Today in Comics History, September 19: Schoolchildren can no longer read these captions

from Spectacular Spider-Man #149 (Marvel, April 1989), script by Gerry Conway, pencils and inks by Sal Buscema, colors by Bob Sharen, letters by Rick Parker

The 1978 2017 2023 Amazing Spider-Man Mighty Marvel Comics Calendar: September Shock

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published September 1, 2017.

Please do not reveal the startling shock ending of September 1978 2017 2023 before...oh, it's right there.

"September Is Such Sweet Sorrow!" in The Amazing Spider-Man Mighty Marvel Comics Calendar 1978 (Marvel, 1977); pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Tom Palmer, colors by George Bell
(Click picture to look-out-below-size)

Today in Comics History, Mother's Day: Well, it beats divin' off a bridge

from Gwen Stacy #2 (Marvel, May 2020), script by Christos Gage, pencils and inks by Todd Nauck, colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, letters by Joe Caramagna

The 1978 2017 2023 Amazing Spider-Man Mighty Marvel Comics Calendar: April All Together Now

Hey, look, it's everybody from the Spider-Universe all together at one time! Except for the written-out-of-canon Spider-Mite! Also, Spider-Man himself seems to be missing, and I can't figure out why. More important: ginchy groovy Gwen Stacy, va-va-voom!

"April Is an Assortment of Amiable Associations!" in The Amazing Spider-Man Mighty Marvel Comics Calendar 1978 (1977); pencils by John Romita, Sr., inks by John Verpooten
(Click picture to GOOD LORD PETER WHERE DID YOU GET THAT JACKET-size)
For those of you new to the Spider-Family or who just need a gentle reminder, that's (L-R), Eugene "Flash" Thompson, Harry Osborn, Gwen Stacy, Aunt Anna Watson, Mary Jane Watson, Aunt May Parker, Peter Parker, Ned "No, I'm not the Hobgoblin, Honestly" Leeds, Betty Brant, Robbie Robertson, J. Jonah Jameson, and J. Jonah Jameson's coat. And they're all standing in front of one of the most important places in the Spider-Books, the venerable Coffee Bean, serving caffeinated drinks pretty much steadily right through now in the Marvel Universe. That remarkable tenure as an anti-Starbucks is even more astonishing when you consider it's been a long-time competition since the early Marvel Age with the X-Men's favorite hangout, Greenwich Village's Coffee A Go-Go. I don't know which one you prefer, so here's some help: Coffee A Go-Go has Bernard the Poet, and the Coffee Bean has Gwen Freakin' Stacy. I hope that settles the matter definitively.


Panel from [Uncanny] X-Men (1963 series) #31 (April 1967), script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Werner Roth, inks by John Tartaglione, letters by Sam Rosen
By the way, are you wondering when Jazzy John Romita "snapped that photograph" so proudly presented in this month's calendar spread? Worried you can't pinpoint exactly when this happens in Spider-Chronology? Fret no more, gentle reader: it occurred during Amazing Spider-Man Annual #4, no doubt right after this pin-up scene! Note the identical outfits! Good golly, that jacket really is hideous, Peter.

Double-page pinup spread from Amazing Spider-Man Annual (1964 series) #4 (November 1967), script by Stan Lee, pencils by Larry Lieber, alternations on Gwen and Mary Jane by John Romita Sr. (and why not?), inks by Mike Esposito, colors by Stan Goldberg (?), letters by Sam Rosen
(Click picture to venti-size)
No, I don't know why Stan's calling it the Coffee Bean Barn here, either.

Today in Comics History, May 21: Man's creepy obsession with a young woman ends in the worst way possible

from Spectacular Spider-Man (1976 series) #149 (Marvel, April 1989), script by Gerry Conway, pencils and inks by Sal Buscema, colors by Bob Sharen, letters by Rick Parker
Which means we can assign this a date of May 20:


from Amazing Spider-Man #121 (June 1973), script by Gerry Conway, pencils by Gil Kane, inks by John Romita Sr. and Tony Mortellaro, colors by David Hunt, letters by Artie Simek
See how it all fits in together? Comics!

Face It Tiger February, Day 21: That totally goes against the TV Trope!

from X-Men and Spider-Man #1 (Marvel, January 2009); script by Christos Gage; pencils, inks, and colors by Mario Alberti; letters by Jared K. Fletcher

Fun with Comics: PETER: "Aw, go fall off a bridge!"

from Amazing Spider-Man (1963 series) #70 (Marvel, March 1969), plot and layouts by John Romita, Sr., script by Stan Lee, finishes by Jim Mooney, letters by Sam Rosen

365 Days of Power and Responsibility, Day 26: With ultimate power there must come ultimate responsibility

from Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (2011 series) #4 (Marvel/Ultimate, January 2012), script by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils and inks by Sara Pichelli, colors by Justin Ponsor, letters by Cory Petit

365 Days of Power and Responsibility, Day 21: Oh shut up, Gwen

Panels from Spider-Man: Death and Destiny #1 (August 2000), script and pencils by Lee Weeks; inks by Richard Case and Robert Campanella; colors by Steve Buccellato; letters by Paul Tutrone

365 Days of Defiance, Day 184: Bob Dylan never knew it would be this easy

Last issue, we saw Peter Parker dramatically declare "BITE ME, WORLD!":


Panels from Amazing Spider-Man (1963 series) #70 (March 1969); plot and layouts by John Romita, Sr.; script by Stan Lee; finishes by Jim Mooney; letters by Sam Rosen
Well, we all know that sooner or later Peter will return to his senses and become the Humble Spider-Man, protector of everybody else and all-around, not-at-all self-centered good guy, but just how long with this startling plot twist last? twelve issues? Two issues?

How about until the next page?


And for those of you who tuned in because this feature is called "365 Days of Defiance," let's check in with the student protest subplot.


Huh. That...that was easy. Well, I guess it proves that tensions between the races and you ng and old can be solved if you just sit down and rap. First issue of the day, I think: Hey Robbie where'd ya get that green suit?!?

So all's well that ends well, except for Mr. Parkewr, as usual. Because he didn't take part in the student protest (because, let's face it, he already has a cool pad he shares with Harry Osborn and his Fantastic Fu-Manchu Mustache and Drug Addiction), Gwen Stacy, queen of our hearts, slams Pete for ducking out. Frankly, this relationship could stand a little more open communication, because Peter could open up, express his concerns, pay attention to the sensational Ms. Stacy instead of being lost in his own thoughts, possibly even trust her enough to open up and ask her why she's cosplaying Disney's Pocahontas.


Later, Spider-Man kills J. Jonah Jameson, so that's something.


Tomorrow! Something different, and definitely not Amazing Spider-Man #71.

365 Days of Defiance, Day 183: I feel like slapping a henchman today (slap slap)

Yesterday we examined the beginning of Spider-Man's Crisis on Campus/Great Tablet Saga, and today (and in the next issue) the story continues, as it is wont to do. hey, why not let Spidey explain it all for you? He's good at that.


Panels from Amazing Spider-Man (1963 series) #69 (nice) (February 1969); plot and layouts by John Romita, Sr.; script by Stan Lee; finishes by Jim Mooney; letters by Sam Rosen
Meanwhile, over at the subplot, Kingpin continues to plot the theft of the mysterious tablet. Also: he is a wee bit touchy about one subject.


Whoa, a bit of a reflexive reaction there! Still, no harm done:




In the last issue, Randy Robertson and the student protestor have been arrested, and it's surely time for Matt Murdock, The Only Lawyer in New York™ tio make an appearance. Or maybe not! Complicating matters: the police and other authorities think the protest gang were responsible for the bombs thrown by the Kingpin. Dad Robbie Robertson takes some time from his busy schedule of recording at Big Pink to counsel his son.



And everyone's favorite go-go girlfriend of the 1960s argues with the protestors (now picketing the police stand where Randy and the others are being held). WHOA another jerk slap! That's two in one issue! And that's why Stan proudly declared Amazing Spider-Man "The World's Slappiest Comic Book!"



Spider-Man tracks down the famous MacGuffin Tablet...



...The Kingpin gets trapped and captured by the police...



...Kingpin implicates Spidey in the tablet theft...



...forcing Peter to vow that from now on, it's every Spider-Man for himself!



Tune in tomorrow, next Spider-time, same Spider-Channel (WASM-8, Passaic, NJ), to see the all-new, all-vicious, Menacing Spider-Man! he's barbaric and brutal and he don't care who knows it, baby!

365 Days of Defiance, Day 9: Never let you go

Panels from Powerless #6 (January 2005), script by Matt Cherniss and Peter Johnson, pencils and inks by Michael Gaydos, colors by Lee Loughridge, letters by Dave Sharpe

366 Days with J. Jonah Jameson, Day 208: Crisis on Infinite Jonahs Week, Day 3: Wedding Crashers

Before there was Spider-Gwen, before there was Gwenpool, there was a girl called Gwen Stacy, and she died. I may have mentioned this once or twice.

But on Earth-7736, an Earth about twelve and a half times better than Marvel's Earth-616 (do the math!), Gwen Stacy did not die! It's covered in the monumental What If #24, and you can see all the circumstances here in one of my old posts. What If? #24 is my second favorite ish of that can't-kill-it title (after the Shakespearean twist on Doctor Doom in #22), and it's partly because it saves one of my favorite supporting characters un comics from a fate worse than death (being brought back as a clone repeatedly).

What's the other part? Well, first let's check in on J. Jonah Jameson of Earth-7736. He's a jerk. A life-ruining jerk.


Panels from What If? (1977 series) #24 (December 1980), script by Tony Isabella; breakdowns by Gil Kane; finishes by Frank Giacoia with Carl Gafford, Peter Poplaski, Ron Zalme, and Joe Albelo; colors by Joe Rosas, letters by Tom Orzechowski
Gee, I almost didn't recognize Gwen there without her trademark headband.

Needless to say, never do that to anybody's wedding, no matter how long a pause the minister gives you after "If anyone here should see any just cause why the couple here should not be married..." Don't do that. It's just jerky. I didn't do it at Keira Knightley's wedding, and neither should you. For the sake of Aunt May's tender heart if nothing else.


Also in this issue: the origin of Gwen Stacy's crippling tinnitus.


Remember when I said before it was a happy story? Well, I lied. (I do that sometimes.) This is right up there withthe ending to every episode ever of The Incredible Hulk TV series. Cue the tinkling piano!


No one dies in this continuity — not even Norman Osborn — but it's a more striking twist than usual for What If?, the series of which it has been said "every issue ends with Iron Man being killed." Regardless of my preference for happy endings, I love this story because it sets up a status quo unusual for most of the rest of the series: it's a springboard for even more stories. It not only demands a sequel, I'd love to see a couple year's continuity set in this universe, with Spidey on the run, Aunt May hovering on the edge of death and despair, and the unlikely trip of Gwen, Flash, and Robbie searching to clear Peter's name, while JJJ ponders his actions from his throne of fame. It is perhaps the richest of possibilities and maybe the purest and closest to Roy Thomas's original concept of What If?: to spur thought and imagination into how a single small change can alter familiar characters and actions. It's the promise and imagination of infinite Earths and the multiverse of stories within them.

366 Days with J. Jonah Jameson, Day 176: J. Jonah Jameson will not help you deal with the death of Gwen Stacy

Panel from Marvel Team-Up #12 (August 1973), plot by Gerry Conway, script in Len Wein, pencils by Ross Andru, inks by Don Perlin, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Charlotte Jetter

Today in Comics History, June 23, 2004: Gwen Stacy still doesn't know how to use email

from Amazing Spider-Man #509 (Marvel, August 2004), script by J. Michael Straczynski, pencils by Mike Deodato, Jr., inks by Joe Pimentel, colors by Matt Milla, letters by Cory Petit

366 Days with J. Jonah Jameson, Day 126: Mostly just another excuse to post a Romita Gwen Stacy panel

Panels from Spectacular Spider-Man (168 series) #1 (July 1968), script by Stan Lee, pencils and inks by John Romita Sr. and Jim Mooney, letters by Sam Rosen

366 Days with J. Jonah Jameson, Day 49: Peter Parker Picks a Peck of Puberty

Jolly Jonah Jameson has "invited" amazing Peter Parker and sassy Gwen Stacy to accompany him to the Savage Land for a circulation-boosting story on the Earth-616's real-life Jurassic Park! So what's the purpose of this trip, aside from getting Gil Kane to draw some dandy dinosaurs? Well, Peter Parker's gonna take photographs...


Panels from Amazing Spider-Man #103 (December 1971), script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Frank Giacoia, letters by Artie Simek
..and Gwen Stacy's gonna


VA-VA-VOOM!

Please note that a more modern Marvel Ms., Jessica Jones, turned down the a very similar sort of adventure. Aw. But even she knows the cause-and-effect that has become such a popular trope in the Marvel Universe referring to what we what happened to Gwen not that long afterwards. Probably a smart decision, Jessica.


Panels from Alias #24 (September 2003), script by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils and inks by Michael Gaydos, colors by Matt Hollingsworth, letters by Cory Petit

Gwen of a Kind

(More Ten of a Kind here.)