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Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man #4
Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 4
The epic continues as Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, and John Romita continue their historic run on the Amazing Spider-Man As Spider-Man struggles to stop the crime spree of the Master Planner (secretly Dr. Octopus) and his men, he ends up buried under a collapsed water tower See Spidey use his strength as never before to get free Peter Parker tries balancing his new life at college and his Aunt May's ailing health Ned Leeds wants to marry Betty Brant, but she's still got feelings for her old flame, Peter, who's too preoccupied to even notice his beautiful new classmate Gwen Stacy Spidey tangles with old foes like Kraven the Hunter and the Molten Man, and new ones like the Looter, a Guy Named Joe, and Mendel Stromm And when the Green Goblin attacks, he learns Spider-Man is Peter Parker, then reveals himself as Norman Osborn, father of Peter's classmate, Harry Collects Amazing Spider-Man #31-40, plus Amazing Spider-Man #31 pencils.
209 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1966
66 people are currently reading
331 people want to read
About the author
Stan Lee
7,565 books2,335 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 - 30 of 49 reviews
April 8, 2021
A whole lot of not-really-much-happening except for the last 2 issues but this volume introduces future major characters such as Gwen Stacy, Harry and Norman Osborn (the latter as himself) so that spices up Aunt May ailments and the return of the Molten Man a bit.
And... John Romita Sr. draws the aforementioned last two issues and that is a real treat. The man who’ll give Spidey his definitive look to generations of readers finally holds the reins. Hip hip hurray!
Cuz yeah, I’ve never liked Steve Ditko’s style much. He probably is the most overrated artist of the Silver Age in my opinion so knowing that Romita’s slick and always reliable pencils are here for a few years is kind of a relief.
And... John Romita Sr. draws the aforementioned last two issues and that is a real treat. The man who’ll give Spidey his definitive look to generations of readers finally holds the reins. Hip hip hurray!
Cuz yeah, I’ve never liked Steve Ditko’s style much. He probably is the most overrated artist of the Silver Age in my opinion so knowing that Romita’s slick and always reliable pencils are here for a few years is kind of a relief.
November 8, 2014
This volume collecting ASM 31 to 40 from 1965-66 includes Peter's enrollment in college, the introduction of Gwen Stacy, Harry Osborn, and Norman Osborn, the opening issues where Pete seems to face his greatest challenge yet, and the final issues containing the revelation of who wears the Green Goblin mask. I still found it hard to get past Stan Lee's cheesy dialogue and Pete's jerky reactions to people who eventually became his friends, but both of these are toned down by the last few issues. It might also be a bit of blasphemy, but I also found the switch in art from Steve Ditko to John Romita in issue 39 a definite improvement.
June 26, 2019
What a great collection! The final issues by Steve Ditko and the first two John Romita Sr issues.
The classic 3-issue storyline with the Master Planner (Doc Ock) and the great showdown with the Green Goblin. All pivotal issues in the Spider-Man legend. My digital library has the next Spider-Man Masterworks. Brings me back to the late sixties. Classic art and fantastic stories.
The classic 3-issue storyline with the Master Planner (Doc Ock) and the great showdown with the Green Goblin. All pivotal issues in the Spider-Man legend. My digital library has the next Spider-Man Masterworks. Brings me back to the late sixties. Classic art and fantastic stories.
July 11, 2019
A lot of good and/or important stuff in this volume. Peter starts college after graduating in Vol. 3 and we meet Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy for the first time. Aunt May is sick (again; they love this plot device) and Peter is super worried, so he's pretty much sleepwalking through his classes and blowing off everything and everyone else. Harry and Gwen meet Flash Thompson before they meet Peter, and Flash's badmouthing Peter couples with Peter's distracted inattention to make Harry and Gwen think that Peter is stuck up and intentionally ignoring them. Harry is a jerk right away and even Gwen comes across as insecure and self-absorbed after giving Peter the barest of chances at first.
Frankly though, Stan Lee writes everyone this way, including Peter, and it's rough finding someone to connect to. I've always heard that part of Peter's charm is how relatable he is, and clearly that's what Lee and Ditko are going for, but I'm irritated with Peter most of the time. As the stories progress, Gwen bounces between attracted to Peter and annoyed by him. He doesn't help his situation the way he treats her.
Speaking of insecure and super annoying, Betty Brant is written out for a while. Ned Leeds proposes to her, but she can't accept without some closure with Peter, which he refuses to give, because he can't bring himself to officially cut her free even though he also won't let anything progress with her. Not that he should. They're a horrible, toxic couple. Betty's exit would be a relief, except that Peter constantly thinks and worries about her. And by the end of the volume, she's already heading back to New York to try to get her job back. The best thing about her leaving is a running gag about how Jonah Jameson can't find a replacement who'll put up with his crap.
One of the classic stories collected here is Spider-Man's being trapped under an enormous pile of rubble as water rises, threatening to drown him before he can secure some life-saving medicine for Aunt May. This is a story that I've always heard was super powerful (and was even modified and included in Spider-Man: Homecoming, but it may have been built up too much for me. I enjoyed the drama of the situation, but didn't feel the punch I expected.
Harry's dad Norman is introduced this volume and immediately revealed to be the Green Goblin in the very next issue. I expected more build-up, probably because of how the story unfolds in the first Raimi Spider-Man movie. It's cool how the Norman and Goblin stories come together, but Norman is as much of a jerk as Harry, so there's no betrayal or emotional impact.
There is some heft though to the development when Norman discovers that Peter is Spider-Man. Spidey actually has to wrestle with the idea of murdering Norman to protect himself and Aunt May. The decision is taken out of his hands when Norman loses his memory, so that kind of sucks, but I love how Peter immediately not only saves Norman's life, but also covers up his connection to Green Goblin so that Norman and Harry can be reunited. And I haven't mentioned an earlier scene in which Peter and Harry cease hostilities long enough to realize that they both have big problems and probably don't actually mean to hurt each other.
There are enough moments like that to keep me invested and make me really like the volume in spite all of my complaining above. The art is great of course and for the first time I noticed the similarities between Ditko's art and Todd McFarlane's. I was late getting into McFarlane back in the day and not familiar with Ditko at the time, but the inspiration is super clear. And by the end of this volume, John Romita has taken over. His is the look I grew up with, so I'm very excited to Volume 5.
Frankly though, Stan Lee writes everyone this way, including Peter, and it's rough finding someone to connect to. I've always heard that part of Peter's charm is how relatable he is, and clearly that's what Lee and Ditko are going for, but I'm irritated with Peter most of the time. As the stories progress, Gwen bounces between attracted to Peter and annoyed by him. He doesn't help his situation the way he treats her.
Speaking of insecure and super annoying, Betty Brant is written out for a while. Ned Leeds proposes to her, but she can't accept without some closure with Peter, which he refuses to give, because he can't bring himself to officially cut her free even though he also won't let anything progress with her. Not that he should. They're a horrible, toxic couple. Betty's exit would be a relief, except that Peter constantly thinks and worries about her. And by the end of the volume, she's already heading back to New York to try to get her job back. The best thing about her leaving is a running gag about how Jonah Jameson can't find a replacement who'll put up with his crap.
One of the classic stories collected here is Spider-Man's being trapped under an enormous pile of rubble as water rises, threatening to drown him before he can secure some life-saving medicine for Aunt May. This is a story that I've always heard was super powerful (and was even modified and included in Spider-Man: Homecoming, but it may have been built up too much for me. I enjoyed the drama of the situation, but didn't feel the punch I expected.
Harry's dad Norman is introduced this volume and immediately revealed to be the Green Goblin in the very next issue. I expected more build-up, probably because of how the story unfolds in the first Raimi Spider-Man movie. It's cool how the Norman and Goblin stories come together, but Norman is as much of a jerk as Harry, so there's no betrayal or emotional impact.
There is some heft though to the development when Norman discovers that Peter is Spider-Man. Spidey actually has to wrestle with the idea of murdering Norman to protect himself and Aunt May. The decision is taken out of his hands when Norman loses his memory, so that kind of sucks, but I love how Peter immediately not only saves Norman's life, but also covers up his connection to Green Goblin so that Norman and Harry can be reunited. And I haven't mentioned an earlier scene in which Peter and Harry cease hostilities long enough to realize that they both have big problems and probably don't actually mean to hurt each other.
There are enough moments like that to keep me invested and make me really like the volume in spite all of my complaining above. The art is great of course and for the first time I noticed the similarities between Ditko's art and Todd McFarlane's. I was late getting into McFarlane back in the day and not familiar with Ditko at the time, but the inspiration is super clear. And by the end of this volume, John Romita has taken over. His is the look I grew up with, so I'm very excited to Volume 5.
March 11, 2021
In this book Peter Parker actually is kind of a jerk, so wrapped up in his dual identity that he can't pay attention to or connect with other people. Towards the end of this book, and from the bits I've read of the 40 or so issues that come after this, he gets progressively more sympathetic as he tries harder to be a good guy as well as a hero, but tends to fail anyway. It's also funny to see how this book introduces for the first time Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy, although it takes a long time for Peter to finally not be so oblivious to the outside world that he can get to know them.
The middle of the book has a bunch of forgettable one-issue stories, as Lee and Ditko keep creating a whole bunch of new villains and throwing them at the wall to see which of them stick and can become recurring characters. The best stories, not surprisingly, are the ones with villains that did work, the opening 3 issues that include Doctor Octopus, and the final two with the Green Goblin. Both stories have some genuinely powerful moments and plotting that hold up even against modern stories.
Overall it's a fun read and a good bit of Spidey history, but your enjoyment does depend on whether you are interested in the history, as it doesn't have the craft of later books.
The middle of the book has a bunch of forgettable one-issue stories, as Lee and Ditko keep creating a whole bunch of new villains and throwing them at the wall to see which of them stick and can become recurring characters. The best stories, not surprisingly, are the ones with villains that did work, the opening 3 issues that include Doctor Octopus, and the final two with the Green Goblin. Both stories have some genuinely powerful moments and plotting that hold up even against modern stories.
Overall it's a fun read and a good bit of Spidey history, but your enjoyment does depend on whether you are interested in the history, as it doesn't have the craft of later books.
March 17, 2020
The book is starting to take off now, but it's too bad Ditko left when he did. He's so good at drawing action. His art feels more dynamic than most.
September 1, 2021
3 Stars for Ditko's artwork, other than that it's pretty much repetitive and a chore to read.
April 25, 2022
Classic Spidey!
The issues in this collection show how Ditko evolved as an artist as it shows tighter lines, better anatomy, and a heightened sense of drama and action.
The issues in this collection show how Ditko evolved as an artist as it shows tighter lines, better anatomy, and a heightened sense of drama and action.
May 15, 2021
Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Volume 4, is the best yet since the original volume. Spiderman grows a lot in this comic, PeterParker is no longer a high schooler but a college Freshmen. In this volume Peter meets his future best friend Harry Osborn, and his controlling dad Norman Osborn. Peter meets a woman that could rival Mary Jane in blonde vixen, Gwen Stacy. Peter and the readers almost see Mary Jane but she remains blocked. Peter and Betty Brandt finally call it quits when they have a blow out, that ends in Betty leaving Peter and the Daily Bugle. Peter is unmasked by his biggest rival the Green Goblin, which unmask himself when he has him captured. Doctor Octopus, Kraven the Hunter, The Green Goblin and Molten Man, who is actually becoming one of my favorite of the B list bad guys, all come back in these issues to terrorize Spiderman. The only new villain is a robot creator, who is kind of lame. Kurt Conners returns not as the Lizard but as a reformed scientist that owes Spiderman a favor for discovering the antidote that cured him. The stories are mostly connected taking 3 and 2 issues to complete the arc. This was good fun, web slinging action, with a lot of heart and some heartbreak.
The Plots: Aunt May is sick and in the hospital on Peter's first day of college. He's not really there and most believe his stuck up because he won the science grant and is ignoring everyone. Aunt May is sick with a radioactive isotope is May's blood. Peter blames himself as he donated blood to save her life a little while ago, now his radioactive blood is killing her. He searches for KurtConners who owes him a favor, he agrees to help Spiderman, and orders a rare chemical that is needed, but another bad guy needs it for a power source. The bad guy steals the chemical, they fight, Spiderman is pinned with the chemical just out of hands reach, as the ocean water seeps in (the picture on the cover is that moment). he must take everything he has to save himself and Aunt May. Kaven is determined to beat Spiderman once and for all. The Green Goblin comes up with a plan to take away Spiderman's Spider Sense so he can watch him unaware, which he does and knows his secret identity.
What I Liked: I loved when Peter Parker is captured by the Green Goblin, he tries to use his web slingers that aren't there because he is Peter Parker. I liked the Peter Betty drama and how hard it is to me Spiderman. The pulling the machine off his body and gathering the internal strength to keep going after his muscles are almost gone from the fatigue, and just using will power. I liked seeing Curt Conners back on the side of good. I liked the Green Goblin reveal and the backstory behind it. Molten Man really surprised Spiderman, and his story was fun. J Jonah Jamison dealing with all the secretaries that quit because of his bad behaviors that Betty could put up with. The long stories were good and add the anticipation, that made them flow over a couple of issues.
What I Disliked: There's only two new villains the Meteor and a jailed robot maker, both were really lame.
Recommendation: This was my favorite volume since the first. I totally recommend you read this awesome volume, that steps up the long form storytelling, ratchets up the emotions, and maintains the excitement. This volume is not as funny as the last couple but makes up is serious more mature storytelling. I rated Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Volume 4 by Stan Lee 5 out of 5 stars.
The Plots: Aunt May is sick and in the hospital on Peter's first day of college. He's not really there and most believe his stuck up because he won the science grant and is ignoring everyone. Aunt May is sick with a radioactive isotope is May's blood. Peter blames himself as he donated blood to save her life a little while ago, now his radioactive blood is killing her. He searches for KurtConners who owes him a favor, he agrees to help Spiderman, and orders a rare chemical that is needed, but another bad guy needs it for a power source. The bad guy steals the chemical, they fight, Spiderman is pinned with the chemical just out of hands reach, as the ocean water seeps in (the picture on the cover is that moment). he must take everything he has to save himself and Aunt May. Kaven is determined to beat Spiderman once and for all. The Green Goblin comes up with a plan to take away Spiderman's Spider Sense so he can watch him unaware, which he does and knows his secret identity.
What I Liked: I loved when Peter Parker is captured by the Green Goblin, he tries to use his web slingers that aren't there because he is Peter Parker. I liked the Peter Betty drama and how hard it is to me Spiderman. The pulling the machine off his body and gathering the internal strength to keep going after his muscles are almost gone from the fatigue, and just using will power. I liked seeing Curt Conners back on the side of good. I liked the Green Goblin reveal and the backstory behind it. Molten Man really surprised Spiderman, and his story was fun. J Jonah Jamison dealing with all the secretaries that quit because of his bad behaviors that Betty could put up with. The long stories were good and add the anticipation, that made them flow over a couple of issues.
What I Disliked: There's only two new villains the Meteor and a jailed robot maker, both were really lame.
Recommendation: This was my favorite volume since the first. I totally recommend you read this awesome volume, that steps up the long form storytelling, ratchets up the emotions, and maintains the excitement. This volume is not as funny as the last couple but makes up is serious more mature storytelling. I rated Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Volume 4 by Stan Lee 5 out of 5 stars.
April 5, 2018
Great stuff. Reading some of these for the first time ever, I'm surprised by 1) how Spidey's villains are, overall, pretty lame. The soap opera is really the big draw to these stories. And 2) how good the soap opera is. Ditko and Romita are, obviously, terrific. (Don Heck, working from Jazzy John's layouts on Annual #3, isn't.) When Ditko's plotting, he does a terrific job weaving story threads through various issues, building subplots and crafting solid multi-part arcs that pull together divergent threads in a completely convincing way. And after he leaves, Stan was apparently taking notes, because he doesn't miss a step.
Reading Amazing Spider-Man in proximity to the Stan n' Jack Fantastic Four issues, I can say that the Fantastic Four was the better comic, and I can see why people consider it the best of the classic Marvel era.
Reading Amazing Spider-Man in proximity to the Stan n' Jack Fantastic Four issues, I can say that the Fantastic Four was the better comic, and I can see why people consider it the best of the classic Marvel era.
June 29, 2018
Creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko stopped speaking around #26, which makes it remarkable they could keep the quality this good. The opening three parter is a classic — Aunt May's dying, the bad guys have stolen the one possible cure and Spider-Man's ready to die rather than fail her. Subsequent stories have some wildly weird robot designs from Ditko, the Looter (one of the earliest examples of a loser criminal written intentionally as a loser), the hard-luck story of "A Guy Named Joe," and Peter getting on the nerves of college student Gwen Stacey (but I'm glad Mary Jane won out — Gwen's not a bad character, but nowhere near as memorable). The last two issues follow Ditko's departure, with John Romita taking over the art for Peter's "final" battle with the Green Goblin.
January 20, 2021
This would have been 5 star read because two of the issues are among the best and most important in the entire series run, but there is definitely some filler here too. I'm looking at you, Molten Man.
December 14, 2023
How you feel about this book will probably depend on what you expect to get out of it. If you aren't interested in history and just want great Spider-Man stories to enjoy, you would probably find this book pretty corny and old-fashioned, and should get some Bendis Ultimate Spider-Man or Dan Slott's Amazing Spider-Man books. However, if you are interested in this as a museum piece of classic world-building or expanding the scope of superhero characterization, it's great.
Compared to modern comics, these issues are absurdly fast paced. Each page has at least six panels, each of which tends to have a lot of text moving the story forward, so that almost every story is done in one issue, compared to the modern tendency to have arcs over 4-6 issues. Also, Stan Lee's writing is a bit dated, but what made him stand out then and does still hold up is how goofy and meta he is. He is constantly breaking the fourth wall and making fun of the silliness of the comic book stories, while at the same time, with remarkable economy, giving empathy to every one of a very wide cast of characters. Some of the writing is still pretty funny even today.
In this book Peter Parker actually is kind of a jerk, so wrapped up in his dual identity that he can't pay attention to or connect with other people. Towards the end of this book, and from the bits I've read of the 40 or so issues that come after this, he gets progressively more sympathetic as he tries harder to be a good guy as well as a hero, but tends to fail anyway. It's also funny to see how this book introduces for the first time Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy, although it takes a long time for Peter to finally not be so oblivious to the outside world that he can get to know them.
The middle of the book has a bunch of forgettable one-issue stories, as Lee and Ditko keep creating a whole bunch of new villains and throwing them at the wall to see which of them stick and can become recurring characters. The best stories, not surprisingly, are the ones with villains that did work, the opening 3 issues that include Doctor Octopus, and the final two with the Green Goblin. Both stories have some genuinely powerful moments and plotting that hold up even against modern stories.
Overall it's a fun read and a good bit of Spidey history, but your enjoyment does depend on whether you are interested in the history, as it doesn't have the craft of later books.
Compared to modern comics, these issues are absurdly fast paced. Each page has at least six panels, each of which tends to have a lot of text moving the story forward, so that almost every story is done in one issue, compared to the modern tendency to have arcs over 4-6 issues. Also, Stan Lee's writing is a bit dated, but what made him stand out then and does still hold up is how goofy and meta he is. He is constantly breaking the fourth wall and making fun of the silliness of the comic book stories, while at the same time, with remarkable economy, giving empathy to every one of a very wide cast of characters. Some of the writing is still pretty funny even today.
In this book Peter Parker actually is kind of a jerk, so wrapped up in his dual identity that he can't pay attention to or connect with other people. Towards the end of this book, and from the bits I've read of the 40 or so issues that come after this, he gets progressively more sympathetic as he tries harder to be a good guy as well as a hero, but tends to fail anyway. It's also funny to see how this book introduces for the first time Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy, although it takes a long time for Peter to finally not be so oblivious to the outside world that he can get to know them.
The middle of the book has a bunch of forgettable one-issue stories, as Lee and Ditko keep creating a whole bunch of new villains and throwing them at the wall to see which of them stick and can become recurring characters. The best stories, not surprisingly, are the ones with villains that did work, the opening 3 issues that include Doctor Octopus, and the final two with the Green Goblin. Both stories have some genuinely powerful moments and plotting that hold up even against modern stories.
Overall it's a fun read and a good bit of Spidey history, but your enjoyment does depend on whether you are interested in the history, as it doesn't have the craft of later books.
January 2, 2022
We get the end of Ditko and the coming of Romita. Ditko's last stories start off with a true classic of "If This Be My Destiny" and while it isn't complex story telling it is compelling and has (for me) one of the most iconic scenes of Spidey using his will and love for his friends and family to over come being crushed by a collapsing structure. For some reason JMS cribbed this scene 30 years later. We have the first appearances of some key characters in Spider-Man's life, and then Ditko's last issues show that even though he was an amazing artist he was a lousy story teller and couldn't come up with cool villains like Stan Lee. The Romita comes in for a couple of issues that finish off the first Green Goblin arc over 20 issues in the making. It is revealed he is Norman Osborn and we get a fitting climax to this. It is actually a high stakes finish.
Overall - this is classic stuff that has to be graded on a bit of a curve. While I still prefer the first issues of Spider-man with his classic foes being developed, these are still solid stories - with the exception of those last Ditko issues. I have to once again point out to anyone who thinks Stan Lee took too much credit - that Ditko and Kirby left to their own devices never developed the memorable characters and villains that Stan Lee HELPED them create (yes, I am including Omac, Kamandi and the New Gods, who only became famous in the hands of other writers). I am not diminishing their contribution but people shouldn't wipe away all of Stan's contributions.
Overall - this is classic stuff that has to be graded on a bit of a curve. While I still prefer the first issues of Spider-man with his classic foes being developed, these are still solid stories - with the exception of those last Ditko issues. I have to once again point out to anyone who thinks Stan Lee took too much credit - that Ditko and Kirby left to their own devices never developed the memorable characters and villains that Stan Lee HELPED them create (yes, I am including Omac, Kamandi and the New Gods, who only became famous in the hands of other writers). I am not diminishing their contribution but people shouldn't wipe away all of Stan's contributions.
December 31, 2018
Two story lines here. One is a bit dull, the other is incredibly interesting. Can you guess which is which?
Spider-man: everything is pretty lame. Spider-man continues to persevere, even against (seemingly) incredible odds. Who cares?
Peter Parker: Goes to college. Meets incredibly important people: Gwen Stacy, Harry and Norman Osborn, MJ and others. His internal struggles with being Spiderman vs. being Peter start to affect both characters. This becomes more interesting as a story (though it may lack in some substance), but Stan, Steve & John are starting to get wise and trickle in some great major story lines.
Spider-man: everything is pretty lame. Spider-man continues to persevere, even against (seemingly) incredible odds. Who cares?
Peter Parker: Goes to college. Meets incredibly important people: Gwen Stacy, Harry and Norman Osborn, MJ and others. His internal struggles with being Spiderman vs. being Peter start to affect both characters. This becomes more interesting as a story (though it may lack in some substance), but Stan, Steve & John are starting to get wise and trickle in some great major story lines.
September 9, 2022
The start and finish were quite good but it rather dragged in the middle where not much happened. None the less much of the future was set up so this is definitely worth a read. I suspect that Ditko was rather burned out and Romita was a spark that was needed. Ditko was more dynamic and had lots of ideas for creating the character. Romita was better at the day to day drawing especially of women where Ditko was pretty bad at faces and such. A bit of Archie sneaking into Spidey and not as much Kirby inspired action.
August 22, 2019
Even though this had some pretty forgetable villians here and there, this also had some of the best Spidey stories so far. Chapter 32/33 are legendary and people talk about these still today and the "finale" with the Green Goblin was fantastic, too. The Gwen Stacy thing drags a little bit and doesn't really go anywhere so far and they're teasing Mary Jane a bit too much for my taste, but overall this is pretty fantastic.
March 20, 2022
A reprint of The Amazing Spider-Man #32 was the first issue I’d ever read. I was instantly hooked. It had it all, including a superhero with a realistic life battles who tries to beat the odds to help his beloved aunt. Other highlights of this collection are Kraven, Green Goblin, and issue #38, which deviated from the norm.
Of course, I have the same complaint as always regarding how women were treated, but it wasn’t quite as bad this time, so at least that’s something.
Of course, I have the same complaint as always regarding how women were treated, but it wasn’t quite as bad this time, so at least that’s something.
February 6, 2025
If This Be My Destiny...! (originally published December 1965 in The Amazing Spider-Man #31)
HUGE issue! The previously foreshadowed Master Planner storyline begins, Peter has his first day at college, and Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn make their first appearances. Lots of Parker Luck™ occurs at school, and it's somewhat unbelievable how oblivious Peter is despite everything that's going on behind the scenes. The gimmick introduced in these moments on campus would unfortunately be run into the dirt, but this is a solid issue that begins an all-time classic trilogy. 4/5
Man on a Rampage! (originally published January 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #32)
The Master Planner is revealed to be Doc Ock, Curt Connors returns (to help Spider-Man!), and an old plot thread involving a Peter/May blood transfusion is revived. Anyone reading the series from the beginning is watching the medium evolve in real time.
Spider-Man releases all his inhibitions and fights like a man possessed all throughout the issue. It's so cool to see his unrestrained brute strength (he rips a staircase out of building with his bare hands!) after issue upon issue that established that he always pulls his punches. It's also powerful to see Doc Ock cut and run because he knows Spidey in this state is simply too much for him, and to see that despite that, the odds are still stacked seemingly insurmountably against the web-slinger. Look-ins at all of the excellent supporting cast show just how high the stakes are, and the story ends on a gigantic cliffhanger. 5/5
The Final Chapter! (originally published February 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #33)
The final issue in a classic trilogy of the Ditko run, and of superhero comics as a whole, is appropriately titled. Spider-Man performs a Herculean feat in the first few pages that will serve as a testament to the amount of power he has when all the chips are down, and his never-ending mission of atonement is fully established.
The many plot threads begun in the previous two issues are all wrapped up nicely, and the final door is slammed shut on the ill-fated romance with Betty Brant. We (along with Peter!) are about to move onto better things—namely Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson. This was the apex of the Ditko era in many ways, as following this issue, the series would decline somewhat before John Romita came in on issue #39 to breath new life into it. 5/5
The Thrill of the Hunt! (originally published March 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #34)
Kraven returns, Betty bounces from the Bugle, and the lengthy saga of back-and-forths (stemming from pure misunderstanding) between Peter and his new classmates (namely Gwen and Harry) continue. This is a decent issue, aside from some out-of-character actions from Spider-Man. 3/5
The Molten Man Regrets...! (originally published April 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #35)
The Molten Man makes his return in an issue that is largely filler, until Peter realizes at the end that Betty has left the Bugle. Spider-Man at one point observes that the Molten Man "must be up to something crooked" or else "he wouldn't need a disguise" and fails to see any irony. 3/5
When Falls the Meteor! (originally published May 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #36)
Peter and Gwen continue their back-and-forth at Empire State University, and Spidey battles a forgettable baddie. 3/5
Once Upon a Time, There Was a Robot...! (originally published June 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #37)
Peter continues to be unpopular on campus, and Norman Osborn is finally introduced. This will begin to set up an upcoming Green Goblin two-parter, although the main villain in this issue is once again forgettable. 3/5
Just a Guy Named Joe! (originally published July 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #38)
Three straight issues with forgettable villains. This was Steve Ditko's last hurrah, and he doesn't quite go out with a bang. Interesting Osborn shenanigans continue to go on in the background, however. 3/5
How Green Was My Goblin! (originally published August 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #39)
John Romita is here, and what a helluva iconic cover to make a debut with! His style is less expressive than Ditko's, but also more smooth and polished. Both are great for their own reasons.
Norman Osborn is finally revealed as the Goblin after he deduces Spider-Man's identity (!), although Norman's unforced reveal doesn't really have a believable reason for happening, beyond him being a corny Silver Age supervillain. He also goes on a monologue at the beginning in which he refers to his glider as a "broomstick" for the first time since his first appearance, where it was, in fact, a crotch rocket. Odd. 4/5
Spidey Saves the Day! (originally published September 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #40)
The second part of a classic two-parter to begin the Romita era. The Goblin gets a full origin story, at long last. Some interesting things (for the era, of course) are done with the narration (the story is told unreliably by Norman himself). The amnesia angle at the end feels a bit too convenient, unfortunately. 4/5
HUGE issue! The previously foreshadowed Master Planner storyline begins, Peter has his first day at college, and Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn make their first appearances. Lots of Parker Luck™ occurs at school, and it's somewhat unbelievable how oblivious Peter is despite everything that's going on behind the scenes. The gimmick introduced in these moments on campus would unfortunately be run into the dirt, but this is a solid issue that begins an all-time classic trilogy. 4/5
Man on a Rampage! (originally published January 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #32)
The Master Planner is revealed to be Doc Ock, Curt Connors returns (to help Spider-Man!), and an old plot thread involving a Peter/May blood transfusion is revived. Anyone reading the series from the beginning is watching the medium evolve in real time.
Spider-Man releases all his inhibitions and fights like a man possessed all throughout the issue. It's so cool to see his unrestrained brute strength (he rips a staircase out of building with his bare hands!) after issue upon issue that established that he always pulls his punches. It's also powerful to see Doc Ock cut and run because he knows Spidey in this state is simply too much for him, and to see that despite that, the odds are still stacked seemingly insurmountably against the web-slinger. Look-ins at all of the excellent supporting cast show just how high the stakes are, and the story ends on a gigantic cliffhanger. 5/5
The Final Chapter! (originally published February 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #33)
The final issue in a classic trilogy of the Ditko run, and of superhero comics as a whole, is appropriately titled. Spider-Man performs a Herculean feat in the first few pages that will serve as a testament to the amount of power he has when all the chips are down, and his never-ending mission of atonement is fully established.
The many plot threads begun in the previous two issues are all wrapped up nicely, and the final door is slammed shut on the ill-fated romance with Betty Brant. We (along with Peter!) are about to move onto better things—namely Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson. This was the apex of the Ditko era in many ways, as following this issue, the series would decline somewhat before John Romita came in on issue #39 to breath new life into it. 5/5
The Thrill of the Hunt! (originally published March 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #34)
Kraven returns, Betty bounces from the Bugle, and the lengthy saga of back-and-forths (stemming from pure misunderstanding) between Peter and his new classmates (namely Gwen and Harry) continue. This is a decent issue, aside from some out-of-character actions from Spider-Man. 3/5
The Molten Man Regrets...! (originally published April 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #35)
The Molten Man makes his return in an issue that is largely filler, until Peter realizes at the end that Betty has left the Bugle. Spider-Man at one point observes that the Molten Man "must be up to something crooked" or else "he wouldn't need a disguise" and fails to see any irony. 3/5
When Falls the Meteor! (originally published May 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #36)
Peter and Gwen continue their back-and-forth at Empire State University, and Spidey battles a forgettable baddie. 3/5
Once Upon a Time, There Was a Robot...! (originally published June 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #37)
Peter continues to be unpopular on campus, and Norman Osborn is finally introduced. This will begin to set up an upcoming Green Goblin two-parter, although the main villain in this issue is once again forgettable. 3/5
Just a Guy Named Joe! (originally published July 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #38)
Three straight issues with forgettable villains. This was Steve Ditko's last hurrah, and he doesn't quite go out with a bang. Interesting Osborn shenanigans continue to go on in the background, however. 3/5
How Green Was My Goblin! (originally published August 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #39)
John Romita is here, and what a helluva iconic cover to make a debut with! His style is less expressive than Ditko's, but also more smooth and polished. Both are great for their own reasons.
Norman Osborn is finally revealed as the Goblin after he deduces Spider-Man's identity (!), although Norman's unforced reveal doesn't really have a believable reason for happening, beyond him being a corny Silver Age supervillain. He also goes on a monologue at the beginning in which he refers to his glider as a "broomstick" for the first time since his first appearance, where it was, in fact, a crotch rocket. Odd. 4/5
Spidey Saves the Day! (originally published September 1966 in The Amazing Spider-Man #40)
The second part of a classic two-parter to begin the Romita era. The Goblin gets a full origin story, at long last. Some interesting things (for the era, of course) are done with the narration (the story is told unreliably by Norman himself). The amnesia angle at the end feels a bit too convenient, unfortunately. 4/5
December 28, 2017
The Green Goblin is Born
This Masterworks, with #31-40 is a great spot to start or pick back up for any Spidey fan. Featuring the start and end (first of many) of the Green Goblin - one of my personal favorite villains - as well as growth in the storytelling and art. Great series of issues!
This Masterworks, with #31-40 is a great spot to start or pick back up for any Spidey fan. Featuring the start and end (first of many) of the Green Goblin - one of my personal favorite villains - as well as growth in the storytelling and art. Great series of issues!
November 5, 2017
I can't quite rate this as high as the volumes before, for two reasons....first of all, there are some lesser lights among the antagonists in this volume. Second, we lose Steve Ditko as penciller. To be clear, I think John Romita is an incredibly talented artist. But his Spider-Man comic is too glamorous and the people are too beautiful for a Spider-Man book. It just doesn't work for me.
March 24, 2019
Tackling a bit of nostalgia in reading the Marvel Masterworks series and especially enjoying the volumes from The Amazing Spider-Man which predate my childhood reading of the series by about a decade. Bittersweet to realize that co-creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko both passed in 2018. This volume covers issues #31-40 and concludes Ditko's run on the series.
July 11, 2020
Spider-Man continues to mature in this volume, with the introduction of important characters on the series such as Gwen Stacy or the Osborns and the beginning of Peter Parker's college years. Spidey's encounters with villains (Kraven, Octopus and the awesome Green Goblin) become more and more memorable.
May 24, 2023
Estuvo interesante.
Llega un momento en que los comics pueden ponerse repetitivos, más si son así viejitos, pero el cambio de escenario con Peter empezando la universidad, la suma de nuevos personajes como Gwen y Harry y la pelea al final con the Green Goblin, hicieron que la lectura se haga bastante ligera.
Eso si, el drama romántico con Betty Brant ya cansa un poco.
Llega un momento en que los comics pueden ponerse repetitivos, más si son así viejitos, pero el cambio de escenario con Peter empezando la universidad, la suma de nuevos personajes como Gwen y Harry y la pelea al final con the Green Goblin, hicieron que la lectura se haga bastante ligera.
Eso si, el drama romántico con Betty Brant ya cansa un poco.
December 26, 2017
The stories are very good. But I never liked Dirk is art. If you want to call it that. I was glad when Romita came on in issue #39. It's funny later on in the series Flash said he never bullied Peter. He needs to read early Spidey stories. Just calling him puny is very offensive and bullish.
November 14, 2018
/ after hearing the tragic news about Stan Lee, I reread some of my favorite Spider-Man issues.
<3 <3
<3 <3
November 12, 2019
Helluva lot of fun with intros to the majority of the major recurring characters over the years. Definitely a great entry point for a new reader.
August 20, 2020
Brilliant.
All of Stan Lee's work will stand the test of time. It is perfect. Like The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Walt Disney, and Thunderbirds it is simply perfect. Marvel is magical.
All of Stan Lee's work will stand the test of time. It is perfect. Like The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Walt Disney, and Thunderbirds it is simply perfect. Marvel is magical.
March 11, 2021
Relive one's youth
March 14, 2022
Issues 33 and 39 are solidly good and compelling. Everything else is on par with all the other issues up to this point.
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