list of favorite authors of all time for reasons on display in this volume.
There is a joy in the early Spider-Man stories evident in the drawings, expressions, figures, all in the art of Ditko. That buoyant artistic line is a liberating tone tied to the soap opera of the quintessential superhero with problems, and lifts this series beyond the setting, the specific plots, and the early-1960s void from diverse populations. It's a coming-of-age story fueled not so much by a radioactive spider bite as the fused sensibilities of Lee and Ditko.
I have a favorite among these seventeen issues and an Annual, the first team-up of Spider-Man and Daredevil (still in his original yellow acrobat suit) against the Ringmaster and his Circus of Crime, a really silly bunch. In one scene, the Human Cannonball threatens to head-butt Spider-Man, and the Ditko visuals are fine cartooning. Spider-Man's characteristic tics by Ditko are great visuals; his twists on anatomy and expression are super. I can recall my first reading of this story in a paperback edition at my buddy's house.
Later, I read appreciatively the early-1980s reprints in Marvel Tales, even though they anachronistically updated the 1960s cultural references. Because I had those for a time, I skipped later reprint editions, the Marvel Masterworks or Essential volumes.
This edition, like those earlier books, does away with the anachronisms in text, leaving the stories to charm in crisp line and color. I think there are credits for new attention to the art reproduction and color. There is great back-of-the-book matter, reprinting the art of the first story, from the original pages, with brief notes by Ditko biographer Blake Bell.
Read this, in any edition! But this Epic Collection edition is great.
Highest recommendation.

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The coming of Spider-Man! Classic tales featuring everyone’s favorite friendly neighborhood wall-crawling web-spinner by the dynamic Steve Ditko. This volume also includes appearances by the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, Daredevil, and an astonishing assortment of baddies that would make any other hero cringe in supplication, and poor down-trodden Spidey nearly does. And the endless bickering bromance between Spider-Man and the Human Torch is the stuff of legends. These stories are a foundational cornerstone upon which the Marvel Universe was built.

[Eduard Gafton]

Amazing Fantasy #15

Amazing Spider-Man #1

Amazing Spider-Man #2

Amazing Spider-Man #3

Amazing Spider-Man #4

Amazing Spider-Man #5

Amazing Spider-Man #6

[RG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Better than I was expecting

[Harrison Delahunty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic and still unique. Definitely super dated, but there’s a lot of charm to the simplicity.

[Sam Whale · Rating 3 out of 5]

The thing about early Spider-Man is that the character isn’t all there yet. Peter Parker isn’t quite the person he would eventually be defined as, his friendships with characters like Harry Osborne and Mary Jane haven’t happens yet, while others such as The Human Torch or Flash Thompson are just starting. As such something does kind of feel a little off when you go back to the original comics, but there’s still a lot to enjoy and admire in the work.

Said kindling friendship with the Human Torch was an excellent idea and I really enjoy Spidey and the Torches dynamic whenever he guest stars. Iconic villain after iconic villain get their debut here and it’s easy to look at Doc Ock and Green Goblins first appearances and see why they became such important and popular foes. I also really enjoyed issue 16 featuring Daredevil, I liked how him and Spidey just immediately got on, unlike every other hero who is unsure on the Wallcrawler.

There are a few dud issues too however and while I still enjoyed reading them from a historical point of view, the fight against ‘the terrible living brain’ and the weird alien invasion plot in issue 2 aren’t well remembered classics for a reason.

Also not often remembered is Peters first love interest, Betty Brant. She show up as a potential girlfriend almost immediately. And they are fully dating by the time the comic hits double digits. It’s not exactly an exciting romance, but it, along with his classmates bullying and aunts doting, are what makes Peter so remarkably human and it is nice to see that element present from the start.

As for the art, we’ll I’ve got sat I’ve always been more of a John Romona Sr guy when it comes to classic Spidey. While I like Ditkos more skeletal and insect-like proportions on Spider-Man and think a lot of the villain designs are great (Doc Ock and Mysterio look amazing from the very start) I think his work isn’t very pleasant to look at when it comes to regular people, and as Peters home life has such an emphasis, it means I don’t like looking at around half of each story.

As always Stan is being verbose and boastful. It always feels like he’s selling you the comic event though you’re already reading it on your bed at home. I do enjoy his unique style of writing and the puns next to the opening credit do always make me grin.

Spider-Man is probably my favourite character in fiction and even though these early stories are 60 years old now, there is still a lot of worth to them.

[Jasper O. · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amazing part of comics history, and a must-read for every Spider-Man lover or classic comics fan.

The very first Spider-Man comics from the years 1962–1964. Includes the origin story of Peter Parker's spider-powers and the first (and sometimes second) meetings with many iconic villains: Doc Ock, the Green Goblin, the Sandman and many more. For the time, these comics were groundbreaking: No-one was writing superheroes with flaws, with problems in their daily lives, with true personalities. Stan Lee and Steve Ditko have truly created a human character with Peter Parker/Spider-Man.

However, both the general storytelling and the script will be tricky to modern audiences. In a panel where we see Spider-Man covering a pistol with his web, we don't need a long text bubble of him saying "A-ha, but you did not reckon you could shoot me, did you? I shall sling a web to cover your gun, thereby rendering it completely useless!" It just feels like an old-fashioned cheesy TV script, and such scripts haven't aged well.

If you love Spider-Man and/or old comics from the '60s, or if you're a collector, definitely give the early Epic Collections a go. Otherwise, best stick to the modern stuff with more 'show' and less 'tell'.

[Chandler Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this volume of the earliest Spider-Man comics was so fun! Stan Lee’s excitable writing ability paired with Steve Ditko’s distinct and colorful artwork makes clear why the character of Spider-Man was such a sensation in the 60s. Reading through these stories now after the character has been adapted innumerable times, it is quite fascinating just how simplistic the stories and villain origins are. You have to get past the over-exposition of the villains, the 60s lingo, and the absolutely nothing character that is Aunt May, but through it all are the very exciting and straightforward superhero tales of Peter Palmer—*ahem*—I mean Peter Parker.

Also, shout out to all the unique ways Spider-Man uses his spider webs in these initial comics. I want to see more innovation like this in the movies! Like, where have the web-skis been for 60 years??

[Sammy Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.

[Jakob Huse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its 60s comics a little hard to get through at times but some really good issues and really great for its time

[NewWorldGod · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10

[M B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretending I know nothing about Spider-Man or the cultural impact it's had and judging it solely on its merits.... Meh.

The dialogue has Spider-Man and his current foe describing in great detail exactly what they are doing or plan to do next--to one another mid-battle--leading you to wonder if one loses their inner monologue as soon as they're hit with a radiation blast. With great power comes great verbal diarrhea, it seems. It reminded me of the worst kind of anime. I gave it an extra star because from time to time there are flashes of humor or deep thought, like when Peter wonders to himself just why he doesn't take the easy way out and become a villain (which of course, in those dark days of the Comics Code Authority, obviously could never happen, but nevertheless provided a refreshingly believable moment of doubt and self-reflection). Dialogue: 2/5

The expository text is often superfluous vis-a-vis the obvious depictions of what's happening, though if we pause pretending not to know anything about Spider-Man for a moment, that's a common complaint about Stan Lee's writing. Exposition: 1/5

I'll say upfront, I've never liked Ditko's style. That being said, the pencilling is competent and won't make you feel like he's just recycling panels or phoning it in. There were times when nothing really interesting was happening and there was no reason to expect more than a couple of frames of filler just to establish setting and I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of effort that had obviously gone into holding my interest. I'm not just referring to the technical effort in drawing, but also the angles and dramatic use of foreshortening. Penciling: 4/5

The colors are very vibrant. The paper quality is also excellent. Both were much better than the dull-colored rag paper these comics were surely printed on originally. The kind of stuff that seemed to turn yellow and get brown water stains while you were still holding it in your hands. There are also some interesting extras in the back, like photos of the staff back then, and some of the raw drawings with notes from Stan Lee or the editor. Presentation: 5/5

Despite its many editorial promises of amazement and suspense and that I was about to read the greatest tales ever told, almost all of the stories were interchangeable and bland. The closest I actually came to being in suspense was for about 3 pages somewhere in the middle when it seemed like J Jonah Jameson was The Big Man leading The Enforcers. I knew, of course, that he wasn't, but it was written well enough to make me doubtful. The writing wasn't terrible, mind you, it just wasn't anything special either. It was...exactly what you'd expect in a magazine that cost 12 cents and was marketed to children.

You'll see a lot of first appearances of villains here (which is exactly what I wanted to get out of this collection), but you might be disappointed with just how they first appeared. Green Goblin, one of the most important villains Spider-Man has, goes to Hollywood and convinces a studio mogul to film a battle with Spider-Man just to lure him into the desert, where Spider-Man believes they're rehearsing lines--so that he and the now leaderless Enforcers can beat the webs out of him. What? Even in a universe where we suspend disbelief and accept that someone is bitten by a radioactive spider and becomes a superhero, that plot is ridiculous and nonsensical. On the other hand, as with the dialogue there are some hidden depths here as well. The Lizard, at first a mindless monster-of-the-month, turns out to be an amputee war veteran with a loving family. Flash Thompson is both Peter Parker's arch nemesis and the only person who still believes in Spider-Man when Mysterio, disguised as the former, has turned the entire city against him. Story: 3/5

Some of the early issues are full of typos and/or errors from the letterer. In one issue, Spider-Man's alter ego is referred to several times as "Peter Palmer." Perhaps this was an early hint at the Clone Sagas 10 and 30 years later. Lettering/Editing: 3/5

I'm glad these issues existed. They made a lasting impression on print media, film, and television. I don't regret reading them in order to gain a better historical perspective on Spider-Man and the Silver Age in general. But if I'm being honest...I didn't enjoy them. Historical Importance/Context: 5/5

Overall: 3/5 stars

[Francisco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collecting the first couple of years of Spider-Man comics this remains one of the most important character debuts in the history of comics. Peter Parker is unlike anything before him. Following on from the Fantastic Four which had come out the previous year, Lee again mixes the personal lives of characters into their heroic adventures. However, if the FF were playing at a cosmic scale, Spider-Man was very much a street level hero with all the problems of a teenager: highschool, family, love-life and finances while dealing with a rogue's gallery which gets pretty well defined in these first issues.

You get the first appearance of such iconic villains as Doctor Octopus, The Green Goblin, Electro, Mysterio, the Lizard and the Sandman. The whole issue culminates in the first Annual which brings all the villains together in a team-up against Spider-Man.

These comics feel, more so than any others of the time (with the possible exception of FF) to be planned in advance for long-running plots. See for example the foreshadowing of the Green Goblin's identity which takes years to be resolved, or Mary Jane Watson, who appears several times in name here but never in person. This is really the birth of what made Marvel so special at this time, a fun, complex set of tales which are also just about punch-ups in New York.

[Jaime · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I've never read superhero comics before, mostly because they just kind of confuse me with how they are published and how the series works and they reboot the characters all the time and I didn't really know where to start. So I picked up this collection, which is a collection of the very first time Spider-Man ever appeared in print. While it's cool to see the covers of the magazines and how they marketed each issue (and each issue apparently cost only 12 cents), I got bored pretty quickly. It's like reading Saturday morning cartoons.
I know they are doing some really great and progressive things in superhero comics right now, and that's what I want to read. Now...if I can only figure out where to start...

[Simeon Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really good to go back to the beginning and see what made Spidey a house hold name, warts and all. I've never really been a fan of Lee's writing beyond base concepts but this is some of his better work, very little over explaining and instead there's a lot more focus on the melodrama, which is somewhat hard to get through at times in how forced and pro wrestling like it came be, but it always comes off like it's rooted in something real on Stan's mind and not just filling in panels. And while Ditko's art is very dated and rough looking to my eyes, there's some really stand out Panels especially when it comes to expressions on Pete and JJ. The only thing I found lacking was the action, which is just very stilted feeling and bogged down in exposition a lot of the time. I can't really hold that against the book though, coz it's present in pretty much everything I've read from around this era and is likely just my modern sensibilities not getting excited by something meant for an earlier time that was more commonly slower paced. Ultimately though I'm really glad I finally dug into some early marvel and I'd like to pick up the next volume or maybe try this with Fantastic Four sometime. It's been a great lunch break treat at work this last month.

[Andres Castro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gran recopilación de las primeras historias de spiderman, desde el inicio de spiderman y las primeras apariciones de los villanos como el camaleón, el buitre, el dr. Octopus, sandman, misterio, electro y el duende verde entre otros, el estilo clásico de Steve Ditko sencillo para la época que corresponde están disfrutable, las reacciones de los personajes, los diálogos y las participanciones de otros personajes como Hulk, los cuatro fantásticos me hicieron disfrutar este tomo como si hubiera leído uno de esta época, si bien no recomiendo a una persona que está empezando a leer cómics con las antiguas fases de Marvel porque las aventuras son sencillas, el arte retro sin detalles de los músculos o realismo no se desarrollan si no hasta varios años después pero cuando se lleva un tiempo leyendo comics, el lector desea ir a los orígenes y eso me está pasando deseo conocer las grandes obras de Ditko, Kirby, Buscema y Byrne y apreciar la evolución de Marvel, este formato epic Collection me encantaaa por qué a un precio asequible puede disfrutar una buena cantidad de cómics recopilados en tomo justo como un tpb o omnibus.

[Matisse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another thing boomers have over the rest of us: they got the timeless Spidey. Stan Lee wrote the dialogue, Steve Ditko did the art, and the result was a masterpiece of a comics run.

I wasn't sure if these older comics were for me. The stories themselves seemed to hold up, but the artwork and dialogue...I was unsure.

I'm glad I took the chance. These comics do something lost on modern comics runs: they're written to be individual, episodic-with-recurring-themes stories. Modern comics tell multi-part stories meant to be bound as graphic novels, so the average kid picking up, say, 'Ghost Spider' is gonna be lost in medias res. One imagines picking up a Spidey issue off the stands back in the 60's and having a good time with the standalone format.

The dialogue is so corny and over-the-top that even things like Liz Allan and Betty Brant's woefully pre-feminist portrayal come off as stylistic choices. While it would be revisionist history, one could easily shuffle some nationalities into the all-white cast, and you'd have something truly wonderful.

Onto epic collection 2. Because, with Great Power (vol. 1), there must also come Great Responsibility (vol. 2)!

[Gio Miguelo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first volume of Spider-Man's Epic Collection is a wonder to read. It made me feel like a child, a kid, who idolizes these heroes back in the 1960's when these comic books were made.

Spider-Man is one of my favorite heroes, and the stories written about him here made me love the friendly neighborhood superhero even more. Every issue was better than the last, as it shows the evolution to the writing and drawings.

Story-wise, it was very creative. Not all the villains were great and/or iconic, but they were still made with the minds of Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, et al. The stories themselves made me feel immersed and didn't bore me at all.

People would probably complain that the stories were predictable, that in the end the good guys always win. That certainly doesn't fully live up in this age, but back then, that's how comic books were written.

Everything was perfect, and every person involved in the making of the Spider-Man comics has the world's biggest appreciation. Without them, one of the best ever heroes wouldn't exist.

[Matt Sautman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection- at first- may seem overly familiar to fans of Spider-Man who have seen the majority- if not every- non-comic adaptation of the character. These earliest issues don’t have much room for Peter Parker (or as Stan Lee wrote accidentally in an early issue- Peter Palmer) to grow and have been retconned over time to make these stories more emotionally powerful (ex: the robber who kills Uncle Ben is not the Sandman originally in these issues). However, once Peter starts growing as a character, the issues present here include a human element that make subsequent familiar stories engaging. Any comic historian especially will find this collection fascinating simply based on the sheer number of iconic Spider-Man characters who were introduced early on in the series.

[Kristina Mlynarova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to my love Jason for letting me borrow his copy, and for always being my guide through the comic world. This was the perfect start to Spider-Man. I'm not the biggest fan of action (in books or in movies) but I think it was leveled out with the amount of side stories, especially about Peter Parker's personal life, at school and at work. Obviously the point of these superhero comics are about them fighting, and the good guy always winning, but there's more too it. The art is beautiful and Peter Parker goes through several interesting dilemmas, not just limited to fighting crime. If you think that superhero comics are not your thing (like I did for a while), you should still give them a chance. You never know how pleasantly you could be surprised.

[Ronald Esporlas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is where it all started. The character that was created sixty years ago is still relevant today.

It took me a couple of months to finish this book because of the long but fun and clever script by Stan Lee. The story reflects the time back then like the characters are not diverse. It also bother me that Peter Parker acts like a twenty year old man rather than a teenager. He also have a relationship with Betty Brant. Also in this book a couple of Spidey's famous rogue villains make their first appearance.

Steve Ditko's art stand supreme in this book. He draws Spidey's acrobatics and athleticism superbly. He also designed the iconic costume that stood the test of time.

[Braden · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty incredible piece of history, and it is amazing to be able to read it presented in a great modern format. The stories are preserved and scanned in stunning resolution, and it is really nice to read where it all began for Spider-Man.

That said, these early stories range from pretty good to downright pretty awful. It’s insane to think about the fact that these were at one time revolutionary for comic book storytelling. Lee fills these scripts with so much exposition it gets downright overwhelming at times. But the beginnings of what makes these characters and stories so special are there, so I loved reading some of this regardless.

[Pranav Rao · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incredibly dated but not without charm. Ditko and Lee' work on this character is seminal but the writing for Peter and the cast left me wondering why? At a lot points, I'm not one to require a pure faultless protagonist but Jesus it's hard to really sympathise with Peter when he goes so out of his way to be a unsociable brat. Mainly introduces tons of foes spidey will be facing and the epic annual #1 that has him show off against the sinister six for the first of many times to come. The beefier arcs and stories are reserved for the second volume which I'll get to soon enough.

[Michael Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

It doesn’t get much better than this! Been too long since I last reread the beginning of the Spider-Man saga, I’d almost forgotten all the “amazing” elements that were included right from the start. The dramatic figures by Ditko. The colorful prose from Lee. The pathos of Peter Parker. The engaging supporting characters. And the debut of one of the best rogues gallery in comics! It’s all here. If this review sounds like one of Marvel’s boastful blurbs, it’s because this book actually lives up to the hype. ‘Nuff said!

[Molly Lazer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? It's the first bunch of ASM issues. Of course it's going to get 5 stars. Are some of the plots resolved in completely ridiculous ways? Absolutely. But this is still a great read, and it's worth it to see where so many characters came from. And AF #15 will always be one of the best super hero comics ever written. I read this book with my six-year-olds who are big Fantastic Four fans. They professed they weren't as into Spider-Man as they are the FF, but they still were engaged with every issue.

[Matthew Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stan.
Stanley.
Mr. Lee.

You do not have to have your characters describe what they are doing in every panel.

We can see what they are doing.

It is a comic book.

A visual medium.

Steve Ditko is drawing his ass off to bring your words to life.

Why are you ignoring the pictures and having Spider-Man explain his every... little... movement...?

Anyway, here's my review. Though the writing is kinda bloated by today's standard, it's fun to go back to the roots of the greatest superhero ever created (in my, very correct, opinion).
4/5, classic Marvel storytelling!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing Fantasy #15 is the greatest comic ever. In 15 pages they told the greatest hero origin story ever and set up Peter's character perfectly. Even in these early issues it's clear Lee and Ditko had a firm grasp on who Peter was and what his foils are. Were there issues here I didn't care for? Yes. Do I care? No. I love it.

Also I think we can all now agree that the OG Spider-Man love triangle wasn't Liz/Peter/Betty or even Peter/Liz/Flash, it was Johnny/Spider-Man/Flash.

Cool? Cool.