Why Spider-Man is Amazing & Why You Should Have Faith in Dan Slott

If you follow me on any form of social media or have known me since high school, it's no secret that Spider-Man is by far my favorite superhero (Marvel, DC or otherwise).  Marvel's The Amazing Spider-Man comic series is coming to an end this December with issue #700 which is written not only by one of my favorite Spidey authors, but also one of my close friends, Dan Slott (@DanSlott).  A lot of people have been giving Dan grief online about his new series, Superior Spider-Man, that debuts in January of 2013 and as a longtime reader of his work, it's been driving me nuts.  Personally, I think it's just silly to be questioning Dan's storytelling skills after everything he's written for us so far, so I've decided to compile a list of my favorite issues from his Amazing Spider-Man run as a reminder why you should be looking forward to whatever he has planned for us all!  Don't worry, I haven't included any spoilers, so if you're looking to begin reading Spider-Man, below is a great place for suggestions on where to start!  If you've read #697, the last page should've gotten you PUMPED for the final three issues.  So in conclusion, don't be mean to Dan, or you'll have to face me (and I have a black belt in karate)!

5. #693-#694 - One of Dan's most recent story arcs about Spider-Man's accidental sidekick, a tween named Alpha, comes in at number 5 on my list.  After a school field trip to Horizon Labs, a previously unnoticed kid who was in attendance acquires superpowers.  Peter is tasked with mentoring and training him.  The boy is given the name Alpha because he is the only "Alpha-level" superhero on the planet.  I really enjoyed this story because it was interesting for Peter to see a kid who was in the same situation as him royally screw up and use his powers for selfish reasons.  It served as a kind of affirmation that Peter's life choice of fulfilling his potential and taking responsibility, was the correct one to make.  Seeing Alpha act as a self centered teenage heartthrob who books an appearance on The Vampire Diaries was in a way, like seeing Peter through the looking glass if he hadn't had Aunt May and Uncle Ben to instill such noble values in him.   The trade for #693-#694 isn't out yet, but check with your local comic book store about obtaining the issues!

4. #648-#651 - Dan's first Spider-Man story arc after Brand New Day ended and the page count per issue increased, 'Kill To Be You,' is one of my favorites because it lays the groundwork for the Spider-Man universe we were to expect as Dan's run continued.  It's the perfect jumping on point for anyone who is interested in reading Spider-Man comics.  Peter finally obtains the coolest job ever as an associate at Horizon Labs, a job that allows him the flexibility to fulfill Spider-Man's responsibilities as well as pay his rent.  Basically, Peter is a little older, a little wiser, a little smoother, and a whole lot cooler than his previous incarnations.  The story is quite eventful and includes the reintroduction of the Hobgoblin, finds Spider-Man in a new suit, and has Peter team up with Black Cat to face off with Kingpin and Montana.    You can read the full story in Spider-Man: Big Time.

3. #677 - Issue #677 features an unlikely team up between Spider-Man and one of my other favorite superheroes, Daredevil.  After Felicia Hardy, also known as Black Cat, is framed for a robbery, Peter employs Murdock to help prove her innocence.  He knows it to be true because after breaking up with Carlie, Spider-Man spent the previous night trying to mend his broken heart and catch a rebound date with Felicia (who refused his offer).  The second half of the story (collectively called 'Devil in the Details') can be found in Daredevil #8 penned by Mark Waid.  Part of what makes this crossover so entertaining is that Daredevil and Spider-Man have less than compatible personalities.  If you're interested in finding out if they were able to get Felicia off the hook, you'll want to pick up Spider-Man: Flying Blind.

2. #678-679 - Time travel is my favorite science fiction topic to read about.  Because there are so many rules, time travel is a difficult topic to tackle, but when it's done correctly, the result is something so intriguing, that I am barely able to express my love for it in words.  The time door arc is one of those very stories.  Grady, a co-worker of Peters, creates a time door which allows the person who enters to step one day into the future.  There's no problem when Grady steps through it, but when Peter does, we see that New York is completely destroyed.  Peter must go back to the previous day to try to stop his 'day off' from resulting in the future he foresaw.  With only the help of Grady and the next day's newspaper, Spidey must heed Madame Web's warnings and race against the clock to save our city.  Plus there's a bunch of sweet Doctor Who references.  You can read the story in Spider-Man: Trouble on the Horizon.

1. #666-673 (Spider-Island) - It is not uncommon to hear people claim that Spider-Island is the story arc that made them love Spider-Man again.  And trust me, said claim is justified.  Whenever anyone asks me for recommendations of my favorite Spider-Man stories, I always suggest Spider-Island first and foremost.  All you need to know is that the entirety of New York City is infected with a plague, giving them the same powers as Spider-Man.  That means that roughly 8 million people have spider powers.  Chaotic?  That's an understatement.  Spider-Man employs the help of the rest of New York's finest (superheroes that is), and they assemble to ward off the Jackal and his newfound army.  The hardcover trade also includes issues of Venom, the prologues to Spider-Island (named Infested), and several other issues.  You can buy Spider-Island here.