Spider-Man in the Mid-1960s: The Green Goblin is Unmasked As John Romita Debuts!
Marvel Masterworks Amazing Spider-Man No. 4: The End of the Steve Ditko Era!
Marvel Masterworks the Amazing Spider-Man volume 4 contains issues 31-40 of his original series. This 10-issue collection starts out with a magnificent three-part fight against Dr. Octopus and ends with a two-part tale in which the Green Goblin finds out spider-man's secret identity and we finally find out his! In between are some very decent tales, none of which disappoint.
One reason this collection is significant is that it contains the final issues drawn by Steve Ditko, who quit the book after becoming increasingly estranged from writer Stan Lee. Here are some highlights from the volume. ISBN: 0785142800.
The Master Planner Attacks! Peter Parker Starts College!
Amazing Spider-Man No. 31, the Start of a Classic Three-Part Saga!
Amazing Spider-Man No. 31 starts a great multi-part fight against Dr. Octopus (who is known only as the Master Planner in this issue and actually isn't revealed as the bad guy until issue No. 32). Spider-Man doesn't tangle with his enemy directly in this issue, fighting only his underlings. But this comic is important for two events in Spider-Man's private life.
First, as Peter Parker he starts college. This introduces a number of people into the supporting cast that would become very important in this series. Gwen Stacy, who would replace Parker's first girlfriend Betty Brant and become the love of his life, debuts (see accompanying panel). Also introduced is Harry Osborn, who would become Parker's best friend and roommate.
Second, his aunt may falls deathly ill, which sets up Spider-Man's need to find a serum that Dr. Octopus has stolen.
One of the Most Iconic Sequences of the Early Series!
Spider-Man Breaks Free in Amazing Spider-Man No. 33!
This issue begins with five pages of Spider-Man trapped under debris in Dr. Octopus's wrecked underwater headquarters. He needs to escape to bring much-needed serum to the hospital to save Aunt May.
The hero, faced with drowning, puts aside his doubts and despair and slowly resolves to break free. He finally does in a dramatic full-page scene (see accompanying panel). He needs to survive to bring much-needed serum to the hospital to save Aunt May. Needless to say he does, but the way Ditko portrays his struggle really shows the artist's greatness.
Ditko's art is masterful here, with the images growing larger as Spider-Man's confidence grows until finally there is the full-page scene that screams Freedom! Over the years, some critics have said the captions and monologue by writer Stan Lee was too overdone and distracted from the art, but they never bothered me. Check them out for yourself!
The Goblin and Spider-Man Unmasked! Plus the Debut of John Romita!
The John Romita Era Begins in Amazing Spider-Man No. 39!
This issue, the start of a two-part tale, is a classic that would have a large impact on the Spider-Man series for years to come!
The Green Goblin, who has been haunting Spider-Man since issue No. 14, finally discovers the superhero's secret identity, Peter Parker. The villain attacks Spider-Man while the hero is out of costume, walking home to his house one night (see accompanying panel). Spider-Man is defeated and the Goblin brings him back to the villain's secret HQ, where he reveals himself to be Norman Osborn, the father of one of Parker's college classmates!
The other reason this issue is so significant is that it is the first by artist John Romita, who took over after Steve Ditko left. Romita would give Spider-Man a very different look, making the hero bigger and stronger (and handsomer in his private life). In fact, Romita's version became the most-popular image of Spider-Man for years and years to come.
The End of the Green Goblin!
Spider-Man No. 40
This issue recounts the many battles the Green Goblin and Spider-Man have fought and explains the Goblin's origin. The fight scenes are well done, and in the end the Goblin suffers an ''electro-chemical'' charge that leaves him defeated and with amnesia.
Osborn doesn't remember anything about being the Goblin, or who Spider-Man is, so the hero's identity is secret once again. Spider-Man, deciding that perhaps the amnesiac Goblin can lead an honest life now, destroys the costume and allows the Goblin's secret identity, Norman Osborn, to be seen as a victim. The decision would come back to haunt Spider-Man years later.
This is a great example of John Romita art from the issue.
Steve Ditko Vs. Johnny Romita - Who Was the Better Spider-Man Artist?
This is a Steve Ditko panel from Amazing Spider-Man No. 33
Which Spider-Man artist do you prefer?
Marvel Masterworks Books on Amazon - Start Your Collection Today!
A search on Amazon for ``Marvel Masterworks'' returns more than 900 books! The series reprints many of the Marvel Comics originally published starting in the 1960s, as well as some pre-Marvel series from the 1940s and 1950s. The volumes are in full color on high quality paper, making for some fun reading. Check them out!
The Death of Gwen Stacy
Gwen Stacy, introduced in the first issue of this collection, would become Spider-Man's great love over the next few years. She would be murdered in issue No. 121. I remember reading that comic in 1973 as if it were only yesterday. Here are some reflections on it:
Growing Up With Spider-Man: The Day Gwen Stacy Died
Spider-Man's girlfriend, Gwen Stacy, died 40 years ago this summer, marking the end of one era in comic books and introducing a realism into the lives of sup...
X-Men, Spider-Man, Captain America and Thor - Reviews of Marvel Masterworks Volumes
Captain America's 1960s Adventures in Color: A Marvel Comics Review
Marvel Masterworks: Captain America Volume 1 reprints the superhero's adventures in Tales of Suspense No. 59-81 in full color. This was Captain America's fir...
Marvel Masterworks X-Men Comic Book Review: Enter the Phoenix! Plus Wolverine, Storm and Nightcrawler!
This volume reprints Uncanny X-Men No. 101-110 in full color, a collection of 10 comics during a run that really established the new X-Men as a major franchi...
The Mighty Thor Debuts: Highlights of His First Marvel Masterworks Collection
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The Amazing Spider-Man Debuts! A Marvel Masterworks Comic Book Review
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The Avengers Debut! A Comic Book Review of the Marvel Masterworks Collection!
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Spider-Man, Hulk, Captain America and the X-Men - Reviews of Marvel Essential Volumes
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Captain America in the 1960s: A Marvel Comic Book Review
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Spider-Man in the 1970s! A Marvel Comics Book Review
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The Fantastic Four Debuts! A Marvel Essentials Comic Book Review
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Hulk in the 1970s! The Rampaging Hulk Marvel Essential Comic Book Review
Marvel Essential: The Rampaging Hulk 1 is a collection of Hulk stories from his short-lived late 1970s magazine. This volume includes the tales from issues 1...
Marvel Essential Fantastic Four: Galactus, Silver Surfer and the Black Panther Debut!
Marvel Essential Fantastic Four Vol. 3 contains perhaps the most-sustained run of great comic book stories of the 1960s. This collection of Fantastic Four No...
Essential Iron Fist: A Marvel Comic Book Review!
Essential Iron Fist Volume 1 collects the first four years' worth of Marvel comics starring the character, who debuted in 1974 during a martial arts craze. T...
Spider-Man's Earliest Adventures: A Review of Marvel Comics' Essential Spider-Man Vol. 1
Marvel Essential Spider-Man Volume 1 contains the debut story of Marvel Comics' most-popular character, who first appeared 50 years ago in the summer of 1962...
The Avengers in the Late 1960s: A Marvel Comics Review!
Marvel Essential: Avengers Vol. 3 contains issues 47 to 68 of the comic's original series, as well as Avengers Annual No. 2. For the most part this collectio...
Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man: A Review of the 1970s Marvel Comics Series!
Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man first appeared at the end of 1976, and was a comic book aimed at cashing in on the growing popularity of Spider-Man....
Marvel Essential X-Men Comic Book Review: Wolverine, Storm and a Return to Greatness!
Marvel Essential X-Men collects Giant-Size X-Men 1 and X-Men 94-119. Giant-Size X-Men No. 1 introduced the new team of superheroes, reviving the X-Men comic....
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About Goldenrulecomics
We are a father-daughter team who have been posting to Squidoo for more than three years. To find out more about us and what we write about please see this:
Of Comic Books and Family Vacations: Who is GoldenRuleComics?
Who is GoldenRuleComics? Actually, the better question is who ARE GoldenRuleComics! I am the father of a teenage daughter, and we live in New Jersey. I hand...
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