Essential Spider-Man Vol. 3 [Paperback]

Stan Lee (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Marvel Comics (June 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785106588
• ISBN-13: 978-0785106586
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #823,264 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stan Lee is a man who needs no introduction. Nevertheless: Having begun his career with wartime Timely Comics and staying the course throughout the Atlas era, Stan the Man made comic-book history with Fantastic Four #1, harbinger of a bold new perspective in story writing that endures to this day. With some of the industry's greatest artists, he introduced hero after hero in Incredible Hulk, Amazing Spider-Man, X-Men and more -- forming a shared universe for rival publishers to measure themselves against. After an almost literal lifetime of writing and editing, Lee entered new entertainment fields and earned Marvel one opportunity after another. He remains one of Marvel's best-known public representatives.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars John Romita (Sr.) takes does Spidey's classic villains, July 9, 2002

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Essential Spider-Man Vol. 3 (Paperback)

John Romita (Sr.) took over the penciler chores for "The Amazing Spider-Man" with issue #39, the famous issue where the Green Goblin found out Spidey's secret identity. Volume 3 "The Essential Spider-Man" covers issues #44-68 as Romita and writer Stan Lee try to find a way to follow up that most memorable beginning. What you will find within these pages are more of the multiple-issue story lines that proved so successful in the previous year with Spider-Man taking on the Lizard (#44-45), Kraven the Hunter and the new Vulture (#47-49), the Kingpin (#51-52, 59-60), and Doctor Octopus (#53-56), the new and old Vultures (#63-64), and Mysterio (#66-67).

Looking back at these comic books from 1967-69 from the perspective of the 21st century, it becomes clear that there is a major changing of the guard regarding Spider-Man's main villain. Granted, the Green Goblin is always number one on the list, but he has that amnesia problem. But in this third volume we see what is arguable the last of the great Doc Ock stories (the good doctor takes a room with Aunt May and Spidey ends up with amnesia), and the big debut of the Kingpin, who is featured in five of these issues. Eventually the Kingpin would become the most formidable foe of Daredevil, but at this point in his evolution he is New York City's new crime boss. Stan Lee had come up with several wannabe crime lords for the Big Apple over throughout the Sixties but none of them really worked (remember Fearless Fosdick?). With the Kingpin, Lee and Romita strike the mother lode (and I whole heartedly look forward to see Michael Clarke Duncan play the Wilton Fisk in the Daredevil film).

Besides the standard fare of J. Jonah Jameson's pathological hatred of Spider-Man and Aunt May's continual frail health, the new element in the world of Spider-Man is the emergence of Gwen Stacy as Peter Parker's love interest. Of course, we know what happens to Gwen down the road and what ultimately happens with Mary Jane Watson, but that does not detract from all the soap opera fun this time around. I always think of this as sort of the Archie period for Spider-Man, with Peter as Archie, Gwen and Mary Jane as Betty and Veronica, Harry as Jughead and Flash as Reggie. Think about it, people, it is not that farfetched an interpretation. Note: Pay attention to the evolution of how Romita draws Gwen. There is a as big a difference from what you see of the rather severe looking Miss Stacy in issue #44 and mega-babe who feels weak as a kitten in Peter's presence by issue #68. When it came to drawing the ladies in the Marvel Universe, Gene Colan was always my favorite (especially when he did the Black Widow), but Jazzy Johnny Romita (Sr.) was always a close second.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Crisp artwork and compelling stories, November 9, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Essential Spider-Man Vol. 3 (Paperback)

Chronological reprints of Amazing Spider-Man from 1967-1969, when the artwork (by John Romita, Sr.) never looked better and the stories(by Stan Lee) were never more involving -- even the supporting characters and sub-plots are well-rounded and interesting. One minor criticism -- although the reprints seem complete (20 pps), some of the pages are obviously copied from Marvel Tales (a Spider-Man reprint book which printed EDITED stories). Also, the pages would look much better in color -- and some of the cover pages are sloppily reproduced bigger than the page can fit. Still probably the cheapest way to read these great comics.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Enjoyable! Great Stories Like First Time Kingpin., January 5, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Essential Spider-Man Vol. 3 (Paperback)

I have really enjoyed these Essential Spider-Man books! Sure the originals are the best with the exciting colors, etc., but it is fun to read the continuing storylines in one book. My favorite is the introduction of The Kingpin. It is part of a long storyline running two to three individual comics, all set to the backdrop of the turbulent sixties. Mary Jane, for instance, is a "hippy chick!" If you like Spider-Man, you'll certainly enjoy the thought-provoking stories of Peter Parker's struggles that made this a beloved series.