I found this new collection of classic Stan Lee & Steve Ditko Spider-Man tales by chance when I was browsing on Amazon. I have always liked this design of the Penguin Classics books, and when I checked what was reprinted I had to order a copy. (Content details below.) I bought the paperback edition for $28. There is a gorgeous looking hardcover edition as well, but it was too pricey for me. I actually prefer paperback volumes to hardbacks. I find them easier to handle as well as read .
Content Details
Penguin Classics Marvel Collection: The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Foreword by Jason Reynolds, Introduction by Ben Saunders. It Collects “Spider-Man!” from Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962); The Amazing Spider-Man #1-4, #9, #10, #13, #14, #17-19 (1963-1964); “Goodbye to Linda Brown” from Strange Tales #97 (1962); “How Stan Lee and Steve Ditko Create Spider-Man!” from The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (1964).
My Thoughts on this Collection
I already have a black & white Essential Spider-Man collection that reprints the first twenty issues. While the Essential version is probably the most economical way to read the early Spidey comics, the paper and print quality isn’t great. I really wanted to experience these comics in full colour and I am happy to say they look great. For that reason alone I would recommend this new Penguin Marvel collection. It’s fun just flicking through the book and stopping at random pages to enjoy Steve Ditko’s wonderful panels and pages.
They have also reprinted a couple of the earliest Letters Pages and it’s fascinating to read what Spider-Man fans were writing back then. This is back in the days when the Marvel Comics editors printed both positive and negative letters. Nowadays it is rare to see reader’s letters in the comics. When you do, I can pretty much guarantee there won’t be any critical letters. It’s pretty sad, in my opinion, to practice this “selective editing.” Or shall we just call it “censorship?” It’s a bit like reading new comic reviews on most of the modern comic book review sites. Everything’s a 9 or 10 out of ten. Ridiculous!
With this being a Penguin Classics edition, you also get some scholarly essays on Spider-Man comics and how Stan & Steve created the character. I haven’t read them all yet, but so far they have been very interesting and informative. The “Further Reading” list offers some intriguing-sounding titles, too. I hope to continue my journey into the history of the American comic book. I wish I had been able to study comic books at college instead of just reading them when I should have been studying!
Thanks so much for reading!
Wakizashi, *limiting myself to reading just one Spidey comic from this collection each night.*
Wakizashi's Reviews 
Wow, Penguin Classics is publishing comics? I never knew. Is it the same size as the regular Penguin Classics or larger?
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I know, right? I heard nothing about this. Penguin have done collections of Captain America, Fantastic Four and Black Panther as well. X-Men is due in autumn. I’m very tempted by the Fantastic Four and X-Men volumes. The size is larger than the novels, almost the same size as a regular comic or graphic novel.
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I’ve just seen that the Fantastic Four book isn’t released until autumn, too. They are doing an Avengers one as well. Tempting!
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Interesting, so penguin classics is trying to get their cut of the comic pie money. I find it ironic that comics are now considered classic…
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It looks like it, yeah. I wonder how much Marvel “invested” in them to seal the deal?
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I didn’t want to say that, but I was thinking that too! 😉
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Picked up the Penguin Classics Captain America a month ago. Still haven’t gotten into it. Pricey volumes so it’s nice if you can find them on a discount book site, which is where I got the Cap.
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Yes they are pricey. $28 for the softcover and I think the hardbacks are $50. I accidentally found Amazon US has a BIG discount on the Spider-Man volume right now. Doh! It was full price in Japan.
I didn’t know you were into comics as well. 🙂
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I read a bit of everything. Will start posting a weekly comic review probably in a few months at my Alex Good.net site. Just got going with true crime this week!
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Cool. We need more comics coverage on WordPress!
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Very cool and nice to see, if a bit on the pricey side for a hardcover. Seems the bridge between literature and comics is becoming ever inclusive. Good. I was reading an article recently how some traditional UK bookstores are welcoming comic book titles, and vice versa. Can only be a good thing I think 😎
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It’s such a cool format. I never thought I’d see Penguin Classics releasing comic books. But yes, it’s overpriced.
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Used to love the letters pages in my old Marvel comics…
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Me too. Also in 2000 AD. I just uploaded a video commenting on the Letters Page in the latest issue of Amazing Spider-Man. Marvel have recently started printing a single letters page in Spidey. The thing is, they only print VERY positive ones. I wonder if they are even real. Am I being too cynical?
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I’ve worked on day shifts in news, and usually a call goes out about 5pm that the letters ages is short, and we quickly create a spectrum of opinions. Given the beautiful artwork that your blog has opened my eyes to, it seems like a waste to give space to a letters page. But back in the day when a comic book could have its own in house letters page, I used to pore over the details; a regular correspondence would be about who would play the Marvel characters if they ever made a movie; Steve McQueen or Paul Newman as Captain America.
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As far as I know, they took the letters pages out of comics a long time ago to replace them with more advertising. The number of story pages did not increase. Some of my favourite letter columns were in the DC Vertigo titles like Sandman, Hellblazer and Doom Patrol.
Steve McQueen or Paul Newman as Captain America? Now that’s a difficult choice!
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