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Marvel Masterworks: The Spectacular Spider-Man #1
Spectacular Spider-Man Masterworks Vol. 1
Collects Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #1-15.
In 1976, Spidey notched his second solo series under the direction of Gerry Conway and Sal Buscema. With his first live-action series on the horizon, the world wanted to know just who this Peter Parker guy was. Spectacular not only expanded opportunities for web-slinging wonder, but it also provided a platform to expand upon and explore the world of Spidey's incomparable cast - J. Jonah Jameson, Mary Jane Watson, Flash Thompson and more! Of course, there was no shortage of villains - including the Vulture and Morbius - or iconic guest stars, ranging from the White Tiger to the Inhumans!
In 1976, Spidey notched his second solo series under the direction of Gerry Conway and Sal Buscema. With his first live-action series on the horizon, the world wanted to know just who this Peter Parker guy was. Spectacular not only expanded opportunities for web-slinging wonder, but it also provided a platform to expand upon and explore the world of Spidey's incomparable cast - J. Jonah Jameson, Mary Jane Watson, Flash Thompson and more! Of course, there was no shortage of villains - including the Vulture and Morbius - or iconic guest stars, ranging from the White Tiger to the Inhumans!
279 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 5, 2017
38 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Archie Goodwin
977 books70 followersArchie Goodwin was an American comic book writer, editor, and artist. He worked on a number of comic strips in addition to comic books, and is best known for his Warren and Marvel Comics work. For Warren he was chief writer and editor of landmark horror anthology titles Creepy and Eerie, and for Marvel he set up the creator-owned Epic Comics as well as adapting Star Wars into both comics and newspaper strips. He is regularly cited as the "best-loved comic book editor, ever."
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 12, 2018
Spider-man's popularity outgrew his original comic series and Marvel had to give the fans more each month. Good stories and art made this as good as the Amazing Spider-man series. Recommended
March 5, 2025
An okay collection of the first 15 issues of Spectacular sees Spidey face off against The Tarantula, Kraven, White Tiger, Vulture, Hitman, Morbius, Medusa, and some others. The opening couple of issues with Tarantula and Kraven were among my favorites. The long form back nine were fine enough with the Brother Power and Sister Sun duo ended with a neat mystery and foe.
Dragged down by the ridiculous and dated Razorback with his CB lingo and Big Pig rig.
Dragged down by the ridiculous and dated Razorback with his CB lingo and Big Pig rig.
March 26, 2021
The artwork throughout Marvel Masterworks: The Spectacular Spider-Man, Vol. 1 is vibrant and dynamic and absolutely great. With the legendary Sal Buscema providing the pencils for most of the fifteen issues (numbers 1-15 from December 1976 through February 1978) in this collection, how can you go wrong? All of the stories in the book were interesting in one way or another, but some were more captivating than others.
Issue 1 features the Tarantula, and to me he's not the most interesting character, so that read a bit slow. But things get more interesting in issue 2 when Tarantula teams-up with Kraven the Hunter, whom I've liked as a character for a very long time. Also in the volume, a supervillain called Lightmaster (who can shoot beams of solid light was introduced) and he was only somewhat interesting. Then we get the Vulture, then the Vulture teaming up with the Hitman, and the two issues of their story was only somewhat interesting as well.
There's a short story-arc with Morbius the Living Vampire and another with The White Tiger, and these tales are solid. The White Tiger story involved student protest, and it's cool to see some of that 1970s-era Marvel social conscience. By now we're up to issue 11, which is a standalone story by "Guest Writer" Chris Claremont and penciler Jim Mooney. Claremont is not a comics writer I usually enjoy (I know, sacrilege), but this Medusa story is solid and very well done, and the way Mooney draws Medusa (a long-time favorite character of mine) is wonderful: strong, powerful, gorgeous.
The final issues of the volume, issues 12-15, are a story arc that is the standout of the collection for me, surprisingly so. I liked it much more than I thought I would. Spider-Man and Flash Thompson team up with a trucker who wears a boar-hog costume with an electrified mane and who drives a big-rig called Big Pig. I'll admit, I rolled my eyes when this character, Razorback, first showed up. But this final multi-issue story arc, wherein the big villain is Hatemonger, is really very entertaining and engaging.
With wonderful art throughout, and stories ranging from OK to awesome, this Masterworks volume of Spectacular Spider-Man is a couple-hundred pages of 1970s Marvel goodness.
Issue 1 features the Tarantula, and to me he's not the most interesting character, so that read a bit slow. But things get more interesting in issue 2 when Tarantula teams-up with Kraven the Hunter, whom I've liked as a character for a very long time. Also in the volume, a supervillain called Lightmaster (who can shoot beams of solid light was introduced) and he was only somewhat interesting. Then we get the Vulture, then the Vulture teaming up with the Hitman, and the two issues of their story was only somewhat interesting as well.
There's a short story-arc with Morbius the Living Vampire and another with The White Tiger, and these tales are solid. The White Tiger story involved student protest, and it's cool to see some of that 1970s-era Marvel social conscience. By now we're up to issue 11, which is a standalone story by "Guest Writer" Chris Claremont and penciler Jim Mooney. Claremont is not a comics writer I usually enjoy (I know, sacrilege), but this Medusa story is solid and very well done, and the way Mooney draws Medusa (a long-time favorite character of mine) is wonderful: strong, powerful, gorgeous.
The final issues of the volume, issues 12-15, are a story arc that is the standout of the collection for me, surprisingly so. I liked it much more than I thought I would. Spider-Man and Flash Thompson team up with a trucker who wears a boar-hog costume with an electrified mane and who drives a big-rig called Big Pig. I'll admit, I rolled my eyes when this character, Razorback, first showed up. But this final multi-issue story arc, wherein the big villain is Hatemonger, is really very entertaining and engaging.
With wonderful art throughout, and stories ranging from OK to awesome, this Masterworks volume of Spectacular Spider-Man is a couple-hundred pages of 1970s Marvel goodness.
August 13, 2018
The art is great and the story is dull. Go away Tarantula.
October 8, 2021
Spectacular Spider-Man was launched as a means to give fans more of what they loved: Spider-Man.
This companion title is said to focus more on Peter Parker’s struggle to balance the two roles he plays.
I have always enjoyed the development of Peter, his supporting cast over the years, and also developing his friendships and relationships. Sub-plots are also pretty well-developed.
Also there is action and adventure, and a sense of continuity with the parent title Amazing Spider-Man.
This first volume is very good, and the series grows stronger in subsequent volumes.
This companion title is said to focus more on Peter Parker’s struggle to balance the two roles he plays.
I have always enjoyed the development of Peter, his supporting cast over the years, and also developing his friendships and relationships. Sub-plots are also pretty well-developed.
Also there is action and adventure, and a sense of continuity with the parent title Amazing Spider-Man.
This first volume is very good, and the series grows stronger in subsequent volumes.
May 5, 2025
Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man was advertised as the Spider-Man book that offered more details on Peter Parker himself, and not just Spider-Man's exploits. And there's some of that in here. We get bits of attention offered on Peter, Flash, Glory, and other members of the supporting cast.
But what really makes this first volume stand apart is its attention to real-world events and trends. Two arcs in particular stand out. One is the White Tiger storyline, mixing topics of economic inequality with the introduction of Marvel's first Latino hero to the world of color: White Tiger. It's very successful. The other is the story of Brother Power and Sister Sun and moreso of Sha Shan, Flash's love interest from his time in Vietnam. Though the story of this Hare Krishna-like cult eventually goes over the top, its focus on the Vietnam war and its repercussions is nonetheless a great time capsule.
CB-Trucker hero Razorback obviously fits in with trends of the time trope from this volume, but comes across much sillier, particularly in the modern-day. Still, a good reminder of an another important element of the decade.
Overall, an intriguing volume, supplemented by fun appearances by C-grade Spider-villain Tarantula [3+/5].
But what really makes this first volume stand apart is its attention to real-world events and trends. Two arcs in particular stand out. One is the White Tiger storyline, mixing topics of economic inequality with the introduction of Marvel's first Latino hero to the world of color: White Tiger. It's very successful. The other is the story of Brother Power and Sister Sun and moreso of Sha Shan, Flash's love interest from his time in Vietnam. Though the story of this Hare Krishna-like cult eventually goes over the top, its focus on the Vietnam war and its repercussions is nonetheless a great time capsule.
CB-Trucker hero Razorback obviously fits in with trends of the time trope from this volume, but comes across much sillier, particularly in the modern-day. Still, a good reminder of an another important element of the decade.
Overall, an intriguing volume, supplemented by fun appearances by C-grade Spider-villain Tarantula [3+/5].
March 18, 2025
Great read, some classic tales and some great characters, although the Tarantula character is a bit over done here, it just seemed forced.
June 11, 2024
Interesting in the context of "Spider-Man is so popular we need to make more spin-offs" and that they want to do in-between stories for Amazing Spider-Man making sure both runs are canon and don't conflict.
August 28, 2019
A volume brought down by an extremely mediocre collection of villains. Tarantula is a terrible villain and its astonishing that they kept trying to make him seem like a threat of any kind. Even for silver age material, this collection is honestly unimpressive. If you want silver age material check Stan Lee's Amazing Spider-man Masterworks vol 4,5,6 up until death of Gwen stacy.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews