Originally Posted by
ngroove
How about the best thing (next best things are reprints, that is): checking out that Comic Book Shop Silver Age display wall / trophy case, and buy some actual originals!
Any memorable Amazing Spider-Man covers that caught your eyes while flipping through those Essentials? Maybe Mary Jane Watson dancing on issue 59, or those Doctor Octopus covers on issues 55-56? Or, how about one of those un-comic coded "Drug Issues"?
Really, while I collect most of the Ditko and some of the Romita in Marvel Tales reprint form, not like I could ever afford first appearances, other than Prowler, which I have; I'm sure you could find and afford Kangaroo, Rocket Racer, and Big Wheel, if you're into them. My opinion, it is neat to actually have a few authentic issues with the then-still living, not a clone, original Gwendolyn Stacy in then-present day, not even a flashback either. Hey, I even have one with then-still living Captain George Stacy! Or, to have at least a few Stan Lee / Johnny Romita, and maybe someday muster enough money to invest on at least one Steve Ditko, even if that one might one day be one of his the early-mid thirties issues, the tail end of creativity of his run, that would be awesome. But hey, I can at least still say I have some Gwen issues, a Spidey / Kingpin battle royale issue, the first appearance and origin of the Prowler, even the issue of Peter Parker and Mary Jane's first kiss.