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Spectacular Spider-Man, by Dematteis & Buscema Omnibus
Two all-time Spidey greats collaborate on a thrilling era for the webbed wonder! When Peter Parker encounters his old foe Vermin again, it brings back haunting memories of one of the darkest chapters of his life! But his old friend Harry Osborn is similarly haunted—only he channels it into terrorizing Spider-Man as the Green Goblin!
Brace yourself for a psychological showdown between two arch-foes! And the threats don't end there! The Vulture is dying, but he's determined to go out in style! The Rhino's on a rampage, the Puma s on the prowl, and Professor Power is prepared to go toe to toe with Spidey and the X-Men! 'Maximum Carnage' unleashes symbiotic chaos, and the whispering menace Tombstone is back - more lethal than ever! Plus: The web-slinger battles the Shroud, the Foreigner, Typhoid Mary, the Scorpion and more!
Collecting: Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #178-216, Spectacular Spider-Man Annual (1979) #12-14, and Amazing Spider-Man: Soul of the Hunter (1992) #1.
Brace yourself for a psychological showdown between two arch-foes! And the threats don't end there! The Vulture is dying, but he's determined to go out in style! The Rhino's on a rampage, the Puma s on the prowl, and Professor Power is prepared to go toe to toe with Spidey and the X-Men! 'Maximum Carnage' unleashes symbiotic chaos, and the whispering menace Tombstone is back - more lethal than ever! Plus: The web-slinger battles the Shroud, the Foreigner, Typhoid Mary, the Scorpion and more!
Collecting: Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #178-216, Spectacular Spider-Man Annual (1979) #12-14, and Amazing Spider-Man: Soul of the Hunter (1992) #1.
- GenresComicsSpider ManMarvel
1200 pages, Hardcover
Published August 26, 2025
About the author
J.M. DeMatteis
1,939 books238 followersAlso Credited As:
DeMatteis, John Marc
Ellis, Michael
Lombego, Wally
Bio:
J.M. DeMatteis was a professional musician/singer and rock music journalist before entering comics in the late 70's.
Credits include Spider-Man, Moonshadow, Brooklyn Dreams, Justice League, Abadazad, Hero Squared, the Life and Times of Savior 28.
Created I, Vampire , Creature Commandos, Moonshadow, Hero Squared (co-creator), Abadazad, Stardust Kid, Savior 28 and more.
DeMatteis, John Marc
Ellis, Michael
Lombego, Wally
Bio:
J.M. DeMatteis was a professional musician/singer and rock music journalist before entering comics in the late 70's.
Credits include Spider-Man, Moonshadow, Brooklyn Dreams, Justice League, Abadazad, Hero Squared, the Life and Times of Savior 28.
Created I, Vampire , Creature Commandos, Moonshadow, Hero Squared (co-creator), Abadazad, Stardust Kid, Savior 28 and more.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 22, 2026
Everything you have heard about this book being one of the greatest Spider-man collections in recent years. They were true!
This writing felt very modern and before it´s time. It had a very phycological view of the drives of the characters that I ususally don´t reflect or notice. Maybe because it isn´t there or because it isn´t as announced in other series I´ve read, or maybe just not as well written.
The psychological takes on Harry Osborn and Vermin and Peter Parker in this series stands out and goes to dark places!
It is rarely that I comment on the artist and artwork for a comic book series. Just because our taste varies so much from reader to reader and artost to artist. But one thing that I will say about Sal Buchema´s artwork and panelling layout is this:
- It feels like I am watching a movie, much liek the nine grid from Watchmen, this series takes it´s time in showing a particular scene or maybe just facial expression, going from gloom to grin.
The stories that really captured me in this collection are the once revolving around Harry Osborn and his struggle of the Osborn legacy. Having never read this before and finally getting to know essential Goblin history, this was a read I will get back to next time I decide to make a thoughrough Spider-man reading Marathon again!
This writing felt very modern and before it´s time. It had a very phycological view of the drives of the characters that I ususally don´t reflect or notice. Maybe because it isn´t there or because it isn´t as announced in other series I´ve read, or maybe just not as well written.
The psychological takes on Harry Osborn and Vermin and Peter Parker in this series stands out and goes to dark places!
It is rarely that I comment on the artist and artwork for a comic book series. Just because our taste varies so much from reader to reader and artost to artist. But one thing that I will say about Sal Buchema´s artwork and panelling layout is this:
- It feels like I am watching a movie, much liek the nine grid from Watchmen, this series takes it´s time in showing a particular scene or maybe just facial expression, going from gloom to grin.
The stories that really captured me in this collection are the once revolving around Harry Osborn and his struggle of the Osborn legacy. Having never read this before and finally getting to know essential Goblin history, this was a read I will get back to next time I decide to make a thoughrough Spider-man reading Marathon again!
February 11, 2026
It's spectacular!
This book is absolutely insane right down to Aunt May with a load gun pointed right at the Vulture in the the Parker home. You will see Androids,clones,mutates and witness one of the most epic show downs of the green goblin vs spider-man and that's just for starters! Highly recommend to any Spider-Man fan.
This book is absolutely insane right down to Aunt May with a load gun pointed right at the Vulture in the the Parker home. You will see Androids,clones,mutates and witness one of the most epic show downs of the green goblin vs spider-man and that's just for starters! Highly recommend to any Spider-Man fan.
March 8, 2026
Another Spider-Man run finished ✔️
Spectacular Spider-Man by J.M DeMatteis & Sal Buscema was a mixed bag for me. Buscema draws a great spidey, and DeMatteis is a decent writer but i have some problems with the mapping of the book. And i seem to have that alot lately with Marvel. This was also a book full of monsters, Vermin, Typhoid Mary, Puma and the Shroud, and ofcourse many fan favorites, sprinkled between the issues are some anuals, and some i did not get, a anual writen by Michelinie, and a couple random issues from the Carnage event, i do get the inclusion but its random issues from that event, issue 5, 9 and Thirteen.. For me that makes no sense.. Also baffling are a couple issues of The Foreigner, But besides that, its a classic spidey run, and a fun one. The 90s always get a bad rep, but this was really decent besides said annuals.
Spectacular Spider-Man by J.M DeMatteis & Sal Buscema was a mixed bag for me. Buscema draws a great spidey, and DeMatteis is a decent writer but i have some problems with the mapping of the book. And i seem to have that alot lately with Marvel. This was also a book full of monsters, Vermin, Typhoid Mary, Puma and the Shroud, and ofcourse many fan favorites, sprinkled between the issues are some anuals, and some i did not get, a anual writen by Michelinie, and a couple random issues from the Carnage event, i do get the inclusion but its random issues from that event, issue 5, 9 and Thirteen.. For me that makes no sense.. Also baffling are a couple issues of The Foreigner, But besides that, its a classic spidey run, and a fun one. The 90s always get a bad rep, but this was really decent besides said annuals.
April 20, 2026
I'm basically taking a star off because I didn't read what issues were collected in this gigantic omnibus, and the cover copy more or less lied about the contents.
Yes, this book collects JM DeMatteis and Sal Buscema's terrific run on SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN in the early 90s, and yes, those comics are amazing, sensational, and spectacular. DeMatteis creates a real sense of tragedy and pathos around Vermin, The Green Goblin, and Spider-Man. Buscema draws the hell out of it - I'll never tire of a character being punched "over" the camera; a Sal classic! Five stars for this content.
The book, however, goes way beyond the DeMatteis run (which concludes with three chapters of the 14-part "Maximum Carnage" crossover - as those issues don't tie into DeMatteis' long-running themes directly, they could - and arguably should - have been excluded). After DeMatteis is seven issues written by Steven Grant. Grant tosses aside DeMatteis' internal narration and pathos, but he does spin three fun yarns of Spidey quipping in his classic sense. Three stars for this content.
Sadly, it doesn't even stop there! No, two issues by Annie Nocenti (and not even drawn by Sal!) featuring Typhoid Mary, a bunch of tie-in to stories not included here (written by the assistant editor, always a warning sign!), and a two-part Scorpion snoozer. One star for this content.
Look, if you're gonna put "By DeMatteis and Buscema" on the cover, I've got a right to be disappointed when the contents don't match! Given the shadow of "Kraven's Last Hunt" hanging over the Vermin story, it would've been better to drop all the post-DeMatteis issues and include "Kraven" (although it's been reprinted too many times!).
Yes, this book collects JM DeMatteis and Sal Buscema's terrific run on SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN in the early 90s, and yes, those comics are amazing, sensational, and spectacular. DeMatteis creates a real sense of tragedy and pathos around Vermin, The Green Goblin, and Spider-Man. Buscema draws the hell out of it - I'll never tire of a character being punched "over" the camera; a Sal classic! Five stars for this content.
The book, however, goes way beyond the DeMatteis run (which concludes with three chapters of the 14-part "Maximum Carnage" crossover - as those issues don't tie into DeMatteis' long-running themes directly, they could - and arguably should - have been excluded). After DeMatteis is seven issues written by Steven Grant. Grant tosses aside DeMatteis' internal narration and pathos, but he does spin three fun yarns of Spidey quipping in his classic sense. Three stars for this content.
Sadly, it doesn't even stop there! No, two issues by Annie Nocenti (and not even drawn by Sal!) featuring Typhoid Mary, a bunch of tie-in to stories not included here (written by the assistant editor, always a warning sign!), and a two-part Scorpion snoozer. One star for this content.
Look, if you're gonna put "By DeMatteis and Buscema" on the cover, I've got a right to be disappointed when the contents don't match! Given the shadow of "Kraven's Last Hunt" hanging over the Vermin story, it would've been better to drop all the post-DeMatteis issues and include "Kraven" (although it's been reprinted too many times!).
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews