What to read first from Spider-Man
Spider-Man has some great stories, some not-so-great stories, and a handful that make you wonder what the writer took, just like they always do with superheroes. Peter Parker is also among the superheroes with the most alternate versions, which makes everything that much more confusing.
For this reason, in the same vein of multiverse and options, we are going to offer you several valid starting places, depending on what you prefer.
If you could find early Stan Lee comics, however old they may be, that would be a great start. They haven’t aged badly, but let’s face it, you won’t find them complete, or certainly not cheap, no.
For this reason, it is better to start with The Amazing Spiderman number 1 by the already legendary Straczynski and Romita and which is called Homecoming. It is an ideal book to start and continue your collection with the rest of the volumes of this series.
In this case, we see a Spider-Man with his memory erased after the events of Civil War and there’s a return to the character’s roots.
Peter is a young man learning how life works, sweating to pay the rent just like us and with a very interesting plot and enemies. It’s not a reboot, but it is a reboot and the best way for new readers to get hooked on the more traditional Peter Parker.
However, I’m going to be a little sacrilegious and give another series recommendation that I think is great for those who want to start with Spider-Man and make sure they start at the beginning and don’t miss a thing.
This other option is to start with Ultimate Spider-Man #1, titled Origin and written by Brian Bendis.
Ultimate Spiderman is an alternate version, as he is the Peter Parker from Earth-1610, while the original Peter Parker is from Earth-616. The stuff of the Marvel Multiverse.
Why Start Reading Spider-Man With Ultimate Spiderman
Because the Ultimate series brings together Peter Parker’s first high school set, the first villains, adventurers, companions and fundamental characters of the Spider-Man universe.
In this way, although it is an alternate version, it is an excellent recreation of the true beginnings and it is the best option for those who want to start all over from the beginning. So you don’t miss a thing of the mythology of the first Spider-Man and its chronological beginning.
The recommendation to follow is the same as in the previous case, collecting the different Ultimate Spiderman volumes in order.
Of course, the art is by Mark Bagley, who I personally love, with its little twist a little closer to cartoon or caricature. For me, that gives it a special flavor, but there are those who prefer something more traditional.
The most modern option, Miles Morales’ Spider-Man
If you think Peter Parker is already a thing of the past, and what you want is the most recent, another option would be to start with The New Spiderman #1. In this case, we find Miles Morales as Peter’s spiritual heir. Parker.
Spider-Man’s future is his, so you might want to start from scratch and go straight to Miles. Sooner or later, if you’re a Spider-Man fan, you have to get to Morales anyway.
You can also start with one of the two previous options and combine your reading with that of this New Spiderman.
Where to continue reading Spider-Man
Once the initial path is on track and you have chosen your favorite collection to complete, the recommendation is not to miss some of the best plot arcs that the wall-crawler has given away.
With the knowledge gained from reading the initial numbers we told you about, you won’t get lost in the references or the characters.
Spiderman, The Death of Jean DeWolff
It won’t be easy to find it, but if you can get it, it’s one of the best stories of Spiderman in his dark alien suit.
A darker Peter Parker investigates the death of NYPD Captain Jean DeWolff alongside Daredevil. This will lead him to make difficult decisions, where Parker’s ethics are pushed to the limit. Not as well known as other stories, but outstanding.
Spiderman: Blue
We already know the Spider-Man for the jokes and punches in the jaw after a stunt. Place now for a story of nostalgia and lost love, mature and exciting.
Remembering his first love, Gwen Stacy, he’ll take us through the fateful moments of his loss and confrontation with Spider-Man’s greatest villain, the Green Goblin. Impressive.
It is difficult to find it on paper at the moment, but we leave you a link to the Kindle version in case you have an iPad or similar.
Spiderman: The Death of Gwen Stacy
Related to the above, the death of Gwen Stacy (a fact depicted in the Amazing Spider-Man 2 movie starring Andrew Garfield) is a key Spider-Man mythology fact that you need to know.
To do this, nothing better than to get your hands on Amazing Spiderman 6.
Spiderman: Kraven’s Last Hunt
Some say it’s the best Spider-Man story. Without a doubt, it is one of the best known and Marvel has reissued it in its Must-have series.
Kraven, the great hunter, wants to add to his collection the most valuable piece, Spider-Man. This led to one of the most important and recognized mountaineer stories. You have to agree with Marvel, you have to have it yes or yes.
The Complete Todd McFarlane Collection
Todd McFarlane is the culprit behind the best-selling Spider-Man in history.
If you want to know why, you can get the full collection of over 400 pages, which was reposted not too long ago.
Venom: Dark Origin
Let’s see, there’s no way Venom won’t come out here, and even more so with the current interest, since in the post-credits scene of the movie Venom: There Will Be Slaughter they joined Peter Parker from Tom Holland and MCU with Tom’s Eddie Brock Hardy.
Venom, Carnage and Spider-Man are old acquaintances. This story might not be the best, but if you’re going to read Spider-Man, you can’t help but go through Venom sooner or later.
As you can see, there are as many options as there are versions of Spider-Man. However, with this guide you won’t miss anything important and it lets you start reading Spider-Man in the best way.
This article contains affiliate links. The outlet might receive a small commission if you buy one of these comics, but that didn’t influence the choice at any time. These are the best stories to start reading Spider-Man.