Blue - This miniseries delves into Spider-Man's first love, Gwen Stacy, and the profound impact she had on his life.
Kraven's Last Hunt - A dark and gothic tale in which Kraven the Hunter buries Spider-Man alive and takes on the role of the new Spider-Man.
Spider-Verse - An expansive multiverse event that sees Spider-Man joining forces with other versions of himself to combat the evil vampire, Morlun. This storyline introduces new beloved Spider-heroes like Spider-Gwen and Miles Morales.
Spider-Man's 10 best stories have been captivating comic book readers for over 60 years. As Marvel's most recognizable hero, Spider-Man has been through many trials and tribulations, finding friendship, family, and love along the way. The character was created in 1963 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and has since been taken on by other legendary writers and artists. These iconic storylines include epic turning points, tragic losses, and defining character moments. The ten best Spider-Man comic storylines include "Spider-Man: Blue" (2002-2003) by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, and "The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man" (The Amazing Spider-Man #248 - 1984).
A heartwarming story about the impact one man can have on a child's life is told by Roger Stern and Ron Frenz in this bittersweet tale. Spider-Man pays a visit to a terminally ill cancer patient named Timothy, who proves to be his #1 fan. Timothy proudly shows Spider-Man all the newspaper clippings and TV recordings he has collected since the beginning of Peter's hero career. Spider-Man, in turn, opens up to Timothy about his own journey to becoming a hero, including his role in Uncle Ben's death. Despite this revelation, Timothy still sees Peter as a good man and a hero worthy of appreciation for all the good he has done for New York.
Kraven's Last Hunt, a six-part masterpiece created by J.M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck, sees a despondent Kraven the Hunter determined to kill Spider-Man or die trying. After burying Spider-Man alive and taking over as the new Spider-Man, Kraven ultimately takes his own life after realizing he has accomplished his goal of besting Spider-Man.
In Spectacular Spider-Man #178-203, J.M. DeMatteis and Sal Buscema take readers on a mature and gripping journey with Spider-Man, showcasing the iconic hero in a new light.
After completing Kraven’s Last Hunt, writer J. M. DeMatteis teamed up with artist Sal Buscema to bring a darker edge to the Spectacular Spider-Man series. They introduced new villains such as Puma and Vermin, and brought back the dying Vulture to add to the inner turmoil of Peter Parker and his complicated relationship with Harry Osborn, who returns as the Green Goblin. They also created the iconic Maximum Carnage storyline where Spider-Man and Venom team up for the first time to take down Carnage once and for all.
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Back in Black In the Amazing Spider-Man #539-543 (2007), J. Michael Straczynski and Ron Garney bring Spider-Man to the brink of desperation and revenge. Following Spider-Man’s public unmasking in 2006’s Civil War, Peter faces the consequences of being famous when Aunt May gets shot by an assassin. With vengeance and blood on his mind, Spider-Man puts on his Black Suit once again and pursues the assassin, who is revealed to be working for the Kingpin. This leads to a notorious fight scene where Peter beats Kingpin nearly to death and threatens to kill him, a stark contrast to the hopeful hero he used to be.
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A New Spider-Man for a New Millennium Ultimate Spider-Man (2000-2011; 2024-Present)
Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley, Stuart Immonen, and David Lafuente took on the monumental task of creating Ultimate Spider-Man after the failure of 1998’s Spider-Man: Chapter One. This new series reboots the origin story of Peter Parker becoming Spider-Man with modern twists for classic heroes and villains. The series also reinvents Peter and MJ’s relationship, the Sinister Six, symbiotes, and even the infamous Clone Saga. Ultimate Spider-Man came to a shocking end with the death of Peter Parker at the hands of the Green Goblin, and the introduction of Miles Morales as the new Spider-Man. The series was so beloved that Marvel Comics continued Ultimate Peter Parker's story as a married father of two children with his wife, MJ.
The Night Gwen Stacy Died in The Amazing Spider-Man #121–122 (1973) was a pivotal moment in Spider-Man's history, created by Gerry Conway and Gil Kane. In a battle with the Green Goblin, Gwen Stacy is kidnapped and thrown off a bridge, only to be caught by Spider-Man's webbing. Tragically, the impact of the webbing results in Gwen's accidental death, marking the unofficial start of the Bronze Age of Comics.
Spider-Man No More in The Amazing Spider-Man #50 (1967) sees Peter Parker deciding to give up his life as Spider-Man, only to ultimately resume his heroic duties.
The pressure of being a hero becomes too much for Peter Parker, leading him to quit being Spider-Man for the first time ever. Stan Lee and John Romita Sr. bring this pivotal moment in Peter's life to life, showing his realization that no matter how much good he does, everyone in New York will still hate him. However, Peter ultimately realizes that the city needs Spider-Man more than he thought, especially with the debut of Wilson Fisk/Kingpin. This storyline serves as a reminder that being Spider-Man is a responsibility Peter cannot abandon when so many lives are at stake.
Spider-Verse, created by Dan Slott, Olivier Coipel, and Giuseppe Camuncoli, is one of the biggest storylines in Spider-Man history. In this storyline, Earth-616 Spider-Man teams up with an army of his Spider variants from the multiverse to stop the evil vampire, Morlun, from killing all the Spider-heroes. This mega crossover event leads to the establishment of characters such as Spider-Gwen, Silk, Spider-Man 2099, Miles Morales, and many more, all of whom would become major characters in Spider-Man comics. This event also led to an animated Spider-Verse film franchise from Sony Pictures, focusing on Miles and Gwen.
"The Amazing Spider-Man" #31-33, titled "If This Be My Destiny," is another historic storyline in which Peter Parker faces challenges that push him to his limits.
The first-ever interconnected story arc in Spider-Man history is also the most iconic Spider-Man story known as "The Master Planner" storyline. This three-part arc by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko follows Spider-Man as he chases down the supposed "Master Planner," who possesses a serum that can save his dying Aunt May. In an unexpected twist, it is revealed that the Master Planner is actually Doctor Octopus. After a fierce battle, Spider-Man becomes trapped under a giant piece of machinery in Doc Ock's hideout, which is slowly filling with water and about to drown him. This leads to one of the greatest moments in Spider-Man history, as the hero summons the strength to lift himself out of the rubble and save Aunt May. He recalls the words of Ben Parker, reminding himself (and readers) that he will always have the strength to rise up and protect his loved ones.