The Superior Foes of Spider-Man, Vol. 1 by Marcos Martín

Despite Jonah pushing for Flint’s immediate imprisonment, Pete talks to him, realizes he’s about to die, and takes Marko to one of his favorite parts of the city so he can drift away in a safe place. Empathy is a big reason Peter differs from some of his superhero counterparts. Jonah Jameson, Peter gets wind and goes off to see a hospitalized Flint to find out what’s going on.

The internal dialogue is fractured, and we get the hint that something isn’t quite right. This issue opens with Sandman remembering old fights between him and his nemesis, while he struggles to literally hold himself together in human form. He’s been unrepentantly evil, but he’s also saved lives. Marko Flint is, like so many of the best villains, complex. In it, Zdarsky tackles a classic Spidey rogue, Sandman. Case in point, issues 308 and 309 of his Spectacular Spider-Man run. So expect surprises!Ĭhip Zdarsky, Chris Bachalo/Marvel Comics Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #308 – #309 (2017)Ĭhip Zdarsky is writing some of the best Spider-Man stories of today, with a real handle on how to pull out new ways of looking at Peter Parker. You’ll find some classic favorites, but some truly exciting Spider-Man lore is coming out of the modern era, too. These picks are often less about the specific story, or the ramifications on the larger comics-verse, and more about how Peter exists within the narrative. And when he fails - and he fails often - he feels it intensely, but he doesn’t relent.ĭistilling the best of Spider-Man into ten comics is a near impossible task. Who can’t relate to that? But no matter his hardships and hurdles, he continues to work to Do Good. Peter’s problems aren’t just clones and alien symbiotes - he has trouble holding down a job, he rarely has enough money, and he makes a lot of terrible decisions. The key to Peter Parker’s beloved status is his relatability and accessibility.

And sure, he’s varied by degrees, depending on who was writing and when a comic came out, but what stays constant is the character’s commitment to using his great power with great responsibility. Over the last six decades, our Spider-Man has made thousands of appearances across the Marvel Comics universe.

The Superior Foes of Spider-Man, Vol. 1 by Marcos Martín