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It’s amazing how many Spider-Man comic book keys are related to Venom and/or the alien symbiote that led to his creation, and Web of Spider-Man #1 is one of them. This April 1985 cover-dated debut became the third ongoing Spider-Man series at the time, taking the place of the canceled Marvel Team-Up. Perhaps intentionally, Web of Spider-Man launched with the very opposite of a team-up story, marking the definitive split of Spider-Man and the alien symbiote. The story by Louise Simonson plus artwork by Greg LaRocque and Jim Mooney and a classic Charles Vess cover marked a smooth beginning for a title that would last for a decade. An underappreciated Spider-Man key, there’s a high-grade copy of Web of Spider-Man #1 (Marvel, 1985) CGC NM/MT 9.8 White pages up for auction at the 2022 April 17-18 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122216 at Heritage Auctions.
The separation of Spider-Man and the symbiote in the Web of Spider-Man #1 story is the final result of a battle of wills between the two. The story continued from Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #100. Peter Parker and the symbiote had previously been separated with the help of Mr. Fantastic, but the symbiote escaped to pursue a reunion. After the symbiote reveals itself in this issue, it bonds with Peter again. However, Peter fights back and eventually separates himself from the symbiote. Spider-Man would eventually wear a black costume based on the look of the symbiote created for him by the Black Cat, until the events of Amazing Spider-Man #300 caused him to return to the classic red and blue outfit.
Web of Spider-Man #1 launched a new chapter in the Spider-Man saga with the definitive split of Spider-Man and the alien symbiote. This story by Louise Simonson plus artwork by Greg LaRocque and Jim Mooney helped chart a direction for the character in a series that would last a decade. An important moment in both Spider-Man and Venom history with an iconic Charles Vess cover, there’s a high-grade copy of Web of Spider-Man #1 (Marvel, 1985) CGC NM/MT 9.8 White pages plus high-grade copies of issues #7 and #8 up for auction at the 2022 April 17-18 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122216 at Heritage Auctions.
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