In a completely selfish hope that Marvel Comics' new high end collectible Wolverine Adamantium Edition may be followed by a Spider-man Web Slinging Edition I’m taking the opportunity to highlight the stories that I think are representative of what makes Peter Parker “Amazing”. I’m sticking exclusively with the mainstream Spider-man most people know of and worked hard to keep the page count as close to 720 as possible. I’m also working in publication order so that we can see the character growth and development as it happened. Last week we discovered “Whatever happened to Crusher Hogan?” from Amazing Spider-man #271.
This week we’re getting more ambitious in the scope of the story as it was produced larger in six parts, more encompassing, weaving near weekly in all of the then current Spider-titles, high end artistic talents, and far reaching ramifications , some of which I hadn’t even recognized until today. “Fearful Symmetry: Kraven’s Last Hunt” was originally published in October and November, 1987. It was featured in Amazing Spider-man #293 and 294, Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-man #131 and 132, and Web of Spider-man #31 and 32.
After years of defeats at the hands of Spider-man, Kraven the Hunter sees his end coming and can’t reconcile it without his honor, which he feels Spider-man has taken. He’s ready for the final battle and to prove once and for all that he can beat spider-man. Peter Parker, too, is suffering thoughts of his end. Newly married to Mary Jane, he’s worried about the pain he’d leave behind if he fell in battle. These two trains collide on a rooftop as Kraven first poisons Spider-man and then aims his rifle. For his part, Spider-man knows this isn’t right. He recognizes in Kraven’s eyes that this isn’t the Hunter he’s fought and beaten so many times before. Desperately trying to buy just a few minutes more to recuperate and get back in the fight, Spider-man loses everything when Kraven shoots him and then buries the body.
It’s not enough to have simply beaten Spider-man. Kraven realizes that he must wear the costume and prove that he’s a better Spider-man. In doing so he hunts down Vermin, whom was only defeated when Spider-man teamed up with Captain America, singly beats him and cages him for future use.
Spider-man eventually digs his way to freedom and comes for Kraven after having been buried alive for two weeks. Kraven shows him that he’s beaten and captured Vermin single handed and then releases Vermin to prove that Spider-man can’t win that fight.
Spider-man does win and in spite of his anger and fear he realizes that Vermin is just as much a victim of Kraven as he is and fights not just to win and subdue Vermin, but to help him as well. Yet the bigger battle is over. Kraven has nothing left to prove and nothing left to live for. He leaves a confession, with pictures, behind, completely detailing what had happened and how he was a better Spider-man. That story, published in the Daily Bugle, let the whole world know what he'd been through. Even at the end, as Kraven helped Spider-man up the stairs of his home, he admitted to himself that now that all of the history was behind him he could recognize what a good man Spider-man was.
This story was so well produced, written by J. M. DeMatteis, with stellar art by Mike Zeck and Bob McLeod this was really a work of art. For Peter it questioned the strength of his character, the bond and curse of man vs. spider. Kraven had been afraid of the spider. Peter found his strength in just being a man. While I didn’t recognize it, that story came up again years later when J. Michael Straczynski wrote of the totemic powers and Anansi the spider god. Much more recognizable, as Peter Parker wasn’t in two of the books completely, the ‘Spider-man’ dressed Kraven spoke often of being “the Superior Spider-man”, “A better Spider-man” and those are themes that are running amok in the spider-titles right now.
This is a very representative Spider-man tale. It’s not a glorious coincidence that it’s also a standout as one of the better Spider-man stories out there. For Peter Parker it focuses on his strength, his love, and his commitment. Wanting to stay safe in the arms of his wife, not yet fully recuperated, unafraid to say just how scared he was, he had to go out there and finish this. He had to put a stop to it and catch the man that tarnished his name and image. As he chased after Vermin through the sewers he prayed for the strength to go on, so afraid after his recent ordeal. After having caught Vermin, he didn't hit him, he webbed him up and promised to help him. That’s a strength of character and will.
Michael R. Murray has been buying and collecting comics for over 35 years. At one point his collection included two copies of Amazing Spider-man #1, and one copy each of Amazing Fantasy #15, Fantastic Four #2, Avengers #4, Showcase #22, and dozens more high grade and key issues. The collection has grown to include original art pages, as well as statues and busts, with the current emphasis on collecting original drawings from appropriate artists on the inside of his hard covers. His personal collection of graphic novels consists of over 2,000 hard covers and trade paperbacks. He has attended all of the Boston and New York Comic Cons and experienced Philadelphia, Chicago, and San Diego. He has championed comic books in the local schools and was very proud that both of his children read at least three years above their grade levels, due nearly exclusively to comics. He’s quick to point out that none of this makes him an expert, but that his love of comics is most enjoyable when he can share it. Follow on Twitter at mycomicstore001 or like his Facebook page.