Though he worked long after the original creators of Spider-Man, many fans associate everyone’s favorite web-slinger with the art of Todd McFarlane. McFarlane primarily worked in the 1990s, when he left his critically acclaimed mark on Spider-Man forever. Not only did he co-create some of the most memorable stories with Venom, he changed the most agile comic book characters’ postures, moving their flexible bodies in amazing action poses.
McFarlane’s skill in posing and setting action scenes also kickstarted the reputable McFarlane Toys company. Since its beginning in 1994, McFarlane Toys has featured some of the most famous DC Comics superheroes, Halo’s sci-fi-inspired aliens and soldiers, horror movie monsters, and McFarlane’s very own Spawn comics. Whether it’s artwork from Marvel Comics’ Venom or The Elder Scrolls‘ Alduin dragon figure, McFarlane’s attention to detail on fantastic and horrific creatures has thoroughly widened the horizons of monster designs in comics and toys alike.
Many fans use the word “energetic” when describing McFarlane’s work on Spider-Man. With a new Marvel art book on the horizon, IDW, the book’s publisher, stated: “His intense version of the web-slinging wallcrawler took the character to new heights, instilling in the character a new sense of energy and vitality—first in The Amazing Spider-Man, written by David Michelinie, and then in a spin-off series, with both art and story by McFarlane himself. The impact that his dynamic artwork has had on the comics industry—on his legions of fans and the artists who have been inspired by and have emulated him—is truly immeasurable… This Artist’s Edition will include nearly 100 pages of interior art selected from 24 issues of his consequential The Amazing Spider-Man run, almost 60 pages from his record-setting Spider-Man series, and 25 covers spanning such titles as The Amazing Spider-Man, Spider-Man, Marvel Age, Marvel Tales, and more.”
Todd McFarlane’s imagination helped result in some of Spider-Man’s most iconic moments. Venom’s first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #299 makes a prominent section of McFarlane’s Artist’s Edition, featuring the haunting panels of Mary Jane Watson mistaking Eddie Brock for Peter in his alien costume. When Venom’s mouth emerges, McFarlane establishes the iconography of a new monster, forever remembered by the entire Marvel fandom.
90s Marvel Comics fans have plenty to look forward to in Todd McFarlane’s Spider-Man Artist’s Edition. So many kids grew up with Todd McFarlane’s designs as the definitive Spider-Man style. 90s media, like the fan-favorite Marvel vs. Capcom 2, prominently featured all of Todd McFarlane‘s nuances on the mythos of Spider-Man. Even if a more casual fan is unfamiliar with the web-head, there’s a good chance of recognizing him via McFarlane’s iconic Marvel Comics art.
