Publication history The Amazing Spider-Man

1 publication history

1.1 1960s
1.2 1970s
1.3 1980s
1.4 1990s
1.5 relaunch , 2000s
1.6 2010s , temporary end of publication
1.7 2014 relaunch
1.8 2015 relaunch

publication history

the character created writer-editor stan lee , artist , co-plotter steve ditko, , pair produced 38 issues march 1963 july 1966. ditko left after 38th issue, while lee remained writer until issue 100. since then, many writers , artists have taken on monthly comic through years, chronicling adventures of marvel s identifiable hero.

the amazing spider-man has been character s flagship series first fifty years in publication, , monthly series star spider-man until peter parker, spectacular spider-man in 1976, although 1972 saw debut of marvel team-up, vast majority of issues featuring spider-man along rotating cast of other marvel characters. of major characters , villains of spider-man saga have been introduced in amazing, , few exceptions, key events in character s history have occurred. title published continuously until #441 (nov. 1998) when marvel comics relaunched vol. 2 #1 (jan. 1999), on spider-man s 40th anniversary, new title reverted using numbering of original series, beginning again issue #500 (dec. 2003) , lasting until final issue, #700 (feb. 2013).

1960s

due strong sales on character s first appearance in amazing fantasy #15, spider-man given own ongoing series in march 1963. initial years of series, under lee , ditko, chronicled spider-man s nascent career civilian life hard-luck yet perpetually good-humored teenager peter parker. peter balanced career spider-man job freelance photographer daily bugle under bombastic editor-publisher j. jonah jameson support himself , frail aunt may. @ same time, peter dealt public hostility towards spider-man , antagonism of classmates flash thompson , liz allan @ midtown high school, while embarking on tentative, ill-fated romance jameson s secretary, betty brant.

by focusing on parker s everyday problems, lee , ditko created groundbreakingly flawed, self-doubting superhero, , first major teenaged superhero protagonist , not sidekick. ditko s quirky art provided stark contrast more cleanly dynamic stylings of marvel s prominent artist, jack kirby, , combined humor , pathos of lee s writing lay foundation became enduring mythos.

most of spider-man s key villains , supporting characters introduced during time. issue #1 (march 1963) featured first appearances of j. jonah jameson , astronaut son john jameson, , supervillain chameleon. included hero s first encounter superhero team fantastic four. issue #2 (may 1963) featured first appearance of vulture , beginning of parker s freelance photography career @ newspaper daily bugle.

the lee-ditko era continued usher in significant number of villains , supporting characters, including doctor octopus in #3 (july 1963); sandman , betty brant in #4 (sept. 1963); lizard in #6 (nov. 1963); living brain in (#8, january, 1964); electro in #9 (march 1964); mysterio in #13 (june 1964); green goblin in #14 (july 1964); kraven hunter in #15 (aug. 1964); reporter ned leeds in #18 (nov. 1964); , scorpion in #20 (jan. 1965). molten man introduced in #28 (sept. 1965) featured parker s graduation high school. peter began attending empire state university in #31 (dec. 1965), issue featured first appearances of friends , classmates gwen stacy , harry osborn. harry s father, norman osborn first appeared in #23 (april 1965) member of jameson s country club not named nor revealed harry s father until #37 (june 1966). 1 of celebrated issues of lee-ditko run #33 (feb. 1966), third part of story arc if destiny...! , features dramatic scene of spider-man, through force of , thoughts of family, escaping being pinned heavy machinery. comics historian les daniels noted steve ditko squeezes every ounce of anguish out of spider-man s predicament, complete visions of uncle failed , aunt has sworn save. peter david observed after origin, two-page sequence amazing spider-man #33 perhaps best-loved sequence stan lee/steve ditko era. steve saffel stated full page ditko image amazing spider-man #33 1 of powerful ever appear in series , influenced writers , artists many years come. , matthew k. manning wrote ditko s illustrations first few pages of lee story included become 1 of iconic scenes in spider-man s history. story chosen #15 in 100 greatest marvels of time poll of marvel s readers in 2001. editor robert greenberger wrote in introduction story these first 5 pages modern-day equivalent shakespeare parker s soliloquy sets stage next action. , dramatic pacing , storytelling, ditko delivers 1 of great sequences in comics.

the amazing spider-man #23 (april 1965), featuring nemesis green goblin. cover art co-creator steve ditko.

although credited artist of run, ditko plot stories draw them, leaving lee script dialogue. rift between ditko , lee developed, , 2 men not on speaking terms long before ditko completed last issue, amazing spider-man #38 (july 1966). exact reasons ditko-lee split have never been explained. spider-man successor artist john romita sr., in 2010 deposition, recalled lee , ditko ended not being able work because disagreed on everything, cultural, social, historically, everything, disagreed on characters...

in successor penciler romita sr. s first issue, #39 (aug. 1966), nemesis green goblin discovers spider-man s secret identity , reveals own captive hero. romita s spider-man – more polished , heroic-looking ditko s – became model 2 decades. lee-romita era saw introduction of such characters daily bugle managing editor robbie robertson in #52 (sept. 1967) , nypd captain george stacy, father of parker s girlfriend gwen stacy, in #56 (jan. 1968). important supporting character introduced during romita era mary jane watson, made first full appearance in #42, (nov. 1966), although first appeared in #25 (june 1965) face obscured , had been mentioned since #15 (aug. 1964). peter david wrote in 2010 romita made definitive statement of arrival pulling mary jane out behind oversized potted plant [that blocked readers view of face in issue #25] , placing on panel in instantly become iconic moment. romita has stated in designing mary jane, used ann-margret movie bye bye birdie guide, using coloring, shape of face, red hair , form-fitting short skirts.

lee , romita toned down prevalent sense of antagonism in parker s world improving parker s relationship supporting characters , having stories focused on social , college lives of characters did on spider-man s adventures. stories became more topical, addressing issues such civil rights, racism, prisoners rights, vietnam war, , political elections.

issue #50 (june 1967) introduced highly enduring criminal mastermind kingpin, become major force in superhero series daredevil. other notable first appearances in lee-romita era include rhino in #41 (oct. 1966), shocker in #46 (march 1967), prowler in #78 (nov. 1969), , kingpin s son, richard fisk, in #83 (april 1970).

1970s

several spin-off series debuted in 1970s: marvel team-up in 1972, , spectacular spider-man in 1976. short-lived series titled giant-size spider-man began in july 1974 , ran 6 issues through 1975. spidey super stories, series aimed @ children ages 6–10, ran 57 issues october 1974 through 1982. flagship title s second decade took grim turn story in #89-90 (oct.-nov. 1970) featuring death of captain george stacy. first spider-man story penciled gil kane, alternate drawing duties romita next year-and-a-half , draw several landmark issues.

one such story took place in controversial issues #96-98 (may–july 1971). writer-editor lee defied comics code authority story, in parker s friend harry osborn, hospitalized after over-dosing on pills. lee wrote story upon request u. s. department of health, education, , welfare story dangers of drugs. citing dictum against depicting drug use, in anti-drug context, cca refused put seal on these issues. approval of marvel publisher martin goodman, lee had comics published without seal. comics sold , marvel won praise socially conscious efforts. cca subsequently loosened code permit negative depictions of drugs, among other new freedoms.

6 arms saga of #100-102 (sept.–nov. 1971) introduced morbius, living vampire. second installment first amazing spider-man story not written co-creator lee, roy thomas taking on writing book several months before lee returned write #105-110 (feb.-july 1972). lee, going on become marvel comics publisher, thomas becoming editor-in-chief, turned writing duties on 19-year-old gerry conway, scripted series through 1975. romita penciled conway s first half-dozen issues, introduced gangster hammerhead in #113 (oct. 1972). kane succeeded romita penciler, although romita continue inking kane time.

issues 121-122 (june–july 1973, conway-kane-romita), featured death of gwen stacy @ hands of green goblin in night gwen stacy died in issue #121. demise , goblin s apparent death 1 issue later formed story arc considered defining in history of spider-man. aftermath of story deepened both characterization of mary jane watson , relationship parker.

in 1973, gil kane succeeded ross andru, run lasted issue #125 (october 1973) #185 (october 1978). issue #129 (feb. 1974) introduced punisher, become 1 of marvel comics popular characters. conway-andru era featured first appearances of man-wolf in #124-125 (sept.-oct. 1973); near-marriage of doctor octopus , aunt may in #131 (april 1974); harry osborn stepping father s role green goblin in #135-137 (aug.-oct.1974); , original clone saga , containing introduction of spider-man s clone, in #147-149 (aug.-oct. 1975). archie goodwin , gil kane produced title s 150th issue (nov. 1975) before len wein became writer issue #151. during wein s tenure, harry osborn , liz allen dated , became engaged, j. jonah jameson introduced eventual second wife, marla madison, , aunt may suffered heart attack. wein s last story on amazing five-issue arc in #176-180 (jan.-may 1978) featuring third green goblin (harry osborn’s psychiatrist, bart hamilton). marv wolfman, marvel s editor-in-chief 1975 1976, succeeded wein writer, , in first issue, #182 (july 1978), had parker propose marriage watson refused, in following issue. keith pollard succeeded ross andru artist shortly afterward, , wolfman introduced likable rogue black cat (felicia hardy) in #194 (july 1979). love interest spider-man, black cat go on important supporting character better part of next decade, , remain friend , occasional lover 2010s.

1980s

the amazing spider-man #252 (may 1984): spider-man s black costume debuts. cover art ron frenz , klaus janson.

the amazing spider-man #200 (jan. 1980) featured return , death of burglar killed spider-man s uncle ben. writer marv wolfman , penciler keith pollard both left title mid-year, succeeded dennis o neil, writer known groundbreaking 1970s work @ rival dc comics, , penciler john romita jr.. o neil wrote 2 issues of amazing spider-man annual both drawn frank miller. 1980 annual featured team-up doctor strange while 1981 annual showcased meeting punisher. roger stern, had written 20 issues of sister title spectacular spider-man, took on amazing issue #224 (january 1982). during 2 years on title, stern augmented backgrounds of long-established spider-man villains, , romita jr. created mysterious supervillain hobgoblin in #238-239 (march–april 1983). fans engaged mystery of hobgoblin s secret identity, continued throughout #244-245 , 249-251 (sept.-oct. 1983 , feb.-april 1984). 1 lasting change reintroduction of mary jane watson more serious, mature woman becomes peter s confidante after reveals knows secret identity. stern wrote kid collects spider-man in amazing spider-man #248 (january 1984), story ranks among popular.

by mid-1984, tom defalco , ron frenz took on scripting , penciling. defalco helped establish parker , watson s mature relationship, laying foundation characters wedding in 1987. notably, in #257 (oct. 1984), watson tells parker knows spider-man, , in #259 (dec. 1984), reveals parker extent of troubled childhood. other notable issues of defalco-frenz era include #252 (may 1984), first appearance of spider-man s black costume, hero wear exclusively next 4 years worth of comics; debut of criminal mastermind rose, in #253 (june 1984); revelation in #258 (nov. 1984) black costume living being, symbiote; , introduction of female mercenary silver sable in #265 (june 1985).

tom defalco , ron frenz both removed amazing spider-man in 1986 editor owsley under acrimonious circumstances. succession of artists including alan kupperberg, john romita jr., , alex saviuk penciled series 1987 1988; owsley wrote book first half of 1987, scripting five-part gang war story (#284-288) defalco plotted. former spectacular spider-man writer peter david scripted #289 (june 1987), revealed ned leeds being hobgoblin although retconned in 1996 roger stern leeds not being original hobgoblin after all.

david michelinie took on writer in next issue, story arc in #290-292 (july-sept. 1987) led marriage of peter parker , mary jane watson in amazing spider-man annual #21. kraven s last hunt storyline writer j.m. dematteis , artists mike zeck , bob mcleod crossed on amazing spider-man #293 , 294. issue #298 (march 1988) first spider-man comic drawn future industry star todd mcfarlane, first regular artist on amazing spider-man since frenz s departure. mcfarlane revolutionized spider-man s look. depiction – large-eyed, wiry, contorted limbs, , messy, knotted, convoluted webbing – influenced way virtually subsequent artists draw character. mcfarlane s other significant contribution spider-man canon design become 1 of spider-man s wildly popular antagonists, supervillain venom. issue #299 (april 1988) featured venom s first appearance (a last-page cameo) before first full appearance in #300 (may 1988). latter issue featured spider-man reverting original red-and-blue costume.

other notable issues of michelinie-mcfarlane era include #312 (feb. 1989), featuring green goblin vs. hobgoblin; , #315-317 (may–july 1989), return of venom. in july 2012, todd mcfarlane s original cover art amazing spider-man #328 sold bid of $657,250, making expensive american comic book art ever sold @ auction.

1990s

with civilian life married man, spider-man of 1990s different superhero of previous 3 decades. mcfarlane left title in 1990 write , draw new series titled spider-man. successor, erik larsen, penciled book 1990 mid-1991. after issue #350, larsen succeeded mark bagley, had won 1986 marvel tryout contest , assigned number of low-profile penciling jobs followed run on new warriors in 1990. bagley penciled flagship spider-man title 1991 1996.

issues #361-363 (april–june 1992) introduced carnage, second symbiote nemesis spider-man. series 30th-anniversary issue, #365 (aug. 1992), double-sized, hologram-cover issue cliffhanger ending of peter parker s parents, long thought dead, reappearing alive. close 2 years before revealed impostors, killed in #388 (april 1994), scripter michelinie s last issue. 1987–1994 stint gave him second-longest run writer on title, behind stan lee.

issue #375 released gold foil cover. there error affecting issues , missing majority of foil.

with #389, writer j. m. dematteis, spider-man credits included 1987 kraven s last hunt story arc , 1991–1993 run on spectacular spider-man, took on title. october 1994 june 1996, amazing stopped running stories exclusive it, , ran installments of multi-part stories crossed on spider-man books. 1 of few self-contained stories during period in #400 (april 1995), featured death of aunt may — later revealed have been faked (although death still stands in mc2 continuity). clone saga culminated revelation spider-man had appeared in previous 20 years of comics clone of real spider-man. plot twist massively unpopular many readers, , later reversed in revelations story arc crossed on spider-man books in late 1996.

the clone saga tied publishing gap after #406 (oct. 1995), when title temporarily replaced amazing scarlet spider #1-2 (nov.-dec. 1995), featuring ben reilly. series picked again #407 (jan. 1996), tom defalco returning writer. bagley completed 5½-year run september 1996. succession of artists, including ron garney, steve skroce, joe bennett, , rafael kayanan, penciled book until final issue, #441 (nov. 1998), after marvel rebooted title vol. 2, #1 (jan. 1999).

relaunch , 2000s

marvel began amazing spider-man anew vol. 2, #1 (jan. 1999). howard mackie wrote first 29 issues. relaunch included sandman being regressed criminal ways , death of mary jane, reversed. other elements included introduction of new spider-woman (who spun off own short-lived series) , references john byrne s spider-man: chapter one, launched @ same time reboot. mackie s run ended amazing spider-man annual 2001, saw return of mary jane, left parker upon reuniting him.

with #30 (june 2001), j. michael straczynski took on writer , oversaw additional storylines — notably lengthy spider-totem arc, raised issue of whether spider-man s powers magic-based, rather result of radioactive spider s bite. additionally, straczynski resurrected plot point of aunt may discovering nephew spider-man, , returned mary jane, couple reuniting in amazing spider-man #50. straczynski gave spider-man new profession, having parker teach @ former high school.

issue #30 began dual numbering system, original series numbering (#471) returned , placed alongside volume-two number on cover. other longtime, rebooted marvel comics titles, including fantastic four, likewise given dual numbering around time. in october 2000, john romita jr. succeeded john byrne artist. after vol. 2, #58 (nov. 2003), title reverted original numbering #500 (dec. 2003). mike deodato, jr. penciled series mid-2004 until 2006.

that year peter parker revealed spider-man identity on live television in company-crossover storyline civil war , in superhero community split on whether conform federal government s new superhuman registration act. knowledge erased world event of four-part, crossover story arc, 1 more day , written partially j. michael straczynski , illustrated joe quesada, running through amazing spider-man #544-545 (nov.-dec. 2007), friendly neighborhood spider-man #24 (nov. 2007) , sensational spider-man #41 (dec. 2007), final issues of 2 titles. here, demon mephisto makes faustian bargain parker , mary jane, offering save parker s dying aunt may if couple allow marriage have never existed, rewriting portion of pasts. story arc marked end of straczynski s tenure writer.

following this, marvel made amazing spider-man company s sole spider-man title, increasing frequency of publication 3 issues monthly, , inaugurating series sequence of basics story arcs under banner of brand new day . parker exists in changed world , mary jane had never married, , parker has no memory of being married her, domino effect differences in immediate world. notable of these revisions spider-man continuity return of harry osborn, death in spectacular spider-man #200 (may 1993) erased; , reestablishment of spider-man s secret identity, no 1 except mary jane able recall parker spider-man (although reveals secret identity new avengers , fantastic four). alternating regular writers dan slott, bob gale, marc guggenheim, fred van lente, , zeb wells, joined rotation of artists included chris bachalo, phil jimenez, mike mckone, john romita jr. , marcos martín. joe kelly, mark waid , roger stern later joined writing team , barry kitson artist roster. waid s work on series included meeting between spider-man , stephen colbert in amazing spider-man #573 (dec. 2008). issue #583 (march 2009) included back-up story in spider-man meets president barack obama.

2010s , temporary end of publication

mark waid scripted opening of gauntlet storyline in issue #612 (jan. 2010). issue #648 (jan. 2011), series became twice-monthly title dan slott sole writer. 8 additional pages added per issue. publishing format lasted until issue #700, concluded dying wish storyline, in parker , doctor octopus swapped bodies, , latter taking on mantle of spider-man when parker apparently died in doctor octopus body. amazing spider-man ended issue, story continuing in new series superior spider-man. in december 2013, series returned 5 issues, numbered 700.1 through 700.5, first 2 written david morrell , drawn klaus janson.

2014 relaunch

in january 2014, marvel confirmed amazing spider-man relaunched on april 30, 2014, starting issue #1, peter parker spider-man once again. issues #1-6 story arc called lucky alive , taking place after goblin nation , issues #4 , #5 being cross-over original sin storyline. issue #4 introduced silk, new heroine, bitten same spider peter parker. issues #7-8 featured team-up between ms. marvel , spider-man, , had backup stories tied edge of spider-verse. next major plot arc, titled spider-verse , began in issue #9 , ended in #15, features every spider-man across dimensions being hunted morlun, , team-up stop him, peter parker of earth-616 in command of spider-men s alliance. amazing spider-man annual #1 of relaunched series, released in december 2014, featuring stories unrelated spider-verse .

2015 relaunch

following 2015 secret wars event, number of spider-man-related titles either relaunched or created part of all-new, all-different marvel event. among them, amazing spider-man relaunched , focuses on peter parker continuing run parker industries, , becoming successful businessman operating worldwide. tied civil war ii (involving inhuman can predict possible future named ulysses cain), dead no more (where ben reilly (the original scarlet spider) revealed revived , 1 of antagonists instead), , secret empire (during hydra s reign led hydra influenced captain america/steve rogers, , dismissal of parker industries peter parker in order stop otto octavius).