As Marvel’s most recognizable hero, Spider-Man has starred in some of the greatest stories in the history of comics. Since 1963, Spider-Man has endured and survived many great obstacles and dealt with too many tragedies. He has found friendship, family, love and even other versions of himself during his adventures. Now it’s time to find out which of his comic adventures are the best.
Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created the character of Spider-Man in the final issue of Amazing Fantasy #15 in 1963. After the issue sold incredibly well, Spider-Man was given his own series, The Amazing Spider-Man, with Lee and Ditko at the helm. After Lee and Ditko left the title, many other legendary writers and artists contributed to Spider-Man’s storylines. Creators such as John Romita Sr., Len Wein, Romita Jr., Brian Michael Bendis were involved in some of the most iconic Spider-Man stories ever created. From epic turning points, tragic losses, and defining character moments, here are the ten best Spider-Man comic storylines.
10 Peter Parker Remembers His First Love
Spider-Man: Blue (2002-2003)
This six-issue miniseries by Jeph Loeb and the late, great Tim Sale focuses on Spider-Man having Valentine’s Day blues over his first girlfriend, Gwen Stacy. A few years after the tragic death of Gwen Stacy, Peter finds himself recording his thoughts and reliving his early memories of his first love. This love story shows the fans how much Gwen was such a guiding light, not only for Peter, but for Harry Osborn and her rival, Mary Jane Watson. Though Gwen lives on as Earth-65’s Spider-Woman in the Spider-Verse, Earth-616 Gwen Stacy’s impact on Spider-Man’s life will never be forgotten.
9 The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man #248 (1984)
A story about how one man can make a difference in a child’s life. This bittersweet story by Roger Stern and Ron Frenz sees Spider-Man visit a terminally ill cancer patient named Timothy. Proving himself to be Spider-Man’s #1 fan, Timothy shows his hero all the Daily Bugle newspaper clippings and TV recordings of Spider-Man that he’s collected since the beginning of Peter’s hero career. Spider-Man then removes his mask and tells Timothy the story of how he became a hero, including his being responsible for Uncle Ben’s death. However, Timothy still sees Peter as a good man and a hero who deserves to be appreciated for all the good he’s done for New York.
8 Kraven’s Last Hunt
Web of Spider-Man #31-32, TheAmazing Spider-Man #293-294, and Spectacular Spider-Man #131 (1987)
Kraven is through playing games with Spider-Man. J. M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck crafted this six-part masterpiece of a despondent Kraven the Hunter deciding he must kill Spider-Man or die trying. After shooting his prey with a tranquilizer rifle, Kraven buries Spider-Man in a grave and takes over as the new Spider-Man, believing he has become the ultimate hunter. This story is famous for the iconic image of Spider-Man rising from his grave to punish Kraven for stealing his life. This gothic and somber tale ends with Kraven taking his own life after realizing he has accomplished his goal of besting Spider-Man.
7 DeMatteis & Buscema’s Mature Run with Spectacular Spider-Man
Spectacular Spider-Man #178-203 (1991-1993)
After finishing Kraven’s Last Hunt, writer J. M. DeMatteis returned to Spider-Man with artist Sal Buscema to create even darker stories. The dynamic duo took the Spectacular Spider-Man series to a whole new level with the introduction of new villains such as Puma and Vermin and the return of Vulture, who is dying from cancer. They focused more on the inner turmoil of Peter Parker and his complicated relationship with Harry Osborn, who returns as the Green Goblin. They also created the iconic Maximum Carnage storyline where Spider-Man and Venom team up for the first time to take down Carnage once and for all.
6 Back in Black
The Amazing Spider-Man #539-543 (2007)
J. Michael Straczynski and Ron Garney bring Spider-Man to the brink of desperation and revenge. In this four-part story arc, following Spider-Man’s public unmasking in 2006’s Civil War, Peter faces the consequences of being famous when Aunt May gets shot by an assassin. With vengeance and blood on his mind, Spider-Man puts on his Black Suit once again and pursues the assassin, who is revealed to be working for the Kingpin. This leads to an infamous fight scene where Peter beats Kingpin to near death and threatens to kill him, which is a stark contrast to the hopeful hero he used to be.
5 A New Spider-Man for a New Millennium
Ultimate Spider-Man (2000-2011; 2024-Present)
After 1998’s Spider-Man: Chapter One failed to relaunch the series, Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley, Stuart Immonen, and David Lafuente had the honor of creating Ultimate Spider-Man.This new continuity reboots the origins of Peter Parker becoming Spider-Man with new modern twists for the classic heroes and villains. The series reinvents Peter and MJ’s relationship, the Sinister Six, symbiotes and even the infamous Clone Saga. This series came to a shocking end with Peter Parker’s death at the hands of the Green Goblin and Miles Morales taking up the mantle of Spider-Man. This series was so beloved that Marvel Comics has created new versions of both Ultimate Peter Parker and the Ultimate Universe to continue his story as a married father of two children with his wife, MJ.
4 The Night Gwen Stacy Died
The Amazing Spider-Man #121–122 (1973)
One of the most shocking and important moments in the history of Spider-Man and all of comics. Gerry Conway and Gil Kane created the story arc that would forever change Spider-Man with the death of Gwen Stacy. In a climatic battle with the Green Goblin, who has learned Spider-Man’s identity, Norman Osborn kidnaps Peter’s innocent girlfriend, Gwen Stacy. In the skirmish, Goblin throws Gwen off a bridge, but Spider-Man uses his webbing to catch her in time. Tragically, Spider-Man’s webbing accidentally snaps Gwen’s neck, killing her instantly. This unexpected death was the unofficial start of the Bronze Age of Comics, a darker and series era for comics.
3 Spider-Man No More
The Amazing Spider-Man #50 (1967)
For the first time ever, Peter Parker quits being Spider-Man. The legendary Stan Lee and John Romita Sr. bring to life a pivotal moment in Peter Parker’s life as the pressure of being a hero gets to be too much for him. Peter comes to the conclusion that no matter how much good he does as Spider-Man, everyone in New York will still hate him. But Peter realizes the city needs Spider-Man more than he thought with the debut of Wilson Fisk/Kingpin in this comic. This storyline reminds fans that Peter being Spider-Man is a responsibility he can’t abandon when so many lives are at stake.
2 The Ultimate Multiverse Event
Spider-Verse (2014-Present)
There is probably no bigger storyline in the history of Spider-Man than the Spider-Verse. Created by Dan Slott, Olivier Coipel, and Giuseppe Camuncoli, Earth-616 Spider-Man must team up with an army of his Spider variants from the multiverse to stop the evil vampire, Morlun, from killing all the Spider-heroes. Not only would this mega crossover event be continued in events such as Edge of the Spider-Verse, but it would continue to establish even more Spider-people who would become major characters in Spider-Man comics. Characters such as Spider-Gwen, Silk, Spider-Man 2099, Miles Morales and many more were brought into the mainstream thanks to this event, with Miles and Gwen being the focus of an animated Spider-Verse film franchise from Sony Pictures.
1 “If This Be My Destiny”
The Amazing Spider-Man #31-33 (1965-1966)
The first-ever interconnected story arc in Spider-Man history is also the most iconic Spider-Man story. Also known as “The Master Planner” storyline, this three-part arc by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko sees Spider-Man chase down the supposed “Master Planner,” who has a serum that can save his dying Aunt May. In a shock reveal, the Master Planner is none other than Doctor Octopus. After an epic fight, Spider-Man is trapped under a giant piece of machinery in Doc Ock’s hideout, which is slowly flooding with water and about to drown him. This leads to arguably the greatest moment in the history of Spider-Man, with the hero lifting himself out of the rubble in order to save Aunt May. With Ben Parker’s words echoing through his mind, Spider-Man reminds himself (and readers) that he will always have the strength to get back up and save his loved ones.
