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With Spider-Man: Brand New Day close to release, there’s going to be plenty of people who want to jump on the comic book train who haven’t ridden it before. If there’s one thing comic book movies are good at, it’s getting non-readers into the source material. There are Spider-Man fans all over the planet who have yet to read the Marvel comics where he originated, and if they’re planning on it before or after seeing Spider-Man: Brand New Day, there are a few that are essential.
Whether classic or modern, there are stories that every single Spider-Man fan should read. These are stories that aren’t just major for the character, but help exemplify exactly why he’s such a special hero, are extremely well-written, and are drawn by some wonderful artists. Safe to say, if someone wants to read Spidey comics, there are a few that cannot be missed.
10
The Wedding: Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21 (1987)
If there’s one thing that Spider-Man comic fans have always vocally appreciated, it’s the relationship between Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson. It’s so beloved that the biggest complaint of modern Spider-Man comics is the absence (and seeming reluctance from editorial) of their relationship. For those who want the young man to be at least a little happy, an absolute must-read is Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21 (1987).
This 21st annual issue of the first volume of the main run depicts the wedding between the two lovers. However, not all is well in the story, as it shows the two of them having some doubts about the wedding just a few days before it goes down, both wondering whether the presence of Spider-Man will get in the way of their marriage. They end up getting married, though, and it’s an all-around happy story.
9
A Brand New Reality Begins: Amazing Spider-Man #546–548 (2008)
Speaking of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the new film is actually titled after an entire era of comics that takes place after Peter Parker goes through a universe reset. When he sells his marriage to Mephisto to save Aunt May from death, he also resets the status quo so that his big identity reveal in the “Civil War” crossover event never happened (sound familiar?)
This storyline brought Spidey back to basics: broke and single. While everyone mourned the relationship of Mary Jane and Pete, this new era of the hero was still incredibly enjoyable, introducing fan-favorite villain, Mr. Negative, and bringing writer Dan Slott, another fan favorite. For those who watch Spider-Man: Brand New Day, want a similar vibe, and a good place to start for a first-time reader, this first story arc in the Brand New Day era is a definitive read.
8
The Alien Costume Saga: Amazing Spider-Man #252–263 (1984–1985), Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #90–100 (1984), and Web of Spider-Man #1 (1984)
It’s a lot of reading, yes, but there are so many important things going on all at once in The Alien Costume Saga. Taking place across three main titles—technically four if one counts Marvel Team-Up (1972)—this saga captures one of the most iconic Spider-Man stories of all time. The Symbiote story has been adapted to the majority of Wall-Crawler adaptations at this point, and it all started here.
While it may be long, The Alien Costume Saga in Marvel Comics is an exemplary read with Peter going through so much throughout. It’s exciting, engrossing, and filled to the brim with drama. Mainly helmed by writers Tom DeFalco (ASM), Roger Stern (ASM), Al Milgrom (TSSM), and Louise Simonson (WOS) (with contributions from various writers across the Marvel Team-Up (1972) series), this is one of the most well-woven long-running Spidey stories of all time.
7
Ultimate Spider-Man (2000–2009)
While the recent comic, Ultimate Spider-Man (2024), is one of Marvel Comics’ largest successes in a while, it’s not the first book to be titled under the “Ultimate” moniker. The original run, Ultimate Spider-Man (2000), is also commonly known as one of the best Spider-Man books of all time. Bringing Peter Parker back to high school, but in the modern day this time, this book is a perfect coming-of-age title.
It doesn’t just bring him back to high school, though, but it integrates the Marvel Universe far deeper into the plot, makes major changes to the original lore, and keeps things profoundly exciting. To this very day, Ultimate Spider-Man (2000) remains a major fan favorite and has all of the aspects of a Web-Slinger story that people are already looking forward to in the new era for the hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
6
Kraven’s Last Hunt: Web of Spider-Man #31–32 (1987), Amazing Spider-Man #293–294 (1987), and Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #131–132 (1987)
Anyone who’s researched the best Spider-Man comic book stories has heard the name “Kraven’s Last Hunt” before. It’s got some of the most iconic imagery in the Web-Slinger’s comics catalog, and is one of the darker stories he’s ever gone through. The plot is packed with drama, featuring longtime villain Kraven the Hunter supposedly “killing Spider-Man” and taking up his costume to cause chaos around town.
“Kraven’s Last Hunt” was universally acclaimed, marking the villain’s finest moment. It also bumped him up to being one of the greatest Spider-Man enemies out there, almost on par with the Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus. While he was always a favorite, it was writer J.M. DeMatteis‘ writing that brought this project to the heights it’s always been known for.
5
The Death of Jean DeWolff: Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #107–110 (1985)
Peter Parker has suffered from some terrible deaths over his many adventures that have defined his character forever. One of which is that of NYPD police captain Jean DeWolff at the hand of the monstrous villain, Sin Eater, aka Stanley Carter, a fellow NYPD member. Peter Parker has been in some pretty dark places before… but only a few match the level he did in “The Death of Jean DeWolff” storyline.
It’s an incredibly rough time for Pete, with him being profoundly close to the police captain throughout their time together. It was even revealed that DeWolff had romantic feelings for the Wall-Crawler, making the death even more heartbreaking. Peter’s crash out in this story is beyond justified, but his eventual refusal to kill Sin Eater proves just how hopeful and heroic of a character he truly is. His morals come through in the end, despite how much pain he found himself in.
4
The Superior Spider-Man (2013–2014)
Dan Slott wrote some great stories during his time as Spider-Man, but one of the best is none other than that of The Superior Spider-Man (2013). When one of the Spidey’s greatest enemies of all time, Doctor Otto Octavius (Doctor Octopus), swaps bodies with the Web-Slinger, killing him in his old body, he doesn’t vow to ruin Peter’s life—no, he decides to become The Superior Spider-Man.
It turns out, Peter’s memories of power and responsibility were left inside of his body, which push Otto to become a “hero,” but in a far more brutal way. This story subverted the typical Spider-Man formula while keeping a running theme of heroism shining through even the worst of times, making it genuinely one of the best Spider-Man stories in the modern age.
3
The Night Gwen Stacy Died: Amazing Spider-Man #121–122 (1973)
Uncle Ben’s death affected Peter Parker forever and will always be the one that impacted him the most. However, the murder of Gwen Stacy—the young hero’s first love—at the hands of his greatest enemy, the Green Goblin, is about as close a second-place spot as one can get. This comic is even considered by many avid readers to mark the end of the Silver Age of comics and usher in the darker, grittier Bronze Age.
This storyline redefined the iconic Marvel superhero for the rest of time. He still references it to this day, and comic writers even have a tendency to bring Gwen back from time to time (but never in actuality). It was such an iconic plot that it even spawned a resurgence in the character via Spider-Gwen in the many Spider-Verse stories across the years. “The Night Gwen Stacy Died” is so incredibly important that one pretty much can’t read Spidey books without reading this one.
2
The J. Michael StraczynskiRun: Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2 #30–545 (2001–2007)
J. Michael Straczynski‘s time on Amazing Spider-Man (2001) is widely considered one of the best eras of Spider-Man of all time. It is the definition (for the most part) of what people want in a Spider-Man story. Peter Parker is a teacher, married to Mary Jane Watson, and he’s matured quite a bit. It evolves the character in profound ways, and remains incredibly memorable.
It also led to one of the most controversial Web-Slinger story arcs ever made. Largely driven by Marvel Comics editorial, the end of this run is what reset the universe before Spidey’s brand new day. Not to mention, the art by John Romita Jr. throughout the majority of the run is legendary and has some of the greatest imagery in the Wall-Crawler’s books.
1
Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962)
It doesn’t get much more essential than the origin story of a character. The beginning of Peter Parker’s story is one of the most notable and recognizable superhero origin stories ever written. It also birthed the one and only quote known by the entire world: “With great power, there must also come great responsibility.”
While pretty much everyone knows the story, every Spidey fan needs to read it at some point. It is an extremely important story that is unforgettable even 64 years after publishing. It genuinely doesn’t get more essential than Amazing Fantasy #15, an issue that would forever change the medium. The most profitable superhero of all time’s journey began right here, making it one of the most impactful comic books ever written.
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Eddie Possehl
Almontather Rassoul
