Comic Book Resources

I love that story

While it’s not labelled as such on the front of the comic, the issue came out during Marvel’s “Assistant Editors Month” stunt, when Marvel’s assistant editors apparently edited the book for that month (I don’t think it actually happened that way but it made for an interesting story). Mostly they featured stunt issues like Fred Hembeck pencilling Spectacular Spider-Man, or Aurora fighting a beast in a snowstorm (in blank panels) in Alpha Flight, or an Our Gang version of Iron Man. Amazing Spider-Man had “The Kid Who Collected Spider-Man” and I think they chickened out of putting the ‘warning’ on the front cover because it was so wonderful.

My favourite moment– when Timmy and Spider-Man are reading Jameson’s retractions.

“This kid’s about to die; I can show him my secret identity.”

I’m not sure if that’s really lovely or stone-cold…

The lead story is actually rather bad.

Love that backup, though.

I have never actually read this. But yes.

That Frenz panel is *very* Ditko…

They did a version of this story on Spider-Man: The Animated Series some years back. In the story, however, the boy is changed to a girl and I believe Spidey’s telling her his origin. I remember he was pushing her on a web-swing he made. Like the comic, Spidey reveals his identity as Peter Parker to the little girl.

Possibly my favourite Spider-Moment! Thank you!
*sniff*

Notice that Peter has used grease-paint to give himself a mustache, so as to at least retain a small amount of secrecy to his identity, just in case the kid doesn’t die after all.

Stern and Frenz would be proud to be included.

There was a nice tribute to the Kid Who Collected Spider-Man during Peter Jenkins run on Peter Parker: Spider-Man, where a young black kid who leads a tough life holds onto a fantasy where Spider-Man is his friend that swings by every so often to chat. The story is told in an ambiguous manner though, so while reading you’re never sure whether or nor it’s really Spidey and this is actually happening, until the last page where the kid asks Spider-Man to unmask, and he reveals himself to be a black man – the child’s imagination of the father figure he so desperately needs.

Is this collected somewhere?

It’s been collected in various “Best of Spider-Man” collections, but otherwise, no.

“They did a version of this story on Spider-Man: The Animated Series some years back. In the story, however, the boy is changed to a girl and I believe Spidey’s telling her his origin. I remember he was pushing her on a web-swing he made. Like the comic, Spidey reveals his identity as Peter Parker to the little girl.”

They also, inexplicably, mixed it up with that old Lee/Romita plot about Spidey getting amnesia and working with Dr. Octopus.

kolya, that Jenkins story, “Heroes Don’t Cry,” is great. Peter Parker: Spider-Man 35, I believe. Highly recommended.

Sentimental, manipulative bilge.

“This kid’s about to die; I can show him my secret identity.”

I’m not sure if that’s really lovely or stone-cold…
——————————————————————-
I don’t think it’s cold. Half the time, the problem with revealing a secret identity is worrying that the person will blab. The other half – like in the case of Timmy – is worrying which villain might find out who Spider-Man had contact with, and then maybe doing some not nice things to find out if they know who Spidey really is.

It wasn’t just any kid either he really had tons of stuff collected about Spider-man. So the story wasn’t so much about the kids death but fulfilling his greatest fans wish.

Ron Frenz was at his best Ditko here. I was around eleven or so when this issue first came out and it struck me deeply.

This was the second comic to ever actually make me cry. The first was Avengers #230 with the conclusion of the Hank Pym saga. Roger Stern was writing both titles at the time. Sterno remains my favorite writer because of these stories.

Now, I have to go out and read Paul Jenkins’ take. It just sounds too good to pass.

I once realized the girl I was dating was indeed a terrible heartless creature after I made her read this story and she looked at me and said “So What?”

{Not the girl I’m dating now, mind you – this was circa 1999)