Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus - Volume 1 (New Printing)

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This is just a fantastic issue. It’s essentially everything a person needs to know about Spider-Man in one marathon bout. Even the blatant ads for the other Marvel comics are fairly well integrated. The card thing is a bit wonky, but honestly, I forgive it. It’s rightly remembered as a great issue, and it’s one of the best Lee & Ditko. The 500th issue was just wonderful. Heartwarming without being sappy and just a good way for Peter to accept the struggles in his life have meaning. Having Romita Sr. pencil the meeting with Uncle Ben ties everything neatly together.

This issue focuses more on Spider-man’s human problems and unconventional hero status, still no supervillains! It continues Peter’s money troubles and complicates them with the addition of J. Jonah Jameson. This has some really amazing shots of Spider-man saving the shuttle. I actually think its weakness might be its brevity. The beginning and end are a little crunched.

SPIDER-MAN: BEN REILLY OMNIBUS VOL. 1 [NEW PRINTING]

The beginning of the Master Planner Saga! It’s also the first Empire State University story, but Gwen and Harry are kind of jerks in their first appearances. This isn’t helped by Flash, and I can’t help but long for the time when they will all be friends. The continuation of the outsider stuff from high school is out of place because college is very different. I think the Master Planner arc starts of well as Peter’s life spins out of control. Vibes (#505). Once again, JMS' best stories come about when he tells little stories, like this one about Peter and MJ's relationship and a small crime case [4/5]. JMS of course has good voices for everyone. His Peter is one of the best and the new characters are pretty good as well. It's been said before he favoured having newer villains take the spotlight and while that's risky, it worked out well. It helps that JMS has the core idea of why they're after Peter tie together with the Spider Totem stoyline, thus making you remember all those moments with them. Ah, the Living Brain. He’s fun kitsch in a really silly story. The Flash Thomson vs. Peter Parker aspect is way more interesting, but the rest is rather meh.

This volume covers the first-ever Spider-Man arc as written by Stan Lee and plotted/illustrated by Steve Ditko. As a lover of history and, of course, comics, it's essential reading. The elephant in the room, Sins Past. I get it, very controversial. But also, the story isn't that bad at all. Like I said, MJ and Peter are very strong in it so that's a huge positive it has over a lot of stories post-OMD. Unlike a certain other retcon (*cough*Kindred*cough*) it tries to actually explain why and how things happened. And truly, I don't see too much wrong with a story of a young woman making a mistake, trying to fix it and losing her life because the other half of the pairing could not accept his fault in anything. Not saying anyone should like it, but Spidey offices have done much-much worse in this year alone. I own a number of these Marvel Omnibus editions now, but this is the one I would grab if there was a fire and I could only take one with me. Sure, most of the material in this volume has been reprinted endlessly elsewhere, but it's never looked this good anywhere else, nor has all the great letter columns and in-house ads of the day been so lovingly restored and included.

STAR WARS LEGENDS: THE REBELLION OMNIBUS VOL. 2

This is a comedy issue with the only sane one being Betty, astonishingly. It seems like J.J.J. forgets about the Scorpion at the slightest provocation. I guess I also really dislike the robot, which will become the first of the Spider Slayer line. Also, this has the famous faceless on-panel appearance of Mary Jane where she looks like a flower is eating her face. Basically, many things bolster this fairly crappy issue. Collected: Hawkeye (2012) 1-22, Hawkeye Annual (2013) 1, Young Avengers Presents (2008) 6 October 2023 I’d argue that the Vulture is Spider-man’s first supervillain. The Chameleon is more of a super-spy. The vulture fight is really fun and creative with the water tower scene being the first example of Spider-Man having to overcome a predicament that his powers might not cover. The end is a little out of nowhere, but the rest is great! Morwen (#503-504). Peter has been interacting with a ridiculous number of supernatural foes under JMS, and I'm not sure it's made any better by Peter saying in the comic that he's been interacting with a ridiculous number of supernatural foes. It makes one wonder if JMS really wanted to write Dr. Strange (or Thor). This is a fine enough story about Peter interacting with Loki, but as with close to half of JMS' run to date, it doesn't feel much like a spider-story [3+/5]. I'm a big Spider-man fan, but had never read many Spider-man stories from before the late 80s. I thought I should at least get a taste of the early days as Stan Lee and Steve Ditko basically invented from scratch the whole world and characters that other people have mined for decades. I chose this particular volume because I knew it contained two stories that are considered classic, the Master Planner Saga (issues 31-33) and the unmasking of the Green Goblin (issues 39-40). It also has the transition from Steve Ditko to John Romita Sr., so I'd get a taste of both iconic artists.

Je zvláštní porovnávat Ditkovu kresbu na začátku a na konci a stejně tak i progres v Parkerově osobním životě, přihlédneme li, že se dost mluví o tom, jak Lee všechny kreslíře tlačil k tomu, aby kreslili víc jako Kirby a speciálně po Ditkovi požadoval, aby trochu polidštil všechny ty nepříjemné lidi v Parkerově okolí, a tak k zásadním změnám začalo docházet dlouho před Ditkovým odchodem. This issue is a memorial of 9/11. Twenty years later, it feels like it's from a different lifetime, and though it's a bit wordy, it's still a moving reminder of what we lost. JMS reacts to the tragedy well, in a way that brings up humanity, rather than tearing it down [5/5].

My fault -- all my fault, If only I had stopped him when I could have! But I didn't -- and now -- Uncle Ben -- is dead..... — Spider-Man Solicit Synopsis Even if you are not a Marvel fan, you will find all of these Spider-Man stories as priceless as I do. This is a collection that is second to none. All the early Spider-Man stories are here. Recommended for all comic book fans and for Marvel and Spider-Man fans this is a MUST OWN! Interlude (#37). The best part of JMS' first story arc was the tiny bit of focus we got on Peter as a person (and now a teacher). That's repeated here, with Peter encountering social problems that he can't punch [5/5]. Peter fights a jigsaw-puzzle Hulk that can't be killed because it's already dead. It's charming that JMS is playing in the science side of the Marvel universe pool, and he lets Peter be a bit of a scientist too. But so much of this arc is a big fight against an unstoppable foe (until it's ready to be defeated in the end), which is pretty much never a good look. Fortunately, the arc also has moral dilemmas and the rebuilding of the Peter/MJ relationship, to give it some depth [3+/5]. With so many classic moments and characters, this Omnibus delivers it all with wonderful reproductions and colour work including the letters and design of the original. A fascinating document and a lovely, if chunky book.

Caution: handling this book while reading it will make your biceps big... And with great power comes great responsability! In this omnibus, the reader is not only introduced to Spider-Man/Peter Parker but a supporting cast including Peter's Aunt May and Uncle Ben (who taught Peter an important lesson with those now iconic words: "With great power, there must also come great responsibility."), Flash Thompson, J. Jonah Jameson, Gwen Stacy, as well as some of Spider-Man's most well-known villains such as the Vulture, Doctor Octopus, Electro, Kraven the Hunter and the Green Goblin. Collecting AMAZING FANTASY #15, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1-38 and ANNUAL #1-2, STRANGE TALES ANNUAL #2, and FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #1.Despite the repetition, this is still a fun storyline. That's in part because scrappy Peter Parker facing an utterly unbeatable foe is interesting. But it's the character subplots that really make the story. It's of course great to see Ezekiel again, but the heart of the story is Mary Jane, who finally comes to a really meaningful meeting of the minds with Peter, something that's been hanging over JMS' run to date. What else was great? Well the art naturally. Steve Ditko's work here is incredible. Ditko didn't go for realism, but rather a unique and inimitable style. Nowhere, before or since (sorry McFarland) was Spidey's unnatural athleticism captured so completely. Simply wonderful. No fights needed, only responsibility. It’s a pure character and consequences issue, and I am here for it.