Stories that improve the classics

[Mister Mets]

In a discussion on underrated stories, Revolutionary_Jack had an interesting point in favor of the stories that showed Jean Dewolff when she was alive, as that gave more power to the better-known story in which she was killed off.

So in that vein, what Spider-Man stories improve better-known material? These would be recommendations where the reader presumably gets a solid comic, and their appreciation of something fan-favorite also increases.

For example, much of Superior Spider-Man builds on the Doctor Octopus spotlight in Spider-Man Unlimited #3.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

So in that vein, what Spider-Man stories improve better-known material? These would be recommendations where the reader presumably gets a solid comic, and their appreciation of something fan-favorite also increases.

Spider-Man: Blue makes the Peter/Gwen romance work far better than Lee/Romita ever did and that's the best example.

My personal pick is something like Untold Tales #16 where Kurt Buseik, no fan of the Parallel Lives retcon, manages to use that to present a convincing portrait of teenage Mary Jane integrating the backstory changes put in by Roger Stern and Tom Defalco, and Gerry Conway did. That happened to be my first 616 comic. So it makes her knowing into this great story and moment.

Untold Tales of Spider-Man in general makes the Lee-Ditko run better on re-read. I mean it's great and fun, but having these side stories integrated to that just makes it work.

Dan Slott's Spider-Man/Human Torch series which grounds itself on different parts in publ.history where Peter and Johnny's lives crossed is also great. It makes re-reading the original Saga of the Spider-Mobile better.

For example, much of Superior Spider-Man builds on the Doctor Octopus spotlight in Spider-Man Unlimited #3.

Yeah, Tom Defalco really overwrote Doctor Octopus in the 90s. Most of the "sympathetic Ock" stuff we got in adaptations and so on comes from what Defalco did. Before, Dr. Octopus had no origins and backstory and he was consistently written as irredeemable and unscrupulous. To me not enough hard graft has been done to make the Ock in the early stories fall in line with what Defalco and then later Slott did.

[WebSlingWonder]

Agreed on "Spider-Man: Blue"! Easily one of my favorite Spider-Man stories of all time!!

As for this question, I got to go with "Scarlet Spider" by Chris Yost. Kaine was never one of my favorite Spider-Man characters, but Yost made me care about him in an interesting way. That book basically redeemed his involvement in "Clone Saga", showing that something good came out of it when the writer actually tries.

[PCN24454]

Marvel Team Up #48

Me learning about Brian DeWolff gave Yuri Watanabe’s identity as Wraith much more meaning than it did before.

[Mister Mets]

The Harry Osborn drugs saga definitely seeds the Night Gwen Stacy Died, as a Green Goblin story that establishes Harry's drug problem and focuses on Peter and Gwen's love for one another. I could see why it's paired so often with ASM 121-122.

The Brand New Day Election Day arc has a scene where Menace punches Spider-Man, and he thinks he hasn't been hit that hard since Morlun, which echoes a scene in Morlun's first appearance nicely, and sets up just how dangerous Morlun is.

Marvel Team Up #48

Me learning about Brian DeWolff gave Yuri Watanabe’s identity as Wraith much more meaning than it did before.

That story also boosts the Death of Jean Dewolff since it establishes Jean's character. I'd also add ASM 226-227 (Return of the Black Cat by Stern and Romita Jr), which adds a layer to a scene where Peter finds photos of him and Black Cat where Jean cut Black Cat's picture out.