The Amazing Spider-Man by J. Michael Straczynski Omnibus, Vol. 1

The Amazing Spider-Man (1999) (Collected Editions) #5-10

by J. Michael Straczynski

Acclaimed screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski begins a run that established him as one of the all-time Spidey greats - joined by the legendary John Romita Jr.! And they kick things off by introducing an enigmatic stranger with a startling secret about Spider-Man's origin! Wrestling with his separation from Mary Jane, Peter goes back to his roots with a new job - science teacher at his old school! But how will Aunt May react when she learns that Peter is really Spider-Man?! Plus: Spidey battles Doctor Octopus, Morlun, Dormammu and more, and teams up with Doctor Strange, Captain America and - Loki?! And as Spidey copes with the horror of 9/11 and relives his heroic career, shocking sins of the past catch up with the wall-crawler!

COLLECTING: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1999) 30-58, 500-514, 509 DIRECTOR'S CUT

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Spider Man, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics

1120 pages, Hardcover

First published November 24, 2004

About the author

Joseph Michael Straczynski is an American filmmaker and comic book writer. He is the founder of Synthetic Worlds Ltd. and Studio JMS and is best known as the creator of the science fiction television series Babylon 5 (1993–1998) and its spinoff Crusade (1999), as well as the series Jeremiah (2002–2004) and Sense8 (2015–2018). He is the executor of the estate of Harlan Ellison.
Straczynski wrote the psychological drama film Changeling (2008) and was co-writer on the martial arts thriller Ninja Assassin (2009), was one of the key writers for (and had a cameo in) Marvel's Thor (2011), as well as the horror film Underworld: Awakening (2012), and the apocalyptic horror film World War Z (2013). From 2001 to 2007, Straczynski wrote Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man, followed by runs on Thor and Fantastic Four. He is the author of the Superman: Earth One trilogy of graphic novels, and he has written Superman, Wonder Woman, and Before Watchmen for DC Comics. Straczynski is the creator and writer of several original comic book series such as Rising Stars, Midnight Nation, Dream Police, and Ten Grand through Joe's Comics.
A prolific writer across a variety of media and former journalist, Straczynski is the author of the autobiography Becoming Superman (2019) for HarperVoyager, the novel Together We Will Go (2021) for Simon & Schuster, and Becoming a Writer, Staying a Writer (2021) for Benbella Books. In 2020 he was named Head of the Creative Council for the comics publishing company Artists, Writers and Artisans.
Straczynski is a long-time participant in Usenet and other early computer networks, interacting with fans through various online forums (including GEnie, CompuServe, and America Online) since 1984. He is credited as being the first TV producer to directly engage with fans on the Internet and to allow viewer viewpoints to influence the look and feel of his show. Two prominent areas where he had a presence were GEnie and the newsgroup rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated.

Reviews

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike most Omnibus I read, Amazing Spider-Man by JMS is actually one I hold dear to me. It's one of the comics that got me into comics back in my younger years. While Ultimate Spider-Man got me hooked into the High School life of teenage Peter parker, Amazing Spider-Man got me hooked on a older Peter in his late 20's, early 30's, trying to help his community as a teacher while dealing with adult problems and love life.

So going back years and years later to re-read it was a huge joy for me. That doesn't mean it's a automatic 5 out of 5 book though. Like with anything, certain things will hold up, sometimes get better, but also at times get worse. So when I cracked open this huge Omnibus I was hoping to atleast enjoy it as much as I did as a teenager.

The start of the whole Omnibus is Peter trying to deal with MJ leaving and him trying to find a purpose in the work life. With a suggestion by Aunt May he becomes a substitute teacher, a rare case of letting Peter's smarts showcase in the storyline. Soon into it we get Peter just naturally fitting the role as teacher and helping students in the class in different ways. We're also introduced to do major characters, Ezekiel and Morlun. Ezekiel has spider like abilities similar to Peter and quickly introduces a whole new mythos into Peter's life about Spider totems. At the same time Morlun is a vampire like creature on his way to murder people with these Spider totem powers, and his next target is Peter.

The first arc in this volume is hard to top, since it introduces two new key players, a new mythos, and a hectic battle of hell as Peter tries to fight back against Morlun in a brawl that is surely the web heads top 5 battles of all time. This also gets to showcase in a fight or die fight that is both heart pounding and a joy to watch. This is easily one of my favorite arcs of all time for Spider-Man and a wonderful way to jump into the character.

And honestly most of the volume continues in this fashion of being fun and exciting and always working well with the main trio of characters, Peter, MJ, and Aunt May. This is also the run Aunt May learns Peter's secret, which changes the dynamic greatly and gives us some excellent moments of Aunt May's wisdom.

The art is always pretty solid with some standout fight scenes and moments of Spider-man posing. I'm not always a mega-fan of Romita Jr. art but he fits Spider-Man very well. Especially when Peter is fully suited, it looks amazing. The faces on the human characters though can use some work sometimes.

The real negatives are just two storylines. There's a storyline with Loki about his daughter, and while not AWFUL it's also not nearly as interesting as it could be starring the trickster king. I thought it was okay but slowed the overall pacing of the book down for me. The big stinker is Sin's past, it's still pretty bad. If you don't know what happens here, basically it nearly ruins a character called Gwen from the older comic stories of Spider-Man. It's not completely unsalvable as there's still some great moments between Peter and MJ here but the damage to the overall character and the plot itself is pretty awful.

But besides that this is really a fantastic run, especially this half. It holds up as a favorite of mine and if it was for the two weaker arcs it would probably be a perfect book for me. But as it stands it does have some flaws I can't ignore. Looking at all my reviews on each individual arc, this lands at a amazing 4 out of 5. And it deserves it.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it came out, JMS' Spider-Man was one of the hottest things in comic stores. It was a great renovation for a character who grown tired in the '90s. It's still an interesting run, but it doesn't hold up quite as much as one might hope. That might be in part because we know so many of the shocking and amazing reveals of this run have been ignored by later authors, and in part because of Dan Slott's amazing run that followed. Still, this is worth reading, even if it's closer to a weird alternate reality nowadays.

Coming Home (#30-35). JMS' first storyline for Spider-Man is a somewhat mixed bag. He certainly leaves an indelible mark on the character, and at times his writing is strong, but the question ultimately is whether it's for good or ill ..

The main thrust of arc is the introduction of spider-y Ezekiel and spider-hunting Morlun, and Ezekiel's claim that Peter is a mystic spider-totem. The specifics of this updated origin have generally been rejected by later authors (and by fans and by Peter himself), but the concept of Peter's spider-ness, and in particular the existence of Morlun, has been pretty influential in the Spider-universe, spinning off Silk, Spider-Verse (and the movie!), and Spider-Geddon at a minimum.

As for the plotting: that's the weakest part of this story. Peter spends long issues in a punch-em-up fight against an unstoppable villain ... until he suddenly figures out the plot twist to stop him. There are interesting bits, such as Ezekiel's sudden entrance to the fray, but otherwise it's a dull Doomsday-style fight.

But the great bit of this story is JMS' new focus on Peter as a scientist. The issue where he gets a job at his old high school is the best one in the volume, and the fact that the Morlun plot twist is based on Peter acting like a scientist is nice too [3+/5].

9/11 (#36). This issue is a memorial of 9/11. Twenty years later, it feels like it's from a different lifetime, and though it's a bit wordy, it's still a moving reminder of what we lost. JMS reacts to the tragedy well, in a way that brings up humanity, rather than tearing it down [5/5].

Interlude (#37). The best part of JMS' first story arc was the tiny bit of focus we got on Peter as a person (and now a teacher). That's repeated here, with Peter encountering social problems that he can't punch [5/5].

The Conversation (#38). One of the best things that JMS did was allowing Aunt May to find out that Peter was Spider-Man. It allowed both characters to mature in ways that they hadn't in decades (which is why it's all the more bitter that Marvel rebooted it so quickly thereafter). Besides that, this is a heartfelt meeting of the minds [5/5].

Meanwhile (#39). One of the dreaded 'Nuff Said issues, but this one isn't bad, giving some insight into what's going on in the heads of MJ and May (and Peter) [4+/5].

Shade (#40-42). JMS returns to both a longer storyline and the more mystical side of the Marvel Universe, this time in the form of a character called Shade who's stuck in the Astral Plane and kidnapping kids because. There's not much depth to the big fight, though the subplots concerning May and Mary Jane keep things moving along (admittedly, the latter is just a big tease) [3+/5].

Until the Stars Turn Cold (#43-45). Fortunately, JMS immediately follows up on that tease with an actual meeting between MJ and Peter, it's just in California. We get great attention to their relationship and where it's going from here. And the superhero plot, including a new Doc Ock: that's OK too, because we get glimpses of the "heroic" Ock we'd meet a decade later in Superior Spider-Man [4/5].

The Life & Death of Spiders (#46-50). Second verse, just like the first? JMS returns to the idea of a totemic spider being hunted by a spider-killer and plays it almost exactly like The Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 1: Coming Home, except this time the foe is a spider-wasp, Shathra (who doesn't have the depth of Morlun, being a knock-off at this point, but nonetheless does return down the road in Scarlet Spider).

Despite the repetition, this is still a fun storyline. That's in part because scrappy Peter Parker facing an utterly unbeatable foe is interesting. But it's the character subplots that really make the story. It's of course great to see Ezekiel again, but the heart of the story is Mary Jane, who finally comes to a really meaningful meeting of the minds with Peter, something that's been hanging over JMS' run to date.

(And yes, it's bitterly ironic that JMS brought them back together, only to be forced to rip them apart in the end by editorial mandate.) [4+/5]

Peter fights a jigsaw-puzzle Hulk that can't be killed because it's already dead. It's charming that JMS is playing in the science side of the Marvel universe pool, and he lets Peter be a bit of a scientist too. But so much of this arc is a big fight against an unstoppable foe (until it's ready to be defeated in the end), which is pretty much never a good look. Fortunately, the arc also has moral dilemmas and the rebuilding of the Peter/MJ relationship, to give it some depth [3+/5].

Unintended Consequences (#55-56). A nice return to Peter as Teacher, as he sees how one of his students has been affected by his vigilantism. Pulling Ezekiel in to deliver the moral of the story is a little heavy-handed, but I suppose it's good that he's becoming a supporting cast member. Overall, a nice thoughtful piece [3+/5].

Happy Birthday (#57-58, 500). A really disappointing anniversary story. Peter spends two issues mindlessly fighting mindless ones, just to set up a jaunt through the past in the anniversary issue #500 where he mindlessly steps into the pages of lots of old stories. Quite simply: dull [2/5].

A Day in the Park with May (#501). This is supposed to be a heartfelt story about May, but it entirely depends on a "shocker" in the last page about who she's talking to. Beyond that, we get lots about her fear yet respect for what Peter does, which is great, but we've heard it before [3/5].

You Want Pants with That (#502). A fairly hilarious story about a super-tailor and doing the right thing. Also, MJ gets a bit of agency, reminding us that she's not just Peter's sidekick [5/5].

Morwen (#503-504). Peter has been interacting with a ridiculous number of supernatural foes under JMS, and I'm not sure it's made any better by Peter saying in the comic that he's been interacting with a ridiculous number of supernatural foes. It makes one wonder if JMS really wanted to write Dr. Strange (or Thor). This is a fine enough story about Peter interacting with Loki, but as with close to half of JMS' run to date, it doesn't feel much like a spider-story [3+/5].

Vibes (#505). Once again, JMS' best stories come about when he tells little stories, like this one about Peter and MJ's relationship and a small crime case [4/5].

The Book of Ezekiel (#506-508). JMS draws his whole Ezekiel saga (and hopefully his supernatural obsession) to an end with a capstone meant to explain everything. The reveal of Ezekiel's character and his manipulations are both quite nice. If I had any complaint it's that this is the only story which really gives full credence to the supernatural theory of Spider-Man's origin, but at least Peter is still mocking it [3+/5].

Sins Past (#509-514). This is definitely JMS' most controversial story arc, amidst a somewhat controversial run. It's so hated by a large portion of the fan base, that even if it hasn't exactly been dropped out of continuity, it's one of those stories that is just generally ignored by everyone who came after. Which is a pity, because I think it's one of JMS' best story arcs.

The hatred is, of course, all about the darkening of Gwen Stacy's character thrrough the introduction of a severe character flaw: that she would fall victim to the charms of Norman Osborn. And perhaps JMS should have seen that coming, because Gwen Stacy was (and is) such a beloved character. But I find it a believable twist that takes her '60s era saccharine sweetness and gives it just a little depth.

Overall, this story feels like a classic Spider-Man story, in a way that nothing else in JMS' magic-infested run did. We got a classic mystery, unveilings of various supporting cast members, deftly crafted secrets revealed to different characters, and the introduction of a new Goblin. This story could have been a major new foundational stone in Spider-Man's mythology, and I suspect JMS thought it should be.

Alas, the spirit of a character who had been dead for longer than she'd ever been "alive" won out over a really deftly crafted and well-told story, and so it's largely been consigned to the ashbin of history instead [5/5].

[Comic Bound · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly enjoyable run throughout this first of two volumes, however, the last 6 issues (the "Sins Past" storyline) let down what is otherwise a consistently fun ride. Looking forward to reading volume 2!

[ダンカン · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Modern Spidey Worth Picking Up! In 1963, Amazing Fantasy issue #15 saw the debut character Spider-Man, written by Stan Lee and co-written and drawn by Steve Ditko. It became an instant hit among comic readers and launched its own comic book series. Many years later as we came to know of, Spider-Man was adapted into 7 live-action motion pictures that depicts Peter Parker's teenage years and his daily problems as a superhero, and a teen in love. For the general public of movie-goers, this is what they know but in 1999, Peter Parker as we know it, is no longer a teenager. He is now an adult, on temporary separation with his wife Mary Jane Parker and his life, as always, spiraling down. Still, as a superhero, he uphold and care for the city of New York... until he meet someone (and older) with similar powers like him. Ezekiel became Parker's interest as these two embark on a journey which lead to one of the best written work with artwork by John Romita Jr.. Still, its not that its without faults but overall, its a story worth reading.
 
Collecting from The Amazing Spider-Man (1999) issues #30-58 & #500-514, this massive whooping 1120 pages thick omnibus has every thing from how Peter discovers that his powers may not be from a radioactive spider to how Aunt May discover Peter as Spider-Man and the need to accept for who he really is as a superhero and how Peter's life and MJ comes to terms between them, every thing as how it is is the true spirit of the characters that started since the beginning. One important story included that became an instant bestseller was issue #36 - the 9/11 story. Powerful and beautifully written.
 
While the art from John Romita Jr. is breath-taking, after he left the series, Mike Deodato Jr. took over the drawing board with what is this volume's arc-storyline Sin's Past, which to my opinion, isn't good. It does felt forced and truly, it felt like as if the reasoning writing this story is nothing but shock-value. Overall - I always love J.Michael Straczynski's work and this is one of the best of his worth picking up and read.

[kollyflower · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

First Omni done 😤😤😤 and I’m glad it was this one. This run has a lot of heart. The character work on Peter, Aunt May, and MJ was fantastic. Peter and MJ’s relationship here was a joy to read. I appreciated how the author was able to write a story that was more slice of life oriented while also having an overarching plot (shoutout to the book of Ezekiel).

This run does a lot of things right until it doesn’t. In my head, the run ended with the Book of Ezekiel arc. Sins Past is Sins Past. It’s off-putting how different the story feels compared to the rest of the run. The premise and logic for the story is so bonkers it’s almost funny to think Marvel thought this was a good idea. The biggest offense was how they wrote Gwen’s character. Her actions don’t line up with who we know her to be. She slept with his Norman Osborne because of his…magnetism?

..

No.

I still highly recommend this omni because everything before the last 50 pages was awesome.

[Joakim Ax · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains some of the very first Spider-man issues that I ever came accrossed in my life. And also some of the best. Re-reading them for the forth time now, maybe fifth, I just enjoy them even more for each time.

[Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this side by side with my nephew, Sebastian, and while I may not have absolutely adored this like my first read through of this, it was still a pretty great time.

I think the best thing about this is how JMS is able to make you care for the relationship of Peter and MJ. I absolutely loved this aspect of the omnibus and the dialogue feels raw and real. The way they talk to each other hits close to home and it never once failed to make me smile seeing how Peter and MJ spoke to each other. JRJr is on top of his game in this run and it adds to the vibe and energy of what this omnibus brings. There were some interesting villains that popped through and while not all are going to be remembered, I do think that they were fun for the moment and I had no issues with that. My biggest problem with the book is wishing that more classic villains had shown up, at least occasionally because otherwise, it can feel like "1 time villain of the week" and not everyone likes that. Ezekiel was a great new addition to Spider-Man's lore and his path all the way to the end was one of the best things about this book. Great arc. There were some small stories in here that I thought were nice 1 off issues like the Leo Zelinsky story. Issue 500 was a great time and had a touching moment at the end of it.

It's not perfect and falls off the rails with Sins Past in this (which I choose to ignore), but it was a great time. Peter being written as a more mature adult that teaches high school kids is excellent and I'd like to think he should just be a college professor in current main continuity. I can see people loving this run more or thinking it was just fine.

I'll give it an 8.25/10

[Zuuru · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't write reviews, but I wanna give it a shot for this one!
* The writing for Peter is great. His ranting has a wonderful quality to it and gives everything he says so much personality. You can see him take so much responsibility even as just Peter when he starts teaching in the old HS he went to and nurturing the minds of every kid he meets.
*MJ is also terrific. She has her own conflic about her role as an actress and whether or not it's worth it to do these meaningless roles that don't let her talent shine. It's always great to see her stand up for herself and not accept any sort of bullshit from people.
*May often gets the short end of the stick, but not here. She finds out Peter is Spider-man and does a lot of soul-searching after it. She has to revalue so much of Peter's life but also her own. JMS's May and Peter conversations show such a strong bond between them and the love they share. May is a strong character who, much like MJ, doesn't let anyone bullshit her. I loved the scenes of her looking up which papers speak more fairly of Spider-man and subscribing to them, that was fun.
*MJ and Peter get back together and you wonder why Marvel wants to keep them apart. They bring out the very best of each other, they remain incredibly supportive and understanding of their struggles and they are just plain cute. The scene of them at a restaurant joking and giggling after making up again is so adorable. It's also the strongest part of Sins Past. Speaking of
*The elephant in the room, Sins Past. I get it, very controversial. But also, the story isn't that bad at all. Like I said, MJ and Peter are very strong in it so that's a huge positive it has over a lot of stories post-OMD. Unlike a certain other retcon (*cough*Kindred*cough*) it tries to actually explain why and how things happened. And truly, I don't see too much wrong with a story of a young woman making a mistake, trying to fix it and losing her life because the other half of the pairing could not accept his fault in anything. Not saying anyone should like it, but Spidey offices have done much-much worse in this year alone.
*The Spider Totem stuff is somewhat mixed amongst fans, but I enjoyed the presentation. It helps that Peter remains very clinical about it and doesn't take it at face value. He has a very healthy dose of scepticism about it and that helps keep the story going off the rails. Ezekiel was a nice addition to Peter's life and it's good to see him realise the truth in Peter's whole reason for doing what he does, even if it did have to end in tragedy.
*The 500th issue was just wonderful. Heartwarming without being sappy and just a good way for Peter to accept the struggles in his life have meaning. Having Romita Sr. pencil the meeting with Uncle Ben ties everything neatly together.
*Speaking of Romitas, JRJR's art is very engaging here. He has his weak spots, but all the fights and especially Spidey's suit getting torn up look amazing. There's a clear desperation in him every time he has to keep fighting and JRJR shows it better than anyone else.
*JMS of course has good voices for everyone. His Peter is one of the best and the new characters are pretty good as well. It's been said before he favoured having newer villains take the spotlight and while that's risky, it worked out well. It helps that JMS has the core idea of why they're after Peter tie together with the Spider Totem stoyline, thus making you remember all those moments with them.
10/10, 5/5, enjoyed every moment with this omnibus and was very sad when I finished. I, uh, believe vol. 2 has OMD and while I was perfectly fine with Sins Past, that one, well. Not for me, chief.

[Michael Emond · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I have problems with some of the writing the art by JR JR has never looked so good. We have him at the height of his powers and when he had firmly established his own style. His art on the X-Men just wasn't there yet. His art on Daredevil was almost there and is wonderful to see. But I really feel this is his peak. I still love his later work but it did get a tad blocky. This was the sweet spot when he had stopped drawing every woman's nose like it was a pointed triangle and still hadn't gone "all block all the time".

Writing. I have said it in a review of the first third of this omnibus (the Ultimate collection) JMS does a lot of things right. He structures stories extremely well (no surprise - that comes from his TV experience). He has Spider-man have drama but not too dark and adds touches of comedy. He has mini-arcs but is smart enough not to make them last too long, so that they never drag on. He is fairly creative but I would say the fact he doesn't create any new villains that become part of the pantheon of Spider-villains speaks to a weakness there. Along those lines it is disappointing we see almost no old villains other than Doc Ock.

Those are the strengths but the weaknesses...WAY too much focus on a mystic side of Spider-ma. You can tell JMS REALLY wanted to say magic created Spider-man (and I almost feel editors were saying"no"). The 6 parter Sins of the Past was almost like reading fan fic the way JMS tried to rewrite history. He sullies the character of Gwen Stacy (she cheated on Peter?!?! with a man 30 years older than her?!?! because he oozed confidence that one time she went to talk to him!??!?! ICK x1000) and for what? Not even a really good story. Along those lines - the end of the Ezekiel story-line was SO disappointing. I again felt he sullied the interesting character of Ezekiel for a really lame story. And I also have to say one more time - that 9/11 story was horrid. Look, I understand why it was applauded at the time (it was cathartic) but I must point out (again) in the Marvel Universe an event like that is minor compared to all the other things that happen and Victor Von Doom (and the other villains) would not be shedding tears about it. These guys try to blow up the entire world many times over. So (for me) it has NOT aged well.

I know I have a lot of negative to say about the writing but I did enjoy this omnibus. I think JMS gets the tone of Peter perfect. I think he builds his relationship with Mary Jane very well and does a great job building her character so she isn't just a bystander or a two dimensional character. The art is beautiful. And while I don't think JMS always succeeds in his stories (the magic spider stuff ...SMH) you can see he is always trying to say something with them. Overall - I recommend it. I agree with the true Spider-man fans - this era was one of the strongest for Spider-man.

[Darik · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a... tremendously split reaction to reading this tome.

On one hand, this is the Spider-Man run that I grew up on, the one that got me into reading Amazing regularly... and even today, I love the big swings it takes with Spidey's status quo. The spider-totem stuff is GREAT-- especially because the book keeps Peter agnostic to the whole thing, more a skeptic than a believer. Peter Parker becoming a high-school science teacher? That's inspired. Aunt May learns Peter's secret, and it makes her a far more interesting character... And Pete and M.J. finally work out their marriage issues! In the broad strokes, this run's a winner... and J. Michael Straczynski brings a ton of wit and style to the book. It's funny, it's often harrowing... it's a great read throughout!

Except...

This may well be the most self-righteous, judgmental take on the web-head I've ever read. Straczynski consistently frames people who do things he finds annoying as fundamentally bad people: fancy waiters are snooty pretentious jerks, office clerks are deliberately malicious, Californians are vapid scumbags, etc. And frequently, he has his heroes do mean-spirited things in retaliation without in any way questioning the morality of those actions. For instance, Aunt May--Aunt friggin' May-- deliberately smashes a guy's cell phone because he was having an obnoxious phone conversation while standing in line at a store. How is that morally justifiable?!

And unfortunately, the final six issues of this volume-- the "Sins Past" storyline-- is just... unforgivably bad. Not only is it WILDLY melodramatic, soapy, and overwrought... not only is it a lazy and overcomplicated retcon of established Spider-Man lore... but it's also weirdly judgey and patriarchal about Gwen Stacy's sexual history (Peter even has the chutzpah to ask whether Norman Osborn was Gwen's first, even though that's none of his f%@#ing business). Worse still, it also completely robs EVERY female character in it of agency: Gwen's death robs her of her ability to save her kids from Osborn's influence; Mary Jane is scolded for choosing to hide Gwen's pregnancy from Peter; and Sarah, the Goblin twin, is shot and has to be saved by Peter as a symbolic rewriting of Gwen's death.

Normally I'd be willing to overlook a single bad storyline, but the fact is, "Sins Past" is just a distillation of all of the worst tendencies of the rest of the run. It's preachy centrist moralizing that doesn't recognize the prejudices it's bringing to the table. Overall, this is a very entertaining but deeply flawed run on the webbed wonder... not the WORST, but definitely held back from greatness.

[Riley Pilgrim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I get it. I understand why this run is considered one of, if not the greatest Spider-Man run of all time. J. Michael Straczynski really had something special here that many moderns writers can't seem to understand anymore. Peter is at his best here, taken in a great new direction, becoming a science teacher to help his community. May learning Peter's secret, and that being a catalyst for them becoming closer than ever. Straczynski's best part was his amazing writing for MJ, her breaking into theater, and the build to her and Peter healing their marriage. The characterization for all three of these characters was incredible, and is what really got me to keep reading. Peter and MJ's marriage is masterfully written, and seeing them overcome their issues together was amazing.

Now the stories here I found to be great! The spiritual Spider totem stuff while wild, was actually pretty interesting. It was most compelling as a character study on Peter. Was all this destiny? Or was it an accident? Ultimately it's up to the reader to decide/interpret that. Straczynski doesn't give a definitive answer to these questions. All the stories with Romita Jr were compelling, and I loved the balance. A lot of new villains introduced, Peter helping his students/community, and overall each arc had a purpose in my opinion. Romita Jr's art was also amazing, and loved the way he drew Peter. Really wished he kept doing art for Spider-Man.

The only stinker in this ENTIRE book was the "Sins of the Past" story arc. Which effectively killed any of Gwen's goodwill (pretty much just character assassination) to fans. I'm not gonna get into it as it's just a headache, but man....... Marvel editorial interference is the biggest enemy of Spider-Man. What stood out in this arc was MJ, and Peter. They were still written really well, and had great moments. However, I'd like to erase this story from my head for what it did to Gwen. Go read Spider-Man Blue for some good Gwen character writing.

Highly recommend this run to new and old fans. A perfect take on Spider-Man that even after 20 years still hasn't really been topped.

[João Filipi · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, the first story arc was clearly the best one! Particularly, i have nothing but praise to say about the first 872 pages of this book

Peter is so well-written as a character, Aunt May is a character, and Mary Jane clearly feels like an actual human! I also liked Ezekiel and his role as The Main Antagonist for this “First Saga”

But, they ruined everything with “Sins Past”! OH MY GOD! What in the actual hell! First of all, there's an abrupt change in art style, which is not necessarily bad, but i still prefer the previous one. Actually, this new art style makes the story seems more serious then it is, and it just shows how stupid this story is

I know JMS wanted Gabriel and Sarah to be Peter's children, but Joe Quesada did not like that because ??? (I really don't know why, because if it is just because this would've mean Peter had sex before marriage then this is such a stupid reason! Specially in this book, because Peter and MJ have sex each issue)

If it was because of this, then why did Quesada thought that making Gwen and Norman have sex was a better idea??!! And its actually implied that he took her virginity, which is even worse! And also, why did MJ not tell Peter about this???? She was Gwen's friend, she is married to Gwen's Ex-Boyfriend, who is deeply traumatized by her death, and she didn't think about telling him that she slept with his Arch-Nemesis????!!!!

I know this doesn't matter anymore, because (SPOILERS FOR THE NEWEST COMICS STORYLINES) it was revealed that Gabriel and Sarah Stacy are actually clones created by Harry Osborn and both MJ and Norman were hypnotized by Mysterio, all part of an elaborate plan to get revenge on Norman! Which, honestly, makes the story a little bit better

[OmniBen · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Zero spoiler review)
My fourth Spider Man omnibus and my fourth hard pass on the character. Maybe it's just never going to click with me and ol Spidey, which would be a massive shame, given I've got another dozen or so omnibus sitting on my shelf. I know the there will be a sweet spot for the character when I stop trying to read Ultimate nonsense, or silver age cheese, or more modern slop, but hey, four for four is a pretty lousy batting average.
JRjr really needs a strong inker and colourist for his off beat style to shine. The pencils may have been fine, as are the inks as far as digital goes, but it is the colours here which truly drag this down into the muck, literally and figuratively. So much of this looks like bland, turgid swill that it ruined what could have been some decent art. (amendment), I just remembered how badly JRjr draws faces. Seeing what he did to Mary Jane was tantamount to a hate crime.
Romita Junior drawing of Mary Jane's chin aside, it is JMS himself that must truly bear the brunt of the blame for my dislike of this one. I don't like overly quippy characters at the best of time, but when every 'joke' lands flatter than Disney Star Wars balance sheet, you haven't just lost me, you've properly pissed me off as well. The second artist whose name I can't recall does a much better job, though when your first offering is Sins Past, you may as well crack out the crayons. 2/5


OmniBen.

I made it through about a third before my patience well and truly wore out, and I started skipping ahead to see if there was anything to salvage my cratering interest.

[Barry Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great, almost-excellent collection of Spidey stories

I absolutely love Romita Jr's art, and with the early focus on Peter as a teacher in a rough neighborhood this was ticking all the right boxes for me. I love a street level Spidey story, and one that really gets into the weeds on him as a scientist or a photographer, so this was right up my alley. And having him deal with a school shooting, for a comic in 2000, was pretty ballsy and well-handled. Likewise, the 9/11 issue is very tasteful and opts for an anti-division theme at a period in American history where fear mongering and reactionary ideas were flourishing. That's commendable. I still think it's kind of lame to have Dr Doom shed a tear at it - but whatever.

What I'm less into is the broader, philosophical 'Spider-Man as a totem in a universe-spanning ecosystem' stuff. In general it's just a flavour of Marvel I'm just not into -- but early on JMS at least intrigued me with some of these ideas. But as the Ezekiel arc wrapped up, I was fairly nonplussed. Didn't love it, didn't hate it -- it just didn't feel especially satisfying.

And then, well, you have Sins Past. I had heard the name but wasnt aware of the content, and it is indeed a stinker -- worse even than a lot of the other legendarily maligned Spidey arcs I've read. Convoluted melodrama, topped off by a shift in art that I really really hated. A disappointing conclusion to an otherwise super fun collection.

[WORM · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Pretend it's 4.5 stars.) I enjoyed this book!! The art is AMAZING, sometimes I just stared at the panels, I really love the style!! The writing was also great and the plot stayed really interesting, I appreciate that it had a continuous plot and wasn't just a monster-of-the-week situation! Teacher Peter was so fun, and I love how he looked out for his students! I also really liked Ezekiel as a character, I wish we would have gotten a little more background on him but his addition was super interesting. It also added to the story to see MJ and Peter's relationship progress. I didn't feel too much of the chemistry they're meant to have but hey I'm glad they're happy. I also like the idea that Peter rambles a bunch when he gets nervous around her haha.
The main reason I don't rate it 5 stars (in my brain anyway) is because it was lacking in humor for my personal taste, and at some points I got a little bored. But that's just me! I normally don't read dramatic stuff and this kept my attention well for something of that nature!
Fair warning, just do NOT read Sins Past at the end. It was such an amazing book except for that arc at the end. I'm going to try and pretend it ended on #508 and that Sins Past doesn't exist, because I think it had no need to exist.

[Vladimír · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spider-Man v podaní JMS je pretkaný mystikou. Jeho schopnosti získali nádych nadprirodzena a v niektorých príbehoch sú tak jeho parťákmi napríklad Loki alebo Dr. Strange. Zároveň sa však nezabúda na bežné pouličné problémy, o ktorých sa Parker vďaka svojej učiteľskej pozícii. Silné príbehy tak vznikajú o deťoch bez domova a o ich bezvýchodiskovej situácii. JMS zvláda Parkera aj v jeho osobnej rovine. V úvode prejde jeho vzťah s tetou May obrovskou skúškou a zároveň môžeme sledovať "telenovelu" medzi ním a MJ. Všetko je krásne vyvážené a príbeh teda bez väčších zádrhelov príjemne plynie a je plný emócií a napätia.

S kresbou to také jednoznačné nie je. Romita Jr. občas kreslí otrasne. Pri súbojoch a superhrdinských výjavoch sa to ešte dá prehrýzť, ale z mimiky v civilných scénach občas krvácajú oči. Deodatov záver tohto omnibusu je tak ako balzam na dušu.

Väčšina tohto omnibusu vyšla aj v češtine a preto ide o všeobecne známe príbehy. Ja som rád, že som ich absolvoval vo forme omnibusu. Vrelo odporúčam, aj keď to bude chcieť trochu trpezlivosti, keďže je už dlhšie vypredaný. A skvelé je, že už o pár dní by mi malo byť doručené pokračovanie!

[ComicBookCult Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this Omnibus expecting a mixed bag, I’ve never been a fan of John Romita JR’s modern artworks, it always seemed too blocky and inconsistent but after reading this first Omni in its entirety, I was wrong. Okay, some of the artwork is questionable at times but overall it was good, as Mike Deodato Jr came in, the artwork was better but JrJr wasn’t awful. As for the writing I can’t complain too much, JMS brought in some new concepts and overall I feel like they worked well, new cast of characters which felt fresh, new and familiar all at the same time. The 9/11 issue was well done and historical, Sin’s past isn’t phenomenal by any stretch but certainly better than I remember which I suppose is a good thing, still not exactly enjoyable mind you.

So in short, well worth delving into if you’re a Spider-man fan, it’s got decent art, mostly well written and will make you laugh, cry and sometimes just glad to take take a break, JMS gets Peter but also gets Spider-man, his voice, tone and quips aren’t lost here.

[James Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best Spider-Man Storyline hands down.

Incredibly written. Gripping. Feels much more true than the wholly science fiction foundation prior. I read “Coming Home” when I was 16 years old and knew this storyline had to reach the cinema one day. The upcoming Madame Web movie is finally beginning this storyline, and I hope it’s done well and does well. I’m 38 years old now, and I’m hoping Sony set the foundation for a number of movies in this storyline. It could be better than Infinity War. But the planning and then the execution is EVERYTHING. Webs and fingers crossed. I could not recommend this omnibus higher.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somehow even Sins Past couldn't ruin this from getting a 5 star. Great new villains, Ezekiel was a great character and his story was really interesting, I love how they allowed Peter and MJ to finally be happy which I know will be ruined at the end of this run. Sins Past isn't as terrible as when I first read it only because the current storyline is alright, but the reason for it existing is the worst and most mean spirited character assassination in comics. Definitely worth a read for any Spidey-Fan

[Graeme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything I want from Spider-Man and some things I wasn’t sure I wanted. JMS has one of the most acclaimed runs with this character and it’s for a good reason. He has an understanding of Peter that from what I’ve read is only matched by a handful of other writers. JMS delivers here a refreshing evolution of the Spider-Man we all know and love and brings forward some ideas that I would really enjoy seeing more of in future stories.

[TheMadReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a first of two for me. My first time being introduced to Michael J Straczynski and my introduction to the world of Spiderman.

I found this Omni to be a very interesting read. I felt super connected to the love story between MJ and Peter..almost a page out of my personal love life. I also admire the love PP has for Aunt May. MJS made it seamless for me to dive into the Spiderman mythos without feeling lost. Now I’m aware that this run is highly regarded, I can’t wait to finish it with volume two of this omnibus set however, recognizing a good writer in the comic space is very rare so I have to pay respects more towards the writer than the actual super hero. I’m aware it’s not always this good.

I can see why folks shit on the stories regarding Loki and “Sin’s past” while, the Loki arc felt out of place in comparison to the other stories, I didn’t mind Sins Past. I’ve read a lot worse.

I give this 4.5/5. Almost perfect. Looking to see how the rest of MJS’s run follows.

[Joe Lackey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Modern take on spider-man that reinvents the Mythos. Really enjoyed getting Peter back to his roots by centering the story on Peter and his life with Mary Jane and Aunt May that didn’t require clones or fake airplane crashes. But it also has the Sins Past Arc.

[Gary Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun story would have gotten 5 stars if not for the final six issues, the Sins Past story, which ended the book on a rough note. It just goes to show you that talented creators can still turn our real garbage from time to time. Otherwise, this is a very entertaining read.

[Romano · Rating 3 out of 5]

incredibly high highs and incredibly low lows. didn’t even bother (re)reading sins past. i miss jms on spider-man for the dynamics, heart and street level stories. all that magic spider totem bs is so ass

[Terrance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've started getting back into comics / graphic novels in the past year. It's been years since I've been collecting comics on a regular basis. Going to the local comics shop every Wednesday was a comfort to me, picking up the pile of comics I had pre-ordered, waiting to delve into worlds of heroism, fantasy, and at its very core, humanity. Some of the comics I've read have been the origins of my favorite heroes, some have been collections of what I read as a teenager, but some are what I missed out on when I stopped collecting. This is by far one of the best collections I have read thus far. Straczynski is a mastery storyteller. There were times he brought me to tears with the pathos of the real sacrifices of a hero. This is what always appealed to me about Spider-Man. He's a "real" human being with relatable problems. He's not invulnerable. He's not wealthy. He's not privileged. He is, however, heroic in every sense of the word. Can't wait to finish the Straczynski storylines in the second omnibus.

[Rami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arguably the greatest Spider-Man run of all time.

‘Nuff said

[Realdopecomics · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know this run gets a lot of hate for Sins Past and One More day but it’s still amazing. Dare I say the best Spider-Man run ever.

[Spencer Wooten]

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...#

[Joshua]

Has “remember THIS? Well it turns out THAT” storytelling ever really REALLY worked out? So, when THIS isn’t being THAT it’s pretty fun!

I liked this Mr. Spider-Man guy.

[B3RG1S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Первая часть лучшего рана. После Mackie, как глоток свежего воздуха