Top Ten: Spider-Man stories

1. Amazing Spider-Man 121: The Night Gwen Stacy Died (June 1973)
One of the most influential comic books ever written, Amazing Spider-Man 121 finds our hero’s then-girlfriend Gwen Stacy kidnapped by the Green Goblin and hurled off the top of Brooklyn Bridge. You may remember a similar idea with Mary Jane Watson formed the end of Spider-Man 1, but there’s no happy ending here as Spidey shoots down his web in an attempt to halt Gwen’s decent, only for the jolting stop to snap her neck. Brutal, but brilliant.

2. Spider-Man: Blue (July 2002 - April 2003)
In true comic book fashion though, Gwen hasn't really stayed dead, with the writers preferring to clone her and have her bear the Green Goblin's children (!!!). Such revisions and re-interpretations have irritated fans, but some work, as is the case with Spider-Man: Blue. Told across six issues, this mini-series is written by Lost producer Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Tim Sale (who has created some of the art for Heroes), and retells the story of how Peter and Gwen first fell in love.

3. Spider-Man Annual 21 (1987)
After several break-ups and a couple of rejections, Peter finally persuaded Mary Jane to settle down and tie the knot in this memorable edition of the Amazing Spider-Man annual. Blending charming sentiment with a pleasing amount of good old-fashioned action, writer David Michelinie produced a story that tapped perfectly into the bittersweet brilliance of Stan Lee’s greatest creation.

4. Amazing Spider-Man 97: In The Grip Of The Goblin (June 1971)
At its peak in the 1960s and 70s, Spider-Man was a soap opera which focused on the tangled love lives of Peter, Gwen, Harry Osborn and Mary Jane, and this issue is a great example of that approach at its very best. Preferring to flirt with Peter, MJ dumps Harry, leading him into a downward spiral of self-loathing and drug abuse that is only worsened by the re-appearance of the Green Goblin. Classic stuff from Stan Lee, which has undoubtedly inspired Sam Raimi’s romanticised approach to the films.

5. Amazing Spider-Man 143: And The Wind Cries Cyclone (April 1975)
Despite boasting that it featured ‘possibly the most bizarre super-villain in the annals of Spider-dom’, this issue is best remembered for marking a turning point in the relationship between Peter and Mary Jane. Pete is shipped off to Paris to help out Daily Bugle editor J Jonah Jameson and on his exit from the airport shares a steamy kiss with MJ, thus cementing a relationship that had been simmering since the death of Gwen.

6. Amazing Spider-Man 50: Spider-Man No More (July 1967)
The basis for Spider-Man 2, this iconic issue sees Peter finally down his spandex and quit as the webbed wonder. As well as being one of the seminal moments in Spider-Man’s history, it also displays writer/illustrator team Stan Lee and John Romita at the height of their power as they effortlessly depict Peter’s growing frustration and eventual return to his superhero responsibilities in just twenty small pages.

7. Amazing Spider-Man 90: And Death Shall Come (November 1970)
Those Stacys never had much luck and in Amazing Spider-Man 90 it was Gwen’s father who bit the dust to sink Peter even further into his already-immense guilt complex. While Spidey and Doctor Octopus battle it out on the rooftops above, Police Captain George Stacy protects those below until tragedy strikes and rubble falls...

8. Amazing Spider-Man 480: Nuff Said (May 2002)
As anyone who suffered through the protracted torture of the recent Civil War story will know, Marvel love their gimmicks. Problem is, they’re usually all rubbish. Thankfully, they do sometimes get it right and this entirely dialogue-free issue, in which the then-separated Mary Jane and Peter muse on their troubled relationship, is a great example.

9. Kraven’s Last Hunt (September - November 1987)
Falling in line with the rest of the 1980s comic book industry, Spidey went dark in this title-spanning mini-series from writer JM DeMatteis. Russian jungle man Kraven the Hunter was always one of Spider-Man’s more ridiculous foes, but here he is given a noble demise as he moves in for one last battle against his webbed adversary.

10. Amazing Fantasy 15 (August 1962)
Here’s where it all began, not in Amazing Spider-Man, but the final issue of an anthology series called Amazing Fantasy. Our friendly neighbourhood wallcrawler graced the cover and eleven pages inside, paving the way for Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko to weave their teenaged tale of power and responsibility. Comic books would never be the same again…