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AF15vol2
Spider-Man!
Comic Book series: Amazing Fantasy
Issue Number: 15

Release Date:

August 1962

Executive Editor:

Stan Lee

Cover Artist:

Jack Kirby

Writer(s):

Stan Lee

Penciler(s):

Steve Ditko

Inker(s):

Steve Ditko

Colourist(s):

{{{colourists}}}

Letterer(s):

{{{letterers}}}

Editor(s):

Stan Lee

Previous issue:

Amazing Fantasy #14 (Before Spider-Man's Creation)

Next issue:

Amazing Fantasy #16


Amazing Fantasy #15 was the first comic that features the first appearance of Spider-Man.

Plot[]

"Spider-Man!"[]

A shy, unassuming high-school student, Peter Parker prefers the company of his teachers to that of his classmates, who call him "Midtown High's only professional wallflower." His only living relatives, Uncle Ben and Aunt May, think the world of him.

One evening, while attending a demonstration of radioactivity at a science hall, Parker fails to notice a spider drop through a "radioactive ray" and receive a massive dose of radiation. It bites him and dies. Light-headed, Parker leaves the demonstration, only to be nearly run over by a car. He leaps to safety, but is surprised to find he has jumped much further than intended. He lands on the side of a building and is clinging to the bricks by his fingertips. He quickly climbs to the roof and, once there, accidentally crumples a steel pipe in his hand. He believes that he has inherited the spider's speed, strength, and climbing ability. He begins to ponder the possibilities.

Shortly thereafter, Parker sees a wrestling ring and a sign: "$100 to the man who can stay in the ring three minutes with Crusher Hogan." He goes home, changes, puts on a hood, and returns to the ring. Hogan laughingly calls Parker the "Masked Marvel," but then Parker lifts Hogan over his head and carries him up a post. Afterward, a man in the crowd introduces himself to Parker as a TV producer, encourages him to go into show business, and gives him his card.

At home, Parker makes himself a spider-themed costume, a supply of sticky web fluid, and two jets for his wrists that can shoot the fluid. "Here comes the Spider-Man!" he says.

The Spider-Man appears on television and becomes a celebrity. One evening, he goes backstage and finds a guard chasing a thief. Spider-Man lets the thief escape and, when the guard complains, tells him, "That's your job! I'm through being pushed around ... by anyone!"

A few days later, Parker gets home and learns from a policeman that a burglar has killed his Uncle Ben. The police have cornered the man in the deserted Acme warehouse. Peter dons his costume and swings to the scene. Once inside, he frightens the man by crawling down the wall toward him. Parker then covers his gun hand with web fluid and KOs him. When he sees the man's face, he recognizes the thief who got away at the studio. He wraps the burglar in webbing and leaves him for the police to find.

Peter is very upset by what has happened and realises if he had stopped the thief at the studio, Uncle Ben would still be alive. From this Peter learns a valuable lesson; "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility" and dedicates himself to being a crime fighter.

Characters[]

Cover[]

  • Similar to DC's Action Comics #1, Amazing Fanasty #15 is one of the most famous covers in comic book history. It has been homaged in other of Marvel's comics, DC Comics and even Image Comics.
    • In September 2011, there was a contest ran to see who would make it on the cover of ASM #669 as a variant.

Trivia[]

Amazing Fantasy Vol 1 15 Variant Original Ditko Cover
  • This was the last Amazing Fantasy comic book issue until 1995. This is also the first book called Amazing Fantasy instead of Amazing Adult Fantasy.
  • The cover ultimately published for Amazing Fantasy #15 was not the one originally planned. At first, Steve Ditko both penciled and inked the cover, but at the last minute Stan Lee decided to have Jack Kirby come in and redraw it.
    • This cover was reused for a variant cover for Amazing Spider-Man #700.
  • The cover of this issue appears in the comic galleries from the video games The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin (Sega CD version) and Spider-Man.
  • The date on the cover (August) is one month earlier than the date in the insignia (September 1962) for this issue.
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