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A truely great comic, not least because the story could not be told as effectively in any other artform.

Here's a nice clip of Stan Lee talking about ASM #33:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ivvEgkWDGo

is it me, or for each and every single one of these the relevant Lee/Kirby issue of Fantastic Four gets an honorable mention?

Well, there was Detective Comics #33, which first told the origin of the Batman. Just a couple of pages at the front of the book, but it's definitely just a wee bit more memorable than this one.

And just for the record, some first appearances: Captain Atom (Space Adventures #33), the Shade (Flash Comics #33), and hey, Gnaark! (Teen Titans #33).

Also Ditko's first work for Marvel, in Journey into Mystery #33.

is it me, or for each and every single one of these the relevant Lee/Kirby issue of Fantastic Four gets an honorable mention?

Because they are all awesome!

Well, there was Detective Comics #33, which first told the origin of the Batman. Just a couple of pages at the front of the book, but it’s definitely just a wee bit more memorable than this one.

Definitely good enough for an honorable mention!!

And don't forget the stunning series finale we got with Sleepwalker #33!

No?

Well, this one's good too, I suppose.

And in Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane #33, Lana zapped Lois into the Phantom Zone so she could have Superman all to herself! Wotta revoltin' development!

I can't believe I didn't remember this because I was just talking about this yesterday, but Action Comics #33 was where Tex Thompson first became Mr. America.

Not exactly hold-the-presses news, as that alias only lasted him a year and a half before he switched to Americommando, but that's the version that Roy Thomas decided to bring back in All-Star Squadron anyway.

This is one of my all time favorite comics stories--I'd have chosen it as well. That's not meaning any disrespect to the other issues listed. I don't have to put them down to make this one sound better. It succeeds on its own merit!

Ok, can i go out on a controversial limb and argue ever Lee/Ditko Spidey as equal/better to Lee/Kirby FF, at least in this context...

bring the potential hate

"Ok, can i go out on a controversial limb and argue ever Lee/Ditko Spidey as equal/better to Lee/Kirby FF, at least in this context…"

One of the definitive Spider-Man stories versus an okay Submariner story? It's not even a contest. (The early 30's in Fantastic Four were a bit of a lull in my opinion; the big ideas had been played and Lee and Kirby were just kind of firming up their foundation before launching on that incredible block that starts at #39 and doesn't slow down for two years.)

You could start a fight arguing that #33 is better than #50, the Spidey/Fantastic Four crossover in issue one, and Amazing Fantasy #15 but saying that you put this particular issue of Spider-Man on the same level as the Fantastic Four isn't remotely controversial.

I love that cover. You can really feel Spider-Man's misery. Look at the water; it's heavy.

I agree. This was one of the first issues of Amazing that showed how deep the character (and the stories) could really be.

Sure, in some sense, there's still the cheese present in all of those early books, but there was definitely more. There was a gravitas, a personal cost, that was pretty rare in those days.

You're also forgetting Quasar# 33 which had the first appearance of Quarkie the Quasar-Dog, who was revealed to be Quasar's childhood pet. It also included the classic story "The Quasar Key to Fort Quasar" where a tour is given of Quasar's secret hideout, the Quasar Dome, only Nighthawk from the Defenders is playing a giant practical joke on Quasar.

Not that I think anything can top Amazing Spider-Man 33, but issue 33 of the Moore Swamp Thing isn't just a 'good issue', it's the issue which reprints the original House of Secrets Swamp Thing story and says it's actually a part of Swamp Thing's backstory-- the first hint of Swamp Thing's role as a plant elemental that eventually leads to the Parliament of Trees. It also features the first in-DC continuity appearance of Cain and Abel, which Neil Gaiman would refine for Sandman.

Again, totally agree with the vote given here, but thought I'd point out how pivotal this #33 is!

In Quasar #33, it was revealed that Quasar's dog Quarkie was really--oh, wait, Graeme beat me to the punch.

But seriously, Quasar 33 has just abotu everything you can want. Cable-ready, huge big-screen monitor, an a classic aspect ratio flatscreens just can't deliver! When you think great televisions, think Quasar!

They missed a chance to do this scene in Spider-man 2 when Doc Ock slammed Pete into the wall in the coffee shop. Of course that scene makes no sense in the first place. Doc didn't know he was Spider-man. He threw a car at Peter Parker, who if he hadn't been Spider-man would have just been killed.

It is also missing the incredible last issue of Giffen's Legion of Super-Heroes, in which Earth is destroyed. That would be my choice.