The Amazing Spider-Man #1 Review

The official jump from Amazing Fantasy to The Amazing Spider-Man!

Crossovers like this are common nowadays, but back in 1963, this cover alone probably made quite a few people’s heads explode.

By Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Published by Marvel Comics. All images fair use.

The beginning, middle, and ending of a story all present different challenges for creators (a generalization, to be sure, but hear me out). The middle is the chunkiest, the part completely dependent on reader investment because of how much happens and how much changes. The ending shouldn’t make or break a story, but it often can, as good stories set high expectations. And the beginning? Well, the beginning has to hook readers in, has to signal in some way that the story will be one worth following in the first place.

The first issue of The Amazing Spider-Man largely succeeds in that respect. As with any comic book from this era, there’s some cheesiness you either accept or you don’t — I personally love it, though I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea — but what I really want to look at is the story that Stan Lee and Steve Ditko are telling.

Either way, The Amazing Spider-Man #1 starts with a recap of Amazing Fantasy #15 for readers who, back in 1963, may not have peeped Spidey’s 1962 debut. (I’m no comic book historian, but I imagine getting your hands on a copy of an out-of-print publication that released nearly a year before…