Amazing Fantasy 15 - where it all began
Here it is - 11 pages (12 if you count the cover) of comic book history in the making.You know the story - timid Peter Parker, who we all came to know, love and identify with - is bitten by a radioactive spider and receives his Spider - powers. Almost knocked over by an onrushing car, Peter suddenly discovers his agility and ability to cling to walls as he jumps clear of the vehicle. Deciding to cash in on his new powers, Peter decides to enter a wrestling contest - ignoring the pleas of a police officer to stop an escaping felon while he's there. The felon then goes on to shoot Peter's uncle Ben in a botched robbery and Peter is made all too aware that "With great power comes great responsibility." Although the story has been reprinted, reworked and added to here and there - there's nothing like the original Lee / Ditko epic.
What Spider-Man went on to become means this issues 3 other stories, "The Bell - Ringer," "Man in the Mummy Case" and "There are Martians among us" (all by Lee / Ditko) pale into total insignificance. An all time classic issue, heralding the dawn of the Marvel age.
