Best Spider-Man Stories by Decade: the 2000s

While I still have the time and energy, let’s get right into the 2000s! This was a busy decade for the web-slinger in the comics alone, with many different creative directions; some good, some not so much. This decade began by finishing up the dismal Howard Mackie/John Byrne run and ushering in the infinitely superior J. Michael Starzynski/John Romita Jr. era.

We also saw the likes of highly talented creators like Paul Jenkins, Mark Buckingham and Humberto Ramos take center stage on satellite titles.

The Ultimate universe was also launched at the beginning of the decade with Spidey at the forefront, spearheaded by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley.

We also saw the highly controversial beginning of the Brand New Day era with a newly single Spider-Man.

And that’s to say nothing of the countless mini-series, one-offs and events the wall-crawler starred in, but that would take all day. Bottom line, this was a big decade for Spider-Man and while not all of it was good (some of it being particularly terrible), I think this was a great period overall for the character and one that provided a smorgasbord of quality stories. So let’s talk about the ten very best!

 

10.) Doomed Affairs

by J. Michael Straczynski & John Romita Jr.

Hoping to reconcile their struggling marriage, Peter Parker and his estranged wife, Mary Jane, book flights to New York and Los Angeles to see one another. By sheer luck, they both end up running into one another at the airport. Unfortunately, this isn’t the only coincidence as the two stumble upon an attempted assassination of none other than Doctor Doom! Throw Captain America into the mix and you have a very awkward (or perhaps expected) reunion for the two separated lovers. 

This is the two-parter that finally brought Mary Jane Watson-Parker back into the titles as a regular supporting character after an extended absence due to the hot mess that was Howard Mackie’s run. While that in of itself is worthy of praise, what really makes this one of the best Spider-Man stories of the era is the genuine, heartfelt exchange that Peter and Mary Jane share. The action and exchanges between Spidey, Captain America and Doctor Doom are all good fun, but the excellent script between Peter and Mary Jane are the real stars here. The two truly do come off as people who love one another more than anything but are uncertain of their futures due to all of the baggage that comes with their relationship. A heartwarming tale that makes editorials decision to split them up a few years later all the more puzzling.

 

09.) Return of the Goblin

by Paul Jenkins & Humberto Ramos

Angered by their previous encounter, the Green Goblin/Norman Osborn vows to bring down Spider-Man once and for all. Norman begins to invade every facet of Peter Parker’s life, from his family and friends to his teaching job at Midtown High. Finally reaching his breaking point, Spidey sets out to end the Goblin once and for all…by any means necessary.

The Spider-Man/Green Goblin rivalry is one of the most intense and personal in all of comics and Return of the Goblin (also known as A Death in the Family) is one of the very best stories to depict this. Norman proves to Peter that he can get to him anytime from any place through anyone and there isn’t a thing our hero can do about it. This leads to one of the Goblin’s most evil moments as he forcibly intoxicates Flash Thompson and arranges for him to drive a truck right into Peter’s school.

This all culminates in a brutal clash between the two foes, with some great dialogue courtesy of Paul Jenkins. While the two deeply despite each other, there also seems to be a little pity from both ends, even Norman’s. Norman almost comes off as though he wishes things could be different between him and Peter, but feels that they have no choice but to be archenemies at this point. There are even a few moments (especially at the end) where the two almost empathize with one another and appear to share more of a connection than simply hatred. A fascinating dynamic all around for one of the greatest comic book rivalries of all time.

 

08.) The Conversation

by J. Michael Straczynski & John Romita Jr.

After years and years of lies and secrecy, Aunt May has finally discovered that her nephew is Spider-Man! May confronts Peter about this revelation, leading to a long-overdue conversation between the two.

Ever since Aunt May was brought back from the dead (in the stupidest, most convoluted manner imaginable) for the Howard Mackie/John Byrne/John Romita Jr. run, the writers proceeded to do absolutely nothing with her, causing fans to question why they would ruin the beautiful sendoff she received back in Amazing Spider-Man #400. Thankfully, writer J. Michael Starzynski finally rectified this by having May finally discover Peter’s closest secret and confronting him about it. What follows is an honest, heartfelt and mature discussion between a surrogate mom and her surrogate son about the most important part of his life that he never dared to share with her. Much like how I previously praised Doomed Affairs for its writing, The Conversation is filled with great dialogue and touching moments, effectively making Aunt May into a stronger character than she had been at any point throughout her publishing history.

 

07.) Venom

by Brian Michael Bendis & Mark Bagley

 

After reuniting with childhood friend Eddie Brock, Peter Parker discovers a secret about their fathers’ pasts…a black liquid that can transform into a protoplasmic bodysuit, curing any illness and enhancing the wearer’s strength and abilities. When Peter tries to continue his father’s work, he accidentally becomes encased in the murky liquid and is rendered nearly unstoppable…but at a terrible price. 

While certain Spider-Man purists scoff at the very idea of the Ultimate universe, there’s no denying that it was a huge success and garnered a massive fan base. Seeing fresh, new spins on old, familiar characters and stories was a delight, but Venom was arguably the title’s crowning achievement in that regard. Making Peter Parker and Eddie Brock old childhood chums was a great idea that would see itself adapted into other media. It makes their connection much more personal and Eddie’s inevitable betrayal that much more harrowing.

Turning the alien symbiote into a protoplasmic bodysuit created by the Parkers and Brocks was also a creative twist that served to further personalize the story. Richard Parker designed the Suit along with Eddie’s father in an attempt to cure cancer, but it went wrong and turned into a parasitic organism that must feed off of people’s lifeforce in order to survive. The Suit is now actual poison, making the name “Venom” that much more fitting.

 

06.) Blue

by Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale

On Valentine’s Day, Peter Parker reminisces about his first real love: Gwen Stacy. He remembers how they met, how they fell in love and how he lost her.

The entire “color” series by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale is excellent, with Spider-Man: Blue being no exception. We are taken through the early years of Spidey, with some updated writing to go with it. Seeing the web-spinner’s classic encounters with foes like the Green Goblin, Kraven the Hunter, the Rhino, the Lizard, etc. with Loeb’s snappy, modernized writing and Sale’s gorgeous illustrations is an absolute delight. But of course, the driving force behind Blue is Peter Parker’s doomed relationship with the late Gwen Stacy. While Mary Jane Watson is Peter’s true soulmate (something the story reinforces by the end), his romance with Gwen has never been depicted as sweetly and wholesome as it is here.

An excellent nostalgia-romp for long-time fans and a great jumping on point for newcomers.

 

05.) To Have and to Hold

by Matt Fraction & Salvadore Larroca

A long-lost suitor from Mary Jane’s past presents her with a shocking offer: she can walk away from the torment and tragedy of life on the run and all she has to do is turn in Spider-Man. Given the choice between a fugitive’s life and the fame and fortune she left behind to marry Peter Parker, will she take the deal?

If anybody ever asks why Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson are such a beloved couple, give them this comic. To Have and to Hold is a beautiful story about love and loyalty, as well as what it truly means to share your life with someone. Taking place during Civil War, Peter and Mary Jane are both brought to their lowest point as fugitives fleeing from the law, with the ladder having the opportunity to turn her husband in for immunity but refusing to do so.

No matter what Joe Quesada, Dan Slott, Zeb Wells or anyone else at Marvel does, Mary Jane will always be the one for Peter and vice versa. Eat it, Paul Rabin!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

04.)  Revenge of the Green Goblin

by Roger Stern, Howard Mackie, Paul Jenkins, Ron Frenz, John Romita Jr. & Mark Buckingham

Recovering from their previous battle, Norman Osborn/the Green Goblin sets in motion his newest plan to destroy his nemesis once and for all. Spider-Man may be formidable, but he doesn’t stand a chance against the Goblin’s chosen heir…Peter Parker?!

This might be the darkest and most brutal Spider-Man/Green Goblin story of all time, which is saying something. The mental and physical anguish that Norman Osborn subjects Peter Parker to throughout this arc is brutal and even a little uncomfortable to watch at times. Our hero is truly put through the wringer in every way imaginable here, as Norman does everything he can to break his spirit and force him to adopt his own twisted worldview. Revenge of the Green Goblin is an excellent showcase for the twisted rivalry and relationship the two men possess, with Norman viewing Peter as a type of surrogate son whom he must “help” by any means necessary. It’s also a great showcase of Peter’s spirit and willpower as he refuses to break no matter what kind of torture his captor subjects him to.

This story also provides an interesting look into Norman’s character as he develops an unlikely romance with his nurse, Kolina Fredrickson. It’s odd that she completely disappeared after this story because her character held a lot of potential.

 

03.) Back in Black

by J. Michael Straczynski & Ron Garney

After Spider-Man foolishly reveals his identity to the world in order to comply with the Superhuman Registration Act, Wilson Fisk/the Kingpin sends a sniper to assassinate the web-slinger. The sniper misses his target and instead hits Aunt May! Completely enraged, Peter Parker dons his black suit once more and sets out to get revenge on the Kingpin and anybody else who stands in his way.

Throughout his sixty-plus years of stories, this is perhaps the scariest Spider-Man has ever been. Consumed with rage and vengeance, this is the farthest from your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man as you can get, with our hero thoroughly brutalizing every criminal in his path to the Kingpin. While it’s a little unnerving to see the wall-crawler so bloodthirsty, it’s also undeniably satisfying to watch him completely overpower his enemies, providing a great demonstration of how unstoppable Spidey is when he stops playing around.

And when Spidey finally does face the Kingpin, it is one of the most glorious beatdowns in comic book history. That alone would make this story one of the best of the decade, but everything else is high caliber as well.

 

02.) Coming Home

by J. Michael Straczynski & John Romita Jr.

A mysterious old man named Ezekiel locates Spider-Man and warns him that an ancient vampiric being called Morlun will be hunting for him. Sure enough, Morlun tracks Spider-Man down with the intent of consuming his lifeforce. The webbed wonder is in for the fight of his life as Morlun outclasses him in every category. How can Spidey possibly win this time?

Before he became a bad joke, Morlun was a true force to be reckoned with in his debut. A relentless, unstoppable force that will stop at nothing to consume his prey, Morlun is a straightforward, yet extremely effective antagonist. This is easily one of the greatest battles in Spider-Man’s career as he throws everything at his opponent to no avail. He can’t even hide from Morlun in his civilian identity due to his tracking ability! As Spidey continues to get battered, bloodied and beaten, Morlun continues forward unphased. This is one of the few times in the wall-crawler’s history where I honestly had no idea how he was going to win, making for a highly enthralling read.

 

01.) Down Among the Dead Men/Venomous/The Last Stand

by Mark Millar & Terry Dodson

After Spider-Man defeats the Green Goblin in their latest battle, the supervillain is publicly unmasked as Norman Osborn and sent to prison. As payback for this indignity, Norman reveals Spidey’s secret identity as Peter Parker to another villain, leading to Aunt May being abducted and taken to unknown location. Desperate to rescue his surrogate mom, the web-slinger searches all across the city for any leads on his aunt. But to reach her, he’s going to have to fight through a gauntlet of some of his deadliest enemies, including a brand-new version of Venom! 

The first twelve issues of Marvel Knights has everything you could possibly want in a Spider-Man comic: exciting action, a compelling narrative, excellent characterization, top-notch artwork and more! Despite its length, there’s never a dull or wasted moment here, as the narrative moves at a near-perfect pace, always keeping the reader guessing and throwing new obstacles at our hero. Major highlights include the depictions of Mary Jane Watson-Parker as the loving and supportive but takes-no-nonsense wife, Felicia Hardy/the Black Cat as the loyal yet amoral and tough-as-nails ex-girlfriend who clearly still has deep feelings for our protagonist and Norman Osborn/the Green Goblin as the sadistic mastermind who enjoys seeing just how much he can make his nemesis writhe. Shoutouts also must go to Spidey’s brutal battles with the Green Goblin, Electro and Venom, as these are easily some of the most visceral fights he has ever been in.

If you could only read one story from this list, make it this one (though really you should read them all)!

 

What are your thoughts? Did I leave off some of your favorites? Do you disagree with some of my choices? Let me know in the comments below!