Spectacular Spider-Man Primer

The Spectacular Spider-Man was Marvel’s first foray into publishing comic books in a magazine format. This allowed greater creative freedom, particularly allowing the company to create stories that were not under the scrutiny of the Comic Book Code Authority. Both issues were written by Stan Lee and pencilled by John Romita, Sr. The first issue was titled “Lo This Monster” and was a slow burning political story where Spider-Man investigates popular candidate Richard Raleigh who is being targeted by a new villain called the Man-Monster. This story was later republished in Amazing Spider-Man #116-118 with alterations made so the story could fit with continuity of the time. Which was an odd choice. Continuity wise, the Spectacular Spider-Man #1 version fits wit continuity circa 1964 and is referenced in many editions of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe. When Marvel printed a new Official Index to the Marvel Universe 2009 references both versions of the story, but doesn’t go into any attempt to explain how two mostly-identical stories could exist, but hey, it’s a 50+ year old story, you figure it out.

Issue #2 featured the return of the Green Goblin, who had selective amnesia at the time. This the first of many subsequent stories that had Norman Osborn using his knowledge of Peter Parker’s double identity to strike at is long time enemy. However, the story ends with the status quo being restored at the end of the story.

A third issue was teased at the end of issue #2, however a third issue wasn’t published. Marvel may have abandoned a Spider-Man magazine but they didn’t back out of the magazine business. Instead, they used it as a medium to publish more adult themed stories and horror comics which, at the time, were heavily scrutinized in a regular comic book format. Under their Curtis Magazines imprint, Marvel would go on to publish Savage Sword of Conan, as well as horror titles such as Dracula Lives, Tales of the Zombie. Other titles included Deadly Hands of Kung Fu, Rampaging Hulk and Howard the Duck all got magazine treatments in the 70s and early 80s.