My first exposure to the comic book Spider-Man (I had watched the 1967 cartoon for years on Channel 5. However, as a child of 3, I didn't quite understand the concept of the web-shooters--I thought that Spider-Man had strung up all of these ropes around the city, so that he could swing on them Tarzan-like.), MARVEL TALES #53 was given to me by my Uncle Jerry. He was a house painter by trade, and had come across one or two comics in his travels--the other book he gave me that summer's day was WORLD'S FINEST #226.
I was still not a fan of the Marvel style, so I went into the issue with a certain amount of prejudice. It's a terrific Stan Lee/John Romita tale, originally presented in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #70--a chapter in the "Tablet Saga", considered by many to be the pinnacle of the Lee/Romita era. But it didn't really grab me. I found most of the characters harsh and shrill, I wasn't crazy about the idea that the hero was wanted by the authorities, and I definitely didn't like the fact that, like all of the Marvel books I'd read at that time, it continued into the next issue.
My first exposure to the comic book Spider-Man (I had watched the 1967 cartoon for years on Channel 5. However, as a child of 3, I didn't quite understand the concept of the web-shooters--I thought that Spider-Man had strung up all of these ropes around the city, so that he could swing on them Tarzan-like.), MARVEL TALES #53 was given to me by my Uncle Jerry. He was a house painter by trade, and had come across one or two comics in his travels--the other book he gave me that summer's day was WORLD'S FINEST #226. 