The History of Spider-Man: 1997

For over 50 years, Spider-Man has been a sensational standout in the Marvel Universe and the web-slinger will swing onto the silver screen once again in Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Infinity War” this May! In celebration of his memorable history, we present Spidey’s spectacular step-by-step story…

As every year seems to be, 1997 was a busy time for Peter Parker.

After a close brush with the new Black Tarantula in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #419 and a team-up with X-Man Nate Grey in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #420, Parker got back into the swing of things by trapping the Trapster in SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #12. And after locking arms with both the Puma and Doctor Strange in SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED #15, the wallcrawler witnessed the debut of a new hero called S.H.O.C. in SPIDER-MAN #76, as he and Mary Jane enrolled in classes at Empire State University.

The Chameleon returned in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #242 to ensnare Spidey in a web of his own, and even learned our hero’s secret identity in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #243. The web-head searched for the chameleonic criminal in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #244, and learned to his horror that Mary Jane stood as the baddie’s next target in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #245. Morbius the Living Vampire appeared at ESU in SPIDER-MAN #77, Peter fell ill from his bite in SPIDER-MAN #78, both HYDRA and S.H.O.C. tried their hands at capturing him in SPIDER-MAN #79, then Hammerhead crashed the party in SPIDER-MAN #80! Phew!

The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #419

• Published: January 10, 1997
• Added to Marvel Unlimited: June 03, 2013

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What is Marvel Unlimited?

The web-slinger flew down to the Savage Land in SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #13 to find Ka-Zar evacuating its denizens ahead of an ecological catastrophe. The Hulk and Stegron got involved in SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #14 and together they saved the hidden country from ruin in SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #15.

Spidey met the assassin known as Dragonfly in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #421, got a shock at Electro’s rebirth in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #422, found himself caught between Dragonfly and Electro in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #423, battled ninjas with Elektra in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #424, and once again joined with X-Man to throw cold water on Electro in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #425. Later, the web-slinger ended up in Latveria to clash with the Dreadknight over Doctor Doom’s castle in SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED #16.

The martial artist called Cat needed a hand from Spidey in her fight against Shockwave and Razorfist in SPIDER-MAN #81, and Peter’s bite from Morbius grew worse as a riot involving the Friends of Humanity broke out at ESU in SPIDER-MAN #82. The wound worsened in SPIDER-MAN #83, giving our hero a case of uncontrollable vertigo. Washed-up villains the Grizzly, the Gibbon, the Kangaroo, and the Spot attempted to renew their reps in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #246, Jack O’ Lantern attacked J. Jonah Jameson in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #247, and then Spidey held off Kraven’s beasts while he searched for Jack in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #248.

The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #421

• Published: March 01, 1997
• Added to Marvel Unlimited: June 10, 2013
• Writer: Tom Defalco
• Penciler: Steve Skroce, Geof Isherwood

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What is Marvel Unlimited?

Following a rematch with Gaunt in SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED #17, the wallcrawler took on the new Prowler and the Vulture in SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #16 and SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #17, before seeing the Vulture return to his proper age in SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #18. Spidey battled D.E.A.D. with help from Generation X in MARVEL TEAM-UP #1, Dr. Zeus with Hercules in MARVEL TEAM-UP #2, Flag Smasher and Ultimatum with Sandman in MARVEL TEAM-UP #3, and the Authority with Man-Thing in MARVEL TEAM-UP #4. Take it easy, Pete!

The original Doctor Octopus’s returned in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #427 and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #428, as well as in SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED #18. An unstable John Jameson rampaged through the city and Norman Osborn bought the Daily Bugle in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #249, prompting the man to finally show himself publicly in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #250 and fend off an attack from an outraged Spidey. New York’s citizens began to turn against the web-slinger in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #251, allowing Kraven to play hero and try to bring him in. Our hero wanted none of it in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #252 and demanded answers from Kraven about his father, the original Hunter.

The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #427

• Published: October 10, 1997
• Added to Marvel Unlimited: June 10, 2013

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What is Marvel Unlimited?

Spider-Man entered the pocket universe that gobbled up the world’s other heroes in HEROES REBORN: THE RETURN #2, worked to convince that crowd to take up their former lives in the real world again in HEROES REBORN: THE RETURN #3, and happily saw them do just that in HEROES REBORN: THE RETURN #4. A new female Living Pharaoh unwrapped herself in SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #19, and Spidey helped her save herself in SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #20. Later, he confronted the Order of the Brotherhood of the Technomancer in SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #21, and the group’s associate, Gremlyn Lord Buel, in SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #22.

The web-slinger blocked the path of the Juggernaut in SPIDER-MAN #84, took on the Shocker for the life of Gwen Stacy’s cousin Paul in SPIDER-MAN #85, before throwing down on the Brooklyn Bridge in SPIDER-MAN #86. Following that, he dealt with the Absorbing Man and Titania in disguise during AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #429.

Peter Parker: serial overachiever!