Spider-Oracle Petitions (13-Aug-2011)
From Emma
I have bought my husband a piece of original comic art from a Spectacular Spiderman issue - the seller says it is from issue #153 but I don't think it is. I was trying to identify which issue it is from. Can you help?
I was wanting to get my hubby a copy of the original comic as well as a present and really need to identify it properly.
Note: This is a re-visiting of a letter that appeared six months ago in Spider-Oracle Petitions 23-Jan-2011. I can now confirm that (as suspected) this artwork is in fact from here:
Spectacular Spider-Man (UK Magazine) #151
| Publisher: | Panini Magazines |
| Editor: | Ed Hammond |
| Writer: | Ferg Handley |
| Pencils: | Andie Tong |
| Inker: | Kris Justice |
| Colorist: | James Offredi |
The information from the seller was misleading on both counts - firstly, the issue number was incorrect. More importantly, the artwork is not from the well-known American comic called Spectacular Spider-Man #153. It is in fact from the lesser-known UK-only Magazine Spectacular Spider-Man (UK Magazine).
Issue #151 was drawn by up-and-coming UK artist Andie Tong, who has also illustrated a number of children's books for Marvel. He's a nice guy (for a mortal) as well as being very talented.
If you are looking to acquire a copy, you will need to visit eBay UK and search for "spectacular spider-man" then sort through all the U.S. comics to try and find the occasional UK magazine. Issues of the UK magazine appear rarely, so you may need to check regularly for a while. Though by complete coincidence I see a copy for sale at the moment, starting bid of 99 pence. Good luck with your bidding!
From Daredevil1
Was it ever explained exactly how Morlun returned from the dead in between the Coming Home initial appearance arc by Straczynski and his reappearance in The Other: Evolve or Die? He seemed to have pretty conclusively crumbled to dust at the end of his first story, then reappeared with no explanation in "The Other" crossover. Was this ever touched on or a reason ever given?
No, Marvel has not yet provided any explanation. In the official Marvel Index entry for Amazing Spider-Man #525 the reference was simply "Morlun, back from the dead, shadows MJ". I am assured by the team that created that Index entry that no further information has yet been forthcoming.
The "no explanation" may perhaps have been deliberate. The story was linked to the "mystical spider-totem" angle taken by writer JMS. Morlun was cast as a supernatural force of nature rather than a human character. Spider-Man's time was up, and Morlun magically "appeared" to do the deed. It didn't matter that he was already killed in an earlier arc, he's the arbiter of a divine will. He's beyond such concepts.
In fact, it's unclear in the first half of The Other whether Morlun is real or not. Up until the point where he actually kills Spider-Man (and is attacked by the police) no-one but Spidey can see or interact with Morlun. So you could argue that he's not the same Morlun (or even the real Morlun) but the manifestation of death taking a form that Peter recognises and fears.
From Youcef
I have a collection of the 1994 amazing spiderman trading cards (1994 Bagley according to your source) collection (missing 3 golden web cards), and have recently decided to look online for the official binder for the collection. I stumbeled across your site in the process and must say very well made and has plenty of info, about promo stuff etc.
I decided to email you with the question, as its not noted on your site (not sure if you bother with this type of thing) but wondering if you know if an official trading card binder for this collection was ever available. Iv'e looked a few times over the years online and just can't find a thing on it. I would love to have it if there was one, but i would appreciate if you maybe be able to shed some light on the subject.
Binders tend to be the exception rather than the rule. Binders have been produced for the "Spider-Man 1995 Fleer Ultra" set, for the "Spider-Man 3 Movie Set", and for the "Spider-man Archives Set" (2009 by Rittenhouse). We are not aware of any official binder associated with the 1994 Bagley set.
The "Trading Cards" section of the site has been somewhat abandoned by my adepts during the past five or six years. I will castigate them for their lack of attention, and perhaps we will see some updating work going on in that area before too long.
From Alan Binenstock
I am listed as the Inker for 1602: New World #2 - however, I never worked on the "art" side of comic books. Please remove me from this entry.
You do have me correctly listed as an Editor at Wizard Magazine #18. I was an editor there for several issues in 1993.
Ah, I believe I perceive the source of the confusion. The actual inker was "Oclair Albert". The data entry page for issue credits has a sort of "predictive text" input, and it would seem that one of my acolytes selected the wrong name from the list.
Rest assured, I will identify the mortal responsible and ensure they are webbed upside-down from a lamp-post for an hour.
From CountFlock
I can't find Marvel Graphic Novel #17 - Revenge of the Living Monolith listed in 1985. It co-stars Spider-man. It isn't in the the graphics Novel section, either.
Ah, now that you bring my attention to the matter, I see that once again, an adept has erred. The book you mention is Marvel Graphic Novel (No. 17) Revenge Of The Living Monolith. It was present in our system, but the "Spider-Man Appears" tag had somehow disappeared.
It has all been restored now. I shall seek out the culprit. If it is the same adept as the previous mistake, then the penalty for a second offence is two hours upside-down from a tall lamp-post... and the webbing only lasts for an hour.
From Aaron
I wanted to ask. How does Flash get drafted while in school? It was well known in the 60's that you couldn't be drafted while at school. Did Marvel just ignor this reality, or is there a special reason? What is Flash's reaction when he finds out Peter is spider-man, and what issue is it in?
What are all the issues dealing with Peter's revealing his identity to the other heros, the government, the public, and his friends and bosses' reactions?
P.S. I'm less familiar with the newer spider-man comics. What have all the titles been, and where can I get them all on paper, or preferably digitally? I'd also like so see some I missed in the 80s.
Flash was drafted for the Vietnam war in ASM #43, while he was in college. His farewell party was in ASM #47. His reaction to Spider-Man being revealed as Peter was shown in ASM #533 where the revealing occurred. He simply doesn't believe that Puny Parker could truly be Spider-Man. He is certain that it is a trick.
Jonah's angry reaction was shown in the same issue, and the reactions of many other heroes and villains are shown over the following several issues. They are too fragmented and varied to easily summarize. And in any case, if you are really interested, you should simply purchase the trade paperback versions (or read digital versions) of Amazing Spider-Man that cover the events of Civil War through to just before the start of Brand New Day. Specifically, ASM #532 through to ASM #545.
"Trade Paperback" is a square-bound cardboard cover format which collects half-a-dozen comics in a cheap anthology format. Marvel has now made Trade Paperback versions available of pretty much every major Spider-Man event ever published. Marvel advertises them heavily in occasional promotional freebies at comic shops as well as on their own site at Marvel.Com. You can purchase TPBs from most comic shops (online and physical), and also online on eBay and Amazon.
Alternatively, Marvel also offers many (if not most) of their classic and current comics in digital format. Visit the Marvel.Com website for more details.
From Chris
I was in a used book store a few weeks ago, and I saw something in the graphic novel section. It looked like a thick over-sized leather-bound hardcover with the words "Ultimate Spider-Man" on the spine. I have never heard of this item before, so I was wondering if anyone on the SpiderFan staff might know what it is.
This is very unlikely to have been bound in actual leather. Leather bindings for books are exceptionally rare these days. Most likely the book you found is simply missing its dust jacket and the "leather" is actually textured, embossed paper or plastic.
Marvel produced a series of hardcover reprints of Ultimate Spider-Man. One possibility is that you saw a copy of Ultimate Spider-Man Reprints (Hardcover) #1. The hard cover of that book is dark blue, with embossed metallic red print on the front and on the spine.
Alternatively, if this truly was over-sized, it was most likely the Barnes & Noble "Ultimate Spider-Man Collection", an imposing collection which collects the first forty issues or so of that title.
From Ion
I'm looking for a Spider-Man strip and I can't find it. I believe is Spider-Man Newspaper Strip: 10 Apr 1978 - 2 Jul 1978 Story: "Dr. Doom's Robots" but I'm not sure because you don't have pictures for this episode.
You can find some pictures with the strip here in Russian.
Yes, that is "Dr. Doom's Robots" . However, the original story was in black and white. The colors have been added later. Also, the page you refer to starts about six days after the real beginning. The first strip in that Russian collection is 15th April. The original story began on the 10th April. Some scenes with Peter and Aunt May are missing from the Russian version.
My adepts spend most of their time working on the comic appearances of Spider-Man. The Newspaper strips tend to receive lesser attention. This is something we hope to address in the future.
Note that you can purchase a reprinting of this strip in the book The Daily Adventures of Spider-Man, which reprints all of the early strips by Stan Lee and John Romita, Sr.