The History of Spider-Man: 1990
Spidey goes to space with the Avengers, gets his fourth solo book, and more.
For over 50 years, Spider-Man has been a sensational standout in the Marvel Universe, and this year, the web-slinger swings onto the silver screen once more in “Spider-Man: Homecoming”! In celebration of his memorable history, we present Spidey’s spectacular step-by-step story!
Still cosmically powered, the webby wonder toppled Goliath in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #60, broke the Mr. Fixit Hulk in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #328, destroyed Doctor Doom’s robot in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #160, extinguished Dragon Man’s flame in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #61, and trashed the Tri-Sentinel in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #329, all before finally losing his star-spanning new abilities.
Avengers (1963) #316
- Published: April 10, 1990
- Added to Marvel Unlimited: May 20, 2013
- Writer: John Byrne
- Penciller: Paul Ryan
- Cover Artist: Paul Ryan
Earth’s Mightiest Heroes paid a call on Spidey in AVENGERS #314 to enlist his aid against the galactic despot Nebula. The webslinger’s sojourn into space lasted through AVENGERS #315, #316, #317, and #318, at which point he returned to his bailiwick to partner with the Punisher against drug runners in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #330 and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #331.
Robbie Robertson received a pardon for his past crimes in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #161, while the wallcrawler and the Puma pummeled Hobgoblin. Later, the flying fury freed Carrion from incarceration in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #162 and together the two ne’er-do-wells took Spidey prisoner for a big brouhaha beneath the streets where they appeared to perish in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #163. The Molten Man sought out his step-sister Liz Allan Osborn after being paroled in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #62, and our masked hero mastered Mr. Fear in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #63.
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #162
- Published: March 10, 1990
- Added to Marvel Unlimited: December 04, 2017
- Writer: Gerry Conway
- Penciller: Sal Buscema
- Cover Artist: Sal Buscema
Mary Jane Parker’s old tormentor Caesar sent Styx and Stone to subdue Spidey in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #332, but the webslinger vied with Venom first in Central Park and then in the leech’s lair in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #333 before Venom seemed to succumb to Styx’s lethal touch. Spidey saved, of all people, the Arranger from being killed by the Beetle in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #164, but the British-born Knight and Fogg managed to accomplish the awful act in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #165.
Spidey swore to bring his English enemies to justice in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #166, and while attempting this action acquired amnesia from a bump on the noggin. He got better in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #167 just in time to witness Fogg’s betrayal of Knight. The crafty Chameleon channeled several criminals’ consternation with the wallcrawler into all-out attack in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #64, but when the face-changer faked them out in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #65, they joined with their webby target to put a crimp in the Chameleon’s cranium. Somewhat afterward, Spidey joined with the Green Goblin and the Molten Man to carve away at Tombstone in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #66.
The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #337
- Published: August 20, 1990
- Added to Marvel Unlimited: January 14, 2011
- Writer: David Michelinie
- Penciller: Erik Larsen
- Cover Artist: Erik Larsen
Doctor Octopus opted to organize a new Sinister Six in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #334, and recruited the Shocker in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #335, the Vulture in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #336, and then finalized the full line-up in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #337. The new Six might’ve soared save for the Sandman’s betrayal in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #338, which led to their deafening defeat in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #339.
The webslinger leapt in to confront the Lizard in the debut of his fourth solo book, SPIDER-MAN #1, and then Calypso in SPIDER-MAN #2, but when the deceased Kraven seemed to resurrect in SPIDER-MAN #3 and SPIDER-MAN #4, our hero nearly tossed in the towel in SPIDER-MAN #5. The Avengers returned in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #168 to aid their arachnid ally versus the Space Phantom, but Spidey tightened up a team of former foes as the Outlaws to take care of business in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #169 and SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #170.
Spider-Man (1990) #1
- Published: August 01, 1990
- Added to Marvel Unlimited: November 13, 2007
- Writer: Todd McFarlane
- Cover Artist: Todd McFarlane
The wallcrawler warned his friend Harry Osborn to cut back on playing Green Goblin in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #67, and Robbie Robertson reclaimed his dignity when he helped the hero topple Tombstone in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #68. The Puma sold the Daily Bugle back to J. Jonah Jameson for one dollar in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #171, Spidey hovered over the Hulk in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #69 and hulked-out himself in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #70. With a clear conscience, he later supported Silver Sable and Dominic Fortune in their campaign against Nazi Simon Steele in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #71.
The terrible Dr. Turner posed the possibility of no powers to Spidey in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #340, then pushed the Tarantula into a position to punctuate the powerless paragon in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #341, and the Scorpion to slice-and-dice him in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #342.
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