60 Summers Ago: Amazing Spider-Man Annual 1

Note: This post originally appeared on July 9, 2014 - a decade ago! Hard for me to believe I started my online posts beginning in 2011! But, since it is 60 years since this comic was published I thought it deserved another look back. This piece has been slightly revised and updated. I hope you enjoy the results. 

Journeying back six decades ago, on a spring day, one can imagine the delight children felt when they entered a candy store and encountered a rack of comic books! Further enthusiasm would be generated when he or she saw what amounted to a 25 cent extravaganza that was more than triple the output than the regular 12 cent titles. This was indeed a special event, understood by both management and the purchaser. With the promise of a long summer ahead there was a sense of magic in the air, and for those who loved comics it became a reality.       

In June of 1964 the first Amazing Spider-Man Annual arrived on newsstand shelves. Marvel had been publishing a number of oversized titles since 1961, supplementing the monthly product with an "extra" issue of best-sellers such as Millie the Model and the Fantastic Four.*  For fans of the character it was a smorgasbord, including a double-size 41-page story by Stan Lee and co-plotter/artist Steve Ditko, followed by an additional 31 pages of pin-ups and other atypical offerings.

*See the feature post on the right-side for further exciting details on Marvel Annuals. You won't be disappointed! Exuberant Nick 

    
 The Circus comes to town!  Amazing Spider-Man Annual # 1, June, 1964. Cover by Steve Ditko, letters by Artie Simek and colors by Stan Goldberg. With the exception of Sam Rosen, who did the interior lettering, the same creative team is responsible for the compete book. Stan Lee co-plotted and wrote all the dialogue (and cover copy).

With it's multi-colored logo and simple but effective design the first Spider-Man Annual offered a world of excitement. Priced at 25 cents the comic was a bargain, offering a total of 72 pages of interior story/art and only three pages of advertising (inside front cover, inside back cover and back cover). Unfortunately the ad pages grew in the following year, but it was nice to read a story with no interruptions!  

A little background is needed for the uninitiated. Editor/writer Stan Lee wanted to promote the Marvel Comics Group as a whole, which meant having heroes from other books appearing in different comics. This occurred early on in the gestation of Marvel; Ant-Man or the Hulk for instance, would get involved with the Fantastic Four. Lee very likely got this idea from radio programs such as Jack Benny, where rival comedian Fred Allen, who broadcast on the same network, would often get into a feud with Benny on HIS program. This helped to cross-promote both shows. In actuality this was not a new idea for Lee; early on he would have Millie the Model meet Patsy Walker in the teen-humor titles. Co-plotter and artist Steve Ditko had other ideas regarding this, though.    

Ditko did not like the idea of using guest-stars in the books he was working on [Spider-Man and the "Dr. Strange" series in Strange Tales] feeling that they undercut the character's story world and the development of the supporting cast. He believed a hero should be able to face any difficulty on his own. Lee thought it essential to promote the entire line, thus crafting a "world" where everyone could conceivably meet. From this synergy between titles sales could grow from fan interest. Guest-stars and villains from other strips were common during the time that Lee was providing Ditko with a short synopsis and both discussed the story beforehand. Once Ditko began plotting solo (circa Amazing Spider-Man # 25) the use of outside characters came to an abrupt end. Ditko made a few exceptions, as he explained in the essay, A Mini-History 1: The Green Goblin:* 

"Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2 (1965) featuring Dr. Strange, was,  as an Annual should be, a special event. It does not necessarily have to connect to the monthly adventures."  

While Ditko's discussion was about the second Annual, it points to the idea that he was more amenable to add guest-stars to an event, as was the case in Annual # 1 and went along with Lee's edict to include Marvel's heroes throughout the book. What's worth exploring is exactly how he creatively accomplished this. 

The first hero Spider-Man "meets" is Thor, in a two-panel sequence as he zooms past him. Lee provides the humorous dialogue: "He's either on his way to a meeting with the Avengers..or he's late for his BARBER!". For the edification of the newcomer Lee adds a caption to the panel where the character appears, citing the title where they can be found -  a simple but effective promotional ploy.  

Ditko's other signature character, Dr. Strange, has a cameo strolling nonchalantly through the streets of Forest Hills while Peter is tussling with Flash Thompson! Dr. Strange is depicted in his "spirit form" (differentiated by a lack of color) but this does not follow previously established tenants from his Strange Tales series. Dr. Strange is known to the public as an investigator of psychic phenomenon and has been known to appear in his flamboyant garb. There is no reason for him to be in his other form, since he would likely give citizens a heart attack! Further, he has only used that form to battle mystic forces, and usually is drifting above ground. 

Two panels from "The House of Shadows!", Strange Tales # 120, May 1964, published several months earlier, which shows that Dr. Strange parades around in his eccentric garb and is known to the public as naturally as Bob Dylan would be ambling around Greenwich Village. Maybe they both ran into each other at Cafe Wha? 

I strongly suspect this was an error by Lee in both his dialogue (telling the teens he is in his "ectoplasmic form") and possible instructions to colorist Stan Goldberg to not color Strange. My theory on Ditko's sequence of events: Strange is walking in his flesh and blood form. In panel one his raised hand indicates a spell cast, allowing him to become intangible, thus avoiding physical harm to both himself and the boys, protecting everyone from their hooliganism. In the third panel the dumbstruck gang clearly sees and is pointing to Strange. While Ditko wrote notes and rough dialogue for every panel/page on separate sheets of paper as a rough guide for Lee, it's possible his intent was lost or misunderstood. Ditko's concept was probably a better strategy than Lee would have asked for, since it was a clever way of showing fandom that here is a great character and this is what he does. 

As the Fantastic Four fly around town they spot Spider-Man, who they assume is goofing around. Unknown to the FF, though, he is actually having difficulty performing feats he normally does quite easily. Peter is beginning to fear that he is losing his powers. After witnessing his Aunt, May Parker, grieving over a photograph of her deceased husband, Peter's feelings of guilt over not saving him from a criminal's bullet resurfaces. The reader has to wonder exactly what is happening to Peter.   

Lost in thought and worried about how his life will change as a normal teenager, Peter is oblivious to Giant-Man and the Wasp stopping a crime.

The Vulture delivers a message to Daily Bugle publisher J. Jonah Jameson, informing him that his secretary, Betty Brant, and Peter Parker's Aunt are hostages of "The Sinister Six", a group of Spider-Man's old foes seeking revenge. The Vulture wants Jameson to contact Spider-Man, setting him up for a trap. Jameson, of course, has no clue how to get in touch with Spider-Man and calls the Fantastic Four, who in turn contact the Avengers. Captain America answers the call and tells Reed Richards: "I never even MET Spider-Man!". Yes, there was a time Marvel's heroes didn't all know each other!   

The Human Torch fashions a flaming message in the skies to no avail. Professor X, mentor of the teenage mutants known as the X-Men, has no time to worry about Spider-Man, telling his students to get back to work! If only more superheroes minded their own business instead of getting involved in every story-line! 

Convinced that he no longer has special abilities Peter still heads out as Spider-Man in a desperate attempt to save his loved ones. Arriving at the assigned destination he encounters Electro. When his extraordinary reflexes save his life Peter realizes that his loss of powers was only psychosomatic. Surely the first time a superhero had suffered from such an illness! 

Spidey finally meets another hero in a one panel scene. Since he was fighting Electro in the prior panels in Tony Stark's factory, it makes sense that his alter-ego, Iron-Man, shows up, but only AFTER Spidey's confrontation!  Since Lee was promoting each character, perhaps he deliberately left off the official titles in his captions. By this point Journey into Mystery and Tales of Suspense's cover logos had been minimized. Superheroes were clearly the main selling point so "The Power of Iron-Man" and "The Mighty Thor" were emphasized. Soon Tales to Astonish would follow suit, although Strange Tales' logo remained intact for some time. 

                           Jameson contacts the FF again, worried about his own neck, of course!  

The Human Torch appeared in a number of Spider-Man's monthly adventures, but the two teenagers were often antagonistic towards each other. Spider-Man declines Johnny's offer of assistance; most assuredly Ditko's take that a hero had to fight his own battles and doesn't need outside help. Ditko explained a specific instance of this in "A Mini-History 12: Guest Stars: Heroes and Villains"** 

 "I also deliberately made S-M (Spider-Man) and the HT (Human Torch) ineffective as a "team" in capturing the B (Beetle)...In yet another S-M/HT team up (#19) I had two policeman capture the Sandman." 

New York's finest save the day! Panel from Amazing Spider-Man # 19, Dec, 1964

Ditko grudgingly accepted Lee's use of guest-stars on occasion, but cleverly turned the idea on its head, making them a detriment to each other, not a boon.  

Spidey battles the X-Men...or does he? They turn out to be robots created by Mysterio. Lee gets his wish to publicize the new team (whose seventh issue was on the stands when the Annual appeared) while Ditko avoids a meeting with the real heroes.

  In one of the most amusing panels Jameson desperately tries to contact Spider-Man by conversing with a spider outside his window. I bet JJ was a fan of Mr. Ed!

The final cameo goes to the Human Torch, who checks in with an aggravated and bombastic Jameson. Ditko included a total of 27 panels featuring guest stars in a 41 page story, most of which were "walk on" appearances. Ditko cannily followed Lee's directive in his own inventive and unique way. 

The story was immediately followed by an outstanding collection of special features that represented exactly WHY these Annuals were highly anticipated. The gallery of Spider-Man's foes included every lowlife the hero had encountered up to publication. Ditko knocked it out of the park with every meticulous illustration. I'm particularly impressed by the details, such as the lurking rats and the expressive tiny lizard. Lee added details in the copy and a sense of drama and enthusiasm to the mix.       

"The Secrets of Spider-Man" feature included cameos of Thor, the Hulk, the Thing, Mr. Fantastic and The Human Torch, explaining Spider-Man's strength in proportion to other heroes and the capability of his webbing.

The "Guest-Star Page" includes Ditko's versions of the Hulk and the FF, described by Lee as drawn in "the somewhat different Ditko style". Some fans may not have been impressed with Ditko's interpretation of Kirby characters, but that is exactly what made each man brilliant stylists. While Ditko never quite got the hang of drawing the Thing, he did a fine job on the other members of the FF, particularly the Torch. The following month Ditko would revise the Hulk, plotting and drawing the new co-feature in Tales to Astonish for eight issues.

Finally, we close with this delightful image of Stan Lee being assaulted by Marvel's heroes, including Daredevil and Sgt. Fury, the only characters who didn't make it into the main story. Fury, of course, was set in World War II, and DD may have been omitted because Lee and Ditko worked on the opening story before the character was published or, as Joseph William Marek pointed out, it may simply be that Daredevil was guest-starring in that month's Amazing Spider-Man (issue #16).     

While I don't totally agree with Ditko's theory that guest-stars diminish a heroes importance, his point that they interfered with the development of the lead hero and his supporting cast and ongoing sub-plots (particularly in the monthly comic book) is valid. For kids reading the comics though, it was exciting when heroes encountered each other. In the early 1960's it was a novelty and often used sparingly. As the years went by an "anything goes" mentality produced many poorly plotted stories, lacking in either logic, characterization or originality. Guest-stars are all too often used as a crutch, an excuse to mix characters together until they become indistinguishable. Where is the originality in that? 

Back in June of 1964, though, few - if any - fans debated the merits of guest-stars. The Amazing Spider-Man Annual # 1 was purchased and appreciated by rabid collectors, but also very likely kids who just wanted something to read to pass the time. Both got their money's worth - it was a fun, entertaining and solidly crafted comic, made special by the efforts of some extremely talented individuals. Looking back, it was, and continues to be, a rarefied moment that stands the test of time.   

*(The Comics, Vol 12, No. 7, July 2001)    

**(The Comics, Vol 14, No. 7, July 2003)