Wednesday, May 25, 2022

Spider-Man No More!

Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection Vol. 3: Spider-Man No MoreAmazing Spider-Man Epic Collection Vol. 3: Spider-Man No More by Stan Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection Volume 3: Spider-Man No More collects Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #39-52 and Annual #3-4, and material from Not Brand Echh #2.

I had a hunger for more Spider-Man after reading the first two Spider-Man masterworks and eventually ordered this. John Romita was on much of the Spider-Man merch I had as a kid so his Spider-Man is iconic to me.

In this volume, Stan Lee and John Romita, among others, send Spidey through the wringer. He battles a cold, a sprained arm, and his love life. Oh, and Rhino, Green Goblin, Shocker, Kraven, the Vulture, and the Kingpin.

I read one of the Rhino issues in a Marvel Tales and the Green Goblin two-parter in a trade eons ago but the rest was new to me. The Spider-Man/Green Goblin tale is iconic, as is the Spider-Man No More moment the collection is named after that was later in one of the Tobey McGuire Spider-Man movies.

Stan Lee's dialogue works well when it works but grates when it doesn't. Jazzy John's slick style reminds me of Russ Manning and Steve Rude at times. His portrayal of Spider-Man is forever tattooed on my brain. He also draws great version of Mary Jane and Gwen Stacye. His villains are top notch as well. That Watson girl is a bad influence on Petey-O.

As much as I love Jazzy John, I think this volume suffers a little by not having Steve Ditko contributing to the plots. I also wonder how Ditko would have portrayed Mary Jane. Other than that, this is an A+ volume of early Spider-Man tales.


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