Web of Spider-Man
| Web of Spider-Man | |
|---|---|
 Cover to Web of Spider-Man #1 (April 1985), featuring Spider-Man in his "black" costume. Art by Charles Vess. |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| Schedule | Monthly |
| Format | Ongoing series |
| Publication date | (vol. 1) April 1985 – Oct. 1995 (vol. 2) Oct. 2009 – Sept. 2010 |
| Number of issues | (vol. 1) 129 (vol. 2) 12 |
| Main character(s) | Spider-Man |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Various |
| Artist(s) | Various |
Web of Spider-Man is the name of two different monthly comic book series starring Spider-Man that have been published by Marvel Comics since 1985, the first volume of which ran for 129 issues between 1985 and 1995, and the second of which ran for 12 issues between 2009 and 2010.
Contents |
[edit] Publication history
[edit] Volume 1
The first volume of Web of Spider-Man published by Marvel Comics for 129 issues between 1985 and 1995. It replaced Marvel Team-Up as the third major Spider-Man title of the time. Its first issue featured the return of Spider-Man's alien black costume, which attempted to rebond with Peter Parker. Peter managed to rid himself of the costume again using church bells and the alien was presumed to have died after that.
For the first several years of its run, and in 1990–1991, Web of Spider-Man had no permanent creative team. As a result, the book's quality was far less consistent than the other two major Spider-Man titles of the time, The Amazing Spider-Man and The Spectacular Spider-Man. From 1984 to 1988, the personnel who contributed to the title included writers Louise Simonson, David Michelinie, Bill Mantlo, James Owsley, Gerry Conway, and Peter David; and pencillers Greg LaRocque, Jim Mooney, Sal Buscema, Marc Silvestri, Mike Zeck, and Mark Bagley.
The most frequent contributor to the book was artist Alex Saviuk, who pencilled over 80 issues of the series between 1988 and 1994. During his run on the title, Saviuk worked with a succession of writers: Gerry Conway (1989–1990), Howard Mackie (1992–1993), and Terry Kavanagh (1993–1995), and was succeeded by Steven Butler in 1994. Butler and writer Todd DeZago were the last creative team on the series before it was cancelled.
In issue #18, on the last page, Peter Parker is pushed in front of an oncoming train. He thinks to himself that this should not have happened, as his spider-sense would have warned him of the danger. Writer David Michelinie has said that he wrote this as the first "teaser" appearance of the character Venom, whom he was planning to introduce at a later date. Venom is an amalgam of reporter Eddie Brock and the alien costume. The costume could nullify Spider-Man's spider-sense, and this was the first clue of a puzzle that Michelinie was planning to weave to introduce Venom. As he stopped writing Web of Spider-Man shortly after this issue, he did not have the chance to tie in the pushing of Peter in front of the train with the appearance of Venom. Later, Michelinie wrote The Amazing Spider-Man, starting with issue #290. He, along with artist Todd McFarlane, did introduce Venom to great fanfare and fan response.
After issue #129 in October 1995, the title was renamed Web of Scarlet Spider and started again at #1. After four issues, the series was cancelled to make way for the new The Sensational Spider-Man title.
[edit] Volume 2
In October 2009, Web of Spider-Man volume 2 debuted as a new anthology title replacing Amazing Spider-Man Family, with the initial story written by J.M. DeMatteis focusing on Kaine. The title also served as the new home for Spider-Girl, who was written by Tom DeFalco and illustrated by Ron Frenz, the character having first appeared on Marvel.com as The Spectacular Spider-Girl. The stories feature characters tied to "The Gauntlet" storyline, such as Electro, the Rhino, the Lizard, and many more from Spider-Man's colorful rogues gallery, each titled "Gauntlet: Origins, ...". The series ended in September 2010 with issue #12.
[edit] Collected editions
Several story arcs have been included in various trade paperbacks.
- Essential Web of Spider-Man Vol. 1 (ISBN 0-7851-5756-5) Collects issues #1-18, Annual #1 and #2
- Essential Web of Spider-Man Vol. 2 (includes Web of Spider-Man#19-32, Annual #3)
- Spider-Man: Birth of Venom (includes Web of Spider-Man #1)
- Secret Wars II Omnibus (includes Web of Spider-Man #6)
- Spider-Man: Kraven's Last Hunt (includes Web of Spider-Man #31-32)
- Spider-Man's Greatest Villains (includes Web of Spider-Man #38)
- Spider-Man: The Cosmic Adventures (includes Web of Spider-Man #59-61)
- Evolutionary War Omnibus (includes Web of Spider-Man Annual #4)
- Acts of Vengeance Crossovers (includes Web of Spider-Man #64-65)
- Atlantis Attacks Omnibus (includes Web of Spider-Man Annual #5)
- Spirits of Venom (includes Web of Spider-Man #95-96)
- Spider-Man: Maximum Carnage (includes Web of Spider-Man #101-103)
- Spider-Man: The Complete Clone Saga Epic Book 1 (Web of Spider-Man #117-119)
- Spider-Man: The Complete Clone Saga Epic Book 2 (Web of Spider-Man #120-122)
- Spider-Man: The Complete Clone Saga Epic Book 3 (Web of Spider-Man #123-124)
- Spider-Man: The Complete Clone Saga Epic Book 4 (Web of Spider-Man #125-127)
- Spider-Man: The Complete Clone Saga Epic Book 5 (Web of Spider-Man #128-129)
- The Amazing Spider-Man: Return of the Black Cat (includes Web of Spider-Man vol. 2, #1)
- The Amazing Spider-Man: The Gauntlet, Vol. 1 - Electro & Sandman (includes Web of Spider-Man vol. 2, #2)
- The Amazing Spider-Man: The Gauntlet, Vol. 2 - Rhino & Mysterio (includes Web of Spider-Man vol. 2, #3-4)
- The Amazing Spider-Man: The Gauntlet, Vol. 3 - Vulture & Morbius (includes Web of Spider-Man vol. 2, #2, 5)
- The Amazing Spider-Man: The Gauntlet, Vol. 5 - The Lizard (includes Web of Spider-Man vol. 2, #6)
- Spider-Man: Grim Hunt (includes Web of Spider-Man vol. 2, #7)
- Spider-Man: The Extremest (Vol. 2 #8-11)
- Spider-Man: New York Stories (Web of Spider-Man #12)
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Web of Spider-Man, volume 1 at the Comic Book DB
- Web of Spider-Man, volume 2 at the Comic Book DB
