Great for anyone who wants to start at the beginning of the running. Only downside don't come in color:(

I reread this book in honor of the memories of the late Steve Ditko and Stan Lee who both passed away earlier this year. Spider-Man has always been one of my favorite comic book characters and going through his earliest adventures again was a pleasure. As the issues go by, you can see Ditko grow ever more comfortable doing a superhero book as he and Stan continued to develop the Peter Parker/Spider-Man character as well as the cast. Ditko's designs for the villains are iconic and some of the bes...

It was fun to see how it all started. Yes, the old comics from 1963 seem a bit dated now. Some parts are almost silly. But Spider-man was supposed to be a different, fun, relatable character. And I really think that the team had a lot of fun making it. So many things remained the same since then, so many villains are still the most well-known villains ever, though they have more developed stories now. Does this deserve 4 stars? I don't know. But I cannot give less than that, because from these c...

The very beginning of Spider-Man! Essential Amazing Spider-Man volume 1 collects the very first issue of Spider-Man from Amazing Fantasy #57, Issue 1-20 of The Amazing Spider-Man and the Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1. It was surprisingly to see Spidey and Human Torch had a little love hate feud going on, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko did a wonderful job creating the one of the most popular superheroes in Marvel Universe. We were introduced to some of his most memorable nemesis such as Sand Man, Chamel...

I read around 100 issues of the original Spiderman run, so I'm just going to say I read this collection of it. The continuity and development of the characters is pretty astounding, and I love the variety of dynamic shots/colors contained within the panels. Didn't dig the comments on women's hysteria that popped up now and again, but I found the depth of storytelling pretty good.

I've never really read anything Spider-Man before this compilation aside from part of the 'Maximum Carnage' compilation book. Aside from that, anything I knew about this superhero came from the handful of animated episodes I've seen or from the original trilogy staring Tobey Maguire. That's... really not a lot to go on. There's so much about this series that I did not know. I didn't list it all.J. Jonah Jameson's first appearance was in the comic's debut. He apparently has a son that I've never

What’s amazing about this story is how after 50 years the elements introduced in these first issues are still the ones that are being carried on today. That shows you how powerful and perfect the ideas were. Right from the beginning we have the main cast, from Aunt May to Jolly Jonah himself. Even the villains are classic. There isn’t one villain in here that isn’t still being used today. (A possible exception being the Big Man, but really isn’t Kingpin just the new Big man? Okay, okay, the liv

Writing a review for this as I recently reread it. I’ll probably be rereading and reviewing more Spider-Man comics leading up to the film. Just want to say: Spider-Man is my favourite superhero—probably my favourite fictional character. Okay, let’s move on. It all started here. Stan Lee recalled that his publisher rejected his pitch for Spider-Man, Lee stated: "My publisher said, in his ultimate wisdom, ‘that is the worst idea I have ever heard. First of all, people hate spiders, so you can't c...

I personally love all three of the Spider-Man actor's movies. They made me fall in love with him and the character of Peter Parker, and it lead me further into the MCU filled with many amazing superheroes! So I thought it would be good to go back to the OG source material.I do get that it was written in the 60s and 70s, but I still find them enjoyable to read. I will still continue to read more Spider-Man comics in the future; this was an amazing place to start; can't wait to read more!

You all know the story, Peter Parker bitten by a radioactive spider; wrestling; selfishly letting a bad guy pass; Uncle Ben's fate; so cometh the Spider-Man! But to read and look at the Stan Lee and Steve Dikto collaboration and creativity is amazing indeed. In the space of 22 issues they created the Spider Sense, Aunt May, J Jonah Jameson, John Jameson, Vulture, Doc Octopus, Sandman, Betty Brant, Lizard-Man, Electro, The Enforcers, The Spider Tracer, Mysterio, The Green Goblin, Kraven the Hunte...

4.5 amazing how many mainstream spidey villains were invented in the first 20 issues.

Honestly, like most of its era, the original Spidey comics really don't hold up at all, visually or story-wise. What is here has its moments however, introducing some of one of the best rogues galleries in comics, some solid character moments for Peter, the obvious historical significance. It's worth a read, or at least a skim, if you really want the knowledge, and it's better than most of its time, but it's still not that great anymore.

It's interesting to see the very first Spider-man comics, and the story ideas were interesting, but Stan Lee's writing is just sub par. He ends every sentence with one of four options: ..., !, !!, or !? in an attempt to make everything "exciting and action packed" rather than letting the story develop naturally and culminate in something exciting at the end, and that stops me from being able to enjoy most of his comics.

What can I say? It's Spidey! I will say that I forgot how angsty Spider-Man could get. At the the same time, he's funny, he's cool, and you have to like his attitude. I watched Spider-Man cartoons as a kid and read the comic in the daily paper into my teens. This book is a compilation of some of the earliest issues, including the first appearances of Dr. Octopus and the Green Goblin. Reading it feels like reading history.

What an awesome introduction to the world of Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Even though it was published in the 1960s, it is thoroughly entertaining, engaging and well paced. The pictures are really captivating, and grabbed my attention instantly. Really awesome stuff! Can't wait to read more Spidey stuff.

The one and only comic for a boy. Inimitable

A true classic of the genre, it is easy to see why this was so popular. Lee and Ditko play with audience expectations all the time, subvert the comic book genre as it was in the 60s to make one of the great runs. Of course this has dated, too much text clutters the pages, too much exposition and thinking out loud... But all this is forgivable taking into account the historical context of the comics.

It's Ditko's artwork that really shines in these early stories with nearly every panel offering something fresh and new.There's also a lot of groundwork set down here by Lee and it's impossible to understate the importance of the introduction of a teenage superhero with day to day problems. vilified by society and struggling with his love life. Having read a lot of early Batman stories recently, this really does feel like refreshing stuff. Still, the faults of these early comics are rarely point...

Wanna know how Spidey got his start? Wanna know about his high school life? His lousy luck with girls? This tome has all the stories of The Amazing Spiderman. None of the stories are reprinted in color, and that stinks, but it's still very cool watching how Stan Lee and the Marvel-ous artists who worked on these first issues. I really enjoyed seeing the early rather tame villains, but you meet some of serial super-villains that Your Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman deals with in recurring fashion...

This is easily one of the best collection of comic stories that I have read. Stan Lee created some of the most iconic and enduring characters. Peter Parker has one of the greatest origin stories. And he has one of the best rogues gallery (I can only think of one better: Batman). In this collection you get the first introductions to the Sinister Six (Vulture, Doctor Octopus, Kraven the Hunter, Sandman, Mysterious, Electro), as well as Green Goblin. There are also appearances by the Fantastic Four...