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| When Peter Parker
was bitten by a radioactive spider, he became much more that the shy, introverted
high school student he had always been! Now possessed of the proportionate
strength, speed, and agility of a spider, he sought to use his newfound
abilities to achieve wealth and fame. But, after his beloved Uncle
Ben was murdered, the grief-stricken youth soon realized that with
great power must also come great responsibility... Now,
Peter wages a one man web-slinging crusade against all evildoers in the
costumed identity of-- |
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the Amazing SPIDER-MAN
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| The
Amazing SPIDER-MAN |
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ESSENTIAL:
Volume One |
| by Stan Lee & Steve Ditko |
black & white
Paperback: 528 pages
Marvel Books
ISBN: 0785109889 |
$14.95
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Re-presenting
over 20 issues in the beginning of the Spider-Man legend-- in an affordable
black-and-white edition, featuring:
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The Origin of Spider-Man from
AMAZING
FANTASY #15,
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THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #'s
1-20,
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THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL
#1
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| The
Amazing SPIDER-MAN |
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ESSENTIAL:
Volume Two
Reprinting The Amazing Spider-Man
#'s 21-43
plus The Amazing Spider-Man
Annual #'s 2 & 3 |
| by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, & John Romita |
black & white
Paperback: 528 pages
Marvel Books
ISBN: 078510299X |
$14.95
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| This volume
issues includes Steve Ditko's last issue of Spider-Man, John Romita Senior's
first issue, and the introductions of Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson! |
| This second
volume holds a wide range of early Spider-Man stories, and shows a transitional
period in the character's history.
The stories range from the
epic "Master Planner" storyline, which builds strongly and contains very
memorable scenes, to ephemeral stories like hat of "The Looter" and "A
Guy Named Joe." Villains from the past return, and this book includes
some essential stories of Spidey's big-name foes, Dr Octopus and the Green
Goblin--including the story of the Goblin's unmasking, which was to be
the straw that broke the camel's back insofar as ending the long collarboration--forever--between
Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.
The book also takes Peter
Parker from his high school days to college, incidentally introducing both
Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson while leaving behind earlier romantic interests
such as Betty Brant and Liz Allen.
During this volume, we see
the period when artist Steve Ditko took over the plotting of stories, which
lent the book a more moralistic air. Towards the end, Ditko leaves and
is replaced by John Romita, making the book more clean-lined and primed
for the explosion into popularity that was to occur.
This volume is a mixed bag,
albeit of good quality material, and shows a comic that had largely outgrown
its original premise but was struggling to find a new one. |
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| The
Amazing SPIDER-MAN |
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ESSENTIAL:
Volume
Three
Reprinting The Amazing Spider-Man
#'s 44-68 |
| by Stan Lee & John Romita & Friends |
black & white
Paperback: 528 pages
Marvel Books
ISBN: 0785106588 |
$14.95
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| It's cheap,
it's more than 20 issues, and most importantly, you'll love it. You'll
speed through this thing faster than you thought possible. The sub-plots,
mainly Peter Parker's relationship with Gwen Stacy, are absolutely invigorating.
You'll read every last page of this, no kidding. John Romita, Sr.'s gorgeous
art doesn't hurt, either. |
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| The
Amazing SPIDER-MAN |
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ESSENTIAL:
Volume Four
Reprinting The Amazing Spider-Man
#'s 69-89
plus The Amazing Spider-Man
Annual #'s 4 & 5 |
| by Stan Lee, John Romita, Sr., & Gil
Kane |
black & white
Paperback: 528 pages
Marvel Books
ISBN: 0785107606 |
$14.95
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| The Classic
Spider-Man!
Finally, a new volume of
Essential Spidey! The fans have spoken and Marvel has responded, releasing
its unprecedented fourth volume of stories featuring the friendly neighborhood
Spider-Man! |
| Covering the
classic period of the late 1960s, The Essential Spider-Man Volume 4 collects
some of the finest super hero action and angst-ridden melodrama that made
the web-slinger a household name. Driven by an unflagging sense of responsibility,
yet mistrusted by the populace he intends to protect, Spider-Man is the
prototypical hard-luck hero. When he is not battling gaudy super-villains
like the Lizard, Doctor Octopus and the Kingpin as Spider-Man, Peter Parker
is caring for sick Aunt May or comforting his girlfriend Gwen Stacy, who
is grieving over the death of her father, police Captain George Stacy-a
death Peter feels that as Spider-Man, he should have prevented.
A classic hero, unforgettable
villains and super hero soap opera, all wrapped up in a tidy 500-plus page
package. The long-awaited Essential Spider-Man Volume 4 is bargain at any
price.
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Dimensions (in inches): 0.85 x 9.90 x 6.60
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| The
Amazing SPIDER-MAN |
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Essential:
Volume Five
Reprinting The Amazing Spider-Man
#'s 90-111 |
by Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway,
Gil
Kane,
& John Romita, Sr. et al |
black & white
Paperback: 528 pages
Marvel Books
ISBN: 0785108815 |
$14.95
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| Volume 5 of
the "Essential Spider-Man" covers the end of Stan Lee's run as the writer
on this series. Lee wrote through issue #100, then Roy Thomas penned issues
#101-104, Lee returned for issues #105-110, and then Gerry Conway (the
man who killed off Gwen Stacy) became Spidey's scripter with issue #111.
Spider-Man's artists change many times as well. |
| Volume Five
includes several pivotal moments in Spider-Man's history: the death of
Captain Stacy, the infamous Green Goblin/Harry Osborn drugs trilogy (where
the comic did not receive Comics Code approval) and the 100th issue where
Peter Parker decides to concoct a magic formula to take away his spider
powers and ends up growing two extra sets of arms instead. "Relevancy"
pops up as well as Flash Thompson returns from Vietnam with a story to
tell (leading to a guest-appearance by Doctor Strange).
There is a nice bookend effect
to this volume, which begins and ends with Doctor Octopus. Also included
in these issues are Spider-Man visiting Ka-Zar in the Savage Land, the
first appearance of Morbius the Living Vampire, and the Gibbon, a lost
soul who became a pawn in a deadly battle with Kraven the Hunter.
Dimensions (in inches): 0.85 x 9.98 x 6.55
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