I started collecting Marvel comics when I was 12 years old in '68. I saw an advertisement for this book in an old comic, and I was hot to get it. No eBay or comic book shops or conventions back then, so I soon found out that this was a rare book find. Quarter books where tough to get new back then as spinner racks where I lived often did not have 25 cent books and comic book machines only had 12 cent books. When I was 16 and working as a dishwasher, one of the waitresses found out that I collected Marvel, so one day she brought in a stack of Marvel comics and gave them to me. ASM annual #1 was in the stack as well as a number of other 1st appearances of classic Spider-Man villains. I wish I could thank that waitress better now than I did as a 16-year-old kid in '71. At any rate, this is my favorite ASM book. Great art and classic features. I never found that AF 15 when I was a kid, and I really looked hard for it!
Re: the comment that starts at about 2:37 on multi-colored letters spelling out Spider-Man, I love this design decision, and thanks for noting it. Here are the other Marvel comics (all of them giant-size 25-cent annuals) where it was used: Fantastic Four Annuals 1 and 2 (from 1963 and '64) Strange Tales Annual 2 (from 1963) Marvel Tales Annual 1 (from 1964, the title was subsequently shortened to Marvel Tales) Millie the Model Annuals 2 and 3 (from 1963 and '64 -- these use a slightly different color palette than the super-hero titles) Patsy and Hedy Annual 1 (from 1963) Patsy Walker's Fashion Parade 1966 (weird one-shot annual that contains no stories, just clothing and hairstyle drawings based on reader contributions, plus a few brief gag cartoons) Additions, corrections and other multi-colored responses welcome.
I had this Marvel Tales as kid in the early 80s. It really blew me away for being so rich in super villains and action. Just non-stop. At that time I was fascinated by lore and the different art styles. I was collecting Marvel Saga and Marvel Universe. I dug all the goofiest/coolest looking villains like Slyde, The Spot, Orca, and Titanium Man.
I had this Marvel Tales as well. I didn't realize it was reprints, and I actually preferred them to the regular ASM title at the time. Once I realized I tried to learn as much about the lore. Marvel Saga helped alot too.
In addition to the two stories, there were pages of special features: separate pin-ups of every villain Spider-Man had met up to that point, a cutaway of Parker's home, pictures of his supporting characters in their particular settings, and a section on Spider-Man's powers and how they work, all full of the excitement and enthusiasm that was felt for the series. It may have been the first Annual with all-new content ( possibly excepting the Dell Giants) , the kind of Summer celebration for kids that early Marvel was so good at.
Russ, thanks for pointing out that ASM Annual 1 contains all-new content. That point had escaped me. I just checked, and it was Marvel's first super-hero annual with all-new content. But technically, the first Millie the Model Annual (from 1962) was the first Marvel annual of any sort to feature all-new material. Meanwhile, over at DC they started publishing giant-size annuals in 1960 and I'm not sure HOW many years went by before one of 'em included a new story, lol.
I used to have a trade paperback of Spidey comics that had that Ditko process strip at the back. It was the first drawing lesson I ever had and I still use tips from it.
It pains me too, the way that old comics are re-colored. It’s like they think, “old comics are garish, so we need to stay true to that”. Old comics are actually beautiful, an the paper they’re printed on would never have allowed full saturation colors to actually appear as vividly as they do in their modern counterparts. I’ve also thought about volunteering to re-color those old books, particularly Kirby’s fourth works stuff.
I got the new Fourth World Omnibus, they blew up all the double page splashes. I am guessing the source file had the same pixel width as the single page files. So you get a very muddy image with kinda pixely text.
My grandmother purchased me a Marvel Masterworks collection that included this issue when I was 8 or 9 years old… Ditko’s Spider-Man is just fantastic.
People often wonder if Ditko used himself as the reference model for Peter Parker, and looking at photos of him its hard to think otherwise! Similar to Mr. fantastic looking a lot like Kirby. But the Ditko/Peter Parker one is even more a striking similarity! Like a Spider-Man Paternity test, Steve Ditko, you ARE the creator of this charachter!
The Marvel Masterworks hardcover line is continually restoring and recoloring the entire comic line. The books edited and produced by Cory Sedlmeier are top notch. Because of their price and accessibility they are indeed more of a niche boutique item but the art created for each issue is then used across the rest of the reprint line going forward; trade paper backs, digital, etc.
I reallly really hope Marvel is watching this and we can get some special recolored editions. Maybe even newsprint version. Not sure if newsprint is still used tho and how is technology nowadays.
Just read this one again a few days ago! Finally was re reading one BEFORE i watch you guys review it! Lol you guys def got your finger on the pulse of what the people want to see! Ditkos spiderman run is a masterpiece, the IDW Ditko Unleashed is prob one of the best art books i own too! I hope i get time to check out that ditko exibit, i had no idea it was going on
If I remember correctly, in addition to the pop culture updates the Marvel Tales reprint also changes the Electro fight to be (supposedly) more scientifically accurate. In the original comic, Spider-Man ties a cable around his ankle to ground himself, but they erased the cable and altered the dialogue for this reprint. Also, I think in one of the other Marvel Tales Ditko reprints from this era, they altered the art to give one background character a mohawk.
No, they didn't update a Ditko panel to give a character a Mohawk in a reprinted story itself, but they DID do it on the Marvel Tales letter page during Assistant Editor 's Month in response to a reader letter. It was a joke as part of the Assistant Editor's Month wackiness.
I had the Marvel Tales #150, it was such a great collection of Super Villains against one Spectacular super hero. Love the splash pages for this comic, Ditko is awesome. Recommend Ditko’s Charlton comics work.
This was also re-colored by the way. I've got the Spider-Man pdf's on DVD that came out several years ago which are scans of the original printed comics. I'd say the version you reviewed in the video was an improvement on the original - more subtle color choices.
The wobbly lines predate the adoption of flexographic printing by roughly seven years. This problem affected some panels of 1976-77 SUPERBOY AND THE LEGION comics and the editorial response blamed it on the then-recent switch to plastic printing plates from metal plates. While plastic plates are also used in flexographic, flexographic used water-based inks that tended to provide garish, bright, often over-saturated colors (similar to the collected editions recoloring people complain about today) in comparison with the older method in use prior to 984-85. Seriously, compare the color saturation of something like New Mutants # 18 with New Mutants #35 or even New Mutant Special Edition #1 to see what I'm talking about with flexographic.
Marvel would not use the stats from the last printing, but rather re-photograph the stat, and repeat this for every new reprint. That is why the lines on reprints tend to get thicker, and the printing gets muddy. They did not take new photos of the actual artwork, or even use the original stats, both would have been better for reproducing the comics for reprints.
I believe the Spider-man movies have made about the same amount of money as all the other Marvel movies combined. Spider-man has always been Marvel’s hottest property.
I started collecting Marvel comics when I was 12 years old in '68. I saw an advertisement for this book in an old comic, and I was hot to get it. No eBay or comic book shops or conventions back then, so I soon found out that this was a rare book find. Quarter books where tough to get new back then as spinner racks where I lived often did not have 25 cent books and comic book machines only had 12 cent books. When I was 16 and working as a dishwasher, one of the waitresses found out that I collected Marvel, so one day she brought in a stack of Marvel comics and gave them to me. ASM annual #1 was in the stack as well as a number of other 1st appearances of classic Spider-Man villains. I wish I could thank that waitress better now than I did as a 16-year-old kid in '71. At any rate, this is my favorite ASM book. Great art and classic features. I never found that AF 15 when I was a kid, and I really looked hard for it!
Man, great timing :D
Re: the comment that starts at about 2:37 on multi-colored letters spelling out Spider-Man, I love this design decision, and thanks for noting it.
Here are the other Marvel comics (all of them giant-size 25-cent annuals) where it was used:
Fantastic Four Annuals 1 and 2 (from 1963 and '64)
Strange Tales Annual 2 (from 1963)
Marvel Tales Annual 1 (from 1964, the title was subsequently shortened to Marvel Tales)
Millie the Model Annuals 2 and 3 (from 1963 and '64 -- these use a slightly different color palette than the super-hero titles)
Patsy and Hedy Annual 1 (from 1963)
Patsy Walker's Fashion Parade 1966 (weird one-shot annual that contains no stories, just clothing and hairstyle drawings based on reader contributions, plus a few brief gag cartoons)
Additions, corrections and other multi-colored responses welcome.
I had this Marvel Tales as kid in the early 80s. It really blew me away for being so rich in super villains and action. Just non-stop. At that time I was fascinated by lore and the different art styles. I was collecting Marvel Saga and Marvel Universe. I dug all the goofiest/coolest looking villains like Slyde, The Spot, Orca, and Titanium Man.
I had this Marvel Tales as well. I didn't realize it was reprints, and I actually preferred them to the regular ASM title at the time. Once I realized I tried to learn as much about the lore. Marvel Saga helped alot too.
In addition to the two stories, there were pages of special features: separate pin-ups of every villain Spider-Man had met up to that point, a cutaway of Parker's home, pictures of his supporting characters in their particular settings, and a section on Spider-Man's powers and how they work, all full of the excitement and enthusiasm that was felt for the series. It may have been the first Annual with all-new content ( possibly excepting the Dell Giants) , the kind of Summer celebration for kids that early Marvel was so good at.
Russ, thanks for pointing out that ASM Annual 1 contains all-new content. That point had escaped me. I just checked, and it was Marvel's first super-hero annual with all-new content. But technically, the first Millie the Model Annual (from 1962) was the first Marvel annual of any sort to feature all-new material. Meanwhile, over at DC they started publishing giant-size annuals in 1960 and I'm not sure HOW many years went by before one of 'em included a new story, lol.
@@reprintranch Thanks for the cool info, Tom.
Steve Ditko Spider-man is yet to be surpassed. Seems like this new film coming out is adapting both of Ditko's Spider-man annuals in one package
I used to have a trade paperback of Spidey comics that had that Ditko process strip at the back. It was the first drawing lesson I ever had and I still use tips from it.
It pains me too, the way that old comics are re-colored. It’s like they think, “old comics are garish, so we need to stay true to that”. Old comics are actually beautiful, an the paper they’re printed on would never have allowed full saturation colors to actually appear as vividly as they do in their modern counterparts. I’ve also thought about volunteering to re-color those old books, particularly Kirby’s fourth works stuff.
I got the new Fourth World Omnibus, they blew up all the double page splashes. I am guessing the source file had the same pixel width as the single page files. So you get a very muddy image with kinda pixely text.
My grandmother purchased me a Marvel Masterworks collection that included this issue when I was 8 or 9 years old… Ditko’s Spider-Man is just fantastic.
Wow, really enjoyed this one guys! Very funny and insightful! Thanks!
People often wonder if Ditko used himself as the reference model for Peter Parker, and looking at photos of him its hard to think otherwise! Similar to Mr. fantastic looking a lot like Kirby. But the Ditko/Peter Parker one is even more a striking similarity! Like a Spider-Man Paternity test, Steve Ditko, you ARE the creator of this charachter!
Nice review guys!! Keep up the great work!! ... and keep spreading the Ditko love!!
I have a copy of Amazing Spider-man Annual#1.
The Marvel Masterworks hardcover line is continually restoring and recoloring the entire comic line. The books edited and produced by Cory Sedlmeier are top notch. Because of their price and accessibility they are indeed more of a niche boutique item but the art created for each issue is then used across the rest of the reprint line going forward; trade paper backs, digital, etc.
I reallly really hope Marvel is watching this and we can get some special recolored editions. Maybe even newsprint version. Not sure if newsprint is still used tho and how is technology nowadays.
Just read this one again a few days ago! Finally was re reading one BEFORE i watch you guys review it! Lol you guys def got your finger on the pulse of what the people want to see! Ditkos spiderman run is a masterpiece, the IDW Ditko Unleashed is prob one of the best art books i own too! I hope i get time to check out that ditko exibit, i had no idea it was going on
If I remember correctly, in addition to the pop culture updates the Marvel Tales reprint also changes the Electro fight to be (supposedly) more scientifically accurate. In the original comic, Spider-Man ties a cable around his ankle to ground himself, but they erased the cable and altered the dialogue for this reprint. Also, I think in one of the other Marvel Tales Ditko reprints from this era, they altered the art to give one background character a mohawk.
No, they didn't update a Ditko panel to give a character a Mohawk in a reprinted story itself, but they DID do it on the Marvel Tales letter page during Assistant Editor 's Month in response to a reader letter. It was a joke as part of the Assistant Editor's Month wackiness.
I had the Marvel Tales #150, it was such a great collection of Super Villains against one Spectacular super hero. Love the splash pages for this comic, Ditko is awesome. Recommend Ditko’s Charlton comics work.
Nice synergy with the Spider-Man trailer...
In the giant Steve ditko is amazing book aunt may says “the Beverly hill billies” so I wonder how many times they changed what tv show she says
This was also re-colored by the way. I've got the Spider-Man pdf's on DVD that came out several years ago which are scans of the original printed comics.
I'd say the version you reviewed in the video was an improvement on the original - more subtle color choices.
The wobbly lines predate the adoption of flexographic printing by roughly seven years. This problem affected some panels of 1976-77 SUPERBOY AND THE LEGION comics and the editorial response blamed it on the then-recent switch to plastic printing plates from metal plates. While plastic plates are also used in flexographic, flexographic used water-based inks that tended to provide garish, bright, often over-saturated colors (similar to the collected editions recoloring people complain about today) in comparison with the older method in use prior to 984-85. Seriously, compare the color saturation of something like New Mutants # 18 with New Mutants #35 or even New Mutant Special Edition #1 to see what I'm talking about with flexographic.
I love the old pop cultural references. I loved Peter Parker lamenting not being a lady killer like Rock Hudson.🙄😳😑🤣
I picked up the "Not Brand Echh" trade paper back a few months ago. Those comics were absolutely BRIMING with pop culture references!
Guilty. I thought Marvel Tales were current Spider-Man stories until I was like 11ish years old.
Marvel would not use the stats from the last printing, but rather re-photograph the stat, and repeat this for every new reprint. That is why the lines on reprints tend to get thicker, and the printing gets muddy. They did not take new photos of the actual artwork, or even use the original stats, both would have been better for reproducing the comics for reprints.
I believe the Spider-man movies have made about the same amount of money as all the other Marvel movies combined. Spider-man has always been Marvel’s hottest property.
After being kidnapped, Aunt May finally loses it when she realizes that she missed The Beverly Hillbillies. I hated that updating shit.