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10 Best Spider-Man Comic Book Runs of All Time, Ranked
The Amazing Spider-Man debuted in 1963, and his comics have run continuously since, often with more than one title ongoing at any given time. When looking at his history, the best Spider-Man comic book runs laid the foundation for his mythology, changed the status quo in shocking ways, and made a lasting impact on not only his character, but others surrounding him. Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created most of his most iconic villains, while Dan Slott and Nick Spencer reshaped his life in the 21st century. Two of his best runs introduced villains like Hobgoblin and Venom, and another was short but impactful, with “Kraven’s Last Hunt” a single, unforgettable story.
From the men who created Spider-Man to everyone who developed and helped him grow throughout the years, here is a look at the best Spider-Man comic book runs.
10) Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 1
In 2000, Marvel did something groundbreaking by taking their entire comic book line and rebooting it into an alternate universe storyline that updated every character for a new generation of fans. The best of these books included The Ultimates, Ultimate Fantastic Four, and Ultimate Spider-Man, and the latter title took the hero back to basics. Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley took Peter Parker back to high school and looked at how his origin story could have played out in the 21st century. While they did added a fresh coat of paint over the Stan Lee and Steve Ditko run, they also gave modern teenage readers a character they could better relate to. Ultimate Spider-Man helped create a more cinematic storytelling experience than the mainline Spider-Man titles. This first run created the template that would later introduce Miles Morales to the world.
9) Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 #648-700
This Spider-Man comic book run was Dan Slott’s “Big Time” storylines, which launched with Amazing Spider-Man #648 in 2010. There were new suits, Peter Parker actually finding success in the workplace at Horizon Labs, and the eventual major story arcs with “Spider-Island” and “Ends of the Earth.” This run had a variety of artists, with Humberto Ramos, Stefano Caselli, Marcos Martin, and Giuseppe Camuncoli all bringing their talent to the title. This run also ended with one of the biggest moments in Spider-Man history when Doctor Octopus switched minds with Peter Parker right before the hero died, leading to Superior Spider-Man.
8) Superior Spider-Man Vol. 1
Superior Spider-Man immediately followed the last entry, and it changed everything, starting a brand-new series with Doctor Octopus now inside Peter Parker’s body. Ock served as a superhero with fewer morals than the original Spider-Man. The storyline was memorable because Doc Ock wanted to be a hero, and he used his incredible intellect to solve problems that Peter Parker never attempted, either because Peter never thought of them or because he felt they were immoral to attempt. The Dan Slott story also had Peter Parker not dead, but buried deep within his body, mentally pushing Octopus to be a better man. It stands as as the best Doctor Octopus redemption story imaginable.
7) Amazing Spider-Man #1-74, 2018-2021
Nick Spencer took over the title with Ryan Ottley and Humberto Ramos in 2018 when Dan Slott finally ended his decade-long run with the character. This run delivered some incredible storylines right from the start, with major arcs including the Kraven storyline “Hunted,” tie-in issues to the Absolute Carnage event, and the “Last Remains” storyline, which featured Kindred. The latter storyline introduced a long-running mystery about the identity of the demonic villain tormenting Peter Parker’s life. One of the best things that Spencer did was rekindle Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson’s relationship, although Marvel has still never allowed them to get back together.
6) Amazing Spider-Man, 2008-2018
In 2008, Marvel Comics faced its most difficult period with Spider-Man because this run followed “One More Day.” That storyline was the most hated in Spider-Man history, even eclipsing the hate people had for “The Clone Saga.” That is because Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson made a deal with Mephisto to erase their marriage from existence to save Aunt May’s life. While fans hated that moment, the Dan Slott run that followed was actually better than what people might remember. “Brand New Day” started the new stories, which led to “New Ways to Die,” “Spider-Island,” “Spider-Verse,” and “Renew Your Vows.” This Dan Slott run started the longest tenure of any writer on the mainline Spider-Man title.
5) Amazing Spider-Man #471-508, 2001-2004
While readers hated how J. Michael Straczynski ended his Spider-Man run, thanks to “One More Day,” what he did before this was groundbreaking for the character’s mythology. Straczynski teamed with John Romita Jr., and their first story arc was “Coming Home,” bringing Ezekiel Sims and Morlun into the Marvel Universe, and introducing the idea of the spider-totem. From this point on, Spider-Man’s origin was no longer about a radioactive spider biting him, but about his role as a hero in the spider-totem. This is the story run that set up the Spider-Verse, as well as had Aunt May finally learn that Peter Parker was Spider-Man. While Straczynski fell short in the end (his time on the title ended with Amazing Spider-Man #545), the run from Amazing Spider-Man #471-508 was masterful.
4) Amazing Spider-Man #224-252, 1982-1984
This iconic Spider-Man run was from Roger Stern and artists John Romita Jr. and Ron Frenz. The stories introduced one of the best Spider-Man villains of the 1980s, the Hobgoblin. At that time, there wasn’t a bigger mystery in comics than who the Hobgoblin really was, with people guessing a resurrected Norman Osborn or even Harry Osborn. This run also included two of the greatest stories in Spider-Man history with the emotional “The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man” (Amazing Spider-Man #248) and “Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut” (Amazing Spider-Man #229-230). Stern’s final issue of the run introduced the black suit that would later become Venom.
3) “Kraven’s Last Hunt” (1987)
One of the shortest runs on this list is also one of the best Spider-Man tales in history. “Kraven’s Last Hunt” is a six-issue crossover series by J.M. DeMatteis or Mike Zeck, running in Web of Spider-Man #31-32, Amazing Spider-Man #293-294, and Spectacular Spider-Man #131-132. This is the greatest Kraven the Hunter storyline ever told, and here he actually defeats Spider-Man, seemingly killing and burying him before taking the black costume and replacing him to defeat Vermin, a villain Spider-Man never could stop. Kraven didn’t actually kill Spider-Man, though. Instead, Kraven shot Spider-Man with a tranquilizer dart before taking his own life to end this amazingly told story.
2) Amazing Spider-Man #298-328, 1988-1990
David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane created this arc, with the first issue being McFarlane’s first on the title. This kicked off strongly with Venom making his full debut in Amazing Spider-Man #300, and quickly becoming one of Spider-Man’s most powerful villains, and later one of his greatest supporting characters. McFarlane redefined how Spider-Man looked with this run, and this led him to co-found his own company, Image Comics. This was also the run that made Tombstone a main event player after his debut in Web of Spider-Man #36, and it also brought Spider-Man’s first villain, the Chameleon, back to prominence.
1) Amazing Spider-Man #1-38, 1963-1966
The greatest Spider-Man run of all time remains the first run of the series. After making his introduction in Amazing Fantasy #15, the first solo Spider-Man series saw Stan Lee and Steve Ditko introduce Peter Parker and his supporting cast, and then churned out some of the best villains in Marvel history for the next three-plus years. This Spider-Man run introduced Chameleon, Vulture, Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Lizard, Electro, Mysterio, Green Goblin, Kraven, and Scorpion. It also introduced the world to Harry Osborn, Gwen Stacy, and J. Jonah Jameson. Ditko left after Amazing Spider-Man #38, but the foundation he and Lee built is what Spider-Man is still based on.
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