Spider-Man: Chapter One
 | This article is written like a personal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essay that states a Wikipedia editor's personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic. (June 2010) |
| Spider-Man: Chapter One | |
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Ralph Macchio |
Spider-Man: Chapter One is an American comic book miniseries starring Spider-Man published by Marvel Comics for 13 issues[1] (#1–12, with a #0 issue (April 1999) added between issues #6 (April 1999) and 7 (May 1999) from December 1998 to October 1999. The entire miniseries was written and illustrated by John Byrne. This storyline is designated as being set in the universe of "Earth-98121" and is not part of the mainstream Marvel Universe of Earth-616.
Issues involved
Spider-Man: Chapter One #1–6, 0 and 7–12 (December 1998–October 1999) was a modern-day adaptation of many, but not all, of these particular issues that chronicled the early days of Spider-Man's superhero career:
- Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962) and, years later {real time), #16–18 (December 1995–March 1996);
- The Amazing Spider-Man #1–15 (March, May, July and September–December 1963 and January–August 1964);
- The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (1964);
- The Amazing Spider-Man #16–20 (September–December 1964 and January 1965).
Reception
The miniseries was a modest success. Some comic book fans objected to Byrne's perceived tampering with the classic Spider-Man stories produced by his creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and complained that the original 1960s stories did not require any updating at all. The editorial intention of the miniseries, however, was to be a re-telling of the character's early stories that was designed to attract new readers. Byrne would soon be drawing the relaunch of The Amazing Spider-Man title with writer Howard Mackie.
Spider-Man: Chapter One, though not a sales record-breaker (possibly because it was sold only through the comic book direct market, which limited its exposure to potential new readers), finished out its run as planned, even adding a #0 issue (April 1999) between issues #6 (April 1999) and 7 (May 1999). On that basis, Byrne was later asked to do a second miniseries to be called Spider-Man: Chapter Two, but turned down the offer.
Since Byrne left the Spider-Man titles, his successors have shied away from making any references to the miniseries, and according to Official Index to the Marvel Universe #1–14 (January 2009–February 2010), it is now Marvel's stance that the original stories have regained their canonical status.
Spider-Man: Chapter One also brought controversy over the former ongoing series
Similar versions
Spider-Man's early adventures would be retold, again with a modern twist, in
Another modern re-telling of the early Spider-Man stories came in 2004 with the launch of Marvel Age Spider-Man #1–20 (May 2004–March 2005), later relaunched as Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #1–61 (May 2005–May 2010). These two series, which were each aimed at young readers, also retold many of Lee and Ditko's original stories in all 20 issues of the Marvel Age Spider-Man series and the first three of the 61 issues of the Marvel Adventures Spider-Man series (as Spider-Man: Chapter One did), although both of the contemporary-set series were clearly meant to take place outside of the mainstream Marvel Universe continuity.
Collected editions
A
Legacy
A few of the supervillains' costumes from the miniseries were later briefly used for their mainstream Marvel Universe counterparts in a two-part story called "Another Return of the Sinister Six", which was chronicled in The Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #12 (December 1999; Part 1) and Peter Parker: Spider-Man (vol. 2) #12 (December 1999; Part 2). Additionally, the Chapter One incarnation of Doctor Octopus was featured as a boss in Spider-Man Unlimited.
Hulk: Chapter One
In Hulk Annual 1999, Byrne revised the Hulk's origin, similar to what was done in Spider-Man: Chapter One. In this revised origin, the gamma bomb that was being tested was now a gamma laser, and a
This storyline (which includes Hulk Annual 1999 and Marvel: The Lost Generation #12–1 [sic]) is designated as being set in the universe of "Earth-9992" and is not part of the mainstream Marvel Universe of Earth-616.
See also
- The Man of Steel, a 1986 comic book limited series featuring the DC Comics character Superman also written and drawn by John Byrne that told the story of Superman's modern origin with much more success.
References
- ^ "Spider-Man: Chapter One (1998–1999) | Comic Series | Marvel". Marvel Entertainment. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
External links
- Spider-Man: Chapter One at the Grand Comics Database
- Spider-Man: Chapter One at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
