Spider-Oracle Petitions (04-Sep-2016)
From Ron
Hello I just was going thru my collection and found that I had 2 copies of Amazing Spiderman # 200 from the first series ( 1963 ) . My question is why were there 2 different editions . One with the square in the corner and the other with the triangle that had the price . Can you please answer that if you know ?
May I presume that when you say "triangle", you actually mean "diamond"?
Some History: In the Golden and Silver ages of comics, all comics were sold by newsagents alongside magazines and newspapers. In the late 1970's the comic book market underwent a significant transformation with the advent of specialty comic book stores, and the idea of direct distribution via those stores.
Newsagents were allowed to return unsold copies, but direct distribution comic stores were not. Two different versions of the comics were printed. The newsagent version featured a UPC code. The direct market version didn't generally have a UPC code, although in and around the year 1980 (being the year in which Amazing Spider-Man #200 was released) sometimes the UPC was present but was struck out with a marker pen.
As you've noticed, the price box in the top-level corner was also different for those non-returnable comics, being a "diamond" shape rather than the classic rectangle which indicated the newsagent version. This diamond is the reason that Steve Geppi named his direct distribution company "Diamond Comic Distributors."
The diamond shape was dropped in the early 1980's, but Diamond Comic Distributors keeps alive the legacy of that shape. Diamond Comic Distributors is now the last remaining major comic distribution network in the U.S. comics market.
From Todd
I've looked through the book 4 times.
Can't find any sort of SM Reference in Elektra #12 (1996).
If it's in there, please tell me where, as I already bought the book based on it's inclusion on your site.
I fear you may be correct. My team of Acolytes is willing and enthusiastic. But errors can happen, and I fear that Elektra #12 is one such mistake. It does appear as if there is no Spider-Man reference in this issue.
Elektra (Vol. 1) #13 features a Spider-Man Reference (he appears on a Daily Bugle poster), as does Elektra (Vol. 1) #7, where the Taskmaster uses webbing. But on review, Elektra #12 seems to contain no reference. We shall remove it from the database. Thank you for pointing this out.
From Kyle
Hiyo! Great website! Love the work you guys have put in to it.
Daredevil (Vol. 1) #43 (August, 1968) has a cameo of Peter Parker. He's not named but has his yellow and green jacket on and is taking pictures of Daredevil and Captain America.
Not sure if this warrants an addition but thought I'd mention it.
This most certainly does warrant a mention.
This is a great early cameo, and my acolytes have just added it to the database.
From Gina
Please correct your information reqarding the art in {{The Amazing Spider-Man: The Big Top Mystery}}. The cover and all interior pages were drawn and painted in acrylics by Earl Norem. I have personally sold many of the original paintings for Earl.
Indeed. A quick check on Wikipedia makes it clear that Earl Norem was undoubtedly the prime artistic force behind the illustrations in this lovely little one-off book. Marie Severin is also credited, but it seems clear that her involvement was a supporting role, and that Earl did most of the heavy lifting.
Thank you for that clarification, we have updated the review accordingly.
From Denominator92
I'd like to point out a mistake in your F.A.Q. : Has Spider-Man Killed? section. You list Moondark the Magician here, but this is not true. Moondark survives the fall from the golden gate bridge and returns to battle Spider-Man and Ghost Rider in Marvel Team-Up #91, having been saved by "the dark beings [he] worshipped."
Saying this, Spider-Man may have killed in Marvel Team-Up #90. He and Beast attack the Modular Man using Killer Shrikes electrical gauntlet, seemingly destroying him. As far as I know the character has not appeared since, so we can assume he is dead. In Spider-Man's own words: "We may have destroyed a man, Beast! I know it was necessary and we didn't have a choice, but i dont have to like it!"
You are correct on both counts. We will certainly add both pieces of information to the page, thank you.
We won't remove the Moondark information from that page entirely, as it's clear that Spider-Man would have killed Moondark (and with little apparant remorse) if it weren't for demonic intervention. Also, it's not clear if Moondark was saved from death, or was resurrect subsequent to his death!
From luca
my name is luca dolcini.
I write to you looking for help in a problem that we didn't resolve.
An italian Marvel comic book published by Editoriale Corno in 1983 the cover has an image we don't manage to find out where it comes from.
It could be a cover of an american album, or it also could be a spalsh page of some stories.
can you help me some way?
Hello Luca.
We're pretty confident this isn't from the cover of any U.S. comic. It could possibly be a splash page, but nothing comes to mind right now. To be honest, it doesn't look "right" to me. It doesn't feel like a Marvel comics page.
The perspective on that front building is too skewed. Marvel splash pages had other ways of grabbing your attention, and this doesn't feel like something they would do.
This feels like a completely original illustration drawn by a non-Marvel artist. Or possibly they have taken the swinging Spider-Man from a splash page, but re-drawn the backgrounds?
From Rich
Hi! I have a unique problem. I got a page of comic art by Ty Templeton, and I'm trying to identify which issue of (Marvel Universe) Ultimate Spider-Man it's from...
It's a full-page image of Godzilla about to stomp on Spidey. Ty himself wasn't sure anymore, but thinks it's from #5. I love the artwork and want to track down the comic it's from! Perhaps you know?
Actually, this problem isn't quite as unique as you think it is.
The answer to your question is almost certainly Marvel Universe Ultimate Spider-Man #3. Spider-Man and Electro find themselves inside a TV show, thanks to Tony Stark's latest 4-D projection technology, combined with an untimely electric shock.
It's not quite a full-page image. But it's the only close match. Gardoom is a giant monster from Marvel Universe Ultimate Spider-Man #9, but he doesn't look particularly like Godzilla, and there's nothing even closely resembling a full-page panel in that issue.