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The Amazing Spider-Man: The Ultimate Newspaper Comics Collection #1
The Amazing Spider-Man: The Ultimate Newspaper Comics Collection Volume 1: 1977-1978
The wondrous wall-crawler's long-running newspaper strip by Stan Lee, John Romita, and others is given the deluxe Library of American Comics treatment, with all Sundays in color and integrated with the dailies -- just as they originally appeared in newspapers worldwide. Edited by Bruce Canwell, this first volume includes the complete strips from the series start in 1977 through January 1979.
312 pages, Hardcover
First published July 28, 2015
About the author
Stan Lee
7,598 books2,412 followersStan 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 7, 2021
Classic 1970s Spider-Man stories by Stan Lee and John Romita at the peak of their memorable team-up. Inside this book is the Spider-Man that I know and love. The art by Romita is outstanding! The stories are full of humor and adventure. It was a joy to read this collection of the early Spidey newspaper strips that made me love the character all those years ago.
March 9, 2024
Growing up in the 80's I would occasionally read the Spider-Man strip in the newspaper, mostly just the Sunday one, so I never really got any of the actual storytelling.
I had picked this up to give me an idea of what it was like if you had read it straight through. It's pretty phenomenal how Stan was able to have a cliffhanger or some other impetus to keep you reading the next day. And even more extraordinary was how John Romita Sr. was able to draw the same event/panel two days in a row but in different ways. This bridged the gap from overnight, reminding a continuing reader what happened, yet also informing new readers what just occurred. The amount that these two fit into mostly three panels a day was incredible.
In general, a plot point would last 2-3 months. This volume included a visit by Dr. Doom, a little bit of the Kingpin, a rather intriguing tale of what happens when someone finds out Spidey's secret identity, and some hijinks with a crime lord.
Are they complex, layered stories? No, but it is quite entertaining and very well done.
I had picked this up to give me an idea of what it was like if you had read it straight through. It's pretty phenomenal how Stan was able to have a cliffhanger or some other impetus to keep you reading the next day. And even more extraordinary was how John Romita Sr. was able to draw the same event/panel two days in a row but in different ways. This bridged the gap from overnight, reminding a continuing reader what happened, yet also informing new readers what just occurred. The amount that these two fit into mostly three panels a day was incredible.
In general, a plot point would last 2-3 months. This volume included a visit by Dr. Doom, a little bit of the Kingpin, a rather intriguing tale of what happens when someone finds out Spidey's secret identity, and some hijinks with a crime lord.
Are they complex, layered stories? No, but it is quite entertaining and very well done.
June 6, 2022
I suppose it's possible someone could make comics better than what Stan Lee and John Romita do here.
But I don't see how. In my years of reading, this book and volume 2 in this series are as good as It gets.
It gets better as you go; the first storyline, with Spidey battling Dr Doom inside the United Nations, is good, but somehow feels familiar - like something one of Lee's imitators wrote for a 1970's treasury.
As the strips continue the characters and storylines come alive, to the point where I didn't want to put it down.
If you liked Romita and Lee's work on Spidey's comic books, prepare to be amazed.
But I don't see how. In my years of reading, this book and volume 2 in this series are as good as It gets.
It gets better as you go; the first storyline, with Spidey battling Dr Doom inside the United Nations, is good, but somehow feels familiar - like something one of Lee's imitators wrote for a 1970's treasury.
As the strips continue the characters and storylines come alive, to the point where I didn't want to put it down.
If you liked Romita and Lee's work on Spidey's comic books, prepare to be amazed.
December 27, 2015
First, if you like newspaper strips, then you should know that this book does a great job of preserving a presenting the first two years of Spider-Man’s strip. The paper is a heavy, bright white, stock that allows Romita’s b&w line work to pop. The Sundays pop too. Frankly, this is some of the best art in an adventure strip you'll ever find. And John Romita drew it while he was Marvel's art director as well.
The only problem is that some of sources were clearly inferior to others. Occasionally, a strip will be fuzzy and the artwork won’t be as good as a result. However, the difference is slight and I didn’t fine it obtrusive.
This volume reprints the first two years of The Amazing Spider-Man. The stories can be divided up thusly:
Doctor Doom at the U.N.,
Doctor Octopus befriends Aunt May,
The Rattler (a villain original to the strip),
The Kingpin runs for Mayor,
A retelling of Spider-Man’s origin,
J. Jonah Jameson Kraven The Hunter,
Peter Parker date the daughter of nonsuper-villain bomber,
Doctor Doom drives Spider-Man insane again [based on an issue of Spider-Man by Lee/Diko],
Mystero in Hollywood,
Non super-villain blackmails Peter,
Spider-Man verses a bunch of thugs who steal social security checks, and
Racketeers (implied to be working for the Kingpin) who are shaking down a Disco owned by Peter Parker’s friends.
Today, the strip is known for dragging things out, but this collection isn’t evidence of that. Most stories last two months, with one or two lasting three months or just one. There is very little recapping, and the Sundays add to the story rather than recapping. Monday strips do sometimes (particularly at the end) recap the Sunday. IDW is printing three dailies to a page, so it really felt like I was reading a comic book, rather than a collection of daily strips.
The only major weak spot is that Lee’s writing is dated by todays standards. Lots of youth slang, written by a guy in his 50s. Also, Peter often comes-off as rude and whiny guy with anger management issues. This will prevent a lot of people from liking this version of the character.
But Lee tempers Parker’s flaws with compassion. Spider-Man often does the right thing, even when it’s difficult. While he grouses about it, Spider-Man often acts selflessly. Of course, when he acts selfishly, the world of the strip (and the comic book) severely punishes him for it.
Also, the fight scenes are great and the Lee jumps into the story with no long set-up of origin. The strips starts out with Spider-Man being an established presence. When Doctor Doom shows up, his origin isn’t recapped either until the fight between Spidy and Doom is well underway.
Spider-Man does get his origin told, but it's not until about a year into the run. And it’s good that Lee told it, because Spider-Man has the best origin story in the superhero genre.
It’s not the best version of Spider-Man by Stan Lee. For that you’re better off with something Essential Spider-Man. And the medium, newspaper strips, isn’t for everyone. But if you like newspaper strips like The Phantom and Mandrake the Magician, then you’ll like this because this is one of the best examples of an adventure strip ever.
The only problem is that some of sources were clearly inferior to others. Occasionally, a strip will be fuzzy and the artwork won’t be as good as a result. However, the difference is slight and I didn’t fine it obtrusive.
This volume reprints the first two years of The Amazing Spider-Man. The stories can be divided up thusly:
Doctor Doom at the U.N.,
Doctor Octopus befriends Aunt May,
The Rattler (a villain original to the strip),
The Kingpin runs for Mayor,
A retelling of Spider-Man’s origin,
J. Jonah Jameson Kraven The Hunter,
Peter Parker date the daughter of nonsuper-villain bomber,
Doctor Doom drives Spider-Man insane again [based on an issue of Spider-Man by Lee/Diko],
Mystero in Hollywood,
Non super-villain blackmails Peter,
Spider-Man verses a bunch of thugs who steal social security checks, and
Racketeers (implied to be working for the Kingpin) who are shaking down a Disco owned by Peter Parker’s friends.
Today, the strip is known for dragging things out, but this collection isn’t evidence of that. Most stories last two months, with one or two lasting three months or just one. There is very little recapping, and the Sundays add to the story rather than recapping. Monday strips do sometimes (particularly at the end) recap the Sunday. IDW is printing three dailies to a page, so it really felt like I was reading a comic book, rather than a collection of daily strips.
The only major weak spot is that Lee’s writing is dated by todays standards. Lots of youth slang, written by a guy in his 50s. Also, Peter often comes-off as rude and whiny guy with anger management issues. This will prevent a lot of people from liking this version of the character.
But Lee tempers Parker’s flaws with compassion. Spider-Man often does the right thing, even when it’s difficult. While he grouses about it, Spider-Man often acts selflessly. Of course, when he acts selfishly, the world of the strip (and the comic book) severely punishes him for it.
Also, the fight scenes are great and the Lee jumps into the story with no long set-up of origin. The strips starts out with Spider-Man being an established presence. When Doctor Doom shows up, his origin isn’t recapped either until the fight between Spidy and Doom is well underway.
Spider-Man does get his origin told, but it's not until about a year into the run. And it’s good that Lee told it, because Spider-Man has the best origin story in the superhero genre.
It’s not the best version of Spider-Man by Stan Lee. For that you’re better off with something Essential Spider-Man. And the medium, newspaper strips, isn’t for everyone. But if you like newspaper strips like The Phantom and Mandrake the Magician, then you’ll like this because this is one of the best examples of an adventure strip ever.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews