Tangled Webs: Comixology Sale Recommendations

At the moment, Comixology is having several massive sales. The most impressive might be their Marvel Masterworks discounts, which is a no-brainer for anyone with a tablet. Digital copies of 287 Marvel Masterworks are available for either one or two dollars. The original hardcovers vary from 50 to 75 dollars, and the digital ones are typically 16 bucks. There are also sales on notable runs and notable comics from 2020, so more recent material is available.

The sale includes at least twenty stories from the Crawlspace list of Top 50 Spider-Man comics. I’m going to go through some of the highlights.

The Spider-Man Masterworks

https://www.comixology.com/comics-sale?list_id=36428&lang=1

The sale includes the 21 Amazing Spider-Man masterworks. For 41 dollars, you can get the first 220 issues of Amazing Spider-Man, along with assorted annuals, specials and commentary.

Volumes 1-3 include the majority of the Lee/ Ditko run. Volume 4 includes the Master Planner Saga, and John Romita Sr’s debut in “Spider-Man and the Green Goblin…Both Unmasked,” two of the most important silver age Spider-Man stories. Volumes 5-7 include more of the Lee/ Romita run. Volume 7 is a highlight with Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5 (the story of Peter’s parents) and the two Spectacular Spider-Man magazine issues. Volume 8 has the Tablet of Time saga, while Volume 9 has some later Lee/ Romita material, and Volume 10 features the aftermath of Captain Stacy’s death. Volume 11 brings Stan Lee’s run to a close, along with Roy Thomas/ Gil Kane’s brief run with the first appearances of Morbius and Gog.

Volumes 12-15 feature Gerry Conway’s run on the title, with the death of Gwen Stacy, debut of the Punisher, the first Harry Osborn Green Goblin saga and the original clone saga. Volumes 15-17 include Len Wein’s run on the character, which was also a showcase for artist Ross Andru, allowing him to depict New York City landmarks like no one else. Volume 18 kicks off Wolfman/ Pollard’s run, and Volume 19 features the highlight from that period: the Burglar saga. Volumes 20-21 cover the Dennis O’Neil run, and are worth it for the Frank Miller annuals alone (that might be the main selling point for those volumes honestly).

The five Marvel Team-Up Masterworks volumes collect the first 52 issues of that series, as well as other team-ups. Volume 1 had Gerry Conway’s first Spider-Man work. Volume 2 is the debut of Stegron. Volume 4 has a story about a new Crime Master and Big Man that was important for Nick Spencer’s run. Volume 5 has a time travel saga and the debut of Jean Dewolff.

The three Spectacular Spider-Man Masterworks volumes collect the first 42 issues of the series. Volume 2 is a highlight with a Daredevil team-up that includes Frank Miller’s first work on that character, and the Carrion saga, highly recommended by JR ,and Joshua Nelson.

Also on Sale

While the Masterworks discounts did the most damage to my bank account, Comixology also has sales on Marvel’s Greatest Runs and recent comics designated as 2020 instant classics.

https://www.comixology.com/comics-sale?list_id=36456&lang=1

https://www.comixology.com/comics-sale?list_id=36426&lang=1 

The Amazing Spider-Man: Full Circle one-shot is on sale for one dollar. Absolute Carnage is four dollars. Mary Jane Volume 1 is three dollars, as are the new Black Cat volumes. Volumes 6-8 of Nick Spencer’s run are three to five dollars, while the 2099 companion is six bucks. Morbius Volume 1, Miles Morales Volumes 2-3, Spider-Ham, Spider-Verse, Symbiote Spider-Man: Alien Reality, Venom Volumes 3-4, Rex Venom (Cates & Stegman’s first Venom story), several Absolute Carnage spinoffs, Spider-Man & Venom: Double Trouble and The Ruins of Ravencroft are all 3-4 bucks.

Dan Slott’s run on Amazing Spider-Man is on sale at 3-4 dollars per volume (each volume collecting about ten issues) for the Big Time era, Superior Spider-Man, and the Parker Industries period. The Ultimate universe appearances of Miles Morales are collected in three $4 dollar volumes. The entirety of the Bendis/ Bagley run of Ultimate Spider-Man is also available as nine $4 dollar collections.

Spider-Man Adjacent

There are some Masterworks and discounted comics that would be of interest to Spider-Man fans. Daredevil Masterworks Volume 2 features a Spider-Man team-up that includes John Romita Sr’s first work on the character. Volume 3 has a rematch between them. Captain America Masterworks Volume 7 includes a two part Spider-Man team up, illustrated by John Romita Sr.

The Human Torch Masterworks Volume 1 includes Spider-Man’s first team-up, and a key Sandman story. Fantastic Four Visionaries: Walt Simonson Volume 3 includes the new Fantastic Four saga. Warlock Volume 2 includes a showdown between Spider-Man, the Avengers, the Thing and Thanos that inspired the decision to make Thanos the Big Bad in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross’ Marvels (the 25th anniversary edition is three dollars) features one man’s view of extraordinary events in the Marvel Universe, including the Death of Gwen Stacy. Infinity Gauntlet Marvel Select is four bucks. Marvel Comics #1000 is one dollar.

Best of Marvel

If you’re a Spider-Man fan, you’re likely to be a fan of good Marvel comics. Dr. Strange Masterworks Volume 1 features the other great Lee/ Ditko run. Avengers Masterworks Volume 10 has the Kree/ Skrull war, while Volume 17 features the Korvac saga, in addition to a pivotal showdown with Thanos. Black Panther Volume 1 was the main influence on the only Marvel movie nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Captain America Masterworks Volume 3 has the Steranko run, and some Kirby goodness. Volume 4 is a personal favorite with the introduction of Falcon, as the Red Skull regains the cosmic cube. Volume 8 is the Secret Empire saga, possibly the most subversive bronze age Marvel comics, given who the criminal mastermind is implied to be.

Fantastic Four Masterworks Volumes 4-7 feature Lee/ Kirby at the height of their powers, with the introductions of the Inhumans, Silver Surfer, Galactus, Black Panther, Annihilus and Adam Warlock. Volume 9 has one of their best Doctor Doom sagas. Volumes 21-22 get to the John Byrne run, and show why it’s the best since Lee/ Kirby. The Waid/ Wieringo run and Jonathan Hickman’s run are also available.

Golden Age Marvel Masterworks Volume 1 features the first Marvel comics. The Mighty Thor Masterworks Volume 4 includes the Hercules saga, while Volume 8 includes the Mangog saga, highlights of Lee/ Kirby’s other great Marvel run.

Uncanny X-Men Masterworks Volumes 4-6 include the Proteus saga, Dark Phoenix saga, Days of Future Past and key encounters against Doctor Doom and Magneto. Volume 8 is the Brood saga. X-Men Masterworks Volume 7 includes Neal Adam’s run on the Silver Age team.

The two volumes of the Winter Soldier saga of Captain America are three dollars each. The three volumes of Frank Miller’s run of Daredevil are 3-4 dollars each, while the Bendis/ Maleev run is 5-6 dollars each for three (approximately 18 issues each) volumes and the three volumes of the Brubaker/ Lark run are four dollars each. The five volumes of Mark Waid’s run are four dollars each, with fantastic art by Marcos Martin and Chris Samnee.

Peter David’s Hulk Visionaries are collected at three dollars a volume, while Al Ewing and Joe Bennet’s Immortal Hulk is four dollars a volume (ten issues each.) G.Willow Wilson’s Ms Marvel, Bendis’ New Avengers, Hickman’s New Avengers, Claremont/ Sienkiewicz’s New Mutants, Grant Morrison’s New X-Men, Millar/ Hitch’s Ultimates, JMS/ Coipel’s Thor, Jason Aaron’s Thor, Walt Simonson’s Thor, Heinberg/ Cheung’s Young Avengers, and Gillen/ McElvie’s Young Avengers are also available at steep discounts.

The sale includes 29 stories from the Hollywood Reporter’s ranking of the Top 100 superhero comics of all time: Dan Slott’s Superior Spider-Man, Matt Fraction & David Aja’s Hawkeye, Ed Brubaker & Michael Lark’s Daredevil, Peter David’s The Incredible Hulk, Mark Waid’s Daredevil, Matt Fraction, Ed Brubaker & David Aja’s Immortal Iron Fist, Matt Fraction & Salvador Larocca’s Iron Man, Brian Michael Bendis’ New Avengers, The Infinity Gauntlet, Walt Simonson’s Fantastic Four, Walt Simonson’s Thor, Jim Starlin’s Warlock, Lee/Kirby Thor, Jonathan Hickman’s Fantastic Four/ FF, Steve Englehart’s Captain America,  Ed Brubaker & Steve Epting’s Captain America, Peter David & Larry Stroman’s X-Factor, Mark Waid & Mike Wieringo’s Fantastic Four, Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers, The Kree/ Skrull War, Bendis/ Maleev’s Daredevil, Millar/Hitch’s The Ultimates, Conway/Kane/Andru’s Amazing Spider-Man, Marvels, Bendis/ Bagley’s Ultimate Spider-Man, Frank Miller’s Daredevil, Claremont & co’s X-Men, Lee/Ditko/Romita Amazing Spider-Man and the entirety of their favorite superhero work: the Lee/Kirby Fantastic Four.

The sale lasts until January 3rd.

There are an almost overwhelming number of great comics available to keep you busy indoors during this lonely winter. Do you have any favorites to recommend that I wasn’t able to praise in great detail? Do any fans of Englehart’s Doctor Strange, Archie Goodwin’s Iron Man, or Atlas science fiction anthologies want to recommend those masterworks? Five dollars may be all it takes for someone to read some of your favorite Marvel comics ever.