Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus v.1
Posted: Tuesday, April 15, 2008
By: David Wallace
Stan Lee, Steve Ditko (co-plotter)
Steve Ditko
Marvel Comics
Amazing Fantasy #15 was the first comic book that I remember reading, after picking up a paperback collected edition of the first seven issues of the Spider-Man saga at a yard sale in 1987. As a result, I've been a lifelong fan of Marvel comics in general (and Spider-Man in particular) - but 20 years down the line, my original paperback copy was in dire need of a replacement, after being read to death:
This seemed like as good a time as any to invest in a brand new edition, and what better format to choose than the comprehensive Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus.
The first thing that strikes you about this bumper compilation of every Stan Lee/Steve Ditko Spider-Man issue ever created is the sheer weight of the thing. It's a giant brick of a book that should come with a health warning for anyone who's planning on placing it on a high bookshelf or trying to read it without the support of a sturdy table or cushion. Still, it's a small price to pay for the privilege of reading the first forty issues or so of Amazing Spider-Man in one luxury hardback volume, packed with extras and reproduced in the best possible quality. Not for nothing do Spider-Man writers (and superhero creators in general) refer to the issues collected here as "the superhero bible," as within the pages of this book is contained the DNA for an entire generation of superheroes which was to be influenced by Lee and Ditko's magnum opus.
It's difficult to appreciate in retrospect how revolutionary these comics were. Along with Fantastic Four, Amazing Spider-Man redefined the superhero model in more realistic terms, allowing its lead to be characterised as flawed and imperfect, with personal problems and relationship difficulties which grounded him at the same time as his amazing abilities set him apart from the crowd. The boastful captions of Amazing Spider-Man #1 which claimed that "There's never been a hero like Spider-Man!" may seem quaint and hyperbolic today, but at the time it was true: you really never had seen a superhero like this before. Peter Parker was an unpopular, untrendy teenager who lived with his ageing Aunt and had to worry about being home on time or paying the rent whilst he was out fighting super-villains. Crucially, Stan Lee showed a knack for connecting with an audience that was starting to feel distanced from the whiter-than-white heroism that was being provided by Marvel's Distinguished Competition, and the hip, affable persona that he presented in the pages of his comics was arguably a huge part of their appeal at the time. Here was a comics company that was populated by people who were on the same wavelength as America's youth (or at least pretended to be), writing books about heroes who shared their concerns and problems, and who lived in the tangible environs of New York rather than existing in some fantastical imaginary alternate world. Lee's writing was snappy, self-effacing and light, and his easy rapport with his readers is evident in every caption, credit box and letters page. Whilst we might have grown wise to Stan The Man's showmanship in later years, it's obvious that these early outings were a breath of fresh air for the medium.
However, as much as Spidey's appeal can be attributed to Stan Lee, it's impossible to overestimate the contribution of Steve Ditko's unique visuals to the overall package. Ditko's style shied away from the perfect prettiness of the classic superhero model, adding visual realism to the book through his realistic faces and expressions (often drawing figures who were downright ugly), and making convincing use of New York as a backdrop for Spidey's adventures. Ditko can also be credited for the appeal of Spider-Man's kooky costume, drawing him in suitably odd-looking and twisted poses which were imitated for years afterwards by subsequent artists.
The following comparison between Ditko’s work and the later imagery of celebrated Spidey illustrator Todd McFarlane shows just how far his influence spread, both in terms of kooky body language…
…and even the 3-D “spaghetti webbing” that would be one of McFarlane’s later “innovations”:
The character's full face-mask was a masterstroke, as it allowed readers to identify with Spidey in a very literal sense. Once Peter Parker became Spider-Man, he was unrecognisable, and the implication that there could be anyone under the mask was more than just a plot point to conceal Parker's identity: it was a way of encouraging legions of impressionable young fans to put themselves in his place, reinforcing their empathy for the character and strengthening the connection between the readers and the story being told as a result. "He's the hero who could be YOU!"
It was Ditko's vivid imagination that came up with iconic villains like Doctor Octopus, the Green Goblin, Sandman, the Vulture, the Lizard, Kraven the Hunter, and endless others. These weren't occasional successes, either: month after month, Ditko dreamed up a brand new supervillain, the majority of whom are yet to be bettered and are still being used by regular writers of the book today. It was also Ditko who co-plotted the stories, and as the series continues you can see his influence extend further into this element of the book. The first Amazing Spider-Man Annual in particular is a tour de force which features the debut of the Sinister Six, and Ditko is given a greater change than ever to dazzle readers with his series of full-page splash illustrations which show Spidey taking out each member of the group in turn. The issues collected here also see cameos from another Ditko creation, Dr. Strange, with the artist clearly having a ball drawing the meeting of his two characters (in the second Annual). Ditko also does his best to put his own stamp on Kirby creations such as the Human Torch, The Hulk, or Doctor Doom as they make guest-appearances in the book, making the first steps towards establishing the sprawling mass of interconnected characters that is now known as the Marvel Universe.
It's also possible to chart Ditko's improvement as an artist throughout these several years' worth of issues. After working your way through towards the end of this collection, it's quite surprising to turn back to the start of the book and see just how far his style evolved over the course of his Spider-Man tenure. Even though his run on Amazing ran to thirty-eight issues (not including Amazing Fantasy #15 and the annuals), for many readers Ditko's run on the book culminates in the climax of the famous issue #33, "The Final Chapter." The story provides a bravura showcase of just how powerful Ditko's superhero imagery could be, and it's testament to the power of his linework that Stan Lee's dialogue feels completely surplus to requirements here, with Ditko saying all that's necessary about Spider-Man's struggle against adversity through his linework and perfectly-judged visual pacing alone. However, as the collection winds to a close, Ditko's heart doesn't really seem to be in it any more, and I can't help but wonder whether many of the images in the final issue are Ditko's work at all. There's a bittersweet quality to these final few issues for those readers who are aware of the circumstances surrounding the dissolution of the Lee/Ditko partnership (it's surely no coincidence that the artist left the book directly before the introduction of Mary Jane Watson under the pen of the decidedly more romantically-styled John Romita, and the revelation of the Green Goblin's secret identity). However, regardless of the reasons for Ditko’s ultimate falling-out with Stan Lee, it can't cast a shadow over the fine work collected here.
I also have to commend the fine work which has been done in reproducing the original artwork in this Omnibus edition. The following comparison shows an image from the fight between a newly-powered Peter Parker and "Crusher" Hogan. The image on the left is from an earlier reprint, whilst the image on the right shows the extra clarity and definition that is apparent in the Omnibus (particularly when it comes to Ditko’s shading lines):
In addition to a sharper image, the colours have also been completely remastered. Looking at the following examples, you can see the full extent to which the colouring has been completely overhauled. However, whilst I'm not certain which scheme most accurately reflects the content of the original comics, I can't say that all of the new colouring choices are to my taste. Most of the time, there seems to be a conscious move towards brightening up the panels with vivid primary shades, and this loses the subtlety of some of the colouring effects which appeared in the previous volumes.
(In both cases, the colouring from the original Masterworks reprint can be found on the left, and the new Omnibus colouring on the right.)
Aside from the issues themselves, one major attraction of this collection is the wealth of extras which have been compiled. The most satisfying inclusion is the original letter pages from each issue, which allow us to see how comics fans reacted to the new book at the time - and which include some contributions from future comics celebrities such as Jim Shooter, Steve Gerber, Doug Moench, and Paul Gambaccini (who coins the term "Brand Ecch" in these very pages). It's a lot of fun to see the comics fans of the 1960s conduct the same debates through these letters pages which now rage on internet messageboards, whether it's criticism of Steve Ditko's art (with constant jokes at the expense of his ability to draw feet) or Stan Lee's continuity errors (he seems to have trouble remembering names, and thankfully the issues are reprinted here in all their uncorrected glory - "Peter Palmer", indeed). It's equally interesting, though, to see Stan Lee refining and perfecting his funky, affable persona through these pages. There's a genuine sense of interaction with the fans, and it's easy to see why readers warmed to Marvel books so readily. However, it's also fun to see the ways in which Stan didn't always succeed, such as his attempts at rebranding Marvel comic books as "Pop Art" books, or his occasionally candid admissions of failure when readers point out why certain stories didn't work for them.
In addition to the letters, we get all of the original "masterworks" introductions by Lee, three essays by comics historians which cover various aspects of Lee and Ditko's creation, and a reproduction of Steve Ditko's original cover to Amazing Fantasy #15 (which served as inspiration for the eventual cover, which was inked by Ditko but pencilled by Jack Kirby). There's also a reproduction of some of the original black and white artwork from one of the issues, some rare and unseen promotional artwork, pages and covers from various compilation books, and even a look at the cover to Amazing Spider-Man #35 before it was "corrected" for publication (with a completely redrawn image of Spider-Man, from a totally different perspective). It's a completist's dream, and I have to commend the producers of the book for putting together such an impressive selection of added value material.
The labelling of this Omnibus edition as "Volume 1" suggests that we may be seeing a second omnibus, covering the Lee/Romita era on the title, very soon. However, even those classic issues will struggle to compare to the spark that accompanies a rereading of the issues which present the birth of a comics icon. The vision that was shared by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in the creation of Spider-Man and Peter Parker is a joy to behold - and it's amazing to see how fully-realised the character was, even in his earliest appearances - and this Omnibus is a fine way to present one of the most historically significant and downright enjoyable sagas ever created in the world of superhero comics.
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