Marvel Platinum: The Definitive Spider-Man
Marvel Platinum: The Definitive Spider-Man – Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, Jim Shooter, John Romita Snr, John Romita Jnr, Dan Slott, Joe Queseda, Gil Kane, J. Michael Straczynski, Roy Thomas (Marvel / Panini)
Given the success of ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ at the box office (If you haven’t seen it yet, make sure you do, like this collection of stories, it’s the definitive Spider-Man film and it’ll knock your socks off. Trust me) it was inevitable that Marvel would release a tie in book that would, could and should, introduce a new legion of fans to some of the most crucial events in the life and development of the web-slinging wonder, who is arguably, their best, if not most beloved character. It’s all here, how Peter Parker became Spider-Man, how he met, loved and lost Gwen Stacey at the hands of his arch enemy, The Green Goblin, how me learned to live and love again with Mary Jane, the introduction of, and Spidey’s first head on collision with, Venom, how the super-hero registration act and the civil war that followed it damn near destroyed his life, how our star crossed lovers were eventually torn apart, and how Peter Parker and J. Jonah Jameson ended up becoming step-brothers. From Lee to Starczynski to Slott, the tales within this book, accompanied by artwork from some of the most talented illustrators and artists to have ever picked up a pencil, are some of the greatest Spidey stories ever told, are more than worth the price of admission. Are there omissions? Of course there are, especially if you’re a die hard fan like me, but that’s just me being a tyre kicker and moaning about the fact that some of my favourite moments didn’t make the grade. If at was my money and I wanted a quick Spidey fix that’d help me to jump straight into the established series and thus be able to pick up the book regularly, then this is exactly where I’d start. The Definitive Spider-Man? Damn right it is… Tim Mass Movement
