If I said the strict top/bottom assigning habit fandom has upon characters is inherently misogynistic, inexperienced, and contributes to the worst flanderizing fanon they'll call me too woke.
Fandom really just loves taking the concept of being penetrated as an equivalent to being feminized AND submissive, and then extending that to smoothing down the rest of a character's traits to easily slot them into character A and B archetypes
If I said the strict top/bottom assigning habit fandom has upon characters is inherently misogynistic, inexperienced, and contributes to the worst flanderizing fanon they'll call me too woke.
I've seen the occasional post on beginning recs for Spider-Man that either don't go into depth in how to navigate Marvel's messy serialization, or has recs that list out fantastic runs/series that are unfortunately not super beginner friendly.
So I've tried a stab at making a guide. I'll go over: vocabulary, how to dissect a title to find the next right issue, an argument for reading in chronological order, physical versus digital access to comics, pointers if you really want to read a more "modern" Spider-Man, and then my own personal taste section at the end.
Vocabulary:
Singles/Floppies: basically what it says on the can. Serialized individual issues you can purchase or collect at your local comic store. They're floppy, hence the name.
Variants: these refer to variant covers of the same floppy issue. Different art for personal preference, and or collectable reasons. Which is why some are less or more expensive than others.
Trades: short for "trade paperbacks", these are organized collections of singles republished in a larger book.
Omnibus: a much larger (both in HxW size as well as total of issues contained), hardcover, organized collection of singles. They're typically much more expensive than trades, but are also typically more aesthetically designed.
Runs: an over-arching plot between serialized issues usually headed by a consistent writer/artist team. Think "The Death of Gwen Stacy".
Series: serialized single issues under one title.
616: the number that indicates the mainline Marvel Universe, and connects the larger network of superheroes together as existing within the same universe location. 60's Spider-Man/OG Spider-Man/Mainline Spider-Man belongs to 616.
Dissecting series' titles:
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Spectacular Spider-Man
Web of Spider-Man
There are a handful of companion series to 616 Spider-Man, as listed above, that often crossover with linear plot lines, but do not have linear issue numbers. Yes. This is dumb. And confusing. I believe it's because they wanted to separate out 616 universe relevant plot beats (Amazing), character-driven plot beats (Spectacular), and darker plot beats (Web).
But yes, it's still dumb. So sometimes you'll get a run that runs linearly through Spectacular Spider-Man #143-157 and Web of Spider-Man #47-55, but then sometimes you also run into a double set of Spectacular 143s, so which one do you read? Let's break it down.
The Amazing Spider-Man #138 (1973)
First we have the series title, then the number of the issue, and then the date.
The date can come in handy when telling issues apart. I find this especially true when I check out something from the library, since they don't organize by date I double check on my own to make sure.
However, if you're reading online, on lets say... a free website (rip readcomicsonline). Usually they go by the date of the very first issue (1963) and have it in order without doubling up with lets say a 2024 version. So you'd want to type in: The Amazing Spider-Man (1963), click the collection, and then scroll to the issue number you want.
Okay now here comes two more layers of complication to add onto that.
Annuals versus Giant-Size.
Annuals, as the name suggests, are issues that mark a year's worth of publication for that series. Their issue number is marked by the year that passed. So The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (1964) marks the one-year anniversary of The Amazing Spider-Man series, like The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2 (1965) marks the second anniversary and so forth.
However, they do usually continue the ongoing plot of the series. So this is another deceptive change in serial number. Keep your chrono reading list in handy, pay attention to dates/annual number. If you're reading... for free online... you'll usually find the annuals at the very bottom of the collection page before #2-400 starts.
Now for Giant-Size. Giant-Size are one-shots that exceed the normal amount of pages for a single issue. There's not as many as these so they tend to be excluded from the list of the series collection on... free websites, so try searching for it under its own title. Giant-Sizes are titled a little differently too. It goes like Giant-Size Spider-Man #1 (1974).
Now why read in chronological order?
Sometimes I hear people worried about getting into Spider-Man from the 60's being a little too silly or dated. My argument against that is that Spider-Man is a silly concept in of itself, and that his comics are actually pretty timeless compared to other series at the time. There's a reason his character was so resonating to readers at the time, and continues to be so resonating now.
Reading in chronological also allows you the most insight into who Spider-Man is as a character, as well as his connections with other side characters and villains that other adaptations don't always translate.
Too much jumping around from popular run to popular run, and you may also lose some emotional context between characters/villain arcs. I recommend starting from Amazing Fantasy #15 (the first Spider-Man comic, which started from a series of short stories. If you read online you can usually find it under an Amazing Spider-Man collection), and reading all the way until the Green Goblin's death in The Amazing Spider-Man #122 (1973).
That way you get the:
high school era, pretty foundational to his back story and popularity with audiences
college era, foundational to understanding the returning side cast (shout out to the coffee bean gang and the Daily Bugle staff!)
iconic "canon events", such as the death of Captain Stacy, and then the death of Gwen Stacy
After that I'd say it's free game to pick and chose what you read. There's plenty of online recommendations of runs. Another way to go about it is to find your favorite writer and or artist, and read from their list of contributions to Spider-Man. Quality does.... decrease or jump! Depending on who's writing/collabing. You can do this through online recs, or just start picking up floppies from your local comic store and pay attention to who you like and don't like. Personally, that's what I do while keeping up my chrono reading, and sometimes you bond enough with the cashier that they give you free stuff occasionally.
On that note...
Reading physical versus online!
This is all up to preference and accessibility.
Personally I prefer to have physical copies just because it helps me focus on reading better, and I like the collecting aspect of picking up newstand floppies from the 70's and 80's. Old newsprint smells really, really nice. Trade paperbacks also are convenient since everything is already in order for you to read.
I don't have much room for an omnibus, and don't always feel in the mood for a $100+ purchase (though one day I will have the Buscema/DeMatteis omnibus....), so usually I go with Epic Collection trades. They range around $45. Here's a link to reading them in order. They have the number of which one they are. There should be a number on the back of which volume it is, but that isn't always shown online. Although, sometimes the Epic Collection trades sell out, but imo their listings still come in handy because they'll list off what issues they contain.
Other good trades for beginners is the Penguin Random House publishing classic collection of the Steve Ditko/Stan Lee issues. It's around $28, and covers the complete origins of Spider-Man until Ditko's departure from drawing due to political and personality differences with Stan Lee (Ditko was a cop boot-licker and loved Ayn Rand, Stan Lee in Comparison was more interested in supporting the civil rights movement. But this is all a post for another time).
Mighty Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man has smaller trade volumes that collect about ten issues each. They're cheaper and are around $16. Found this listing on Amazon, would recommend that you please don't buy from there, but that's the title/what it looks like/can't find another listing currently. Mighty Marvel Masterworks only goes so far, and currently not much beyond Ditko's departure. But they are cheaper if you wanna just try dipping your toes in owning trades.
That being said there's no obligation to read Spider-Man physical. It's easier on you budget and wallet if you go online. And like with starting any new series it's probably best to take the online or library route first before committing to anything.
Want a more modern take on Spider-Man?
Alright, I've made my case for Spider-Man in the 60's. If you still want Spider-Man a little more modern I can point you in a few directions.
Untold Tales of Spider-Man (1995-1997): It's written in the 90's. The slang is a little closer to present day, and it remains in that high school period of Spider-Man if that's what you're interested in. Epic Collection also has a volume 1 trade out.
Ultimate Spider-Man (2000):
This takes place in a different universe than 616, 1610 in this case, and is basically a reboot of all marvel origins in a more modern 2000's setting.
I feel that I do have to warn of the period-typical 2000's misogyny/"funny" homophobia in the writing. 616 Spider-Man also certainly isn't exempt from things like misogyny and racism, after all the super hero comics industry has been dominated by cishet white men for a very, very, long time. But OVERALL, I'd say Ultimate Spider-Man (2000) was a much more pleasant read than the rest of the Ultimate universe, and imo got even better with the introduction of Ultimate Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
There is another Ultimate Spider-Man out there. It's Ultimate Spider-Man (2024), so remember to look out for those dates. They're completely different works/universes.
Currently I believe there's also an Epic Collection volume out for Ultimate Spider-Man (2000). There are also plenty of omnibuses.
Mythos: Spider-Man (2007): Basically a retelling of Spider-Man's origin story. The art is beautiful. Language may be a bit more up to date, but it still takes place in 616.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day: So, all the stuff that takes place after 616's soft reboot (One More Day) of all the character's memories. Peter made a deal with the devil to sell his marriage with MJ to save Aunt May. World's stupidest retcon, don't get me started, but after that it's for the most part a fresh start with Spider-Man writing that links to what's going on to Spider-Man's current runs. Personally not the biggest fan of this era, but there's a few gems here and there early on. You can like whatever you like. There's a compact trade for around $10 that was recently released because of the movie coming up.
My personal recs/favs!
I'll separate this out by authors/artists, era, runs, and alternate universe series. But this is just a dash of my taste if you need recs to start. Go ahead and skip if you want to explore for yourself.
Authors/Artists:
Stan Lee/Steve Ditko
Gerry Conway
Tom Defalco
Ron Frenz
Alex Saviuk
JM DeMatteis/Sal Buscema
As much as I gripe about Steve Ditko being a boot-licker, I do think his partnership with Stan Lee was foundational to both Spider-Man and Peter Parker, and I don't think we would have gotten a nuanced of character without him.
Gerry Conway and Tom Defalco have also written incredibly iconic moments like the Death of Gwen Stacy and the Symbiote Suit arc. They dig deep into that tragedy and interpersonal conflict I love.
Ron Frenz and Alex Saviuk are incredible artists I love for their takes on MJ and the Spider-Man suit. Saviuk's Peter is also particularly chef's kiss.
JM DeMatteis and Sal Buscema are also an iconic writer/artist team that are just... fantastic. DeMatteis writes such striking psychological prose, and Buscema perfectly matches that with experimental panel work and extreme expressions.
Below is an example of Frenz, Saviuk, and Buscema in that order.
Era:
Beginning Silver Age through Bronze Age to early Modern Age (AKA the 60's to early 90's)
Now Spider-Man has Always been political. Don't let anyone fool you. Beloved characters, like the Daily Bugle's editor Robbie Robertson and his college-aged son Randy Robertson, were created by Stan Lee to explore the relevant civil rights politics happening irl alongside Spider-Man's publication. This was right in the 60's, and Spider-Man continued to be political through Reagan's presidency in the 80's. I'm really fond of these eras because the influence of the politics at the time made for some really interesting plot and experimental art.
Runs:
The Green Goblin's Last Stand/The Death of Gwen Stacy
The Death of Jean DeWolff
Lobo Brother's Gang War/The Trial Of Robbie Robertson
Kraven's Last Hunt
The Child Within
Spider-Man: Shadow of the Green Goblin
Three of these are from DeMatteis. You'll probably hear Kraven's Last Hunt a lot, and for good reason. You probably could read that one on its own as the story is so strong, but it's even better with a greater understanding of Spider-Man. The Child Within is less beginner friendly (hypocritical I know!!). Not something I'd start with, but something I'd look forward to once you get to know the characters (particularly Harry Osborn and Mary Jane). Spider-Man: Shadow of the Green Goblin is very beginner friendly since it's written in the past when Peter just started as Spider-Man.
Alternate Universe Series:
Spider-Girl: born from the 90's, Mayday originated from a What If... story, and was eventually given a series of her own. She's so funny. She's also got the best of her parents' traits, and the tension between retired Peter and fresh hero Mayday is really interesting.
Spider-Man Noir (2008): so what would happen if Spider-Man was in New York during the Great Depression and was raised by socialists? Well, you get a banger line like, "if those in power can't be trusted, it's the responsibility of the people to remove them." The first eight comics of Spider-Man Noir (Spider-Man Noir #1-4 2008 and Spider-Man Noir: Eyes Without a Face #1-4 2010) are Very different from the show/spiderverse movies/current noir runs, but imo are... better.
In conclusion
There's no right or wrong way to read Spider-Man, and no right or wrong thing to like. But hopefully this made it easier to approach so you can explore your own taste/preferences! I'm not the world's biggest Spider-Man expert, but if anyone has questions I'll do my best to respond/help. I hate gatekeeping. Hence this post and all it's links. Anyway support your local libraries!!! Your local comic book stores!!! And don't snitch on your favorite free websites!!
Chapters: 1/?
Fandom: Spider-Man - All Media Types, Marvel's Spider-Man (Insomniac Games Video Games)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Harry Osborn/Peter Parker, Harry Osborn & Peter Parker, Miles Morales & Harry Osborn, Miles Morales & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Mary Jane Watson, Harry Osborn & Norman Osborn
Characters: Harry Osborn, Peter Parker, Miles Morales
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Horses, Horseback Riding, Horse Racing, Alternate Universe - Sports, Farming and Ranching, Inconviences to Lovers, Bad First Impressions, Eventual Smut, Eventual Relationships, Bets & Wagers, Norman Osborn Being an Asshole, not the most asshole he's ever been tho, Chronic Pain, Serious Injuries, Grief/Mourning, Mental Health Issues, miles morales is a good friend, Mentor Peter Parker, Identity Crisis, Trans Peter Parker, Vaginal Sex, Vaginal Fingering, Squirting and Vaginal Ejaculation, Anal Sex, Anal Fingering, Strap-Ons, Blow Jobs, Cunnilingus, alright that should be everything, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alcoholic Norman Osborn, Hurt/Comfort, Animal Abuse, Domestic Fluff, Miscommunication, Angst, Happy Ending, also wrote this specifically with insomniac parksborn with a dash of 616 in mind, but feel free to imagine your favorite flavor, Smut, Plotty, Switching, Body Dysphoria, Weight Issues, Harry Osborn and Miles Morales Have Beef, UNTIL THEY DON'T
Summary:
All it took was a drunken bet for Harry to land himself out in the New York countryside to learn the reigns of a dangerous sport from a less than friendly rival of the jockeys his father manages. He grew up loving horses, but how far will Harry have to go in order to finally live up to Norman's Olympic-level legacy?
Or. This fic is about horses. And Harry falling in love with begrudged, retired, once star-steeplechasing jockey Peter Parker. And Peter Parker's affinity for Harry in fancy clothes. 🏇
But you'd look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle made for two!
Everyone say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to one of my favourite fics EVER!!! I mean it, please oh please go read this incredible fic. It is so beautifully written, the talent and set up of every single scene is incredible, every character is characterized perfectly and oh my god the STORY???? THE STORY HELLO THE STORY? T4T Parksborn that have been body swapped and they don't know how or when or where the other even is. The mystery kept me in suspence for so long and I LOVED IT. It was all done so so so well it has me in awe. Every chapter that comes out has me screaming in excitement and horror like oh my GODDD the twists!!!! The turns!!!! The stupid shit that the boy failures do!!! Someone stop them!! And someone please kill Norman and Otto thanks <33 I want to rant so much more but I refuse to place spoilers so that everyone can read it themselves. You can see my comments on each chapter anyway AHAHAH
If I could frame this fic on my wall and not be scared of questions about why I'm doing that, I would. I love this fic so much and it's not even done yet, GO READ IT RIGHT NOW!!!!!!
Happy birthday to the biggest gay failure Parksborn fic I know! keep on writing you amazing author!!!
Augh!!! Thank you so much bagel!!! Your support throughout this fic has meant so much to me!!! BUT BAGELLLL I'm literally trembling with joy over this, thank you so much 💖
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
People called him Parker. He was born in Queens. His birthday was August tenth nineteen ninety-six. Parker dragged one foot forward after the other. The edges of his toes sent shockwaves of pain every time they brushed against the grainy floorboards. He hit his palm against the wall he leaned on, grunted, and blinked in the darkness.
People called him Parker. He was born in Queens. His birthday was August tenth nineteen ninety-six.
It's the one year anniversary of my T4T parksborn body swap fic. Here we have radioactive levels of yearning, existential dread, and an exploration on the teletransportation paradox. Happy birthday!! 🥳
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Water lapped at Harry's ankles as he kicked his soggy water-logged loafers up and down. Towards the deep end of the pool his looped tie bobbed near the crackling filter. Harry watched it float and glide as he continued to kick.
Update!! Happy pride month. Come check out my T4T parksborn bodyswap au. Things get weird, upsetting, and existentially straining.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/6
Fandom: Marvel’s Spider-Man (Insomniac Games Video Games), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Harry Osborn/Peter Parker
Characters: Harry Osborn, Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson
Additional Tags: 5+1 Things, Injury, Minor Injuries, Injury Recovery, Serious Injuries, Hurt/Comfort, Unhealthy Relationships, and then, Healthy Relationships, Miscommunication, Secret Identity, Secret Relationship, Childhood Friends to Lovers, Canon Compliant, well this is written before whenever the third game releases, Scars, Light Angst, Domestic Fluff, POV Harry Osborn, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, adding that tag bc that guy (spider-man) has a complicated relationship with combat and self care, but it’s not like that heavy, On-Again/Off-Again Relationship
Summary:
He quirked up a brow. “Bull.”
Peter squirmed in place. “Really! Nothing happened, I was just being stupid!” And there he was, back to being that whiny, snot-nosed kid he’d known since fifth grade.
Harry smirked. “Since when have you not?”
Five times Peter brushes off an injury, and one time Harry didn’t let him.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
"Listeners, today I am deeply saddened that I was once again proven correct in my statements that the Spider-Men encourage mass, erratic, and demented acts of violence."
"This is what I have been warning from the very start, when the first Spider-Man began wrecking havoc in our wonderful city!"
"These super villains and these acolytes would not have the incitement to act this way without the existence of Spider-Man! It is a simple and outrageous fact that he has been at the CENTER of all of New York's DISASTERS for the past DECADE!"
"…"
"Ahem. I give my condolences to the victims and the families of the attack that occurred at Oscorp Tower at one twenty-five today."
"May this stand as a lesson of what will continue to happen if we allow the Spider-Men to run rampant—and I pray for the sake of all of us, that it won't happen again."
It's update day!! Come check out my T4T parksborn bodyswap au
romaincrisis
2087
origamiaround
amandla
gracieabrams
