The Amazing Spider-Man was cancelled after issue No. 700. I’ll be honest, I hadn’t picked up the book since the 70s. Black costumes, clones, brand new days and all the rest just seemed like something I wanted to avoid. But you can’t ignore Spider-Man. C’mon. He’s SPIDER-MAN. And there were a lot of great issues I have read multiple times, and will likely read again.

The pin-up below by Steve Ditko first appeared in the back of The Amazing Spider-Man 9. I thought it would make a great cover.

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Raw scan from The Essential Spider-Man 1.

Cleaned-up art.

Re-created trade dress added.

The final coloured piece. In the chill of night, at the scene of a crime, like a streak of light, he arrives just in time…

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