Marvel Key Reading List

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solletaire

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#1  Edited By solletaire

As a fan of Marvel comics, I would love to dive into the rich history and read back issues... But let's face it, it's impossible to read everything. So I decided to go back and put together a list of essential readings. As such I focused on Marvel's perennial characters (fantastic four, spider-man, avengers, etc.) that have been around since the Silver Age. I wanted to reflect key events, memorable stories, and publication history. I would appreciate help with getting this list together... have I missed something, etc. Any suggestions? Here is what I have so far on Spider-Man. I'll try and post more as I compile the lists.

Amazing Fantasy v1196215Origin
Amazing Spider-Man v119631First Solo Title/Chamelion
2Vulture
3Doc Oc
4Sandman
6The Lizard
19649Electro
11Benett Brant
13Mysterio
14Green Goblin
15Kraven
18-19Original End of Spider-Man
Amazing Spider-Man v1 Annual1The Sinister Six
196520Scorpio
25Spider Slayer
26-27Crime Master vs Green Goblin
28Molten Man
30-33Master Planner Saga
Amazing Spider-Man v1196639-40Goblin Unmasked
41-43Horns of the Rhino
196750-52Spider-Man No More
53-56Doc Oc Wins
Amazing Spider-Man v1 Annual19685Richard and Mary Parker
Amazing Spider-Man v1196978-79Prowler
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#2  Edited By solletaire

And here are some Fantastic Four issues (this is my first time posting on ComicVine, so hopefully I did it right... if not let me know and apologies; I will update this list if there is interest :) ):

Fantastic Four v119611Origin
19622Skrulls
3Costumes, Baxter Building, etc.
4Sub-Mariner
6Super Villain Team-up
8Puppet Master/Alicia
196311Impossible Man
12Thing vs Hulk
13Red ghost/Watcher
15Mad Thinker
16Microverse
18Super Skrull
19Rama Tut
20Molecule Man
Fanatastic Four v1 Annual1Atlantis
Fantastic Four v1196421Nick Fury, Super Spy
22Moloids
31-32Franklin Storm
33Attuma strikes
Fanatastic Four v1 Annual2Origin of Doom
Fantastic Four v1196535-37Wedding Bells
Fanatastic Four v1 Annual3
Fantastic Four v139-40A blind man shall lead them
Fanatastic Four v1 Annual19664Torch vs Torch
Fantastic Four v145-46Inhumans
48-50Galactus Saga
51This Man, This Monster
52-53Black Panther
55When Strikes the Silver Surfer
Fanatastic Four v1 Annual19675Psycho-Man
Fantastic Four v164-65Kree
66-67Him
Fanatastic Four v1 Annual19686Birth of Franklin/Negative Zone
196994Agatha Harkness
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#3  Edited By silent_bomber

Spider-Man

  • Amazing Fantasy 15 - 1st appearance
  • Amz 1 - 1st Chameleon
  • Amz 2 - 1st Vulture
  • Amz 3 - 1st Octopus
  • Amz 4 - 1st Sandman
  • Amz 6 - 1st Lizard
  • Amz 9 - 1st Electro
  • Amz 13 - 1st Mysterio
  • Amz 14 - 1st Green Goblin
  • Amz 15 - 1st Kraven
  • Amz 18-19 - End of Spider-Man
  • Amz 20 - 1st Scorpion
  • Amz 24 - Spider-Man Goes Mad
  • Amz 25 - 1st Spencer Smyth (Spider-Slayer)
  • Amz 26-27 - Green Goblin Mob War saga
  • Amz 31-33 - Master Planner Saga
  • Amz 39-40 - The End of the Green Goblin
  • Amz 41-43 - Horns of the Rhino
  • Amz 46 - 1st Shocker
  • Amz 47 - In the Hands of the Hunter
  • Amz 50-52 - Spider-Man No More
  • Amz 53-56 - Doc Ock Wins
  • Spectacular Spiderman Magazine 2 - The Goblin Lives
  • Amz 68-75 - Tablet of Time Saga
  • Amz 78-79 - 1st Prowler
  • Amz 87 - Unmasked At Last
  • Amz 88-90 - Death of Captain Stacy
  • Amz 96-98 - Harry Osborn is on Drugs
  • Amz 100-102 - The Spider of the Man? 1st Morbius, Six-armed Spidey
  • Amz 121-122 - The Death of Gwen Stacy
  • Amz 129 - 1st Punisher, 1st Jackal
  • Amz 136-137 - 1st Harry Osborn as Green Goblin
  • Amz 143-150 - Clone Saga
  • Amz 153 - The Longest Hundred Yards
  • Amz 176-180 - Bart Hamilton Green Goblin
  • Amz 193-200 - Return of the Burglar Saga, 1st Black Cat
  • Amz Annual 14 - The Bend Sinister, Dr Strange Team Up
  • Amz 224 - Let Fly These Aged Wings
  • Amz 226-227 - The Cat Came Back
  • Amz 229-230 - Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut
  • Spcr 73-79 - Owl/Octopus War
  • Amz 238-239, Spcr 85, Amz 244-245, Amz 249-251 - Origin of the Hobgoblin
  • Amz 240-241 - Origin of the Vulture (Finally)
  • Amz 248 - The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man
  • Secret Wars - 1st Alien Costume
  • Amz 252-258 - Saga of the Alien Costume
  • Amz 259-261 - Sins of my Father, MJs Origin, Hobgoblin Returns
  • Amz Annual 18 - Jonah's Marriage
  • Amz 267 - When Cometh the Commuter
  • Amz 269-270 - Spider-Man Vs Firelord
  • Spcr 108-110 - Death of Jean DeWolff
  • Amz 271 - Whatever Happened to Crusher Hogan?
  • Web 13 - Point of View
  • Amz 277 - Cry of the Wendigo
  • Spcr 25-31 - Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust
  • Amz 290-292, Amz Annual 21 - Wedding to MJ
  • Amz 293-294, Spcr 131-132, Web 31-32 - Kraven's Last Hunt
  • Amz 300 - 1st Venom (he appeared earlier in shadows, but only behind the scenes)
  • Amz 315-317 - 2nd Venom
  • Amz 334-339 - Return of the Sinister Six
  • Amz 341-343 - Powerless
  • Spcr 178-184 - The Child Within
  • Spcr 186-188 - Funeral Arrangements
  • Spcr 189 - The Osborn Legacy
  • Amz 361-363 - 1st Carnage
  • Spcr 194-196 - Death of Vermin
  • Spcr 200 - Best of Enemies

Probably best to stop there to be honest, after this things start to get incredibly messy and you get a mixture of retcons and long-winded "events" that go on and on trying to squeeze every last dime from the Spider-Man fanbase.

  • Lifetheft Storyline - Horrific
  • Maximum Carnage - 100s of pages of people punching each other in the face, bickering, and picking up reinforcements.
  • "I am the Spider" period of 90s grimdark
  • Clone Saga - Long-winded, messy, retcons important events

You can jump back in with JMS, who has his fans (I'm not among them), or with the Brand New Day pseudo-reboot

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Fantastic Four annual 6 also has the first apperance of Annihilus.

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@silent_bomber: Thanks so much. That really helped... I've updated my list! :) I totally agree about the 90s and JSM run (Gwen Stacy had an affair with Norman Osborn, secretly gave birth to twins who were aged thanks to the green goblin formula..ahem... yeah, I'm trying hard to pretend that never happened...)

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#6  Edited By solletaire

Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four v119611Origin
19622Skrulls
3Costumes, Baxter Building, etc.
4Sub-Mariner
6Super Villain Team-up
8Puppet Master/Alicia
196311Impossible Man
12Thing vs Hulk
13Red ghost/Watcher
15Mad Thinker
16Microverse
18Super Skrull
19Rama Tut
20Molecule Man
Fanatastic Four v1 Annual1Atlantis
Fantastic Four v1196421Nick Fury, Super Spy
22Moloids
31-32Franklin Storm
33Attuma strikes
Fanatastic Four v1 Annual2Origin of Doom
Fantastic Four v1196535-37Wedding Bells
Fanatastic Four v1 Annual3
Fantastic Four v139-40A blind man shall lead them
Fanatastic Four v1 Annual19664Torch vs Torch
Fantastic Four v145-46Inhumans
48-50Galactus Saga
51This Man, This Monster
52-53Black Panther
55When Strikes the Silver Surfer
Fanatastic Four v1 Annual19675Psycho-Man
Fantastic Four v164-65Kree
66-67Him
Fanatastic Four v1 Annual19686Birth of Franklin/Negative Zone
196994Agatha Harkness
Fantastic Four v11971115-116Eternals
1972126Origin Retold
1974151-153Origin of Thundra
1975160-163IT Conspiracy
164-165Frankie Raye/Nega Bands
1976176Best of the Rest
1978195-200The Second Doom
1979204-209The Fight for Xandar
Fantastic Four v11981232-240Back to Basics
1982242-247New herald of Galactus
1983257-261Doomsday
262Trial of Reed Richards
1984269-270Terminus
272-273Fathers and Sons
1985275Spotlight on our newest member
267, 280-281Malice
1987300Wedding of Johnny Storm
1989320-323Rogue Watcher I
335-336Registration Act
Fantastic Four v11990337-345To There and Back Again
1991347-349New Fantastic Four
357-358Lyja Revealed
1993376Psy-Lord
380-384Fantastic Three
1995396-400Rogue Watcher II
406-409Hyperstorm
Amazing Fantasy v1196215Origin
Amazing Spider-Man v119631First Solo Title/Chamelion
2Vulture
3Doc Oc
4Sandman
6The Lizard
19649Electro
11Benett Brant
13Mysterio
14Green Goblin
15Kraven
18-19Original End of Spider-Man
Amazing Spider-Man v1 Annual1The Sinister Six
196520Scorpio
24Spider Man Goes Mad
25Spider Slayer
26-27Crime Master vs Green Goblin
28Molten Man
30So Long Betty
31-33Master Planner Saga
Amazing Spider-Man v1196639-40Goblin Unmasked
41-43Horns of the Rhino
46Shocker
47Bury the Hatchet
196750-52Spider-Man No More
53-56Doc Oc Wins
Amazing Spider-Man v1 Annual19685Richard and Mary Parker
Amazing Spider-Man v1196978-79Prowler
Amazing Spider-Man v1197086Black Widow Origin
87Spider-Man Unmasked
88-90The Death of Captain Stacy
94Origin Revisited
197196-98Harry Osborn is on Drugs
100-102Spider or the Man?
Marvel Team-Up v119721Bromance
Amazing Spider-Man v11973121-122Death of Gwen Stacy
124-125Man-Wolf
129Punisher
134-137Green Goblin Legacy
140Glory Grant
1975143-150Original Clone Saga
Spectacular Spider-Man v119761Growing Family
Amazing Spider-Man v1156, 166Hitched!
1979194-195Black Cat
198-200Return of the Burgler
Amazing Spider-Man v11980210Madame Webb
1982226-227The Cat Cames Back
229-230Nothing can Stop the Juggernaught
Spectacular Spider-Man v164Cloak and Dagger
73-79The Owl Octopus War
Amazing Spider-Man v11983240-241Origin of the Vulture
Spectacular Spider-Man v185
238-239Original Hobgoblin Saga
244-245
1984249-251
Amazing Spider-Man v1248The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man
252-258Alien Costume Saga
Amazing Spider-Man v1 Annual18JJJ Gets Married
Amazing Spider-Man v11985263Birth of Normie Osborn
265Silver Sable
267The Commuter Cometh
271Whatever happened to Crusher Hogan?
Spectacular Spider-Man v1107-110Death of Jean de Wolffe
Marvel Team-Up v1150Tis Better to Give
Web of Spider-Man v11to3Growing Family
Amazing Spider-Man v1259-261The Second Hobgoblin Saga
1986275-279
1987289
293-294Kraven's Last Hunt
Spectacular Spider-Man v1131-132
Web of Spider-Man v131-32
Amazing Spider-Man v1290-292The Proposal
Amazing Spider-Man v1 Annual21Peter's Wedding
18Venom
1988299-300
Spectacular Spider-Man v1134-136Return of the Sin Eater
1989158-160Cosmic Spider-Man
Amazing Spider-Man v1327-329
Web of Spider-Man v159-61
Spider-Man19901to5Growing Family
Amazing Spider-Man v1334-339Return of the Sinister Six
1991344-345, 361-363Birth of Carnage
Spectacular Spider-Man v1178-184The Child Within
1992189The Osborn Legacy
1993199-200Harry Osborn Dies
201-203Maximum Carnage
Amazing Spider-Man v1378-380
Web of Spider-Man v1101-103
Spider-Man35-37
Spider-Man Unlimited1to2
Daredevil
Daredevil v119641Origin
2Matt becomes the FF's lawyer
4Purple Man
19657Paint the Town Red
196616-17Enter Spider-Man
196725Mike Murdock
196939-41, 57Identity Crisis
48Foggy becomes DA
53Origin Revisited
Daredevil v1197181, 86Enter the Widow
197395-96Daredevil/Black Widow
1976131-132Bullseye
1978153-154Ben Urich
Daredevil v11980166Foggy gets married
1981168-170Elektra Saga
174-182
1982187-191
183-184Child's Play
1986227-233Born Again
1988254-257Typhoid Mary
Daredevil v11991297-300Last Rights
1993319-325Fall from Grace
Daredevil Man without Fear1to5Origins Revisited
Daredevil v11995344-350Over the Edge
1998373-375Fear and Loathing
380Just One Good Story
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#7  Edited By silent_bomber

The awful Ned Leeds Retcon in Amazing #289 doesn't really have much to do with the 259-261 Hobgoblin story, there's actually a whole other story between those issues that features Hobgoblin prominently, the Gang War Saga (Amazing 284-288)

The "Flash Thompson framed by Hobgoblin" story starts in 275, continues through the 1st Sinister Syndicate Story (Amazing 279-281 where he's broken out of prison), and Gang War (Amazing 283-288 on the run), and then only gets resolved in Amazing 289.

Gang War and Amazing 289 are held in pretty low regard to be honest, due to stuff like this -

No Caption Provided