10 Best Spider-Man Covers That Changed Comic History

Spider-Man has been in Marvel Comics since 1962, with his first appearance coming in Amazing Fantasy #15. He was as different as they come, a teenage superhero created to connect more with young readers, and that is what helped him become one of Marvel’s most beloved and successful superheroes. However, it also made him one of the most important and iconic, and that is no more evident than by looking at the comic books that he has appeared in and realizing that there are covers that are just as memorable and important as the stories inside the issue. These are covers that all Marvel fans recognize and can recall the stories behind them.

Here are the 10 most iconic Spider-Man covers that helped change the Wall-Crawler’s comic book history.

10) Amazing Spider-Man #404

One thing that really changed Spider-Man comics and the Marvel Universe historically is the arrival of the clones and the implementation of the spider-totem and its connection to spider-based heroes across the multiverse. The cover of The Amazing Spider-Man #404 touches on both of these things, with Peter Parker’s Spider-Man battling his clone, Ben Reilly. The shot of Spider-Man fighting his clone and the webs all around the background is striking, and it shows the shift that the comic would make into a more mythical approach.

9) Amazing Spider-Man #300

The cover of The Amazing Spider-Man #300 did two things that made it iconic and helped change comic book history. The biggest thing was that it showed Spider-Man swinging with his black costume on. This costume was a regular one that he created after he ditched the symbiote. However, this was also the issue that officially introduced Venom into Spider-Man’s world, and it was Eddie Brock’s first appearance. By the end of this issue, Spider-Man agreed to lose the black costume and return to his regular red and blue, and the black look was then passed on to Venom specifically.

8) Amazing Spider-Man #238

There might not be a Spider-Man cover that is more iconic than The Amazing Spider-Man #238, which is impressive since it features someone that younger fans might only consider a B-list villain. However, at the time of its release, that was far from the truth. Hobgoblin was the most significant villain introduced in Spider-Man comics at the time of his debut, and it was a very long time before the mystery of who he was and why he was targeting Spider-Man was revealed. Hobgoblin is making a return now, but at the time, this comic book cover was iconic and showed how big a deal Hobgoblin was at the time.

7) Amazing Spider-Man #700

What makes the cover of The Amazing Spider-Man #700 so iconic is that the design is so intricately designed that it is mind-boggling at how much was added to the cover, from all the various Spider-Men in red to the shots from the past in the eyes, and the black-costumed heresa nd villains around the eyes. However, what makes this so important as a cover is that it was a homage to his past in the issue where Peter Parker died, and Doctor Octopus took over as the Superior Spider-Man from that point on (at least until Marvel resurrected Peter).

6) Amazing Spider-Man #33

The Amazing Spider-Man #33 was a low-key cover that was nonetheless so very important in Spider-Man’s history. To this point, Spider-Man was a teenager who was trying to make it as a superhero, and that was his allure and what made him such a strong underdog to cheer for. However, the cover of this issue was one part of a two image story, to be ghonest. In the first image on the cover, Spider-Man was crushed under a safe door and seemed defeated. However, inside the issue was one of Spider-Man’s greatest tests of strength when he lifted the entire door off him and showed how powerful he really was. Peter was always strong, but this forced him to power up fast.

5) Web of Spider-Man #32

Web of Spider-Man was a secondary Spider-Man title at a time when Marvel was putting out as many titles as possible for its best-selling characters. However, this secondary title has one of the most iconic covers in Spider-Man history. This was the issue where Spider-Man dug his way out of the grave that Kraven put him in after finally beating the Wall-Crawler. Of course, this was part of Kraven’s Last Hunt, and that remains one of the best Spider-Man stories ever created, and one that will always be remembered visually by this one specific cover.

4) Amazing Spider-Man #252

The cover of The Amazing Spider-Man #252 remains iconic for two reasons. First, this is clearly an homage to the very first Spider-Man cover of all time from Amazing Fantasy #15. However, that cover has been homaged many times, so that isn’t as big of a deal as it used to be. What really makes this cover so important and how it altered history is that it was Spider-Man’s first appearance in the black costume, which shocked audiences since Secret Wars hadn’t shown where he got it yet. Of course, the costume is also the symbiote, so this was the cover that introduced that alien race into Marvel Comics, which would eventually lead to Venom.

3) Amazing Spider-Man #50

The Amazing Spider-Man #50 has a cover that is so iconic that it has been homaged almost as much as Amazing Fantasy #15, and that includes a homage in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies as well. This has Peter Parker walking away while a giant vision of Spider-Man has his back to him, and it claims “Spider-Man No More.” This was where Peter decided he wasn’t making a difference and decided to trash his costume and quit. This was also the issue where Kingpin made his first appearance, but seeing Spider-Man giving up was a shock, and it is a cover that has remained historically significant.

2) Amazing Spider-Man Giant-Sized Annual #21

While Marvel Comics has done everything it can to keep Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson apart in the last decade, this remains one of the most iconic covers in history, as it shows the two getting married. The cover itself is cheesy, with Spider-Man getting married in his costume and the heroes fighting the villains to stop them from destroying the moment. But, at the same time, Spider-Man is a cheesy character, and this fit him well at the time. Regardless, Spider-Man and MJ remained married for a very long time, and this cover shows why they are meant to be together.

1) Amazing Fantasy #15

The most iconic cover in Spider-Man history, and the one that changed everything about the Marvel Universe, was Amazing Fantasy #15. This was Spider-Man’s first appearance, and the cover sold it tremendously. Not only was he swinging through the city, holding a man under his arm, but the text on the cover revealed he was a teenager who was the newest Marvel hero, something almost unheard of at the time. Spider-Man is one of, if not the most popular, Marvel Comics hero of all time, and this was the issue that told the world he was someone to watch out for.

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