The Very Best of Spider-Man

Amazing Adult Fantasy (1961) #15

by Stan Lee, Roger Stern, Tom DeFalco

Genres: Spider Man, Graphic Novels, Comics

160 pages, Paperback

First published March 12, 1986

About the author

Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber) was an American writer, editor, creator of comic book superheroes, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics.

With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

The problem with calling a collection "The Very Best of" something is that the definition of "best" can be so subjective. What I think is best may not necessarily mesh with what others think or believe.

So I admit I approached this collection of stories featuring my favorite super-hero with a bit of reluctance.

And having read the seven stories assembled here, I can say there are some fine examples of Spider-Man stories. But they're not really what I would classify as the best (or even the most memorable) stories featuring my favorite wall-crawler.

Part of it is that the book starts out with "Amazing Fantasy 15" and the origin of Spider-Man. I'll accept this is a classic and probably should lead off any collection that wants to be a "best of" for Spider-Man. It's once we get into the later issues that just about every single story in this collection refers back to "Amazing Fantasy 15."

I understand that Stan Lee had the attitude that every comic book should be treated as if it was someone's first comic book and I don't mind a bit of flashback or summing up the relevant back story points. But when a collection skips over pivotal stories like Spidey being unmasked by the Green Goblin and the revelation of who is behind the Green Goblin mask in favor of a story bringing back Crusher Hogan, I have to question whether the "best of" status and the editorial process for selected these stories. And don't get me started on the fact that Doc Ock is only referred to in one of the stories in this collection but never seen on the printed page. Instead, we get a Venom story, which maybe at the time it was published was considered a "best of" but I don't see it. Especially compared to various times in the Lee/Ditko era that Spidey took on Doc Ock.

I understand wanting to have a collection give us a taste of various eras, but this collection isn't necessarily a "best of" Spider-Man.

Thankfully, Marvel has since begun publishing collections of the full run of various Spider-Man comics, allowing readers to relive our own favorite eras and to discover again the strengths and weaknesses of them.

[Jason Holtzman · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I recognize there is no concrete "best of list," I can confidently say that this is book is nowhere close. I'm glad to have a printing of "The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man," and some of the other stories are entertaining, but that is about all the positive I can say. In my opinion, the aforementioned issue and ASM 33 and 50 are probably they only stories here that live up to what the paperback promises. As this is a dated publication, I would have to imagine there are now much better collections than this one.

[Cathyl · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not the best of books and didn't last a meaningful impression. There's a combination of stories in there, though afterwards is very questionable.