Spider-Man Timeline ’99-’05: Indispensable Spider-Man Pt 14

We’re back!  Summer’s back and so is the indispensable Spider-Man.  With a new era of Spider-Man now ongoing, we’re able to move the ball down the field a bit further in selecting a list of essential Spider-Man comics.

But before we get down to the dirty, gritty details, here’s the how we decided which issues make our list:

  • What are considered the best issues in the main Spider-Man Timeline are central
  • Storylines that include an important change in status quo are also central
  • Very important issues are marked with two asterisks (**), while issues that are part of those storylines, without the major event, are also included and marked with a diminutive one asterisks (*).

Spider-Man Timeline from 1999-2005: What You Need To Know

What makes the cut? What doesn’t?

This era sees the renumbering of the Amazing Spider-Man and its subsequent “denumbering” at the milestone 500th issue.  This era is marked by Peter and MJ’s crumbling relationship, whether it’s secrets driving them apart, or things like, say, getting kidnapped and faked deaths.

The renumbering only caught on when J. Michael Straczynski started on Amazing Spider-Man with a story that put into question his very origins.  This era includes this first arc JMS put together regarding Spider-Man’s hidden origin and his relation with Ezekiel.

One thing purposeful omitted from this reading order is the “Sin’s Past” storyline.  Though we generally hate to leave out important stories because of not liking the outcome or the quality, but this storyline, which involves revealing Norman Osborn father twins with Gwen Stacy, is all but forgotten in subsequent issues.  Since it is so easy to gloss over this without impacting comprehension further down the road, we say “Skip It!”.

Creators of the 1999-2005 Spider-Man Timeline Essential Issues

The renumbering began with Howard Mackie writing the new Amazing Spider-Man and Peter Parker, Spider-Man, with John Byrne and John Romita Jr penciling those titles, respectively.  However, the story really took off when J. Michael Straczynski and Paul Jenkins took over writing duty on those titles.  Romita Jr moves over to Amazing while Humberto Ramos begins his nearly decades long career with Spider-Man over in Peter Parker.

1996-1998 Spider-Man Timeline Essential Titles

Amazing Spider-Man starts anew, as does Peter Parker, Spider-Man, which (sort-of) switches over to the tnew  Spectacular Spider-Man.

Events within the 1996-1998 Spider-Man Timeline Essential Issues

Here are the most important events in this Spider-Man Timeline period:

  • Mattie Franklin takes on the Spider-Man mantle
  • Peter secretly returns as Spider-Man, leaving Mattie her own “Spider-Woman” identity
  • MJ and Peter have shaky relationship, and fail to reconcile before her plane explodes
  • MJ is found alive, though she and Peter separate as she leaves on her own to restart her career in LA
  • Peter leaves photography to become a high school teacher
  • Ezekiel, and man with similar powers, convinces Peter his powers are “Totemic”, based on legend, and he must face his toughest villains.
  • Eddie Brock gets cancer, and needs the venom symbiote to live
  • MJ and Peter finally reconcile
  • Spider-Man overcomes his totemic foes

Collections of the 1999-2005 Spider-Man Timeline era


There is a bit of a gap between Mackie’s run and JMS, so might have to go to floppies to read the stories where Peter finds Mary Jane after her kidnapping/faked death:
Spider-Man: The Next Chapter – Volume 1
Spider-Man: The Next Chapter – Volume 2
Spider-Man: The Next Chapter – Volume 3
Amazing Spider-Man by JMS – Ultimate Collection, Book 1
Amazing Spider-Man by JMS – Ultimate Collection, Book 2
Amazing Spider-Man by JMS – Ultimate Collection, Book 3
Spectacular Spider-Man Vol. 1: The Hunger (Venom)
Spider-Man: Blue

The Indispensable Spider-Man Timeline ’99-’05

OrderYearAgeIssueCreatorsDetails**
442.011999ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #1 BUY Mackie, ByrneHuman Torch, Fantastic Four, Avengers , Scorpion, Mattie**
442.021999ModernDaredevil 2nd Series #7 BUY Kevin Smith, QuesadaMysterio, Daredevil*
442.031999ModernDaredevil 2nd Series #8 BUY Kevin Smith, QuesadaMysterio, Daredevil*
443.011999ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #2 BUY Mackie, Byrne1st Shadrac, Override, Mattie, Peter becomes Spider-Man**
444.011999ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #3 BUY Mackie, ByrneShadrac, Override, Ward, Iceman**
444.021999ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #3 BUY Mackie, Romita JrShadrac, Override, Iceman**
445.011999ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #4 BUY Mackie, ByrneTrapster, Sandman, Ward*
447.021999ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #6 BUY Mackie, Romita JrBullseye, Kingpin*
449.061999ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #7 BUY Mackie, Romita JrBlade*
449.071999ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #8 BUY Mackie, Romita JrBlade, Morbius*
450.011999ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #9 BUY Mackie, ByrneDoc Ock, stalker calls MJ!*
451.011999ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #10 BUY Mackie, ByrneDoc Ock*
451.021999ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #9 BUY Mackie, Romita JrVenom*
451.031999ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #10 BUY Mackie, Romita JrVenom*
452.011999ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #11 BUY Mackie, ByrneBlob, Revealed! to MJ**
452.021999ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #11 BUY Mackie, Romita Jr**
453.011999ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #12 BUY Mackie, ByrneSinsiter Six, Sandman, Vulture, Electro, Doc Ock, Mysterio, Venom, Ward**
453.021999ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #12 BUY Mackie, Romita JrSinsiter Six, Sandman, Vulture, Electro, Doc Ock, Mysterio, Venom, Ward**
454.012000ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #13 BUY Mackie, Romita JrMJ! plane explodes**
454.022000ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #13 BUY Mackie, Romita JrCarnage, Peter learns of MJ! death**
454.032000ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #14 BUY Mackie, Romita JrHulk, MJ! Claimed alive**
455.012000ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #14 BUY Mackie, Romita JrMattie*
456.012000ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #15 BUY Mackie, ByrneDoom**
456.022000ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #15 BUY Mackie, Romita JrDoom**
457.012000ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #16 BUY Mackie, ByrnePeter and May evicted*
459.012000ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #18 BUY Mackie, ByrneGreen Goblin, Costume stolen*
459.022000ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #18 BUY Mackie, NolanGreen Goblin*
460.022000ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #19 BUY Mackie, Romita Jr*
466.012001ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #36 BUY Straczynski, Romita Jr9/11 issue**
467.012001ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #25 BUY Mackie, Romita JrGreen Goblin**
467.022001ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #25 BUY Jenkins, BuckinghamGreen Goblin**
470.012001ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #28 BUY Mackie, Joe BennettEnforcers**
471.012001ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #29 BUY Mackie, Lee WeeksMJ! returns, Revealed!**
471.022001ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #29 BUY Jenkins, AdlardMJ! and Peter reunited**
471.032001ModernAmazing Spider-Man Annual 2nd series #2001 BUY Mackie, BennettMJ! leaves**
472.012001ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #30 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrBest! 1st Ezekiel, 1st Morlun, Revealed!**
472.072001ModernTangled Web #5 BUY Fegredobest! Flowers for Rhino**
472.082001ModernTangled Web #6 BUY Fegredobest! Flowers for Rhino**
473.012001ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #31 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrBest! Ezekiel, Morlun**
474.012001ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #32 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrBest! Ezekiel, Morlun**
475.012001ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #33 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrBest! Ezekiel, Morlun**
476.012001ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #34 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrBest! Ezekiel, Morlun**
477.012001ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #35 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrBest! Ezekiel, Morlun**
478.012002ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #37 BUY Straczynski, Romita Jr**
479.012002ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #38 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrRevealed! by Aunt May**
479.252002ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #44 BUY Jenkins, RamosA Death in the Family, Green Goblin*
479.262002ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #45 BUY Jenkins, RamosA Death in the Family, Green Goblin*
479.272002ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #46 BUY Jenkins, RamosA Death in the Family, Green Goblin*
479.282002ModernPeter Parker Spider-Man #47 BUY Jenkins, RamosA Death in the Family, Green Goblin*
480.012002ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #39 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrMJ!, 'Nuff Said**
480.102003ModernSpectacular Spider-Man 2nd series #1 BUY Jenkins, RamosThe Hunger, Venom*
480.112003ModernSpectacular Spider-Man 2nd series #2 BUY Jenkins, RamosThe Hunger, Venom*
480.122003ModernSpectacular Spider-Man 2nd series #3 BUY Jenkins, RamosThe Hunger, Venom*
480.132003ModernSpectacular Spider-Man 2nd series #4 BUY Jenkins, RamosThe Hunger, Venom, Fantastic Four, Eddie Brock has cancer*
480.142003ModernSpectacular Spider-Man 2nd series #5 BUY Jenkins, RamosThe Hunger, Venom*
484.012002ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #43 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrDoc Ock*
485.012002ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #44 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrDoc Ock*
486.012002ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #45 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrDoc Ock*
487.012002ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #46 BUY Straczynski, Romita Jr1st Shathra**
488.012003ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #47 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrShathra**
489.012003ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #48 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrShathra, Ezekiel**
490.012003ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #49 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrMJ! Best! Doomed Affairs**
491.012003ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #50 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrMJ! Best! Doomed Affairs, Doom**
495.022002ModernSpider-Man Blue #1 BUY Loeb, SaleBest! Green Goblin**
495.032002ModernSpider-Man Blue #2 BUY Loeb, SaleBest! Lizard**
495.042002ModernSpider-Man Blue #3 BUY Loeb, SaleBest! Lizard**
495.052002ModernSpider-Man Blue #4 BUY Loeb, SaleBest! Vulture**
495.062002ModernSpider-Man Blue #5 BUY Loeb, SaleBest! Vulture**
495.072003ModernSpider-Man Blue #6 BUY Loeb, SaleBest! Green Goblin, Kraven**
498.012003ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #57 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrDormammu*
499.012003ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #58 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrDr Strange*
500.012003ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #500 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrDr Strange*
505.012004ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #505 BUY Avery, Romita JrMJ! drops movie career*
506.012004ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #506 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrThe Book of Ezekiel**
507.012004ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #507 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrThe Book of Ezekiel**
508.012004ModernAmazing Spider-Man 2nd Series #508 BUY Straczynski, Romita JrThe Book of Ezekiel, Ezekiel dies**

Please, help us make this list better by contributing your thoughts on what should be included. We would love to pared own this list even further, though we don’t want you to miss out on some great runs. Drop us a line in the comments for changes to this Spider-Man Timeline, which will be reflected in our larger Spider-Man Timeline list here:

Click Here For the complete Spider-Man Timeline

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