LEGENDA STATO DI CONSERVAZIONE
condizioni ECCELLENTI (o anche EDICOLA e/o MAGAZZINO) = si intende un oggetto nuovo e perfetto oppure usato senza difetti e praticamente ancora come nuovo, tenendone per quest’ultimo caso in conto ovviamente la datazione ; corrisponde a un range di grading internazionale compreso tra 8,5 e 9,8 (non assegniamo punteggi superiori a 9,8 perchè trattasi di tipi ideali a ns avviso più teorici e scolastici che reali e concreti, ogni manufatto umano in natura ha una percentuale insita e congenita seppur infinitesimale di imperfezione)
condizioni OTTIME = oggetto nuovo (o talora anche usato ma maneggiato e conservato con molta cura) in cui non si riscontra alcun difetto rilevante e degno di nota, tutt’al più qualche minimo segno di lettura o di uso ; corrisponde a un range di grading internazionale compreso tra 7 e 8,5
condizioni BUONISSIME = oggetto usato (ed in taluni casi anche fondo di magazzino soggetto a piccole usure del tempo) con lievi imperfezioni e difetti poco vistosi, generalmente molto marginali ed appena percepibili ; corrisponde a un range di grading internazionale compreso tra 5,5 e 7
condizioni MOLTO BUONE = oggetto usato con imperfezioni vistose e difetti abbastanza spiccati, pur se non completamente invalidanti (generalmente specificati nel dettaglio alla voce CONDIZIONI nella parte inferiore della descrizione di ogni singolo oggetto); corrisponde a un range di grading internazionale compreso tra 4 e 5,5
condizioni PIU’ CHE BUONE / MEDIOCRI = oggetto usato con imperfezioni e difetti evidenti, smaccati, madornali ed invalidanti, assolutamente non collezionabile tuttavia idoneo per la semplice lettura o documentazione ; corrisponde a un range di grading internazionale inferiore a 4
per eventuali ulteriori dettagli aggiuntivi e specifici si prega di fare sempre riferimento alla voce CONDIZIONI nella parte inferiore della descrizione di ogni singolo oggetto
contiene inoltre : DOTTOR STRANGE (per scongiurare una overdose di Ditko tutta in un albo solo, si scelse di partire dal secondo ciclo, quello tra l' altro favoloso post Strange Tales ad opera di Roy Thomas e Gene Colan che pur non partendo titolare subentrerà quasi subito ai meritevoli anche se decisamente inferiori a lui Dan Adkins e Tom Palmer)
"Spider-Man!" / L' UOMO RAGNO |
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Featured Characters:
- Spider-Man (Peter Parker) (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- May Reilly Parker (Aunt May) (First appearance)
- Benjamin "Ben" Parker (Uncle Ben) (First appearance) (Death)
- Flash Thompson (First appearance)
- Liz Allan (First appearance) (not named)
- Raymond Warren, one of Peter's teachers (First appearance) (not named)
- Bernard O'Brien (not named)
Villains:
The Burglar (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Midtown High students
- Scientists
- Crusher Hogan (First appearance)
- Seymour O'Reilly (First appearance) (not named)
- Max Shiffman (First appearance), television producer (not named)
- Sally Avril (First appearance) (named only Sally)
- Security guard
Locations:
- United States of America
- New York City, New York
- Manhattan
- Science hall (First appearance)
- Television Studio
- Forest Hills, Queens
- Aunt May's House (First appearance)
- Midtown High School (First appearance)
- Manhattan
- New York City, New York
Items:
- Spider-Man's Web-Shooters (First appearance)
Synopsis
Part 1
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 General Techtronics Laboratories East, 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 television 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.
Part 2
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 thru being pushed around ... by anyone!".
Some 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.
Parker 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. Shocked, Peter realizes that if he had caught the burglar, his Uncle Ben would still be alive. He eventually learns that with great power comes great responsibility.
Notes
- This was the last Amazing Fantasy comic until 1995. This is also the first one called Amazing Fantasy instead of Amazing Adult Fantasy.
- Though the conclusion of "Spider-Man!" invites readers to return for the next issue, this would be the final issue of Amazing Fantasy (successor to Amazing Adventures and Amazing Adult Fantasy). In 1995, editor Danny Fingeroth inserted three stories (Amazing Fantasy #16-18, in Italy in Amazing Fantasy presenta L'Uomo Ragno # 1-3 Marvel Italia 1996) between this one and Spider-Man's next appearance, in Amazing Spider-Man #1 (March 1963).
- The "science hall" where Peter attended the demonstration was later identified as General Techtronics Laboratories East.
- The television producer was later identified as Maxie Shiffman, the policemen who tells Peter Parker of his uncle's death as Bernard O'Brien. From the group of High School students, only Flash Thompson's full name is given, the others would not be given names until later, including Liz Allen and Seymour O'Reilly. Sally Avril is named by first name, but she would not be seen again for another thirty years until her reappearance in Untold Tales of Spider-Man #11 (in Italy in WIZ # 20 Marvel Italia 1997).
- Amazing Spider-Man #240 (in Italy in URST # 29) establishes that this story takes place during Peter Parker's sophomore year in high school.
Trivia
- The cover ultimately published for Amazing Fantasy #15 was not the one originally planned. Originally, Steve Ditko both penciled and inked the cover, but at the last minute Stan Lee decided to have Jack Kirby come in and redo it.
- The date on the cover (August) is one month earlier than the date in the insignia (September 1962) for this issue.
- The "Experiments in Radio-Activity" exhibit (where Parker got his spider bite) was in room 30 of the science hall.
- The television producer tells Parker that should go on The Ed Sullivan Show, which ran on CBS between 1955 and 1971 (and from 1948 to 1955 as Toast of the Town).
- Anthology titles like Amazing Fantasy presented stories that were usually only three to five pages long. The "Spider-Man!" story was therefore divided into two parts, even though Part 2 immediately followed Part 1.
- The Spider-Man story uses the word spectacular to refer to a television show. Today the preferred term would be special.
- Plot elements in the live action Spider-Man movie originate from this issue.
"Spider-Man" / L' UOMO RAGNO (MOSTRO ! MINACCIA PUBBLICA !) |
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Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- May Reilly Parker (Aunt May)
- Daily Bugle
- J. Jonah Jameson (First appearance)
Villains:
- Burglar (Only in flashback)
Other Characters:
- John Jameson (First appearance)
- Maxie Shiffman
- Liz Allan
- Sally Avril
- Flash Thompson
- Seymour O'Reilly
- May Parker's Landlord
- Army personnel
Locations:
- United States of America
- New York City, New York
- Unidentified Launch site near New York City (Slocum AFB?)
- Unidentified Air Force Base near New York City (Suffolk County AFB?)
Items:
Vehicles:
- John Jameson's Space Capsule
Synopsis
With the Parker household desperate for money following the death of Ben Parker, Peter Parker decides to continue in show business as Spider-Man. However, not only does he find it impossible to cash his paycheck (made out to Spider-Man), but the irrational editorials by J. Jonah Jameson in the Daily Bugle effectively quelch his career. Besides denouncing Spider-Man as a publicity-seeking phony, J. Jonah Jameson also publishes articles lauding his son, John Jameson, a courageous astronaut about to be launched into orbit in a space capsule. J. Jonah Jameson calls his son a "real hero."
The day of the launch finds Peter Parker at the launch site as an observer. The rocket takes off successfully, but a guidance system error causes it to go wildly off course and re-enter the atmosphere.
Spider-Man appears at the launch site and offers to replace the defective 24-3B guidance unit in the plunging capsule with a spare. Because there is no way for the military to get to the capsule in time, they allow Spider-Man to try.
Spider-Man commandeers an aircraft and pilot, and together they fly toward the space capsule's re-entry point. Although the capsule is falling fast, Spider-Man manages to get hold of it with his webbing and climbs aboard.
He quickly replaces the faulty guidance unit. As a result, John Jameson regains control of the capsule, gets it properly oriented, and opens its parachute. To the joy of all concerned, the astronaut is saved.
Thinking that Spider-Man has at last proved himself, Peter Parker is shocked when he reads J. Jonah Jameson's editorial in the next edition of the Daily Bugle. Spider-Man is accused of deliberately sabotaging the space capsule and staging the rescue as a publicity stunt. With public opinion turning against Spider-Man with each new editorial in the Daily Bugle, Peter Parker's position is as hopeless as ever.
"Spider-Man Vs. the Chameleon!" / L'UOMO RAGNO CONTRO IL CAMALEONTE |
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Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Chameleon (Dmitri Smerdyakov) (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Policemen
- Professor Newton (First appearance)
Locations:
- New York City, New York State
- Manhattan
- Baxter Building
- The Lark Building (First appearance)
- Forest Hills, Queens
- Manhattan
Items:
- Spider-Man's Web-Shooters
- Daily Globe newspaper
Synopsis
Still looking for a way to use his powers to make money, Spider-Man decides to try and join the Fantastic Four. He enters the Baxter Building, escapes a "plexi-glass cage" trap, and battles the four heroes. After explaining his intentions, he learns that the Fantastic Four are a non-profit organization and earn no salaries. He leaves disappointed, vowing to make the group "look like pikers."
Meanwhile, the Chameleon is using his "multi-pocket disguise vest" to infiltrate a defense installation in the Lark Building at the edge of New York City. Later that night, while mulling over the defense plans he has stolen, he hears about Spider-Man's visit to the Fantastic Four's headquarters. He deduces that Spider-Man has no legitimate way to earn a living and must be short of money. He once more infiltrates the defense installation, and, disguised as Spider-Man, steals the remainder of the missile defense plans. Spider-Man, who had been contacted with a phony job offer by the Chameleon on a special frequency that only his Spider Sense can pick up, arrives at the defense installation just after the Chameleon's departure. The security guards try to capture him, thinking he has stolen the plans.
Evading capture, Spider-Man uses his elastic webbing to sling himself out over the harbor, then spins a web parachute to land safely. He grabs a boat and follows the Chameleon's helicopter to a waiting Soviet submarine. He quickly gains control of the helicopter, and he and the Chameleon return to the Lark Building. The Chameleon disguises himself as one of the security guards to avoid arrest, but after a brief battle he is captured. Unfortunately, during the battle the guards believe that Spider-Man is the Chameleon in disguise, forcing Spider-Man to flee. He departs, rueful of the way things never seem to turn out right.
Notes
- The Chameleon is Spider-Man's first costumed foe.
- The story features the first time Spider-Man makes a web parachute, the first time he used his webbing like a slingshot, and the first time he uses his Spider Sense.
- Spider-Man meets the Fantastic Four for the first time.
"The Coming Of... Dr. Strange" / DOTTOR STRANGE (1a parte) |
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Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Ancient One (Only in flashback)
Other Characters:
- Dr. Charles Benton (First appearance) (Only in flashback)
Locations:
- Himalayas
- New York (Only in flashback)
Synopsis
While recuperating at the Sanctum of his master the Ancient One, Dr. Strange sleeps and dreams of the events that led to him becoming a master of the mystic arts.
What follows is an extended origin based on the events depicted in Strange Tales #115 (in Italy in URC # 26 ) following the end of his career as a surgeon due to car accident, becoming a drunken derelict and questing to restore his damaged hands.
Continued to next issue...
Notes
- Renamed to "Doctor Strange" this title was previously called Strange Tales. It became a Dr. Strange solo-title following a new printing deal which allowed Marvel to print more titles a month, and so the two features in Strange Tales were awarded their own independant books. While the Doctor Strange series kept the numbering of Strange Tales, the title Strange Tales would be revived in 1973 with its own issue number 169.