For some reason, this is the issue I remember - Amazing Spider-Man #12.
In 1964, comic books were available almost everywhere, but I bought most of mine at one of the two newsstands in the area - one in my hometown, and the other near my Grandmother's home.
That's where I spotted this issue. The cover was intriguing, with Spider-Man being unmasked (though I had no idea who was being unmasked, having never read an issue before).
I thought about buying it, I almost bought it - but picked up something else instead - though I have no memory of what comic I did pick up.
At some point not long after that one of my friends told me that he really liked Amazing Spider-Man - so I decided to give it a shot. The next issue I spotted was #15 - the first appearance of Kraven the Hunter - and I was immediately hooked.
Spidey became one of my favorite comics, and held that title for quite some time.
So what did I miss in issue #12? (Don't worry, I later read it in a reprint in Marvel Tales.) As promised, Spider-Man was unmasked (turns out he's really Peter Parker!) after being defeated by Dr. Octopus - but there were no cheap tricks at work here - Stan Lee and Steve Ditko came up with a plausible explanation for that shocking event.
In addition, there's an amazing, inventive battle with Dr. Octopus (Hey kids - he was a villain before he became Spider-Man!) - it rolls through a zoo, across the city rooftops and ends in an artist's studio!
It's an amazing, action and humor-filled issue - if I had bought it, I would have been hooked on Spider-Man three months sooner.
Better late than never!
Grade: A
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1 comment:
I think I started reading Spidey with issue 18 and was just amazed! Some months afterward, a neighbor friend of mine said he'd sell his copy of ASM#1 for $1.00. I said, are you crazy? I could buy 8 comics for that! Sigh.....
Pete
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