Key Comic #4: Amazing Spider-Man #50

Classic Cover

This is a big one! This comic has so many key factors, and delivers on so many multiple levels.  Amazing Spider-Man is arguably one of the most collectible comic series in fandom, if not THE most collectible series.  I haven’t been a huge Spider-Man fan. I have respect for the character, and his importance to the Marvel Universe. I have dabbled a little bit recently, picking up a few books here and there, and mulling over whether or not to take the full plunge. When I say full plunge, I mean full plunge. I would be committed to getting and hunting down the entire series. I am close to finishing the Daredevil series, all of the big keys have been collected, just a matter of filling in some random holes of about 60 issues. And while a part of me welcomes the new challenge, it is a doozy. There are so many key books in the Amazing Spider-Man run, am I all in or not? Keys like #121 (Death of Gwen Stacy), #129 (1st Punisher), #300 (1st Venom), and many more. And that is not including tracking down and getting the early books #1-25, a whole treasure trove of keys! This one is my #1 Key Comic I am hunting for right now.  A lot of issues I have seen recently are in bad condition or overpriced and the price and demand are really on the rise right now. I hope I can fend off all of the new potential buyers, and get my hands on one before they are all snatched up. This book could tip the scales and determine if I go for Amazing Spider-Man or not.  What do you think? I would love to hear other collections and their opinions.

Right off the bat, this issue sports a classic iconic cover by John Romita, one of the best in the entire series of Spider-Man. I have seen this cover on many favorite comic cover lists over the years. It is a really beauty. It is simple but powerful image, of Peter Parker walking away from his alter ego Spider-Man. Other comic covers has been made homage to this cover, many times. It is that good.

Silver Age Spidey yarn with incredible artwork by John Romita, and written by Stan Lee. The story delivers. Peter Parker feels the pressure of being a hero and everyday life, his Aunt May is sick, his grades at school are severely dropping, and he gives up being Spider-Man, with him walking away from it all by throwing his costume away in a full page splash in the comic. This scene is even duplicated in Sam Rami’s Spider-Man 3. I won’t spoil what happens, we all know Peter will be Spider-Man again. We even have a touching scene that recaps his origin.

And oh yeah, this comic also marks the 1st appearance of Kingpin!  Kingpin first appeared as a Spider-man villain, tormenting him for many years. A ruthless mob boss with supreme money, power and resources. The Kingpin is a major player in the Marvel Universe. It wasn’t until, an up and coming young comic creator, Frank Miller, took over the reins of writing and drawing Daredevil, that Kingpin switched his attention to the Man Without Fear, Daredevil. Kingpin will now and forever be associated with Daredevil, and is considered his main nemesis.  Netflix’s hit new Daredevil series has Vincent D’Onofrio playing the villain to the tee.

Kingpin enters the scene

Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #44 (2014) has the NM of this comic at $1,850. I still think that this book is a great investment and will continue to rising steadily in the future. The value has increased $100.00 (106%) since the year before, and overall an increase of $1,480.00 (474%) since 1999.

Updated 07/21/2015: Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #45 (2015) NearMint is $1950.00, the value has increased $50 (3%) since the year before, and overall an increase of $1,510.00 (49%) since 1999.

Click on chart for larger view.