Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Does whatever a spider can, 11 Nov 2002
Hmmm, essential? Perhaps not, but in the recent light of spider-man mania that's been sweeping the workd after the superb film, it seems that this little compilation has suddenly become a lot closer to living up to it's claims of being invaluable.
Basically this is a compilation of 20 issues of the 60's comics 'The Amazing Spider-man', where this whole thing began. The compilation also contains the Spider-man annual #1, and rather to my delight the comic 'Amazing Fantasy' #15 whixcxh is where spidey made his first appearance before moving onto his own comic.
This compilation contains some great adventures with the web-slinging hero and being early contains the origins of some of the greatest spider-man villains of all time including The Vulture, Chameleon, Doctor Octopus, Mysterio, Green Goblin, Kraven the Hunter, and many more, but perhaps most importantly, the origin of the world's favourite super-hero himself.
There are a couple of let-downs. Firstly the whole thing is in black and white, which takes away some of the comic feel of it (is that actually a good thing for older readers?), and secondly, the dialogue is really showing it's age, but in it's own way is rather charming and serves as a reminder of the era in which spider-man was born (particular favourite lines include spidey calling the Chameleon a 'commie', classic!), and is quite nostalgic if you remember that far back (alas i'm a child of the 80's and boy did i miss out)
So whether you're a new fan who wants to see where it all began and to tide yourself over with some web-slinging action before the next movie, whether you're a fan from the 60's who's feeling nostalgic, or whether you're just looking for some of the most fun graphic adventures around, this is the place to come.
It may not be essential but they're certainly worth a look for new and old fans alike.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Once upon a time a radioactive spider bit poor Peter Parker, 16 Nov 2002
By A Customer
I am sure I am not alone in going back and re-reading "The Amazing Spider-Man" from the beginning as a way of both preparing for the blockbuster movie version and critiquing its fidelity to the original comic books. When he first appeared in "Amazing Fantasy" #15 the promise was that we would find the character to be "just a bit...different." Although there were similarities to those who had come before (e.g., the motivation of a loved one's death just like Batman, the use of radioactivity to provide superpowers), it was ultimately the difference that made Spider-Man so popular. However, the key element of that difference did not not emerge until issue #1 of "The Amazing Spider-Man," when J. Jonah Jameson begins his public crusade against the Spider-Man menace Ultimately, what made Spider-Man "different" was that he was considered to be a menace rather than a hero by the public, and usually neither Peter Parker nor his web-slinger alter-ego had any luck other than bad. Here was the comic book superhero as underdog. What is amazing as you re-read these stories is how well these comics stand up (with the glaring exception of "Spider-Man" #1 where they drop a net to try and capture John Jameson's errant space capsule and Spidey catches a ride from a jet fighter using his webbing). I was never a big admirer of Steve Ditko's artwork, especially the stuff he did after he left Marvel, but in going over these early Spider-Man comics I am very impressed with his compositional skills. Maybe it is because these are in black & white rather than in color that this strength of Ditko's
artwork really emerges, but Ditko deserves a lot more credit than I had given him the first time around. There is also a "Spider-Man" tackles the Human Torch story that is drawn by Jack Kirby and inked by Ditko, which only goes to affirm the choice of the latter to draw Spidey (Kirby does bulk him up too much). As for Stan Lee's writing, well, I do not remember if he actually wrote "Millie the Model," but the soap opera elements of "Spider-Man" are superb as we go back to the ancient days of Liz Allen and Betty Bryant, well before the time of Gwen Stacy, and when Mary Jane Watson (sometimes "Watkins") was just the niece of Aunt May's best friend. Then there are the subtle twists on Superman, where the "Daily Bugle" is out to get Spider-Man and Spidey's biggest fan "Flash" Thompson is always picking on puny Peter Parker (cf. "Daily Planet" and Jimmy Olson), as Lee continued to play with the superhero genre. Finally, there is Aunt May, the beloved little old lady who was arguably the more unique and important supporting character Lee ever created at Marvel. No other superhero ever had a white-haired aunt who could never know the truth, who was terrified by the mere thought of Spider-Man, and who showed almost as much gumption during all those stays in the hospital on death's door as she did heart every day of her life. She was always Peter's best girl until the day she died. In Volume 1 we have Spider-Man's first encounters with the Chameleon, the Vulture, Doctor Octopus, the Sandman, the Lizard, Electro, Mysterio, Ka-Zar the Hunter, the Scorpion, and, of course, the Green Goblin. Part of the fun in reading these stories is knowing what lies ahead for Spidey and some of these characters (the Green Golbin and Ka-Zar clearly heading that list). The lesson, as we all know, is that with great power comes great responsibility and once you start here you have to keep going because as good as this collection is I think you will find that the Volumes 2 and 3 of "The Essential Spider-Man," where Ditko is replace by John Romita (Sr.), represent the pinnacle of the series. However, you definitely have to begin at the beginning.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
How it all began - a true classic !, 9 Sep 2002
In light of the recent release of the highly acclaimed Spider-Man movie, there is no better time to go back and re-read the original Stan Lee & Steve Ditko classics. Volume 1 of five published as of this writing is an exceptional book and a must-read for any comics fan. It begins with the reprint of the origin story published in the last issue of Amazing Fantasy, then carries on from The Amazing Spider-Man #1 through #20. In these stories, we meet the cast of characters that make the Spider-Man legend what it is. Realistically written supporting characters that give Spider-Man's private life as Peter Parker as much interest, validity and drama as his exploits as the masked webslinger. Stan Lee's writing is tight, and Ditko's artwork is meticulous and vibrant in each and every panel. Okay, so the strips are reproduced here in black and white, but it doesn't really matter. It draws the eye (no pun intended) to the exquisite detail in Ditko's work. In this book, you'll see the debuts of Electro, Mysterio, Kraven, Dr Octopus, The Vulture and The Green Goblin as well as a host of others. Also included is a reprint of the first annual, pitting Spider-Man against the Sinister Six, which includes a host of cameo appearances from most of the characters in the Marvel stable as it stood then. Add to this the fact that each issue's cover is also included (why can't they draw them like THAT any more ?) plus some features on Spider-man's powers, and you have an inispensible volume that I can't recommend highly enough. Nostalgia rocks !!
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