(I originally read these comics in late May 2016)
Just finished reading the 125 or so Spider-Man comics published within the two-year window between January 1997 and Jan '99 (and a few slightly outside it). This little project took me four weeks. I've enjoyed 'em by and large but I will be glad to move onto something else.
The 'Identity Crisis' crossover follows on directly from 'Spider-Hunt', with Peter assuming four new super-hero guises so he can continue to act while there's a bounty on his head. J.M. DeMatteis leaves as writer of Spectacular Spider-Man for the second time before the story's conclusion, leaving things to be wrapped up by Glenn Greenberg. That's a shame as he's always been one of the best Spidey scribes and he hasn't worked with the character for any extended period since.
The long-running Black Tarantula sub-plot comes to a head in Amazing # 436 (also the climax to Tom DeFalco's second extended run on the title). The character would only turn up again years later in Ed Brubaker's Daredevil run. The newly-revealed Hobgoblin, Roderick Kingsley, and Norman Osborn face off in Roger Stern's 'Goblins at the Gate', a good read, and the Kingpin makes his tentative return to the Big Apple seven years after being toppled from his perch in Howard Mackie's and Norman Felchle's 'Made Men' one-shot. (I guess we're supposed to overlook his recent appearance in 'Spider-Man/Kingpin: to the Death'.) Despite the Spidey logo emblazoned prominently on the front, 'Made Men' features the web-slinger cameoing in only a couple of panels.
The run climaxes in the double whammy of 'The Gathering of Five' and 'The Final Chapter', which feature Norman Osborn assembling five artifacts needed to perform an arcane ritual through which he hopes to gain ultimate power. Instead he goes insane (insaner?) and in the final showdown with Peter reveals that Aunt May didn't die in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man # 400, after all. No, he'd previously employed a "genetically-engineered actress" to die in her place just to fuck with his mind. Oh, comics...
With Aunt May back and Mary Jane giving up her studies to return to modelling (great role model, there), the way is clear for the Howard Mackie/John Byrne reboot. I read that as it came out and was far from impressed but because I'm some kind of masochist I'll give it another read through soon.
This late 90s stretch of comics is largely a forgotten period in Spidey history, being sandwiched between the infamous Clone Saga and the nearly-as-infamous reboot. There are really no stories that have gone down as classics but that doesn't mean they aren't consistently enjoyable, or at least competent.
One thing I like is how '90s darlings Venom and Carnage are employed sparely. Aside from the two one-shots under his own name, Carnage only makes two appearances. Venom, meanwhile, was coming off the back of a succession of his own limited series and when he does rear his slobbering, fang-filled head it's in the one-shot 'Venom Agenda', and not a regular title. It's as if editorial had finally cottoned on to the fact they're pretty lame characters. Or perhaps not.
Another plus is the number of horror characters Peter gets thrown up against. Morbius gets a handful of appearances. There's also Dracula, Lilith, Frankenstein's Monster, Ghost Rider, Blade and two appearances from Simon Garth, the Zombie. I've always thought Spidey works well in horror settings.
Sensational Spider-Man # 27, Amazing Spider-Man # 434, Peter Parker, Spider-Man # 91 and Spectacular Spider-Man # 257 were released with variant covers showcasing Peter Parker's alternate super-hero identities. As extras, here are those covers.
Peter Parker, Spider-Man # 98 also came with a variant, second outer cover heralding the character's new direction.
Sensational Spider-Man (1996) # 27/28, Amazing Spider-Man (1963) # 434/435, Peter Parker, Spider-Man (1990) # 91/92 and Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) # 257/258 are collected in:
Softcover:
Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) # 259-261 are collected in:
Softcover:
Sensational Spider-Man (1996) # 32/33, Amazing Spider-Man (1963) # 440/441, Peter Parker, Spider-Man (1990) # 96-98 and Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) # 262/263 are collected in:
Softcover:
