In 1963, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko first created the web-slinging superhero known as Spider-Man. I was born in 1998 and grew up with the Tobey Maguire movies as the basis for my introduction to the character. My Dad and Uncle Chris grew up in the heyday and bustle of superheroes, introducing the beloved characters from their childhoods through trips to the movie theater like an initiation into a fandom they would not consider for themselves. Because unlike my family members, I grew in love with the source material for their cherished shows and movies. This is the story of my introduction into comic book collecting and the first post in a project culminating in the release of the MCU Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31, 2026.
In the spring of 2019, I was a community college student working and living near several comic book shops. One day, I made a new group of friends who loved the MCU and the good fan-kids we were, we started bingeing the movies! One train ride later, I was back in my apartment researching a Marvel publishing initiative called “Fresh Start” to relaunch the Marvel Comics universe and book lines. I started off by picking up a few trade paperbacks from Amazon, such as the 2018 mainline titles like Avengers, Tony Stark: Iron Man, Thor, The Amazing Spider-Man, Immortal Hulk and Black Panther. I settled on collecting The Amazing Spider-Man (2018, Vol. 5 by Nick Spencer) because I have always found the modern incarnation of Peter Parker to be relatable. He is a guy next door, both studious and reflective who cares deeply about the people in his life and approaches the intersection of power and responsibility with an honest heart. Over time, I grew to appreciate the extended Spider-Verse and Peter Parker’s family and friends, and how much his personal relationships impact who he is as both Peter and Spider-Man. He might have superhuman endurance, strength, and grit, but he’s imperfect and relatable, perhaps to a fault.
When the House/Powers of X run started, I hopped on to collecting single issues in the time-honored tradition of many comics enthusiasts before me. Not long after the start of the Hickman X-Men era, life and the pandemic led me away from engaging with the hobby, and I happily gave all my single issues to a friend in college after moving to Texas, hoping to grow the love of comics in other people who perhaps did not have the money to start. While I have recently just started collecting single issues again with the launch of Kelly’s Spider-Man run in The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 7, 2025), I am not yet sure how I will be growing my collection.
At the time, I was not aware of the many story lines yet unexpressed in the cinematic universe and honestly, I am still ignorant to key runs like the “Clone Saga” and “Brand New Day”. I was never one to back down from a challenge, so I will be reading and posting about the different eras of Spider-Man in the lead up to the new movie.
For this blog, I will be tackling the Lee/Ditko run first before continuing with the 1963 flagship run and providing opinions on currently releasing issues. Stay tuned!
