Review by Ian Keogh

Just before cancelling their popular black and white Essential series Marvel slipped out this volume reprinting the Amazing Spider-Man stories of Roger Stern and John Romita Jr.

Their collaborations in Vol. 10 were good, if marked by a strange artistic reluctance not to deviate from a six panel grid. Thankfully, that’s changed for these stories. Large illustrations are still almost exclusively the province of splash pages and final pages, but the artificial grid limitation is no longer applied. Romita is far more creative, his choreographing of superhero battles phenomenal even at this early stage in his career, and his pencils look even more impressive when inked occasionally inked by his father or Frank Giacoia.

Because the Essential packages are so bulky, they cover a lot of ground, and while the quality is inconsistent, it only rarely drops to average. The proviso is that you have to accept the stories being produced with the stylistic standbys of their era, with packed word balloons and thought balloons aplenty.

Time has accorded classic status to two stories here. ‘The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man’ still pushes all the right emotional buttons as Spider-Man visits a dying young fan, with then new artist Ron Frenz appropriately sensitive. Also very highly regarded is the mystery Stern weaves around just who’s discovered the Green Goblin’s equipment to begin a reign of terror as the Hobgoblin. Perhaps the respect here is due to the debut and mystery, as the stories themselves are largely no better or worse than many around them. They showcase Stern having exactly the right balance between Spider-Man action and Peter Parker’s personal life, dropping surprises and making good use of the established supporting cast.

If the Hobgoblin stories are good, but slightly over-rated, this selection doesn’t lack for under-rated material. Stern’s favourite Spider-Man villain is the Vulture, who stars in a great two-parter attempting vengeance, there’s the escalating consequences of the Brand Corporation’s unethical science over four parts, and a neat story showcasing the daydreams of various characters. Also good is what develops from Peter Parker’s high school reunion, although the lack of a costumed villain might disappoint some.

Unfortunately the intention of affordable reprints of classic Spider-Man stories disappeared when the Essential line was cancelled, and used copies of this collection now cost a lot. However, if you want this content in colour, it’s available in a multitude of formats. As trades most issues reprinted here are found as Mark of the Tarantula and Origin of the Hobgoblin. As sturdier hardbacks they can be found with introductions by Stern as Marvel Masterworks: Amazing Spider-Man Volume 22 and 23, and if you want the absolutely decadent format there’s the oversized hardcover Spider-Man by Roger Stern Omnibus.