This year marks the 60th anniversary of one of Marvel’s most popular characters, Spider-Man. But he was almost never created. When Stan Lee first pitched Spider-Man as a character, his publisher didn’t think it would sell. After all, no one wants a teenage superhero with spider powers who isn’t the most popular kid in school, right? But boy, were they wrong.
Part of the reason Spider-Man is still so popular 60 years later is because he’s so relatable as a character. Sure, he has superhero sized problems, but he also has everyday problems, like paying his rent and taking care of his aunt. Peter Parker is much more of an everyday hero than someone like Batman or Superman. Miles Morales put it best in Into the Spider-Verse: “Anyone can wear the mask. You could wear the mask. If you didn’t know that before, I hope you do now.”
With such a long history, where does one even start when it comes to Spider-Man comics? Never fear! If you’re interested in getting into Spider-Man’s comic history, these five comics are a great place to start.
What better place to start than the beginning? This volume collects issues #1-10 of Amazing Spider-Man, giving you Peter Parker’s origin story and introducing you to some important characters.
The Amazing Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Spider-Man gets a reboot in the late 1990s when comic sales were at a low. This is when Dan Slott takes over as a writer, taking Peter Parker in a whole new direction.
After 700 issues, Otto Octavius takes over Peter Parker’s body and starts the Superior Spider-Man run. While it only lasts 32 issues, there are some truly great stories here!
While this isn’t the first volume after Superior Spider-Man, this is probably the most popular storyline to take place after it. After all, we’ve now got two movies confirming the Spider-Verse!
Amazing Spider-man by Nick Spencer Vol. 1: Back to Basics
If you want to know what’s currently going on with Spider-Man, Nick Spencer is just ending his run as Spider-Man’s writer. This is where you’ll want to start if you want to see what he’s been up to!
Interested in reading more Spider-Man? Check out the list below for some of my favorite Spider-Man comics!
