Continuing on my recent look back at Spider-Man back issues, one of my favorite block of issues is that of Spectacular Spider-Man #75 to #136, a run which consists of Spider-Man’s relationship with the Black Cat, as well as the Peter David spider-man run, both of whom overlap.
My Top Retro Spider-Man Covers
Here are some of my favorite retro spider-man covers, courtesy of this particular run on Peter Parker, the spectacular Spider-Man.
Retro Spider-Man Covers – Spectacular Spider-Man #79
My absolute favorite is Spectacular Spider-Man #79. While Al Milgrom never seemed to jump out as a revolutionary spider-man artist, although it’s probably because his art is such a classic interpretation of Spider-Man. Still, there are a few times when Al Milgrom’s cover art simply caught my eye, due to its simple, retro style. This retro spider-man art even closely resembles a type of pop art, which is a fresh departure from the covers that sandwich this run. Two (Three?) toned red and black cover and deep black lines are just a few steps away from true pop art. The typography is even great, with “The Final Battle” jumping out of the pages, making this issue feel like a true collectible. Reading this comic lately, I felt like blowing up this cover to make a great pop art mural.
Retro Spider-Man Covers – Spectacular Spider-Man #101
This style was repeated twice more throughout the run, all with different artists. The next retro Spider-Man cover was found on Spectacular Spider-Man #101. Once again a two-tone cover, this black and white gem is one of my favorite covers of all-time featuring the black Spider-Man costume. This cover was brought to us by the great John Byrne, a rare contribution on this legend’s part on this title.
Retro Spider-Man Covers – Spectacular Spider-Man #127
Finally, we have Spectacular Spider-Man #127 which mixes things up a bit, featuring a retro Spider-Man similar to that found on Spectacular Spider-Man #101, but with a more traditional Lizard added in, creating an awesome contrast. While this cover does resemble the previous entry on the list, it is actually by Al Milgrom again, bringin everything back full circle, with Milgrom emulating Byrne, with Byrne having emulated Milgrom. Also, the typography is again simple, eye-catching, yet unintrusive.
These three covers really stick out among this Spectacular Spider-Man and, quite frankly, among all the Spider-titles of this era.
As an added bonus, these issues are a bargain to pick up in your local comic shop.